Decline of Han and Gupta Dynasty

Matthew Vinas Chapter 510/9/12 The Han dynasty and Gupta India were both large powerful empire who conquered most if not all their surrounding neighbors. They left a impression on the surrounding area and its history. Regardless of this influence they could not avoid the looming end that was coming. Like all large civilizations of its time both Gupta India's and the Han's golden age had to end. There are many reasons for this the largest ones being corrupt or weak government, foreign invasions, and internal rebellion. Gupta India was a highly advance culture containing advance mathematics, astronomy, and city planning.But none of these advancements could save them from the decline and eventual fall of their civilization caused by weak government. Following the death of Skanda Gupta in 467 CE rebellion and civil war began to tear the empire apart causing a time of unsteady rule. The constant rebellion caused the government's power in society to decline to . Due to the decline of gover nment, many necessary part of society had to be ignored in an effort to fix the current problems that were being faced. This neglect allowed for the military to decline resulting in the increasing success of the Huns invasions.These invasions took a heavy toll on the government of Gupta, more specifically its rulers causing them to lose more and more power. This lack of sturdy rule allowed the people of Gupta to rebel against its government and its government officials which lead to the invasions of Gupta. Aside from the weakened monarchy, the very personalities of the later Gupta Kings contributed to the ultimate fall of this dynasty. Similar to Gupta the decline of the Han dynasty can be sum up to three points corrupt and incompetent government and rebellion. isrt of all the governmet of Han was corrupt. Toward the end of Wudi’s reign in 156 BCE, violence erupted between the empress and Wudi’s concubine over the heir to the throne. Eventually, a compromise ruler was chosen, but the decline of the Han Dynasty had already begun. Later emperors were incompetent, and their reigns were marked by corruption, and a lust for immortality. This obsession and corrustion was the main reasons for the constant invasion attempts. The wars and large armies put an enormous burden on the economy.The lack of currency, trade, and natural disasters created an uneasy feeling between the Han nobles and their peasants. The main reason of this is due to massive food shortages caused by the massive overpopulation. To conclude the decline of both civilization were the cause of many factors. Like all large civilizations of its time both Gupta and the Han dynasty had to come to an end. Though different in culture both the Gupta and Han dynasty declined and eventually fall due to its weakened government, constant foreign invaders, and its rebellions.

Characteristics of Humanism Essay

Humanism is a term applied to the social philosophy and literary culture of the Western world during the Renaissance movements that spread across Europe. Washington State University, WSU, quoted on the internet: â€Å"Of all the practices of Renaissance Europe, nothing is used to distinguish the Renaissance from the Middle Ages more than humanism as both a program and a philosophy†. The Renaissance in Europe began in Italy, and with it the origin of humanism. The movement began as a response to the troubling times Italy had been facing in the years prior to the beginning of humanism. During the Fourteenth century, Italy had become overpopulated, which resulted in famine and the Black Death. A deterioration for trading with China was another issue that we had to take in account.. Humanism was the intellectual movement responding to this crisis. They began to look at things that had been ignored in the Italian society, and brought ideas to the public eye that revolutionized philosophy and literature. Ancient Renaissance Philosophers say that â€Å"Renaissance humanism was considered a ‘rediscovery’ of the ancient classical learning of Greece and Rome.† The Renaissance is characterized by its emphasis on humanism, an emphasis that would have a tremendous impact upon the subsequent history of Western civilization. Humanist studies placed us into a different world and changed the face of our lifestyle. Influential factors for Humanism were literature, art as well as music. It embraced concepts such as the supernatural as a created psychological human myth. People that where influential to the Humanism period, constructed this framework by coupling science with human reason to create an appropriate method for creating an interpretation of ultimate reality. Humanists generally denied the existence of anything outside of nature. They rejected many supernatural beliefs; however, disbelief in the supernatural is not a necessity for humanistic beliefs (Cunningham 287). Humanists believed science is based on nature, and humans learn from it. I will go into detail of the nature and beauty of Renaissance art that emphasizes on Humanism art within the work.. â€Å"The School of Athens ( 5.77 m * 8.14 m ) was painted by the 27 year old Raphael (Raffaelo) Sanzio (or Santi) for Pope Julius II (1503-1513)†(Michael  Lahanas). We do not know all details of the people who are depicted. Giorgio Vasari, who is an Italian painter and architect, suggested that nearly all Greek philosophers and ancient scientists can be found on this painting. Beyond one of the most important people on this painting is Plato, Aristotle and Michelangelo. The painting frames in the most important part by setting up the focal point in the middle of the painting. â€Å"Raphael’s School of Athens reflects a high degree of sensitivity to ordered space, a complete ease with Classical thought, obvious inspiration from the Roman architectural past, a brilliant sense of color and form, and a love for intellectual clarity-characteristics that could sum up the Renaissance ideal† (Cunningham 299). It does not only show characteristics of the Renaissance, but also characteristics of Humanism, for example it’s artistic creation on the walls, as well as the well planned building. Another thing that is associated with humanism is the social behavior of the people. The Night figure was created by Michelangelo and it suppose to create the illusion of the figure either sleeping or being awake at the same point of time. Almost all of the female’s bodies that Michelangelo creates, have a masculine body structure as well as fake looking breasts. These two analytical founding are another proof of Humanism. The Article about the best Artists said: â€Å"He goes farther away from nature in these Medici figures than in any of his others and requires greater acquiescence from his viewers. Many are not willing to let him lift them so high off the ground. ‘She may be beautiful but she’s not a woman.’ † People guessed that Michelangelo was gay, but it was never proofen as a fact. The last artwork that I am going to describe is The Last Supper by Tintoretto. The Author of auction and sold mentioned that: â€Å"All the outstanding qualities of Tintoretto appear in this strikingly original and complex design. It is characteristic in using intensified streaks of light along limbs and garment-folds, to emphasize the direction of movement, and thus heighten the effect of dramatic action.† In this painting you can see many characteristics of humanism that are shown by the people socializing, enjoying themselves and having seemingly unlimited amounts of food. In the bottom right of the painting, you have people who prepare the food and wash  the dishes. This is another characteristic for humanism. We can also see angel like figures in the picture, that move towards the human that has the bright light around his head. This person should represent Jesus, and I believe that those angel or ghost looking creatures are the souls of his friends. Our society is still influenced in the artists, and architects from the Renaissance time period. Humanistic ideas have proved to be of great educational value in the formation of civilized and responsible societies, and they are still alive in many intellectual beliefs today. Work Cited Cunningham, Lawrence S. Culture & Values. 7th ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Wadsworth, 06. â€Å"Humanism.† Washington State University – Pullman, Washington. 04 July 2009 . â€Å"Night by Michelangelo  «.† The Best Artists. 03 July 2009 . â€Å"Raphael’s School of Athens (1/2).† Hellenica, Information about Greece and Cyprus, Michael Lahanas. 06 July 2009 . â€Å"Tintoretto – The Last Supper.† Old And Sold Antiques Auction. 07 July 2009 .

Motivation at Washburn Guitars Video

Some are motivated by the fact of music and by music alone. Some are motivated by Just being able to work on an instrument. A lot of the motivation I think actually comes from the product itself in a lot of ways. When employees see the actual finished product, I think that ends up being the motivator in a lot of ways. 2. What kinds of guitars do employees most like to produce?Employees at Washburn Guitars most like to produce signature model guitars. I think one of the biggest motivational factors for this is that when they are done with a guitar, they actually have taken it from the drawing board to the manufacturing point, giving it to the artist and watching them play it on stage. It motivates employees at Washburn Guitars to create more signature guitars for top recording artists. 3. What Is the connection between quality guitars and workforce motivation?Washburn Guitar creates Its own challenges by promising customers that each guitar presents the finest quality at the best poss ible price. They do not compromise when it comes to the quality of their guitars. Signature models are used to Increase the appeal of a guitar. It makes a statement about the guitar's quality and It strengthens Washburn relationship with artists and millions of their fans. Washburn employees need to make good on this promise. Reference Lesser, R. N. & ACH, C. F. (2010).

Sustainable building Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Sustainable building - Assignment Example Center of discussion in this paper is sustainable building as the one that has higher energy efficiency, does not or less produces or less contribute in producing the green house gases emissions and the building that makes no burden to the ecology and environment. The construction of such a building is practically possible by making smaller changes to the way we live and construct our houses. Sustainable building utilized the sustainable materials that are renewable. Moreover a structure that utilizes less resources and utilizes the sustainable resources like solar, wind, geothermal, etc to provide the energy demand and provides an environmental security, is a sustainable building. However, other features like producing less waste, building life time, utilizes and produces non- toxic or less toxic materials, durability towards the harsh atmospheric affects, utilization of the natural resources, use of recyclable materials, use of renewable materials, use of durable materials and util ization of the technology makes the construction a green construction. For example, the utilization of the natural ventilation and geothermal cooling can be utilized in the building to make the building be in a desirable temperature, which certainly reduces the cooling cost and energy. Similarly, the utilization of the bigger glass windows makes the building enlighten in the daytime, which reduces the requirement of the artificial lightening in the building and reduces the carbon footprints of the building. In the same way, the utilization of the passive solar construction makes the building cooler in summer and warmer in the winter. The utilization of the onsite water treatment plants reduces the water footprints of the building. Some simple methods like making the faucets and showers heads to mix the air with the water, reduces the flow of water but the pressure remains the same thus reducing the water foot prints. The utilization of the most modern techniques like utilizing the s olar photovoltaic panels and utilizing the wind turbine to fulfill or reduce the energy requirement of the building can make the building more environments friendly and contribute much in reducing the carbon footprints. In the similar way solar water heating can be utilized to attain the warm water and also make the building warm during the winter season. Some other methods like growing plants on the rooftops of the building also reduce the cooling and heating energy requirement of the building. The vegetation on the rooftops blocks the direct sunlight and maintains the temperature of the building. This technique is utilized by several structures like the ‘California Academy of Science’, which is designed by ‘Renzo Piano’. If some or all of the sustainable method are utilized in a construction, the structure will be a sustainable building. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) LEED is a certification that certifies a building to be a green or sustainable building or not. LEED certification verifies the green methods utilized in the building like the carbon emission of the building, quality of the resign, production of the waster, energy efficiency, energy dependency, energy management, waste management and social and environmental aspects of the building (USGBC 2011). LEED certification has different rating LEED System LEED rating makes the LEED system. A building is rated on the basis of points that the building gets after evaluating that which methods are employed in the construction of the building, how is the energy managed and utilized in the building and if the building presents a sustainable architecture or not. Points are given from a total of 100 points. If the building gets 40 to 49 points, the building is LEED certified. If it remains in-between 50 to 59, it gets the silver status. If the building is rated in between 59 to 80, it gets a gold status and it the building rates more than 80; it gets the platinum status (USGBC 2010).

