The Fund for Electronic goods recycling project Essay

The Fund for Electronic goods recycling project - Essay Example Discussion Available funding bodies Small business owners need to rely on investors for financing their activities. For any start-up of a business or introducing a new product, upgrading of equipment, investors are required to help provide the company with funds. There are several types of investors for a business. They are as follows. Angle Investors Angle investors are basically affluent individuals who provide funds for a business start-up. He usually does it in exchange for ownership equity or convertible debt. An Angel investor follows his basic instincts and accordingly invests in businesses which may otherwise face difficulties in attracting other investors to fund their operation. In some cases they want to get a share of their investment in case of profit by the business. He will want a certain predetermined percentage of his investment or in other cases in may want partial ownership of the business in which he has invested, or in other cases management decisions. Angel inve stors invest typically from hundreds or thousands to a few million dollars. Advantages of angel investors Most angel investors can provide business with the ability to generate small amounts of money needed. It can be less than $5, 00,000 or even upto $ 1 million. Since most early ventures require small amount so money, Angel investors can provide them with this amount from their own personal source of funds. When entrepreneurs have exhausted their supply of money from family, friend, bank loans, personal savings and credit cards for their start-up business they can seek the help of angel investors to help fill the equity gap needed to do the business. Angel investors are more flexible in their business arrangement as compared to traditional source of money lenders like venture capitalist and banks. Since they invest their own money it is possible to negotiate their business deals. They also don’t require highly monthly fees as required by banks and credit cards. Angel invest ors typically invest according to their own risk. Hence it is considered as high risk business investments. Since there is no record of company success for the new start-up, the angle investors is perfect for start-up. Also nowadays Angel investors are typically located everywhere across all the industries. Disadvantages of angel investors Angel investors typically do not make follow on investments, because of the risk associated with reinvesting is even more for an unsuccessful company. Angel investors can sometimes be deceptive. Though majority of the angel investors can look beyond the return of their investments, there are few angel investors who are greedy and want more money in return rather than promoting good for the company. Also they tend to be less patient with new entrepreneurs and hence don’t provide them with proper guidance or mentoring in their early stage of the business. Sometimes the return on investment which they want can be costly. Peer-To-Peer Lending P eer-to-Peer lending which is also known as social lending, person-to-person lending is the process of lending money to its peers also known as unrelated individuals, without going through banks or other financial intermediary (Mu and Gnyawali, 2003, pp. 689-711). These types of lending typically takes place online on company’

Pepsi-Cola Public Relations Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pepsi-Cola Public Relations - Case Study Example PR for these largely undifferentiated brands accounts for their market share dominance. PR often has an important role in sustaining brand equity. Long-lived campaigns that presented PepsiCo as the soft drink for the young and those who aspired to be young have helped sustain these brands' position and market share. Moreover, consistently advertising a brand's position serves as a barrier to competitive entry. Relates to what consumers believe about a brand and the category in which it holds membership (Chitty et al 2005). The other type of insight pertains to how consumers use advertising information to make brand decisions. This insight is the basis for planning the advertising function: identifying a target and developing a brand position. In turn, targeting and positioning guide the design of creative and media strategies (Brassington and Pettitt 2003). Three different publics involved in the case are the government, the consumers and competitors. FDA examined all reported cases but "could see any rational reason for the allergen incidents being reported" (There is a Syringer in my Pepsi Can p. 326). The most problem was general public and potential consumers. Negative publicity influenced its brand image and sales volumes. PR may be able to change these beliefs, but it is generally a slow process. PR An of brand linkage is even more likely when a brand does not have a strong point of differentiation from its competition. In this situation, the point of difference becomes an understanding of target consumers and their goals rather than some brand benefit. When several competitors use this same approach the linkage between brand and message is weakened. One motivation factor is the discrepancy between the position advocated in a message and people's current beliefs. Precision is needed in using this motivational device (Chitty et al 2005).If a communication argues for a position that people currently hold, persuasion will be minimal. At most, this approach will reinforce individuals' current beliefs. If a communication is highly discrepant, it is likely to evoke counterarguments and thus have limited influence. The implication is that messages of moderate discrepancy are maximally persuasive. From everyday experience, it might be expected that threat would be an effective means of motivating message elaboration (Brassington and Pettitt 2003). One of the tools used by PepsiCo is "All of evidence" campaign. Thus, it "was lost on the news media" (There is a Syringer in my Pepsi Can p. 326). The main problem is that consumers make purchase decisions based on what they know about a brand, rather than on what they remember from an ad. Whereas explicit ad recall reflects what people can remember about information stated in an ad, advertisers are interested in what people know about their brand. Implicit measures of memory are useful in this regard. Implicit measures solicit what people know without making reference to the origins of their knowledge. For example, brand recall is an implicit measure because people are asked to tell what they know about a brand. The impact of exposure on brand recall is a more appropriate measure of the learning prompted by PR than is ad recall because brand recall is a reflection of what people know rather than what they can remember (Chitty et al 20

M&S Case Study Essay Example for Free