How Is Digital Learning Going To Change Education Research Paper

How Is Digital Learning Going To Change Education - Research Paper Example From the report it is clear that the improvement in the web- based technology has further helped teachers of the educational institutes to effectively use various online resources for delivering accurate information to the learners. The implementation of technology in the education sector opens new possibilities for the learners to share different ideas and facts. Digital learning process makes the teaching process easier for the educators. The topic so selected for the purpose of research examines the effectiveness of applying digital way of teaching in the classroom. This paper tends to evaluate the effectiveness of online learning for learning. While innovation within different sectors including the educational sector is increasing at a faster rate, but still it is of less importance as compared to the traditional way of teaching. The implementation of digital learning process in the classroom enhances the education process, but lack of technological improvement prevents its appli cation in many schools. The main aim of the paper is to analyse the impact of digital learning in school and education process. The paper examines the positive as well as negative aspect of implementing digital learning process in schools. The paper also tends to evaluate the aspect of digital learning based on â€Å"Westwood International School".  The use of digital learning in the educational institutes can also be regarded as a substitute for the traditional way of teaching.  

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 4

Philosophy - Essay Example nd analyzing distinguishes human beings from all other creatures including animals, beasts, birds and even latest devised calculation and computation machines. Renowned twentieth century philosopher Alan N. Turing (1950) is of the opinion that digital computation systems render the lengthy and exhausting computation and calculation services far quicker than human brains, and thus they could challenge and surpass human brains in computation performance, even though these machines are unable to make analysis and draw out tangible measurements attributed to humans. The present paper aims to examine the fact, in the light of theoretical frameworks presented by Rene Descartes and A. M. Turing, that whether human made machines, digital computers, robots and androids have obtained the same level of thinking and reason in this era of technological revolution that is attributed and confined to human brain only or human brain certainly outclasses digital computers on the foundation of unique r easoning and deep thoughtfulness which the latest digital computers are unable to observe. The analyses will also be made in the light of Philip Dick’s novel  Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep for accept of reject the hypothesis articulated by Turing (1950). Nature has blessed human beings with splendid mental capabilities, which have been turned out to be highly supportive for the establishment of their superiority over the fish of the water, beast of the jungle, pet of urban life and the bird of the sky. Hence, man keeps dominance over almost all creatures by dint of the innate mental characteristics and gifted intellect. Turing (1950) displays his reservations regarding the fast pace of developments being made in the world of technology, which not only have given birth to countless inventions and discoveries, but continuous sequence of these inventions may supersede human intellect as well. By this, according to him, people could rely upon machinery even for entering into

Teaching Materials for Secondary School Teachers Essay

Teaching Materials for Secondary School Teachers - Essay Example To be able to help students to achieve a productive future that ultimately can help the nation, schools should not provide mediocre learning. This can be attributed to the fact that educational system should aim for high quality in the education methods and techniques that are used and utilized. Quality education can be considered as a necessity since the search for employment to be able to survive in the present society can be considered as one of the most competitive process. It is then important primarily to define quality education. Specifically, quality education is a term that is based on the four principles of education. Quality can be equivalent to the standard that makes students more than capable to be able to present themselves in the real world. The basic foundation principles include the concepts of learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together with others, and learning to be. The provision of quality education can be considered as one of the basic rights of a person falling next to the basic needs (Sims and Sims, 1995). Quality education is culturally appropriate and locally relevant where the economic, environmental and social contexts of a particular area are taken into consideration in the formulation of the curriculum. It develops knowledge, perspectives, values, attitudes and life skills. Quality education provides the means to transform existing societies to more sustainable societies (Lee, 1963; Sims and Sims, 1995). Based on the definition of quality education it can be considered that there is a great need to be able to have an in depth study on the factors that can contribute to the achievement of quality education. ... In relation to the said issues regarding education, the main focus of the study is the presentation of the importance of one of the essential factors of educational process which is the educators and the capabilities to facilitate the process of learning. II. Essential Notions in Education In the aim to achieve quality education in the secondary level, there are different notions that are needed to be considered. One is the teaching methods and principles which can be considered as the main content in teaching. The said component can commonly be observed through the analysis of the composition of the curriculum in an educational institution (Lee, 1963). Another important component is the educators that can be considered as the main personalities that serve as keys to the attainment of the type of education that is aspired for. The ability of the educators extends from the capacity to present and achieve a learning process on the different aspects of a learner's personality. To be able to achieve the objectives of learning the learning techniques and styles of an educator is essential. This can be attributed to the fact that the educator facilitates the leaning process (Sims and Sims, 1995). One important factor of the learning process also is the learner. Basically, the abilities, attitudes and predispositions of learner also make the facilitation of the learning process possible. Abilities can be considered as the natural capabilities of the learners and students that are needed to be enhanced and developed in the process of learning. Determination of such abilities is essential although the said measure vary for every student. Another is the

Cheap airline services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Cheap airline services - Essay Example Cheap airline services generally imply long haul carriers that offer cheaper terms of travel as compared to the average conventional flights. The basic approach has often involved the elimination of certain luxuries, comforts, and services normally associated with luxury airlines. Other approaches involve the introduction of complex methods of determining the cost of travel (Bisignani, 2006, p 45). Some of the problematic issues that attend to the introduction of the cheap airline services involve claims of hidden charges, concerns over the levels of safety and matters of comfort for these airline services. Further, in the liberalized market economy, a flight that is regarded as budget within one region may qualify as expensive in another. This is because there are no structural universal regulatory mechanisms in the global airline business, which could be relied upon for an objective and all-inclusive interpretation of the essential meaning of cheap airline services. Introduction The desire to make airline services affordable and accessible continues to attract various approaches and strategies among different companies spread in different countries across different periods. Studies show that the emergent of the low cost carriers from the mid-1990s led to significant changes in the airline industry particularly within the United States and Europe (Chandler, 2002, p. 4). The idea of cheap airline services often implies a wide range of meanings within different contexts. Although the general idea of offering cheap airline services has some universal connotations, the various strategies employed towards this objective illustrate a highly localized application of the same in terms of the strategies, methods., and the relative levels of success for companies that have attempted to engage in this kind of business (McCartney, 11). Some of the common characteristics of cheap airline services include reduced fare, point-to-point airline services, lack of seat assignme nt, secondary airports flights, lack of free meals or drinks, higher flights frequency, and short flights. These characteristics are usually conducted in various ways depending on the airline’s chosen operational strategy. The terms â€Å"cheap airline services† is often used interchangeably with various other terms that carry the same meaning. Other attendant synonyms include low-cost carriers, budget carriers, no-frills, cheap flights, and discount flights (Flouris & Walker, 2005). Regardless of the different adjectives, the baseline often implies the provision of airline services that cost significantly lower than the average carrier. Generally, cheap airline services are usually conducted in ways that show high levels of efficiency in terms of time and costs. The increased levels of efficiency are important to substitute on some of the areas affected by reduced fares. On this score, it becomes necessary to consider the fact that some of the issues explored in this study are basically aimed at exploring the kind of structures that underpin matters of strategy and revenue with regard to the low cost carriers. Literature Review Multiple studies have attempted to explore the manner in which the low-cost carriers have affected the global airline industry. Academic inquiries have attempted to explore the different kinds of strategies employed by companies that entered the budget airline sector. Studies show that various strategies have been followed by a mixture of results by different countries and across different times (Mentzer, 2000, p. 34). Generally, the literature shows that

Male Bird Song Evolves in order to Attract a Female for Mating Research Paper

Male Bird Song Evolves in order to Attract a Female for Mating - Research Paper Example Further these qualities are also indicators of the physiological characteristics and genotype of the male partner and thus have high likelihood of influencing female choice. However the study of birdsong and its evolutionary significance in influencing female choice is yet at its infancy. Many new aspects are beginning to emerge. Deriving conclusions and making generalization at this stage would be inappropriate and inaccurate. MALE BIRD SONG EVOLVES IN ORDER TO ATTRACT A FEMALE FOR MATING INTRODUCTION Birdsong can be defined as long complex vocalizations produced mainly in breeding season (Catchpole & Slater, 1995). The best known birds in terms of their singing abilities are oscine birds, also referred to as passerines or perching birds. They belong to the order Passeriformes and are classified on the basis of their unique musculature of the syrinx or the vocal organ (Warner, 1972). In most of the temperate species of passerines, the males are exclusively the singers. The male bird sings either as a means of expression during male-male aggression or for attracting the female (Catchpole & Slater, 1995). ... BACKGROUND Communication is a primary requisite for functional ability. Humans must communicate to form relationships, fulfil their needs, organize and function. Animals communication is essential for food gathering, reproduction and survival; the three basic needs of all animals. However, unlike humans animals do not speak. In fact all animals possess their unique methods of communication (Hauser, 2000). Flowers send signals in form of fragrances and colour at the time of bloom to insects for pollination; meerkats communicate through scent, sounds and body language; lions communicate through body contact and sound, while birds communicate verbally through songs and coos (Rowe & Skelhorn, 2004). Communication systems, irrespective of nature and origin, comprise of two essential components: signal and tactical design. The signal is an important carrier of information from the sender to the receiver. In researches involving communication, study of nature of signal as an important deter minant of its goal is pursued (Rowe & Skelhorn, 2004). The signal evolution is in accordance with the function it is expected to perform. This is termed as strategic component of the signal (Guilford & Dawkins, 1991). Tactical design encompasses the properties of the communication determined by the transmission characteristics of the environment and the sensory and perceptual abilities of the receiver. To define the latter the term â€Å"receiver Psychology† was introduced by Guilford and Dawkins (1991) and was considered a significant determinant of the evolution of signals. Studies on bio-acoustics or animal sounds can be traced back to a research paper published by