MS Case Study Essay Introduction As stated by Andrew (2001), the Porter’s generic strategies framework assist the business to evaluate a competitive atmosphere. The five Porters force mainly deal with entry threat, power of buyers and suppliers, substitute’s threat, and competitive rivalry. The threat of entry According to Porter (1980), entry freedom into a new market is normally considered an indication of the extent of company’s competitiveness. Porter further states that the larger the barriers to entry, the less the threat of new companies moving into the market. Marks and Spencer individually can keep prices low strategically to minimize possible entrants into the market. This is called entry deterring pricing that establishes a barrier to other competitors. As stated by Anthony (1999), these barriers are unique characteristics of an industry that defines it. The barriers decrease the pace at which new firms enter the industry thus maintaining low profits levels for other companies. The power of buyers For Marks and Spencer to root to its customers, it has to emphasis on grassroots acquisition of customers so as to offer an enlarged bargaining power to them. Consumers can improve their bargaining power suppose the services or products of an organization are not affordable or are of low quality. The consumers an also have strong bargaining power suppose they purchase standard, undifferentiated goods from suppliers. The buyers will be weak if producers can over own retailing if the producers are not standardized and the buyer cannot switch to another product (Johnson and Scholes, 2002). The company has tried to minimize such cases for high competitive advantage. The company has also to find new delivery methods that will improve customer satisfaction. Power of suppliers According to Porters (1980), a supplier can have influence suppose the company works within a limited market and there is a degree of substitutability. As asserted by Grant (2005), there are some factors that determine the power of the company to attain all the needed account to meet the relevant profits. There are credible onwards integration threats by suppliers, supplier’s concentration, cost of switching suppliers, and its powerfulness to boycott low quality products (Anthony, 1999). The company has to maintain a chain of suppliers for its products to beat the competition. Threat of Substitutes Porter (1980) describes the threat of substitution as the identification of substitute products that can perform the same function as the product in question. Marks and Spencer experiences some threats from the products of other companies. To an economist, intimidation of competitors take place supposes the product demand is affected by change in price of the competitors. Marks and Spencer’s products demand have been adversely affected by the strategic change in prices of other companies (Coyne, 1996). The new fashions available and the changing dressing mode are creating high competition between Marks and Spencer and other competitive companies. Rivalry Marks and Spencer faces high competition because various companies have emerged producing high quality products at affordable prices. This high concentration shows that the company has many competitors and majority has an important market share. To counter competition, Marks and Spencer has managed to lower prices so as to gain a temporary advantage. It has also strived to improve their product features and qualities during the manufacture (Grant, 2005). References Andrew, H., 2001. Understanding Potters five force analyses in the industries: view in the global world. Macmillan publishers. pp.22-27. Anthony, W., 1999. Strategic comparison of business to consumers’ relationships. Macmillan publishers. Coyne, K., 1996. Bringing obedience to policy. The McKinsey Quarterly. No.4. Grant, R., 2005. Modern policy investigation. The Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford (U.K.). Johnson Scholes, 2002. Strategic Management. 6th ed. Exploring Corporate Strategy Text Cases.

Reflective Practice and lifelong learning

Reflective Practice and lifelong learning Within this essay, the research will use Reflective Practice in a teaching experience. It will focus on The Community College Whitstable and the curriculum that the students experience. It will highlight the changes that have happened from the introduction of the National Curriculum to the present day, and how the curriculum ideologies, models and theories have shaped the education system in Britain. This essay will identify Reflective Practice and evaluate the different ideas from scholars and professions such as Schon and Brookfield. This essay will evaluate and develop understanding of assessments in Britains state education system and how it affects The Community College Whitstable. It will explore how self reflection in it truest sense progresses teachers in their understanding of both the curriculum and the students they teach. Incorporating a reflective practice in ones own professional teaching methods, would be one way to keep up with the ongoing appraisals that should occur in any professional set up or learning experience. One could describe reflection as looking back at past teaching experiences, either good or bad, and determining whether the experience could have been better managed or taught. There is a clear distinction between thinking and reflecting. Thinking could be associated with a problem and solution where as reflecting may not have an absolute end result. Working as a teacher in a secondary school poses many problems, and many questions that are very rarely answered. The problem that surfaces with the idea of reflecting on ones own practice is that we as teachers are not given the time, or the motivation to reflect more often, or more deeply into our methods, teaching styles or delivery of the curriculum. The introduction of standardisation by way of the National Curriculum towards the en d of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s by the Conservative Government, has taken away the power from the individual teacher in deciding what is important. It could be argued it has reduced the teacher to nothing more than a messenger of a state controlled curriculum. It also suggests a hidden agenda. Neary,M (2002) highlights the hidden curriculum and the attitude towards education and the function a school should play in preparing people for society. Neary,M (2002,p45) states Lynch 1989(1989,p3): The particular social relations they deem important in the reproductive process are principally the hierarchical division of labour between teachers and learners, the alienated character of learners school work itself, and the fragmentation in work reflected in the institutionalised and often destructive competition among learners through continual and ostensibly meritocratic ranking and evaluation. Neary,M argues that writers such as Bowles and Gintis have made connections with a capitalist society and how this is reflected in the school system. It is important to reflect on the curriculum one teaches and who decides what is Really Useful Knowledge and how socially effective this is for the learners that we teach. The curriculum that is offered at The Community College Whitstable is GCSES in all the core subjects, BTEC in Construction, Physical Education, Science, Drama, Science, Music, Business Studies, Travel and Tourism, Design and Technology, NVQ in Hairdressing, professional qualifications in Motor Vehicles (IMA and ABC) and A Levels. Students at The Community College Whitstable are increasingly becoming familiar with BTEC rather than the traditional GCSES which are favoured by most Grammar and the top tier of other State schools. The reasoning for this could be that state education is undergoing huge fundamental changes through political and ideological mindsets. The Nati onal Curriculum was sought to increase the students learning, the House of Commons fourth report states (2008, p10): This document essentially identified four broad purposes; introducing an entitlement for pupils to a broad and balanced curriculum; setting standards for pupil attainment and to support school accountability; improving continuity and coherence within the curriculum, and aiding public understanding of the work of school: The school state system has now moved on more than a decade since that pledge and is currently at the centre of a political overhaul. The Community College Whitstable is entering more students onto the BTEC programmes than ever before. Through reflection of the stance and vision that the school is taking, and with regards to the increased flexibility of the school curriculum programme, one could see that schools such as The Community College Whitstable are increasingly struggling to compete on national and local terms through GSES results. Therefore turning to BTECs is a way to increase students results and move up the league tables. The popularity with BTECs are that they are all coursework driven and this does give them an advantage over GCSES which are part coursework, and part end of year exam towards final marks. The coursework is internally marked and externally verified, students who would not have had any chance of getting good results through GSESs, stand a better chance wit h BTECs (possibly getting 4 GSSEs at A* C grade on another subject.)The Community College Whitstable has been excellent in implementing the previous Governments call for Vocationalism and Diversity in the curriculum but is that all about to change with the new Coalition Government. It is important to reflect on ones teaching of the curriculum, knowledge, delivery, learning styles and methods, if we are to progress and grow as a teacher or facilitator. At present there are no school guidelines to become a Reflective Practitioner but there have been many authors and professionals that have laid down models for reflective practice to be incorporated into the curriculum. Brookfield,S states ( 1995 p29 ): We have available four lenses through which we can view our teaching. These lenses are represented by the four arrows in figure 2.1. They are (1) our autobiographies as teachers and learners, (2) our students eyes, (3) our colleagues experiences, and (4) theoretical literature. Viewing what we do through these different lenses alerts us to distorted or incomplete aspects of our assumptions that need further investigation. For example using a challenging student as a case study who attends the vocational centre is a good way to reflect on Brookfields lenses. The student that I have identified has had domestic problems and personal problems that stem from his home life. The student has a low academic ability and falls into the category of additional extra needs, which would have been recorded on his data from assessments conducted in key stage two and three. I believe this student suffers from low self esteem and confidence which reflects his aggressive nature towards education and superiors such as teachers and people in authority. The student was pushed into the vocational centre because of stereotyping and the low criteria needed to enrol on the courses at the vocational centre at The Community College Whitstable. Taking this into consideration and seeing it from the students eyes would help all teachers deal with his/her challenging behaviour with greater empathy and compassion, and in turn this wou ld enable us to tackle these problems with greater knowledge. A minority of students may have an awful home situation and life in a social environment that does not promote learning. Students may be come to school with that baggage of home life and may suffer from a lack of confidence through low academic ability. Seeing this situation from a students point of view should encourage us as teachers to be more thoughtful and tactful when dealing with certain students. From my experience of working and teaching at The Community College Whitstable, the students who chose vocational courses are generally lower ability students. Although there are some exceptions to this, and there will always be students who opt for vocational course who are academically bright. Students that are on the Construction courses at The Community College Whitstable may have problems that range from behavioural, social and academic through to the medical and physical. Through my experience as a teacher, communic ator or facilitator I have always relied on my autobiographical learning, for example, teaching students carpentry and joinery through my own good experience as an apprentice and then going on to study at college. This reflection into my past experiences has helped me to become a more rounded and competent teacher of the skills of a crafts that goes back many centuries. I believe that all teachers should use their autobiographical learning in their teaching because we can all remember the good teachers or the good instructors and employers. Our autobiography should form the foundation of our teaching methods and styles. Peer assessment is a crucial part of a teachers learning experience either informal or formal, both of these tools are equally important. Teaching on the BTEC Level 2 Construction course involves two members of staff and each member has equal responsibility to internally verify each others work. Fifty per cent of all students work will need to be cross referenced and internally verified. There are regular team meetings and departmental meetings on marking, students performance, attendance and behaviour. These meetings have always been a good way to pass on shared knowledge and to exchange ideas and beliefs on the best ways of teaching. Informal feedback from ones colleagues can be just as effective, for example asking a colleague to come into a class to observe a particular part of the lesson can provide us with greater knowledge of the situation. By simply asking other teachers how they deal with problem students can solve the mystery. From my experience a colleague had advised me to make up a seating plan at the beginning of the lesson to combat bad behaviour. The idea is that you have already taken control of the situation and the student understands this and responds accordingly. To this day the strategy has worked. Understanding how and why students behave in a manner requires understanding of human needs, this may not come naturally to most of us, but the ability to reflect and to research is a tool all teachers have at their disposal. Completion of the Certificate of Education course in previous years and now studying the BA Hons in Lifelong Learning, has put me on a learning curve using theoretical literature that I am still researching and trying to comprehend. This research into curriculum ideology, curriculum