The logical system of the mind Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The logical system of the mind - Essay Example Suppose instead that we deny that the mind is some mysterious substance, and we hold instead that there are only mental events and that "the mind" designates no more than a series of mental events We can still inquire about the relation between mind and body in a different way, in terms of the relation between mental events and physical events. We can ask: Are mental events totally different from physical events, so that you can't explain what mental events are in terms of physical events; or are mental events somehow explainable as being the same as physical events For example, when John feels a pain, a mental event is occurring; now is that pain even possibly the same as something that occurs in John's brain, such as the firing of some special group of neurons Now this question we will examine. The mind-body problem can be introduced more fully with an example. Suppose John decides to walk across the room, whereupon he does in fact walk across the room. ... We might ask: How is it possible that a decision, which is something mental, resulted in something in your brain, which is something physical If we say that the mental and the physical are totally different sorts of things, then how can one have any causal impact on the other How can a mere mental event, a decision, actually cause neurons in my brain to start firing The very idea might seem absurd. On one view , a better description of the situation is this: John's decision is itself a physical event. When John decides to take my trip across the room, a group of neurons fire in his brain. He is not aware of those neurons; but the firing of those neurons is itself just the same as his decision. There isn't any more to the decision than that physical event. So, on the view in question, there's no trouble thinking about how a mental event can have a physical effect; mental events are themselves physical. Ultimately, everything is physical. The mind-body problem is a philosophical problem, and as such it has philosophical solutions. Those solutions lead to the adoption of a point of view about the mind-body problem, which, in turn, leads to a particular way of dealing with the world. Usually, most of us do not think about our own solutions to the mind-body problem, and, sometimes, we may use different solutions at different times. In the Middle Ages, the mind-body problem was not even identified as a problem, and, therefore, the "solution" then was completely confounded, meaning that mind and body were thoroughly bound up together in one complex and confusing bundle. What is the mind-body problem Descartes helped to define it when he noted that if he amputated his foot, he had affected his

My Internship Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My Internship Report - Essay Example Both of these activities contributed significantly to my knowledge. In the second week, I started paper trading of JGB futures under Mr.Daimon, I learned how to speculate on the market movement. In the third and fourth weeks under Mr.Matsumura, I was working on a project which involved downloading time-series data from the database called CQG and analyzing the tendency of the market movement using Excel. I detected a conspicuous tendency in the market movement and was able to create some trade ideas in the end. These assignments have given me more confidence in dealing with tasks in such areas. After these four weeks, I moved to the FX floor which is the bank division of Nomura, and the manager there was Mr.Tonkin. I started my rotation within the FX floor from spot trading under Ms.Ito and Mr.Omae. I learned the basics of FX spot trading for three days, and then moved to FX forwards trading under Mr.Tonkin and Mr.Nakayama. Mr.Tonkin had given me an assignment to fix Swap Pricer spreadsheet and add more functions to it, so I was working on Excel most of the time. But I was also watching and assisting Mr.Nakayama's forward trading, and learning how the deals are made. The information I picked up in these weeks has added significantly to my skill sets. During my stay on this team, the market showed a lot of movement, and it was an invaluable experience to be able to stay on the trading floor in this kind of atypical situation. After FX forwards trading, I moved to the sales division. Under Mr.Furumi, I was working on data collection and analysis of investment trust funds, and in the very last week of this internship, I created an Option Pricing spreadsheet under Mr.Osawa. The Induction Training on the very first day was extremely important to me as well because I was able to learn how the company is organized and came to know about company rules and regulations. Some of the information was pure common-sense but some of it I did not know before. I think since our business is involved with conserving, monitoring and increasing money, we really need to have this kind of training to completely learn the rules of business and the characteristics of this industry.

United Nation Science Essay Example for Free

United Nation Science Essay United Nation Science by Kofi This article tackles the issue of human dependence on technology and the role of information technology in globalization. The author also proves the fact the human’s dependency on technology is growing as new innovation are being developed. The effect of this dependency on human relationship and interaction was also discussed. Although information technology has great contribution in globalization, its effect on human interaction, culture and values are also considerable. As technology advances, we are losing our humanity as viewed by the author. Communication Technology Update by Grant and Meadows The book on Communication Technology Update provides a timeline for the development in the field of communication technology from books, newspaper and periodicals to phones to internet. Thus, it offers an introduction to the field of communication technology which is the topic of this paper. It is important to know the trends in the development of technology in order to have an overview or rather a glimpse of what is to come. It also proves the point that human’s reliance on technology for communication is increasing with the advances in the said field. The article also shows how fast information technology is growing. The W5H of Technology by Hallen The W5H of technology by Hallen provides additional information about information technology. It also describes the different type of communication in from the simplest to the most complex in terms of the number of individuals involved. Hallen introduced the readers to what there is to know about technology, the basics as well as the important. The influences of technology were also studied, both the positive and the negative effects. The main importance of technology was development and globalization that was made possible through the innovations in technology while technology dependency was the negative effect. This belief coincides with the main argument of this paper and so is very useful as a reference. Utilizing Information and Communication Technologies for Development: The Social Dimensions. Information Technology for Development by Morales-Gomez and Melesse The article by Morales-Gomez and Melesse offered to question the impacts of technology on society. They argue that although technology has brought great development in society, there are areas that had to be explored; some areas were technology harms rather than helps. They also view the fast development made possible by technology as unrealistic and dangerously naive. The authors also explored the long term effects of information technology in a nation’s social and cultural system. Thus, the article offers support of my claim on this paper. Information and Communication Technologies and the Effects of Globalization: Twenty-First Century Digital Slavery for Developing Countries Myth or Reality? by Ogunsola This article examines the revolution in the field of information technology. It also tackles the issue of globalization as well as its impact in developing countries. The authors argue that information technology is widening the gap between the poor and the developing countries. They also offer and evaluated the concept of â€Å"digital slavery†. Global communication had been viewed as â€Å"the world’s largest machine† and unknowingly, humans are being enslaved by it. The article also explored the negative effects of communication technology in personal communication. The article is important in establishing the main point of my paper. References Annan, Kofi. {1999}. United Nation Science. 19th February. p. 1079. Grant, A. and Meadows J. (2006). Communication Technology Update. Burlington, MA: Focal Press. Hallen, R. M. (2008). The W5H of Technology. Vigyan Prasar. Morales-Gomez, D. and Melesse, M. (1998). Utilizing Information and Communication Technologies for Development: The Social Dimensions. Information Technology for Development. 8(1). pp. 3-14. Ogunsola, L. (2005). Information and Communication Technologies and the Effects of Globalization: Twenty-First Century Digital Slavery for Developing Countries Myth or Reality?. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship. V. 6, No. 1-2. United Nation Science by Kofi This article tackles the issue of human dependence on technology and the role of information technology in globalization. The author also proves the fact the human’s dependency on technology is growing as new innovation are being developed. The effect of this dependency on human relationship and interaction was also discussed. Although information technology has great contribution in globalization, its effect on human interaction, culture and values are also considerable. As technology advances, we are losing our humanity as viewed by the author. Communication Technology Update by Grant and Meadows The book on Communication Technology Update provides a timeline for the development in the field of communication technology from books, newspaper and periodicals to phones to internet. Thus, it offers an introduction to the field of communication technology which is the topic of this paper. It is important to know the trends in the development of technology in order to have an overview or rather a glimpse of what is to come. It also proves the point that human’s reliance on technology for communication is increasing with the advances in the said field. The article also shows how fast information technology is growing. The W5H of Technology by Hallen The W5H of technology by Hallen provides additional information about information technology. It also describes the different type of communication in from the simplest to the most complex in terms of the number of individuals involved. Hallen introduced the readers to what there is to know about technology, the basics as well as the important. The influences of technology were also studied, both the positive and the negative effects. The main importance of technology was development and globalization that was made possible through the innovations in technology while technology dependency was the negative effect. This belief coincides with the main argument of this paper and so is very useful as a reference. Utilizing Information and Communication Technologies for Development: The Social Dimensions. Information Technology for Development by Morales-Gomez and Melesse The article by Morales-Gomez and Melesse offered to question the impacts of technology on society. They argue that although technology has brought great development in society, there are areas that had to be explored; some areas were technology harms rather than helps. They also view the fast development made possible by technology as unrealistic and dangerously naive. The authors also explored the long term effects of information technology in a nation’s social and cultural system. Thus, the article offers support of my claim on this paper. Information and Communication Technologies and the Effects of Globalization: Twenty-First Century Digital Slavery for Developing Countries Myth or Reality? by Ogunsola This article examines the revolution in the field of information technology. It also tackles the issue of globalization as well as its impact in developing countries. The authors argue that information technology is widening the gap between the poor and the developing countries. They also offer and evaluated the concept of â€Å"digital slavery†. Global communication had been viewed as â€Å"the world’s largest machine† and unknowingly, humans are being enslaved by it. The article also explored the negative effects of communication technology in personal communication. The article is important in establishing the main point of my paper. References Annan, Kofi. {1999}. United Nation Science. 19th February. p. 1079. Grant, A. and Meadows J. (2006). Communication Technology Update. Burlington, MA: Focal Press. Hallen, R. M. (2008). The W5H of Technology. Vigyan Prasar. Morales-Gomez, D. and Melesse, M. (1998). Utilizing Information and Communication Technologies for Development: The Social Dimensions. Information Technology for Development. 8(1). pp. 3-14. Ogunsola, L. (2005). Information and Communication Technologies and the Effects of Globalization: Twenty-First Century Digital Slavery for Developing Countries Myth or Reality?. Electronic Journal of Academic and Special Librarianship. V. 6, No. 1-2.