change, knowledge of education etc. suggests that education is not what it seems but a smokescreen for competing egos and polices from political parties at the helm of the countrys future. Brookfields Lenses challenges us to move away from our point of view and to take onboard other interferences that may or may not make a students progress or fail. Brookfield highlights the complexities of how we learn, and how the learning environment is always affected by more than one issue. By becoming a Reflective Practitioner it can help one understand the problems that arise from the problems teachers face. Brookfield identifies Reflective Practice as a way in which teachers can make sense of the education system and the political intrusions that occur in the curriculum. He suggests that through critical reflection we find our footing and are then able to have an openness that benefits both students and teacher. The students can be very challenging and will all have their own set of issues to deal with as outlines above. Using Brookfields Four Lenses to deal with a challenging student would be one way of discovering the true art of pedagogical teaching. Reflective Practice thro ugh Brookfields model would be beneficial when one encounters a difficult day. Peer evaluation forms an important role in our teaching methods, Brookfield highlight this in his Four Lenses and states (1995, p35) Our colleagues serve as critical mirrors reflecting back to us images of our actions that often take us by surprise. As they describe their own experiences dealing with the same crises and dilemmas we face, we are able to check, reframe and broaden our own theories of practice. This discovery through other teachers who deal with the same problem students is very important for a teacher to progress, and move on in their pursuit of becoming a competent teacher. Brookfields fourth lense focuses on theoretical literature whereby teachers and lecturers should read more about the processes of learning theory and research. Brookfield states (1995, p37): Reading a theoretical analysis that offers an alternative interpretive framework for a situation can be life saving or at least, career saving. Critical theory may help us realize, for example, that students disinterest is the predictable consequence of a system that forces people to study disconnected chunks of knowledge at a pace prescribed by curriculum councils and license bodies. Theoretical literature is covered by the leadership team at The Community College Whitstable in Staff Development evenings. From my experience this literature is used to justify their strategy rather than to professionally develop a teachers mind. Theoretical literature can help teachers to allay their fears and seek assurances from other professionals outside their working environment. Unfortunately too few teachers actively read theoretical literature on pedagogical teaching, from my experience reading and studying literature on behaviour has been a great source of encouragement. Brookfield points out that the reasoning for this is that the studies carried out about teaching in theoretical books are always written by academics and not teachers. The previous Government had realised this, the fourth report on the National Curriculum states (2008, p32): At the same time, teachers need to be given a stronger sense that their own innovations in pedagogy can be valued. There is considerable support for the introduction of some form of pedagogic bank developed by teachers for teachers. In order for teachers to become a Reflective Practitioner or teacher they would have to question the basis of the Curriculum and the hierarchical institution that administers it. This would bring them in direct conflict with the whole school system and the powers that control the system, both centrally through government, and directly through the senior management of the school. This theory of questioning the core values of an educational institution goes against the National Curriculum set up under the Conservative Government, where teacher control and powers are limited. In a world where we are now used to following the rules and codes of organisations the true spirit of people power has been born out of us through Capitalism, Globalisation and dominance. If one was to take onboard reflective teaching and use it as part of the curriculum timetabling it would help us to become better teachers and this would help us teach students what we think is important to them in the outside wor ld. Schon, D (1995, p332) argues: What happens in such an educational bureaucracy when a teacher begins to think and act not as technical expert but as reflective practitioner? Her reflection- in-action poses a potential threat to the dynamically conservative system in which she lives. As mentioned earlier the hidden curriculum has many agendas, ever since the introduction of free state schooling in the 1940s the issue has always been what should the students learn and why. Education was seen to be a way to move a nation on from the traumas of the World War and the depths of despair. The Education Minister at the time was R. A. Butler. In a draft white paper (1943, pp182) he stated: The new educational opportunities must not, therefore, be of a single pattern. Schools and courses must be available to suit the needs and aptitudes of different types of pupil or student. It is just as important to achieve diversity as it is to ensure equality of educational opportunity. Although the Government were not directly involved in educational curriculum there was a firm directive from the Government. Scholars throughout history have identified learning models and theories, armitage et al (2003) identified five Models of Educational Ideologies: Classical Humanism, Liberal Humanism, Progressivism, Instrumentalism and Reconstructionism. Armitage argues that we as teachers need to understand these ideologies in order to take them on board and through this knowledge we as teachers can set the learning experience for our students. Out of the five ideologies Reconstructionism seems the furthest away from our educational system and would suit the Developing World who need ideologies to pull themselves out of economical turmoil. Neary,M (2002) suggests that the Liberal Humanist ideology has been the most relevant since the industrialised west evolved. Neary argues that this ideology had favoured the private and higher classed schools such as the Grammar schools but not the State schools. Tony Blairs New Labour Government and the educational ideology could be coined with instrumentalism. The educational policies under Blair such as the Leitch Report (2006) are in keeping with the instrumentalism armitage et al states (2003, p209): The instrumental curriculum sees knowledge in factual terms and is clearly lecturer/teacher/trainer led. Thus, through instrumentalism education and training students are preparing themselves for their roles in the workplace and in society as a whole. This instrumentalism has had a major effect on state schools such as The Community College Whitstable because since New Labour, Vocationalism has made its way into Secondary schools and is now part of the curriculum for fourteen year olds. It remains to be seen whether the new Coalition Government are prepared to carry on these ideologies or follow another path. In a perfect world the educational ideology would be Progressivism Armitage et al states (2003, p208): The curriculum would be based around active problem-solving in a variety of social contexts and be constructed of topics which interested and challenged students (learning from experience) with the aim that people would learn how to think for themselves, make decisions, cooperate and participate as makers of a democratic society. The problem that has arisen in the curriculum today is that students are being spoon fed the information and that they cannot think for themselves. This is the result of the curriculum being too narrow and too focussed on good result and attainment rather than students growth. In order for our society or political organisations to decide the fate of our education system or the role it plays in how the students will be taught, curriculum research is carried out to ascertain the end goal. Neary, M (2002) has highlighted two curriculum models the Product Model and the Process Model. The Product Model is linked with behaviour and Neary, M (2002, p60) cites Tyler (1949); 1. What are the aims and objectives of the curriculum? 2. Which learning experiences meet these aims and objectives? 3. How can the extent to which these aims and objectives have been met be evaluated? 4. How can these learning experiences be organised? Under this model each question will need to be answered in order for the development of the curriculum to be successful and achieve the goals and outcomes intended. According to Neary the model was not without its critics based solely on the thought that a curriculum can not be based on Behaviourism. Armitage et al states there was an alternative model for curriculum development, the Process Model (2003, p203): This is an approach to curriculum which is interested in the processes and procedures of learning so that the learner is able to use and develop the content, not simply receive it passively. Neary,M states the Process Model focuses on (2002,p61): Teacher activities (and therefore the teachers role), student and learner activities (perhaps the most important feature), the conditions in which the learning takes place. Students on the BTEC level 2 Construction courses at The Community College Whitstable will have a varying degree of both models in the course aims and objectives and the structure and delivery of the content material and assessments. The BTEC Level 2 Construction courses will already have predetermined aims and outcomes in which the learner will have to meet to satisfy the awarding body, if they are to achieve the qualification, this type of curriculum falls in line with the Product Model. The BTEC does allow for some autonomy of the teachers because the modules or units will have to be personally written by the teacher or lecturer for the students to complete. This does reflect part of the Process Model but the self written units and delivery of the units have specific guidelines laid down by BTEC Edexcel. Curriculum change and the ideology behind it are very important when considering a wholesale change of the National Curriculum for schools in Britain. With the introduction of new qualifications, the assessment of that is fundamentally important to the success and the longevity of the new set up. Knight, J Minister of state schools (14-19) states (2008, p1): Many schools are already seeing the benefits of using assessment for learning practices and resources, but I want all schools to have access to high-quality training and support so that assessment for learning can be embedded in all classrooms. The previous Labour Government had targeted assessment as the way forward for schools to tackle students failings. According to the department for Children, Schools and Families (2008) the assessment for learning championed by Labour would enable students, teachers, parents and schools to know how the student is performing, where they should be and how they are going to achieve a satisfactory level of performance. For schools this meant that the structure would be transparent for all to see. For teachers they would now have a foundation to work from and be able to test students intermittently against the agreed assessments and criteria that are laid down by Government bodies. There are many ways to test students ranging from summative testing (end of year exams), to formative testing: this could be conducted in the classroom and workshops, and initial testing which would be carried out at the beginning of the course. The core question that needs to be answered when assessing is, are the means of testing reliable and valid? Armitage et al (2003, p 157) states: A valid assessment method is one which tests whether the aims and objectives of a learning experience have been achieved. The BTEC level 2 Construction course that is taught at The Community College Whitstable has various forms of assessment in order for the student to complete the units for that particular course. Currently students will have to pass six units in which three are theory units, and three are practical units. The theory units are taught on a modular basis, once the student has completed one unit they move onto the next one. The units are broken down into three smaller chunks of assessment so that it is easier for the students to digest and apply themselves and progress through the grading system. The grading systems start with a pass and then move onto a merit and finally a distinction. This kind of assessment follows the criterion referenced route of assessments, the students will have a set of questions and each question will have pass, merit or distinction attached to it. The students can elaborate on their answers and achieve a higher score or grade. The marked work is then marked by the assessor and then internally verified by a colleague teaching the same course. This is essential for the assessment process to be made valid and reliable. The practical elements of the BTEC level 2 Construction course are marked by the assessor as soon as the students has achieved the aim, which could range from building a Flemish Bond wall, making a panel door or preparing and painting a booth. The teacher (assessor) will instantly mark their piece of work in line with the course specification and grade the students a fail, pass, merit or distinction. This assessment is in keeping with a competence based formula which is similar with NVQs. There have been criticisms of this kind of competence based testing Armitage et al (2003, p166) states: Some argue that a competence-based system makes learning assessment-led. That is, for students at least, one eye is always on the competencies that have yet to be awarded and the entire course of study the becomes skewed towards ticking off such competencies. The students at The Community College Whitstable could identify with this criticism as we as teachers are pushed to increase achievements and pass qualifications rather than making sure that the student is ready equipped for the outside world. Assessment strategies and the reliability and validity