Dworkin Theory of Law as Integrity

Dworkin Theory of Law as Integrity In Laws Empire, Dworkin has distinguished three legal conceptions: conventionalism, pragmatism and law as integrity  [1]  , by criticizing conventionalism and pragmatism, Dworkin concludes that law as integrity is the most plausible and defensible. However, criticism to Dworkins argument-law as Integritycan be seen in various academic works. In this essay, first and foremost, we will briefly discuss the basic arguments of Dworkins theory of law as integrity then we will go on to criticize Dworkins theory in light of relevant legal theories. Introduction of the Theory of Law as integrity Conventionalism Pragmatism In the theory of conventionalism, legal rights can only emerge from existing law, including precedents and legislation. Conventionalism also holds the view that judges must follow the law and should make decisions only based on existing statutes and more importantly, judges must respect what convention deems binding law.  [2]   According to the theory of pragmatism, assignments of legal rights and responsibilities must be consistent with past decisions. Moreover, the pragmatist theory holds the view that adjudication is not really constrained by the law. Hence, pragmatism argues that judges should decide what decision will, according to them, be best for the community as a whole.  [3]  This means that for reasons of strategy judges must sometimes act as if they are applying pre-existing legal rights.  [4]  In the meanwhile, in accordance with pragmatist theory, to some extent, the behaviour of a court in making decision of certain case is not constrained by the existing law. These two legal theories are highly criticized by Dworkin. As Dworkin points out that assumes that judges sometimes invent law, which means that they act in an unconstrained manner. Pragmatism also assumes that judges are hardly constrained when adjudicating cases. It thus cannot account for why judges are so concerned with precedents and statutes when they decide hard cases.  [5]   Dworkin then provides a third theory of law, which he believes not only better represents what actually happens when judges decide cases but is also a morally better theory of law. Law as Integrity The concept of Law as Integrity is a key to Dworkins Constructive Interpretation of legal practice.  [6]  According to Dworkin, judges should identify legal rights and obligations on the basis that all the rights and obligations are crated by the community as integrity, and all those rights and obligations express the communitys conception of justice and fairness. In accordance with Dworkin, the only way to understand legal practice seems to be thattaking the interpretative perspectives of the participant into consider in the practice. Dworkin claims that when judges (as well as lawyers) consider which way is the best to solve a legal issue, they should not simply identify exactly what positive law is applicable in a certain case, but taking an interpretative approach to law as social practice. Dworkin emphasizes that a solution to a certain case is always sought out through a matter of interpretative practice. Dworkins perspective here is quite against that of conventionalists, the conventionalists insist that in dealing with a certain case, the judge only should identify exactly what law is applicable. Furthermore, Dworkin points out that in the debate of a certain case, different opinions and arguments are raised by lawyers, and under this circumstance, the decision of what law is applicable in the case is usually based on what opinion the law amounts to in a particular matter rather than what conventions apply. Participants in such a debate thus do not attempt to link the facts of a case with the supposedly posited law applicable but rather interpret the law in light of a general normative justification or moral point expressed in it. A participant interpreting a social practice [i.e. the law], according to that view, proposes value for the practice by describing some scheme of interest or goals or principles the practice can be taken to serve or express or exemplify.  [7]   Dworkin argues that network of political structures and decisions of his community  [8]  must always be called on by a judge when the judge goes about adjudicating. For instance, legislation and case law which must be identified in a pre-interpretative stage Then in the following stages, the judge must always question himself whether his interpretation of this network could form part of a coherent theory justifying the network as a whole. No actual judge could compose of anything approaching a full interpretation of all of his communitys law at once. But an actual judge can () allow the scope of his interpretation to fan out from the cases immediately in point to cases in the same general area or department of law, and then still farther, so far as this seems promising.  [9]  In accordance with Dworkins arguments, the interpretation of law should not only fit into the legal system but also be the best normative justification of law as such, this means that not only must the i nterpretation of the judges be consistent with the law identified at the pre-interpretative stage, but also the law must be interpreted in a way which is the best in the participants mind. Moreover, according to Dworkins theory, both the judge and any other participant should adjust his own sense of of what the practice really requires so as better to serve the justification he accepts at the interpretative stage.  [10]   We notice that, in accordance with Dworkin, morality affects the whole process of adjudication of cases. By contrast, he dose not express the view that a certain case should be adjudicated and resolved on the basis of sole considerations of justice. Dworkin claims that the moral standards should be derived form the explicit and existing legal practice and contrary to positivists, Dworkin believes that moral principles that cohere with past legal practice are valid propositions of law as well-so much so that these principles can and should go beyond what legal conventions teach us the law is.  [11]   In Dworkins theory, there are two basic elements of law, one is a retrospective element, which he calls fit, and the other is a prospective element, which he calls justification.  [12]  Furthermore, Dworkin points out that in exercising the function of these two elements, judges are required to construct a theory of law which can both fit past legal decisions and makes the law as good as possible. In doing this, the judges are required to search out legal principles which have been previously mentioned in the historical and social characteristics of the legal system and then improve the law for the future by making it more coherent  [13]  . Hence, we can say that according to Dwokins theory, in dealing with a certain case, the judge should try to interpret the law in a way which promotes the coherence of the legal system as well as possible. In other words, it is to say that an interpretationwhich is the most coherent to legal systemis much better than an interpretation-which makes the legal system less coherent. This implies that when interpretation is concerned, there exists a certain tension between what is presented by the existing positivist material and what is the best way to interpret such material from a moral point of view.  [14]   From the view of Dworkin, a judge is like an author in writing a novel, in that case a new author is bound by what another author has written in a previous chapter, but the new author will subsequently attempt to continue the novel in the best possible way.  [15]  A judge should view his or her role in a chain in law, he or she is not purely independent, but is indeed independent to some extent,He knows that other judges have decided cases that, although not exactly like his case, deal with related problems; he must think of their decisions as part of a long story he must interpret and then continue, according to his own judgement of how to make the developing story as good as it can be.  [16]  In other words, Dworkin holds the view that law is not arbitrary but rather the expression of an underlying attempt at forming and clarifying a coherent legal consciousness of society.  [17]  Hence, in interpreting certain legal text, a judge is not completely free. The judge is no t allowed to inject any personal morality into the interpretation of the legal document. More essentially, a judge is required to interpret with the purpose of establishing coherence based on the integrity of existing law. Furthermore, decision making by the judge will depend, that is, not only on his beliefs about which of these principles is superior as a matter of abstract justice but also about which should be followed, as a matter of political fairness, in a community whose members have the moral convictions his fellow citizens have.  [18]  Dworkin also explains this in more general terms: There are two possibilities. Someone might say that interpretation of a social practice means discovering the purposes or intentions of the other social participants in the practice (). Or that it means discovering the purposes of the community that houses the practice, conceived as itself having some form of mental life or group consciousness. The first of these suggestions seems more attractive because less mysterious. But it is ruled out by the internal structure of an argumentative social practice, because it is a feature of such practices that an interpretive claim is not just a claim about what other i nterpreters think. () [A] social practice creates and assumes a crucial distinction between interpreting the acts and thoughts of participants one by one, in that way, and interpreting that practice itself, that is, interpreting what they do collectively. It assumes that distinction because the claims and arguments participants make, licensed and encouraged by the practice, are about what it means, not what they mean. () [An interpreter must therefore] join the practice he proposes to understand ().  [19]   Criticism of Dworkins Legal Theory Moral to full extent According to Michael Sandel  [20]  , Dwokins legal theory begins with the principles of freedom and equality that justify the institutions of democracy and law. However, as Stephen Guise points out that the claim that democracy is just and that law is part of democracy is a claim about a moral ideal.  [21]  If we go further, that is to say, in a moral level, the world without democracy is better than a democratic world. Since in a democratic world, laws are enacted and enforced but laws may be substantively unjust. Stephen Guest criticizes that The theory of Dworkins is moral to the full extent. Interpretation is therefore is not constrained by facts even though it makes use of facts. It does not follow that his theory is subjective, because his moral views like all moral views are subject to revision, correction and, in short, reason.  [22]  Stephen Breyer says that constitutional standards keep subjective judicial decision-making in check.  [23]  In my mind, it is right, but not purely right, that is because, this statement implies that there exists some external checking fact on these judicial subjective judgments, more importantly, this statement demonstrates that judges should not formulate applicable constitutional standards. In the theory of Dworkins, interpretation is something close to the end-product of moralizing with others who are largely in agreement and who endorse true propositions of modality.  [24]  This means that the origin of Dworkins legal theory is moral pro posals concerning equality and freedom. Dworkin cannot explain the extraordinary rigidity of the U.S. Constitution, in particular the way that entrenched provisions of the Constitution conservatively constrain judges by imposing the dead hand of the past  [25]  . In Dworkins perspective, there is no categorical distinction between distinction history and substance, although there is an argument of fit, as we mentioned before, this is merely another form of argument of substance. So in Dworkins theory, there is no way of identifying historical facts about the Constitution distinct from its moral substance. The only arguments are moral arguments and as we mentioned in the first part, Dworkin expresses the idea that entrenched positions can be interpreted morally, in terms, for example, of the protection of democratic decision-making. So law is a form of moralizing that is also an integral part of democracy. If we genuinely believe in equality of respect, we naturally end up with endorsing representative democracy, which means legislative activity through delegated agency. It is not just that the legislature represents my view through legislation but, merely in its existence, it expresses my conviction that I respect others equally. Since I do, I must allow that their convictions count, too, and so I must abide by whatever the procedural outcome is of this respect I owe to others. Moral convictions and objectivity. There is a conflict in Dworkins theory, on one hand, Dworkin emphasizes objectivity in decision making, on the other hand, Dworkin put decision onto a moral basis. As Duncan Kennedy  [26]  claims that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the judges should not choose the interpretation that applies their own moral and political convictions. I personally dont see what else they could applyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Furthermore, as Waldron points out that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦These are convictions, not whims, and even where there is nothing else but ones own convictions to follow, no-one thinks that it means those convictions are rightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [27]  So it is rare or even impossible that a judge will not take personal moral convictions into the process of adjudication or interpretation. Unclear about Justice By holding the same view with Waldron, Smith  [28]  supposes that Dworkins idea or justice is not clear since Dworkin has argued that justice depends on recognizable principles. Furthermore, Smith questions that why should a principle of justice have to be recognizable?  [29]  For principles of justice will surely gain moral recognition if they do because they have force independent of recognition. Someone has to do the recognizing first. How to achieve ideal integrity? Susan Hurley  [30]  defends Dworkins perspective against a claim by Kenneth Kress  [31]  that Dworkin cannot provide a coherent consideration of law in circumstances where there is an intervening judicial decision between a set of facts that ground litigation and the litigation itself. Does the judge decide on the basis of the previous law, or the intervening law? Hurley concludes that if the intervening decision is right, then there is coherence, therefore, there is no problem; if it is wrong, it is a mistake, and need not count. A question may be raised here thatalthough it may have created further rights, say, to reasonable expectations being met, which will cohere with integrity? Moreover, Hurley  [32]  sees the problem in terms of overall moral coherence untrammeled by worries about descriptive facts'. So Hurley usefully broadens the picture by pointing out that coherence is determined as much by hypothetical facts, those that test the limits of principle (and which judges often use), as they are by judicial decisions. Furthermore, as we mentioned before, in Dworkins legal theory, when dealing with a particular case, a judge should interpret and apply law in light of the whole legal system, and make interpretation which is consistent with the integrity of the legal system. However, is this really applicable in practice? In accordance with Waldron  [33]  , it is a challenge to Dworkins descriptive optimism that the facts of the American legal system could make it impossible to give an overall account of American law that would remain true to integrity. But as Stephen argues that there is no such tension between facts and moral optimism as he appears to envisage. The facts are either incorporated into the argument that makes for integrity or they are discounted. There is the possibility that the American legal system has become so dysfunctional that no moral case for integrity can be made for it, but that seemingly remote possibility would not be an embarrassment for Dworkins theory.  [34]  Waldrons comments seem to imply that there are facts that determine law independently of interpretation. And so it has the general form of: Imagine a legal system where integrity might not apply; what then? Dworkins reply can only be and it is his reply that We cannot be sure, before we look, because noth ing in his legal theory requires that all legal systems display integrity  [35]  . Finally, Dworkin must allow that, by making best sense of an existing legal practice, we may still conclude that the practice failed the ideal. Take the fugitive slave Acts for instance.  [36]  What should the judges do when they are legally required to send captured slaves back to the South? In order to maintain the integrity of legal system, the judges should send those slaves back but to achieve the goal of justice, judges should set the slaves free. Hence, the outcome of the judgment represents a serious conflict between integrity and jusitice. A positivist will deal this case by distinguishing legal justice and real justice, but in Dworkins theory, this is criticized. According to Dworkins theory, the relevant ideal here is the ideal of integrity; it is through bad legal argument that one fails to meet that ideal, and it is bad because it hasnt made maximal use, in the circumstances of actual practice, what that actual ideal of integrity requires. So interpretivism produces an ideal, but it is not the outcome that would be the best in all possible worlds, which is how we ordinarily think of ideals. But maybe this doesnt particularly matter. We have the ideal solution in integrity and this differs from the ideal solution in justice. At times both fairness and efficiency require following precedents, but integrity is different, although it will serve both those values as well. Nevertheless, the ideal of integrity appears to be constrained by existing practices in a way that the ideal of justice is not. Or, by its nature, it seems, interpretation is only possible within the existing world, which suggests it is not an ideal at all. A cruder way of putting this point is that making the best sense of existing legal practices is no more than adequately characterizing equity deficits, that is to say characterizing how far these practices fall short of the ideal. If the Legal System is Wicked Obviously, a consequence of Dworkins views is that the legal system itself may not contain too many mistakes. That is because in Dworkins theory, the normative dimension feeds on the law itself, and more importantly, Dworkin emphasizes the relationship between local politics and law. As a matter of fact, Dworkins theory is constructed on the presupposition that the integrity of the legal community is in a large measure reflected in its law. So if the justification of law is to flow from societys political decisions (in the form of law), it follows that these decisions must also be justifiable as such; but this is obviously not always the case, as the examples of Apartheid South Africa and Nazi Germany show. Why would we make racism the best it can be? Dworkins argument here is circular in that it presupposes, in his case, the existence of a liberal democracy  [37]   We also note that Dworkins theory does not require abandoning the history or anthropology of wicked legal systems. As we mentioned before, Dworkin holds the view that law should be treated as conventional, because that is a theory that clearly has a moral point  [38]  . There is no need to talk in terms of the Hart-Dworkin debate'  [39]  Stephen claims, especially as they barely debated these questions. The debate should instead concern the theoretical question of the identification of the conditions according to which propositions of law are true. That debate is important because it concerns, amongst other matters, our moral obligation to conform to law. And so while it is right that we move away from the Hart- Dworkin debate, it would be wrong to move from questions concerning the identification of law, because these are at the core of our moral obligations to the community.  [40]  It is true that there will be occasions when the law requires something the moral force o f which grates with a judges personal convictions. There will therefore be occasions when it may be morally right for the judge to lie where justice trumps integrity. But I dont see how any of this affects Dworkins theory unless, yet again, one supposes that some descriptive fact defeats the moral judgment. Both the systems of apartheid and Nazism contained elements of good that could be put to use through integrity. Since these systems regularly enforced equality in some spheres, and morality says that the racial classifications are wrong, then the laws promoting the immoral policies can be made out as dysfunctional, perverted, or even mistaken and, so, not creative of moral obligations. However, if there is no articulated and public structure that, as Dyzenhaus says, citizens have been encouraged to obey and treat as a source of rights and duties,  [41]  it is difficult to see what is left. Where there is such a semblance of law, of an articulate public structure of rights an d duties, citizens acquiescence forms something of a legitimizing base, which, incidentally, Fuller called the external morality of law.  [42]   What will be interpreted cannot be distinguished from the interpretation itself It is not very clear in what respect an analogy can be drawn between law and literature in that legal texts constrain judges in their interpretative activities. Some argue that legal texts themselves are texts as well and thus also must be interpreted. In other words, what is to be interpreted cannot be distinguished from the interpretation itself. There is no such thing as a text out there  [43]  , and meaning is derived from interpretation. From that point of view, a previous legal text as such does not put any constraints on its interpretation but rather on the shared understandings that live within the interpreting community. Conclusion As we have discussed throughout this essay, although Dworkin tried to provide a theory of law, which, at least in his opinion, not only better represents what actually happens when judges decide cases but is also a morally better theory of law. It seems that his work is unsuccessful. Dworkin tried to avoid the shortcomings of both conventionalist theory and pragmatist theory. In the theory of law as integrity, when comes to interpretation of law, on one hand, Dworkin expects to make the judge constrained by law by arguing that the interpretation of law should follow the step of former decisions and be coherent with the existing legal system, on the other hand, Dworkin tries to make the judge creative, and emphasizes on the moral issues in the process of interpretation. Moreover, Dworkin connects law with other social elements, such as politics and local community, and enlarged the conception of integrity. In conclusion, we see Dworkins theory of law as integrity is good in a moral level but bad in a legal level. As we have discussed in this essay, Dworkins theory of law as integrity lacks applicability, if a theory only sounds good but could not be applied in practice, this theory is not a good one. In addition, as a legal theory, Dworkins theory of law as integrity fails in the following essential aspects. Firstly, this theory made its sole concept integrity conflicted with the concept of justice under certain circumstances. Secondly, when Dworkin makes law closely related to politics, actually, more problems have been raised rather than solved.

SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Nestle

SWOT and PESTEL analysis of Nestle Introduction This report presents a strategic analysis of Nestlà ©. Critically analysing the internal workings of the firm, this report presents a SWOT analysis to reveal an identification of the internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats seen within Nestlà ©. Nestlà © is a company with a varied brand portfolio consisting of a wide range of products including a number of household brands: Nescafe, Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles and Nesquik. Earlier this year, Forbes (2014, p.1) referred to Nescafe, one of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s core brands as the 27th most valuable brand in the world. Employing over 8000 employees, Nestlà © is present in a number of domestic and international markets. With their headquarters in Switzerland, Nestlà © is a firm, which in total operates within 86 countries of which North America is their largest and most profitable market (Shotter, 2012, p.1). The firm’s strong internationalisation strategy reflects the firm’s commitment to resource and capability development in the external environment. This will be explored further through the use of a PESTLE analysis to determine the key external forces present within the macro environment and, how importantly Nestlà © respond to such forces in a strategic manner. A look back at the history of the firm reveals a strong commitment to product development. It all began back in the mid-1860s when Nestlà © created a new baby formula to offer to the market. Seeing a gap in the market underpinned by those mothers who could not breastfeed, Nestlà © developed a formula to be offered to the European market. This very early development within Nestlà © soon developed to include an expansion of products within the firm with chocolate being added to milk products to reach a larger target market. Since its first product offerings, Nestlà © has gone on to have a varied brand portfolio with annual sales of $100.64 billion (Nestlà ©, 2014, p.1). Nestlà ©s mission Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s mission statement is supported by the expression ‘good food, good life’ (Nestlà ©, 2014, p. 1). Meaning more than the nutritional values of the food they produce, Nestlà © support the need to show a commitment to quality, safety and ultimately convenience for the consumer to enhance enjoyment. The notion of the creation of ‘shared value’ is a main focus of the firm and is an area which is supported by the firm’s ability to ‘go beyond compliance and sustainability and create new and greater value for our people, our shareholders and society as a whole’ (Nestlà © , 2014, p.1). This statement supports the integrated approach Nestlà © adopt through their commitment to recognising the responsibility the firm has to the wider external environment, which moves beyond a simple aspiration of profit. SWOT analysis This section presents a SWOT analysis to review the micro environment of the firm reflecting specifically upon the strengths and weaknesses of Nestlà © and the opportunities and threats the firm must respond to through an alignment of firm strengths to such forces. A SWOT analysis is often used, as a strategic tool to allow a presentation of the firm’s resources and capabilities, which can be further, developed to aid competitive advantage. A SWOT analysis therefore underpins the development of future strategic options. As seen within the work of Barney (1991, p. 99) and Teece (2009, p. 12) a desirable competitive advantage is one obtained through a minimisation of threats aligned with the seizing of opportunities. Table One: SWOT analysis Table one below reveals the internal dynamics of Nestlà © and the opportunities/threats facing the firm. Positive Factors Negative Factors Internal Factors Strengths Strong cultural values stemming from the firms integrated approach to business and commitment to their stakeholders (Schein, 2012, p.3). Current strategic position of Nestlà © supported by three key areas of business ‘quality leadership, customer satisfaction and sustainability’ (Business Green, 2013, p. 1). Nestlà © have a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility with reference being made to ‘long term commitment never being sacrificed for short-term performance’ (CSR Wire, 2014, p. 1). Diversified and varied brand portfolio. Global recognition driven by the number of strong brands within the firm’s portfolio. The reputation of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s brand is estimated to be valued at $7billion (Nestlà ©, 2014b, p.1). Nestlà © has a place in the heart of consumers due to its longstanding history. Development of trust and loyalty highlighting the capability development of the firm. Strong teamwork within the firm promoting good levels of job satisfaction and employee commitment. Weakness A number of Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s products have faced criticism as a result of their nutritional value. Increased emphasis has been placed on healthy eating through government initiatives and Nestlà © would benefit from reviewing a number of their products to support their mission of ‘good food and good life’ in a changing social environment i.e. rising levels of child obesity. The past of Nestlà © is tainted in parts by negative public relations as a result of what is referred to as the baby milk scandal. Noted in a recent article by Muller (2013, p.1) it was stated that the scandal had ‘grown up but not gone away’. Recognising the need for stability and consistency in the processes found within the company’s global supply chain. International standards demand a need for standardisation yet this has to be balanced with the firm’s strategic need for adaptation to different cultural environments. External Factors Opportunities Ability to reach new consumer markets and in particular new international markets i.e. Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s work in emerging economies. Further internationalisations with a particular focus on the BRICS economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) – these economies are noted as being current growth spots (Wilson and Purushothaman, 2003, p. 1). Development of intangible capabilities to aid competitive advantage. Barney (1991, p.100) argues that competitive advantage is achieved through inimitability and this should be a focus of the firm. Backwards integration to gain more control over the supply chain of the firm (Martin and Eisenhardt, 2010, p.1105 ). Innovative development of distribution channels. Threats Higher levels of buyer power within the industry fuelled by greater choice and lower loyalty (Porter, 2008, p.12: 2011, p.5). Variability in raw material prices influencing the firm’s ability to sustain prices in light of a commitment to wider responsibilities aside from profit i.e. CSR initiatives (Servaes and Tamayo, 2013, p.1047). Increased dynamism in the external macro environment fuelling short-term decision making and heightened competition (Teece, 2009, p.15). Technological change driving both innovation and associated challenges. Ageing population shifting the demographics of the workforce (Kooij et al, 2014, p. 2192). The SWOT analysis above reveals that Nestlà © have a number of strengths, which translate into the development of core resources and capabilities, which aids their competitive position. Notably, one of the core strengths of Nestlà © is the strong brand image they have which inspires trust in consumers. Nestlà © are able to build on this reputation to extend their brand categories. Further, recent efforts to follow corporate social responsibility strategies have heightened the firms approach to sustainability, which is aligned to current expectations from the consumer market for firms to take a greater responsibility towards the wider macro environment. Moving on to a critical analysis of the weaknesses of the company, one of the core weaknesses of Nestlà © is the content of some of their products, which marks a move away from healthy eating initiatives. For example, Nestlà © produce a number of confectionary goods including sweets and chocolate bars. Nestlà © will in the future have to work with the UK government to ensure that a clear marketing message is put across for such treats to only be enjoyed alongside a balanced diet. Overall, however, Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s strengths overshadow their weaknesses and many of the weaknesses are being tackled by strategic actions. Recognition of the firm’s opportunities and threats leads to a discussion of the value of internationalisation and in particular the opportunities present within emerging economies. Further, the development of capabilities and thus the translation of strengths into intangible and inimitable capabilities is an area, which could see the firm, further develop their sustainable competitive advantage. Developing from the opportunities of the firm, it is also necessary to consider the threats, which face Nestlà ©. The SWOT analysis revealed one of the core threats is the increasingly competitive nature of the industry and the challenges, which arise from this level of competition. As a result, a great threat facing the firm is the level of dynamism and turbulence to contend with which influences the nature and direction of strategic choices. PESTLE analysis A PESTLE analysis is used as a strategic tool to measure industry dynamics through recognition of the core political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental forces/changes having influence on the industry (Henry, 2007, p.23). Table two below presents a PESTLE analysis for the industry Nestlà © are present within and this information is then used to form a critical discussion for the future strategic options available to the firm. Table Two: PESTLE analysis The PESTLE analysis below identifies a number of forces, which have an influence on industry dynamics. Of these forces, perhaps the most prominent are social forces, which relate to differences in consumer behaviour. As an international firm, Nestlà © have to be able to ensure a level of adaptation, which is appropriate to different markets driven by different cultures and consumer preferences. Political Changing regulation surrounding food standards and marketing actions. Government stability in new emerging economies – question of risk as part of the internationalisation process (Kumar et al, 2013, p.205). Changing global regulations – standardised practice yet adaptation to different political forces (De Mooij, 2013, p.61). Economic Awareness and knowledge of changing inflation, economic growth rates and income levels. Changing consumer budgets, rise of the cost conscious consumer. Rising price of raw material goods in relation to the need to source from sustainable suppliers (Kumar et al, 2013, p.205). Social Changing consumer attitudes – move towards healthier products in line with government initiatives (Newman et al, 2014, p.15) supporting balanced diets and the dangers of sugar. Changing lifestyle – return back to home cooking and the promotion of family time in a world of convenience. The need to adapt to different cultural settings i.e. language, religious beliefs and family settings. Understanding of consumer behaviour is crucial to ensuring a personal approach to marketing. Consumers viewing the firm as an agency for power in the wider external environment (Eisenhardt et al, 2010: 1263). Technological Rise of social media, consumers interacting with firms and being able to do so across a range of platforms. Innovation fuelled by technological developments. E-commerce as a platform for development (Lin et al, 2014, p.3). Legal 1.Changing nature of regulation. 