have become an issue with new Coalition Government. An independent review conducted by Sir Richard Sykes (2010p3) states; There is an obsession with measurement, setting quantitative targets and compiling league tables, as though what cannot be measured numerically has no value and should have no place in education. Yet the best things in education often cannot readily be measured in this way. Dockrell and Black (1980) pick up on this theme of validity and reliability but their focus is assessment in the affective domain. Dockrell and Black (1980) argue that this kind of assessment is beneficial for the success of the students progression in their educational experience. Assessing someones welfare and preparing lessons to accommodate all students sat in front of them is part of the student centred curriculum at The Community College Whitstable. Teachers are expected to write reports three times a year on every child they teach assessing both ability and attitude although this does not go towards their final grade it can act as a tool to assess the students progress. Every child must be taught to the best of their ability is the mantra at the college. Although I do not agree with the current education system in Britain one hundred per cent, there seem to be very little alternative. The eleven plus test that is conducted in the Kent District is designed to split the brighter students from the less academic to the gain of the Grammar schools. This kind of assessment has a huge effect on all secondary schools in Kent, especially The Community College Whitstable who will have to select students that have failed or are not eligible. The Tomlinson report (2004) had promised or set out a new curriculum and assessment that would have revolutionised our state education. The report had identified that GCSEs and ALevels needed to be reformed as well as vocational education for fourteen year olds. Unfortunately, the reform did not transform the education system but was only brought in a watered downed level. Sir Richard Sykes (2010, p3) argues: We therefore present a discussion and a set of recommendations which if adopted would, we believe, help to redress the balance between education and assessment. The new specification for all BTEC courses has been renewed as of September 2010, this follows a whole shake up of the QCA framework and the governing bodies that preside over the direction of our qualification system in Britain. It remains to be seen whether this will bring the change that will bridge the gap between students progress and an education system that is envied throughout the world. In conclusion Reflective Practice enables one to view their professional role as a teacher and within society. It is important that we as teachers and professionals encourage students to achieve all that they can in the education system and to become life long learners. It is important that we encourage students to not only learn what the curriculum has offered them but to extend their learning. The essay has researched the curriculum of The Community College Whitstable and how it has adapted to the changes of a tiered school system through league tables and assessments such as the Eleven Plus. Schools such as The Community College Whitstable will have to continually surpass their expectations if they are to survive in this Capitalist State System. Brookfields Four Lenses is an important starting point for reflection in ones own professional practice and this can put the teacher/professional onto the road of true satisfaction of ones own practice. Curriculum ideologies have played an important part in Britain and the Worlds education system. This essay has focussed on instrumentalism and how this affects The Community College Whitstable and how it has played an important part in Britains Education System. This essay has identified and developed a knowledge and understanding of assessments in our State Education System. It has identified how these assessments are being used in a vocational sense through BTEC qualifications at The Community College Whitstable. It is important to understand Britains education system, ideologies and fundamental beliefs as this will enable the teacher to progress and to make sense of educational change. Schools such as The Community College Whitstable have benefited from ideology, political intrusion and curriculum development because more students are now entering sixth form and going on to university or higher education than ever before. Schools play an important part when educating the student and the local community, it is the s tart of lifelong learning for some students. Comparing the education system of the 1970s to the present day, students have a greater advantage because schools are now set up to benefit the student. The Community College Whitstable offers a vast range of qualifications that would be the envy of many countries.

Understanding Emma :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emma, who is extremely wealthy and very beautiful and the youngest of two daughters lived twenty one years without a trouble to bother her. She was the mistress of her house in Highbury because her mother died when Emma was very young. The governess of the Woodhouse home Miss Taylor was very close to all three girls but, very close to Emma. Miss Taylor finally decided to marry Mr. Weston, the owner of Randalls.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the wedding her father said that he is extremely upset that Mrs. Taylor married Mr. Weston. Emma admited to her father that she is rather pleased that Miss. Taylor has married Mr. Weston. It was Emma’s idea to get the two acquainted. Emma’s papa asks her to not make any more matches and foretell things, and tells her that everything she says always comes to pass. Emma replied to her papa that she will not make any matches for herself but she must for other people. She told him that matching couples is a great amusement to her. She continues to boast about her success. Her father begs her again not to make any matches and Emma pleaded for his permission to make a match with Mr. Elton. Mr. Knightly who is the elder brother of Emma’s sister’s husband tried to make Emma think that she should not make any more matches and he told her that a man can take care of himself. Mr. Frank Churchill who is the son of Mr. Weston is the talk of t he town. He rarely comes to visit his father in Highbury but when Mr. Weston got married, Mr. Churchill attended.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Emma had made a friends with a girl named Harriet who is a student at the boarding school, and has made a very good name for herself in the town. The girls would take walks together daily and talk . Occasionally, Harriet talked about a man named Robert Martin, Emma often wondered who he was. Harriet told Emma that she was very fond of Mr. Martin and may marry him. Emma tried to convince Harriet that she should not marry below her social status because she has made a good name for herself here. Emma mentioned Mr. Elton to Harriet and asks her what she thought of him. Harriet admitted that she had always been fond Mr. Elton and found him agreeable. Emma was fixed on putting Mr.