2. Need to adhere to global regulations and changes across different international markets (Schaffer et al, 2014, p. 12). Environmental Increased attention directed towards corporate social responsibility (Servaes and Tamayo, 2013, p. 1045). Environmental concerns from consumers including concerns over packaging/recycling (Dubois, 2012, p. 36). Corporate Objectives It is important that an alignment exists between corporate objectives, brand image and firm activities (Cornelissen, 2014, p.55). Commonly used as a strategic tool to support this analysis, Ansoff’s matrix can be applied to Nestlà © to review the different strategic options available to the firm (Ansoff, 1980, p. 133). The overall corporate objective of Nestlà © is to be one of the world’s best and largest brands in the food industry. To break this down further, there is a need to apply individual firm level marketing objectives to a specific brand within their portfolio. This section focuses upon the presentation of marketing objectives and strategies for Nestlà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s baby milk products. Marketing Objectives Marketing objectives identify a target market and market need and apply this to the brands they are offering. With regards to the baby milk products Nestlà © offers, one of their core marketing objectives should relate to improving sales through the use of social media outlets. Aligned to the rise of relationship marketing and the need to develop a deeper, emotional connection with consumers it is argued that one of the marketing objectives for increasing sales of this product needs to be related to understanding the consumer base. The following marketing objectives are proposed in relation to the firm’s baby milk products: To increase interaction with consumers using social media as a platform. To increase sales by 10% through a promotional campaign across an integrated set of marketing platforms. To follow a relationship marketing campaign to increase interactions with consumers to enhance understanding of the consumer base. Ansoff’s matrix Ansoff’s growth matrix is a marketing tool often used to understand the different strategic options available to a firm (Ansoff, 1980, p. 131). Looking at the opportunities available in both new and existing markets, emphasis within the matrix is placed on the benefits and challenges of each strategic option and the extent to which the options are aligned to the internal resources and capabilities of the firm. Market Penetration Market penetration is a strategy, which sees growth underpinned by pushing existing products to existing markets. Through a focus on market penetration the firm would be able to maintain current product lines and focus upon increasing sales in this area through promotional activities and advertising. Market penetration is a strategy, which would secure growth in the market and would allow the firm to draw on their knowledge of the market to expand sales in this area. Market Development The second strategic option refers to the use of selling existing products to new markets. A new market in this case could be a new consumer base or a new geographical base. Reflecting upon the nature of the product, it is unlikely Nestlà © would be able to target a new customer base and thus it is advised that if this strategic option were to be followed emphasis would be placed on opening up to new emerging markets with existing products. Product Development Moving away from a focus on the market, the third strategic option offered by Ansoff places emphasis on the importance of product development. This strategic option would require the firm to develop new competencies, which would appeal to existing markets. Under this strategic option, Nestlà © could focus on the development of a new extension of products in the baby market to offer to the consumer base. Diversification The final option outlined is that of diversification. Diversification is a strategy, which refers to growth achieved by offering new products to new markets. This type of strategy would require a need for the firm to draw on their inherent strengths and capabilities to offer something new to the market. Underpinned by high levels of innovation, this strategy would require both investment and an appreciation of risk. As such, before the adoption of this strategy it would be necessary for the firm to have a clear vision of outcome. Which growth strategy to follow? Based on a discussion of the various growth options above, this report argues that Nestlà © should focus upon market penetration through the use of promotional activities and relationship marketing activities. This strategy would see Nestlà © focus upon an existing product and market yet achieve growth through marketing campaigns and a greater utilisation of social media. Through the use of social media and relationship marketing it would be hoped that Nestlà © would be able to develop a stronger connection with their consumers, which is fundamental when needing to gain the trust of new mothers (Iglesias et al, 2011, p. 632). Strength in the baby market is underpinned by the potential for growth due to this being a growing market. Competitive Strategies In support of an identification of growth strategies, there is a need to recognise the importance of competitive strategies. Three core competitive strategies are identified within the literature: Cost leadership, differentiation and focus (Ortega, 2010, p. 1275). Despite a traditional view that different competitive strategies couldn’t be mixed, recent literature has supported the use of a hybrid competitive strategy, which combines cost leadership and differentiation to support a competitive strategy, which balances the actions of each strategy (Baroto et al, 2012, p. 120). Cost leadership is a strategy, which places emphasis on lowest cost and thus sees the firm seeking to compete with their competition on the basis of price. Cost leadership strategies therefore require an efficient approach to the supply chain to ensure that raw material costs are kept to a minimum. Emphasis within this strategy is placed on the need to focus upon gaining economies of scale and thus low costs. Differentiation involves firms seeking to distinguish themselves from their competitors (Armstrong and Cunningham, 2012, p. 71). For this to be the case, emphasis is placed on the development of a competitive advantage through something others cannot imitate. The final competitive strategy is a focus strategy where a segmentation approach is followed (Weinstein, 2013, p. 51). A firm following a focus strategy would firm to choose a niche market and therefore have specific offerings to a specific target market. In light of the identification of the competitive strategies and the discussion above, it is advised that the firm should follow a hybrid strategy reflecting on both cost leadership and differentiation to ensure growth. A hybrid strategy would require Nestlà © to seek lowest cost where possible through economies of scale and efficiency in their supply chain whilst also seeing the firm differentiating through the culture of the firm and the relationships developed with consumers. 7p’s of marketing A final consideration for Nestlà © is an identification of the 7p’s of marketing and in particular an understanding of what their product offers to the market (Armstrong and Cunningham, 2012, p. 34). The 7p’s of marketing is an important marketing tool outlining a focus on a clear understanding of each factor: Product: Baby formula, nutrients to enable a progression from breast milk to formula or formula for those mothers choosing not to breastfeed. Price : Price relatively low to competitors. It is important to balance the need here between low cost and the influence this has on trust. Place: Supermarkets, place of convincing. Promotion: Relationship marketing principles used to engage the consumer. Nestlà © will interact with consumers during a shopping mall road show to showcase their product offerings and the value of their products. People: Employees within the firm used to support the growth strategy of particular products. Company objectives and marketing objective translates into performance goals for teams within the firm. Process: Customer service is important and a key determinant of trust. As a result of this, emphasis should be placed on the role of employees in educating the consumer and therefore translating the core elements of the brand. Physical evidence : Physical evidence in the form of packaging and promotional tools will be used to support the development of the growth strategy employed. Monitoring and controlling As a closing point, there is a need to consider the importance of the ongoing monitoring of any marketing plan. Long after the implementation, emphasis should still be placed on monitoring to ensure that controls are put in place to review the success of a given marketing campaign (Simons, 2013, p. 14). For example, in relation to the use of social media, particular controls can be put in place to monitor the success and thus levels of integration taking place. References Ansoff, H. I. (1980). Strategic issue management. Strategic Management Journal, 1(2), 131-148. Armstrong, G., Cunningham, M. H. (2012). Principles of marketing. Pearson Australia. Barney, J.B (1991) Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17 (1) 99-120. Baroto, M. B., Abdullah, M. M. B., Wan, H. L. (2012). Hybrid strategy: a new strategy for competitive advantage. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(20), p120. Business Green (2013) Nestlà © brews up stronger environmental commitments [online]. Available from: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2254765/Nestlà ©-brews-up-stronger-environmental-commitments [Accessed 06.10.14-. Burke, R. J., Cooper, C. L., Field, J. (2013). The Aging Workforce: Individual, Organizational and Societal Opportunities and Challenges. The SAGE Handbook of Aging, Work and Society, 1. Cornelissen, J (2014) Corporate communication: a guide to theory and practice. London: SAGE publications. CSR Wire (2014) CSR profile of Nestlà © [online]. Available from: http://www.csrwire.com/members/10393-Nestlà © [Accessed 05.10.14]. De Mooij (2013) Global marketing and advertising: understanding cultural paradoxes. London: SAGE publications. Dubois, M. (2012). Extended producer responsibility for consumer waste: the gap between economic theory and implementation. Waste Management Research, 30(9 suppl), 36-42. Eisenhardt, K. M., Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: what are they?. Strategic management journal, 21(10-11), 1105-1121. Eisenhardt, K. M., Furr, N. R., Bingham, C. B. (2010). CROSSROADS-Microfoundations of Performance: Balancing Efficiency and Flexibility in Dynamic Environments. Organization Science, 21(6), 1263-1273. Forbes (2014) Nestlà © [online]. Available from: http://www.forbes.com/companies/nescafe/ [Accessed 06.10.14]. Henry, A.E (2007) Understanding strategic management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Iglesias, O., Sauquet, A., Montaà ±a, J. (2011). The role of corporate culture in relationship marketing. European Journal of Marketing, 45(4), 631-650. Kooij, D. T., Jansen, P. G., Dikkers, J. S., de Lange, A. H. (2014). Managing aging workers: a mixed methods study on bundles of HR practices for aging workers. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(15), 2192-2212. Kumar, V., Mudambi, R., Gray, S. (2013). Internationalization, Innovation and Institutions: The 3 Is underpinning the competitiveness of emerging market firms. Journal of International Management, 19(3), 203-206. Kumar, M., Srai, J., Pattinson, L., Gregory, M. (2013). Mapping of the UK food supply chains: capturing trends and structural changes. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 10(2), 299-326. Lin, Y., Luo, J., Zhou, L., Ieromonachou, P., Huang, L., Cai, S., Ma, S. (2014, June). The impacts of service quality and customer satisfaction in the e-commerce context. In Service Systems and Service Management (ICSSSM), 2014 11th International Conference on (pp. 1-6) Muller, M (2013) Nestlà © baby milk scandal has grown up but not gone away [online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/Nestlà ©-baby-milk-scandal-food-industry-standards [Accessed 06.10.14]. Nestlà © (2014) About us [online]. Available from: http://www.Nestlà ©.com/aboutus [Accessed 05.10.14]. Newman, C. L., Howlett, E., Burton, S. (2014). Shopper Response to Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Programs: Potential Consumer and Retail Store Benefits. Journal of Retailing, 90(1), 13-26. Ortega, M. J. R. (2010). Competitive strategies and firm performance: Technological capabilities moderating roles. Journal of Business Research, 63(12), 1273-1281. Porter, M.E (2008) On competition. Boston: Harvard University Press. Porter, M. E. (2011). Competitive advantage of nations: creating and sustaining superior performance. New York: Simon and Schuster. Servaes, H., Tamayo, A. (2013). The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm value: The role of customer awareness. Management Science, 59(5), 1045-1061. Schaffer, R., Agusti, F., Dhooge, L. (2014). International business law and its environment. London: Cengage Learning.

Fear and Loathing On the Campaign Trail 821772 :: Essays Papers

Fear and Loathing On the Campaign Trail 821772 I knew I was in for something different before even opening the book. On the cover of the book was a skull colored by the American flag, with swastikas in its eye sockets. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, as I had no idea who Hunter S. Thompson was. I opened the book and began to read through the author’s preface. Throughout were numerous references to drugs, sex, and politics. I began to get a picture of who HST was and about his style of writing. HTS revolutionized modern journalism with a style all his own. He evolved a new style of journalism called â€Å"Gonzo† journalism. This bold and brazen style of journalism is the telling of the blatant truth with no thought of consequence. According to Thompson "The true Gonzo reporter needs the talent of a master journalist, the eye of an artist/photographer and the heavy balls of an actor.† A gonzo journalist does not proofread his work, because that would take away from the spontaneous of the event. A Gonzo journalist will witness an event, and either at the time of it, or shortly thereafter completely write about it. When written at an event, "The reporter works his fingers to bloody nubs trying to capture all that is happening around him, and then sends it off to the editor without a second look.† Bill Cardoso a close friend of HTS’ coined the term "gonzo" in a letter regarding an article written about the Kentucky Derby in which he wrote: "The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved", and was more about white trash than horses. Cardoso wrote, "I don't know what the f*** you're doing, but you've changed everything. It's totally gonzo". Cardoso, himself a journalist, claims that "gonzo" is actually a corruption of a French Canadian word, "gonzeaux", meaning, "shining path". Gonzo journalism is also highly subjective. When a Gonzo style article is written, it is clearly known where the writer stands on the topic of the article. You become immersed in the writer’s feelings, thoughts, and views on whatever is being written about. HST is constantly extremely critical and scrutinizes every situation he ends up in with a sarcastic, humorous and/or vulgar twist. I enjoy this part of his writing because it makes everything more interesting to read.