Female managers at Nagel

One of the most important issues concerning the workforce at Nagel Partners is its gender demographic. The proportion of male to female employees is approximately even at the lower levels. However, the number of female role models available to these women employees is disproportionately low, amounting to only about 10% at the executive levels. Nagel Partners’ executives have expressed concern about the profitability of training more female employees to fill managerial and executive positions, and this concern is justified. However, it would prove very beneficial to this firm to embark on such a training scheme, since many women do tend to give out their best performance under situations that are generally different from those that male leaders and managers are able create. One of the major divisions in leadership type is between task-oriented (production-oriented) and relationship-oriented (employee-oriented) leaders. While a task-oriented leader tends to focus on the accomplishment of production goals, relationship-oriented leaders are foremost concerned with the well-being of their subordinates (Lewitz & Bem, 1983). However, once the task has been accomplished, the task-oriented leader is usually better able to focus on relationships. The opposite is true for relationship-oriented leaders, who are able to facilitate the optimal completion of tasks once it has been established that needs of subordinates (or of the group) have been met (1983). In a firm like Nagel Partners, which focuses on a predominantly task oriented job (accounting), task orientation is a necessity. However, considering that employees are human beings, a holistic look at management would warrant the inclusion of a more relationship-based orientation. The type of leader that a woman will prove to be (whether task- or relationship-oriented) may have an impact on her performance as a manager. Though this cannot be considered true in all instances, women have generally been perceived as being more relationship-oriented than men (â€Å"Masculine and Feminine,† 2005). This has also been seen by many as having the ability to affect productivity as a manager in a task-oriented firm. However, in a firm with such a large population of valuable women workers as Nagel Partners, it can be seen that women do have the capability to perform tasks well. Furthermore, it has been stated by several leadership researchers that leaders who are relationship oriented lead divisions that perform as well as those of leaders who are task-oriented (2005). One of the keys behind this is the fact that relationship-oriented leaders are capable of creating an atmosphere in which tasks can be performed at optimal levels (2005). Since women generally have a natural proclivity toward being relationship oriented (â€Å"Masculine and Feminine,† 2005), then the need for such a leader might be considered to be very large at Nagel Partners. Females workers trained to occupy leadership positions are likely to have a positive effect on the productivity of their female subordinates, as they have a natural inclination toward creating the atmosphere in which these persons can produce their best work. Training would, however, likely be necessary in an effort to increase these female managers’ tendency toward the more task-oriented goals of giving directions to and setting standards for employees. The ability for employees to identify with those in leadership positions is also an important component in a manager’s power or influence with employees. The large proportion of women on the payroll at Nagel Partners would allow for increased identification, were more women to be trained and placed in managerial and executive positions. Despite this fact, it has also been shown that many females have trouble subordinating men (Lewitz & Bem, 1983). Some women may have an innate problem with this, while others might come across male employees who are reluctant to behave subordinately toward a female manager. Since as many men as women work at Nagel Partners, training is necessary to improve prospective female managers’ ability to relate well to both sexes. This is an especially good idea since it has been shown that training has the ability to transform less assertive women by increasing their assertiveness in given situations. Women were able to increase the efficacy of their performance in mixed-sex groups as a result of such intervention (1983). Therefore, training women to become managers in this firm would prove beneficial. One possible challenge to be faced by increasing the number of female managers is that in the workforce culture of the United States, masculinity as a leadership type seems to be generally given a higher value. First of all, this operates under the assumption that achievement and assertiveness are masculine traits. While this is not always the case, when training female leaders, considerations should be made regarding methods of enhancing (or, if need be, instilling) those attributes. The fact that these women will be leading other women makes any inherent femininity traits an invaluable leadership tool. However, the fact that these women would also be leading men makes it necessary that those who do not already possess masculinity traits be trained in that area. All these factors would make the training of female managers very beneficial to Nagel Partners. References â€Å"The ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ sides of leadership and culture: perception vs. reality.† (2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Leadership and Change. October. U. of Penn. Retrieved on February 23, 2007 from Lewittes, H. J. & S. L. Bem. (1983). â€Å"Training women to be more assertive in mixed-sex task-  Ã‚   oriented discussions.† Behavioral Science. 9(5), 581-596.   

How far were Mao’s agricultural policies responsible for the scale of the famine? Essay

Mao’s agricultural policies could certainly be seen as responsible for the scale of the famine or at least as a huge factor contributing towards it. Other factors, such as the conspiracy of silence, bad weather and withholding information by peasants and government officials were also partly responsible for the scale of the famine; however Mao’s policies played the biggest role in causing the scale of the famine. Collectivisation was the first agricultural policy taken on by Mao which was unsupported by the peasants in the countryside, who were the majority of the population. The policy contributed hugely to the scale of the famine as it involved joining peasant families together to farm collectively rather than individually and then sharing the food produced with the rest of the community. This, in theory, was a good idea; if the peasants worked together they could share knowledge and potentially grow more food. However, they didn’t like the policy as it meant, regardless of how much they grew individually, they would only get a set amount, and it was never enough to feed the whole family. Mao believed that many peasants were growing more food than necessary and keeping some for themselves, however this was proved not to be the case; production rate had fallen from 200 million in 1958 to 143.5 million in 1960. Mao simply didn’t trust the peasants, believing they were ‘inherently capitalist’ and were against being a communist state. The peasants resented farming collectively because they didn’t have enough land to farm their crops, as well as the fact that the authorities believed that they needed to be ‘strictly controlled and directed.’ This attitude towards them caused the peasants to be reluctant to hand over their crops to the state, however they had no choice as they were no longer allowed to farm for themselves and the grain produced went to the State instead, to feed the cities, leaving many to starve. Lysenkoism was also a huge factor that contributed to the scale of the famine. This was a theory introduced by Trofim Lysenko, a Soviet agronomist, who claimed to have discovered a new method for producing at least double the amount of crops, which involved planting crops deeper in the ground and closed together. China was heavily influenced by the work of the Soviet Union, especially Lysenko’s ideas as Mao aspired for China to be similar to them, meaning he assumed the policies they followed must work. He introduced the policy in 1958; however, the plants couldn’t grow in these conditions, causing huge famine and lack of food. Furthermore, a competition was developed during the Great Leap Forward for creating the most striking demonstrations of close planting. Most peasants took this to the extreme and planted seeds as close to each other as possible. As a result, a large amount of their crops died and what survived was taken away by the government officials, leaving the peasants with nothing to eat. Although collectivisation and Lysenkoism were the main factors leading to the scale of the famine, there were other aspects that contributed to it. Mao was determined to stay in power and refused to believe the true scale of the problem. When presented with a report on the genocide in Tibet, Mao dismissed it as a ‘collection of lies and distortions’ as it criticised the PRC. He was informed that around 15 million peasants had died due to his new policies but he was adamant that he was not to blame. Instead he blamed other external factors causing the scale of the famine, such as bad weather, uninformed local officers and greedy peasants. Other factors that also contributed to the scale of the famine included how focus was taken away from agriculture and set on industry instead. This meant that a dangerously high proportion of farm workers were diverted into steel production and a shortage of agricultural labour meant led to insufficient planting so large amounts of crops died. Another of Mao’s policies that failed was â€Å"Sparrowcide†; this was the killing of thousands of sparrows because it was claimed they ate the seeds of the crops. However the campaign against sparrows was so effective that as the number of sparrows decreased, the number of caterpillars, on which the birds did actually feed, increased so they consumed large areas of crops. On the other hand, Mao’s agricultural policies weren’t solely to blame for the scale of the famine; the conspiracy of silence also played quite a major role. Government officials knew that Lysenkoism was failing and that the targets set by Mao weren’t being met but they were too scared to speak out about it. They knew Mao would have them purged if they appeared to go against him, due to his refusal to face the facts. An example of this was when a conference was called to discuss the progress of the Great Leap Forward in Lushan, during which one official, Peng Dehuai, spoke the truth about the extent of the famine in an attempt to rectify the situation. However the other members did not support him so as not to appear that they were against Mao because they were afraid of what would happen to them and it was also said to them that criticism of the Party could lead to the collapse of its power. Because of this, some of the information on the scale of the famine was held back from Mao. At the beginning of the famine, reports of success soon became obligatory and were used for future planning. The figures were believed, resulting in communes serving over-generous meals and using up valuable food reserves on top of the State taking ownership of the food they produced. As the famine continued, officials would still report back to Beijing that the peasants were producing enough grain and the targets were being met so more and more peasants would be left to starve whilst their food was taken away to feed the urban population and to use as exports to the USSR. Furthermore, the peasants would lie about the amount of food they were producing by moving the grain around or including other food they were producing, such as fruit and vegetables, as well as all the grain they had produced. This meant that the officials would take away all the grain that the peasants had, leaving them with nothing. Therefore, some historians could argue that the peasants themselves contributed to the scale of the famine and it wasn’t just down to Mao’s policies. Although Lysenkoism is seen to be one of the biggest factors leading to the scale of the famine, the failure of Lysenkoism wasn’t entirely Mao’s fault. Lysenko’s theory on how to increase productivity was false and, although it could be argued that the failing of this policy was inevitable, China was heavily influenced by Soviet scientists. They were influenced into believing that Lysenko’s theories were right and he could do no wrong and this propaganda would have led Mao to believe the policies would benefit his county. The peasants were also influenced into believing that Mao could do no wrong, so many believed that the new policies would save them, rather than send them further into famine. Additionally, there were some factors contributing to the scale of the famine that Mao couldn’t have controlled, such as bad weather and natural disasters, such as floods. During 1959, China suffered a lot of bad weather and floods that destroyed large amounts of land and crops and in 1960 an estimated 60% of agricultural land in northern China received no rain at all. Mao blamed the scale of the famine on this, although this was far from being the sole reason for the scale of it. It could be argued that if Mao had not forced the peasants to follow Lysenkoism, the plants may have had a better chance of surviving, despite the weather. To conclude, I feel that Mao’s agricultural policies were the biggest factors that caused the scale of the famine, as the lack of food only started after they had been introduced. Policies such as Lysenkoism and large communes meant that crops weren’t growing properly and that the peasants didn’t have enough to eat even before the State started to claim them to feed the urban population, besides other policies. However, there were other contributing factors that led to the scale of the famine, the main one being the conspiracy of silence. The officials were been terrified of Mao’s punishments, so would have told him whatever he wanted to hear to avoid them. Some historians argue that if the officials hadn’t lied, and instead told Mao the extent of the famine, he would have been forced to accept he must rectify his mistakes, and change the policies. However, as the officials were lying to him, there is a possibility he genuinely may have not known the scale of the famine and therefore not seen the need to change anything. On the other hand, Mao had very little knowledge of agriculture in the first place and set ridiculously high goals for the amount of grain that the peasants were expected to produce. He didn’t realise that the peasants didn’t have the correct methods or enough land to produce the correct amount of grain. If he hadn’t set such ambitious goals in the first place, the officials wouldn’t have had to lie to him to cover up his mistakes, so the majority of the scale of the famine should be placed on Mao’s agricultural policies.