Anti-traditional Conception of Sex in Pounds Coitus Essay -- Pound Co

Anti-traditional Conception of Sex in Pound's "Coitus" Â   Critics have been fascinated and often baffled by Ezra Pound's shifting poetic style, which ranges from the profound simplicity of "In a Station of the Metro" to the complex intertextuality of the "Cantos." Pound's significance derives largely from his constant resolve to break traditional form and ideology, both literary and poetic. What is particularly unique about Pound, however, is that as he continually establishes precedence, he rarely abandons his thorough knowledge and appreciation of classical literature, drawing heavily from his literary and historical education in even his most groundbreaking works. "Coitus," one of Pound's early short works, exemplifies both his interest in the simple, efficient techniques of vorticism and his homage to the classics, interrelating them to create a statement that is unique and anti-traditional. Â   COITUS The gilded phaloi of the crocuses are thrusting at the spring air. Here is there naught of dead gods But a procession of festival, Â   A procession, O Giulio Romano, Fit for your spirit to dwell in. Dione, your nights are upon us. The dew is upon the leaf. The night about us is restless. Â   Although classical allusions and imagist influences are an essential part of "Coitus," it is the disturbingly stark sexual force that dominates its tone. However bluntly carnal the poem seems, it does not at any point explicitly mention sex, except in the unmistakable directness of the title. Pound renders his tone through a montage of classical allusions and phallic imagery which resemble the vorticistic Japanese haiku; the beginning and ending two lines share similarities with Pound's... ...ion, yoking allusive fragments of western culture with elements of modern life. By combining the ancient with the new, Pound produces disturbing and sexually centered anachronisms that capitalize on the previous history of literature but also revolutionary modern theories; psychological, sexual and literary. As a whole, "Coitus" is an atom of knowledge, capable of splitting and exploding into far reaches of historical and literary realms, yet instantly and intriguingly disturbing for its modern sexual tone. Â   Â   The following poems are borrowed from page 109 of Personae: The Collected Shorter Poems of Ezra Pound, 1926. Â   Â   IN A STATION OF THE METRO The apparition of these faces in the crowd; Petals on a wet, black bough. Â   ALBA As cool as the pale wet leaves of lily-of-the-valley She lay beside me in the dawn. Â  

The Competitors :: Creative Writing Essays

Creative Writing: The Competitors As thousands of people poured into the rectangular shaped stadium for what was being called, "the event of the century" , the participants readied themselves for the hardships they would surely suffer from the games. After a long grueling season of intense bodily torture this would by the final chapter of confrontations. Out of the 275 original members of the DFS leagues infant year, only 20 remained. These men and women were not only hardened on the outside, but on the inside as well for they had long since learned the weaknesses that emotions bring. Everyone one present in the cubical that was called a dressing room knew that as soon as the capacity crowd of 300,000 had settled, they would no longer be comrades brought together by the common bond that friendship makes but enemies of the battle field each one jockeying for the upper hand. As the referee announced there was half an hour left before game time, a few players huddled together to say a quick prayer while others gathered around the head coach for a final word of advice. One of the competitors listening to this advice was Matt Williams or "The Destroyer", as he was known by the crowd. He was a powerfully built young man who was in the possession of deep opaline eyes, nightmarish black hair, and a ruddy complexion. Feared by all for his ruthless behavior, Matt had joined the DFS league after being courtmarshaled by the army for striking the commanding officer of his platoon. Why he was even near the coach was a mystery to him because most of the coaches words fell on unhearing ears. Matt guessed he was just nervous. Who wouldn't be. Looking up, Matt saw that the coach had left and it was time to enter the field. Strapping on his helmet and the rest of his gear, he took a deep breath, focused his thoughts, and ran out onto the field joining the rest of the players. The roar of the crowd sounded as if a tsunami was breaking on the beach and the ground felt as if it were pulsating with a life of its own. He never remembered these feelings before but he simply shrugged off the thought as he faintly heard the sound of the referee's whistle. Suddenly, the sound of the crowd was replaced by e reverberating silence that was deafening in Matt's ears.

Planning To Meet The Needs Of Learning

At my place of work – Include, we do not have ILP’s, this is because we run a twenty week, roll on roll off programme and we wouldn’t have the time. We do however set goals, at the start and during monthly reviews, using simplified paperwork.. Our sister company that teach pre- sixteen’s do, and I have looked at these documents to reflect on anything that would be transferable to my teaching and offer improvements.The role of initial and diagnostic assessments is key for producing individual learning goals. It is essential to find out exactly where the student wants to go, why they are wanting qualifications, eg for a particular course at college, and what is realistic bearing in mind their diagnostic assessments. Initially all students are tested using BKSB to find the level they are and what they might achieve with help and teaching from the Functional skills tutor. We carry out Initial Assessments, (A) and Foundation Learning agreements (B) which note c areer progression aims, some objectives, qualifications to be taken, while with us as well as other documentation gathering personal details, health, education and drug and alcohol misuse.Our Initial assessment covers previous learning experiences, learning styles, personal and social skills, health and personal circumstances as well as the support we can provide to help the student reach his goals. We also carry out a monthly review, one of the most important ways we can check how the student is performing, his progress, whether he is on track and more importantly whether he feels he’s learning, achieving his goals, and whether he feels supported in his learning. This review time, is also a time when the student can tell us what he wants and where we and he could improve outcomes.During the review we can find out how the last few weeks lessons have gone, and together we will set SMART targets, and any behavioural problems, late arrivals, not joining in class etc. are address ed and support that would be helpful, worked out together for the next month . We also discuss where he would like to go to work experience and try hard to find the correct match, as this is often a spur to his learning. After goals have been decided and any support worked out the student will sign the review sheet which is filed in their learner file, and a copy is given to the student to refer to each day, to remind them of goals and targets.After the Initial Assessment and reviews, our student profile (C) is updated (weekly) and this is used with our current session plan as a pointer as to how our students need supporting. I also carry out tutorials, usually towards the end of each unit when students discuss and work with me on any any unfinished or not understood criteria, before completing. The two sessions I have chosen, are on Independent Living (D & E). When planning sessions I must be sure that the work I set covers the criteria set by the exam board and balance this with t he needs and understanding of my students. I must also bear in mind my minimum core document.â€Å"The minimum core will support all teachers in developing inclusive approaches to learners with literacy, numeracy and IT needs and raise achievements of learners on their learning programme† LLuk (2007) Obviously I must embed English, numeracy and IT into session planning, bearing in mind that I may well have students as varied in abilities as E1 through to Level 1 or even Level 2. Most of the units I teach are available in E3 or L1, so I will differentiate between the students as to what level they work at As I frequently have a number of foreign students speaking very little English when they join, I must remember to include LA1.3, LA1. 6, LA2. 1 and LA2. 3 & . 4. At the reviews the Functional skills tutors will feed in literacy and numeracy problems and goals to be addressed during the month, these I need to include in my lesson planning eg L needs to develop spelling and pun ctuation skills, so when planning the next lesson, I look to see if I can incorporate something to build on these eg word searches, or reminding him to be careful with punctuation in his writing.The student in the Initial Assessment (A) needs help and support with reading and writing, so a support worker needs to be written into every session plan to help. In many of the units I teach, class participation in discussions are expected and I must express myself clearly LS1 , LS2, LS3, LL1. I must plan my lesson carrying out LR1 & LR2. Embedding numeracy in a non maths lesson can be tricky, but in session (D) researching a flat and tenancy (IT) students had to work out much they would pay out to rent a flat (rent plus deposit etc) and in (E) designed a bedsit, incorporating measurements.Above all when planning a session I must produce a lesson that considers the subject content and criteria, it must be relevant to the students, it must take into consideration, their learning needs and g oals and and help stretch their capabilities. In the new session plan forms we have a section where we can list each students individual needs, and the strategy for helping this. This section concentrates my mind during planning and actual delivery, to remember each students needs and goals. There is also a section for differentiation which again reminds me of each students goals.All the time I am teaching I must not be complacent , but continually improve my practice. This will be done by, talking with students during their review about the months learning, what they feel they have/have not learnt. By asking students to fill in anonymous evaluation forms. Discussions with the class about the units and what they learnt or would like to learn in the future. Listening to my IV’er and her feedback on the students work and on the unit levels, which have passed.Reflecting on my teaching is a very important stage in helping me move my lessons and teaching, forward, it is about bein g more self aware and analysing what happened in my lessons. Schon (1983) suggests â€Å"reflect while you’re doing it† and â€Å"reflect after doing it† I like this straight forward approach. Planning to meet the needs of my learners means I must be continually review my teaching practise, improving on lesson content and find new and different ways of meeting my students needs, raise their self esteem and self worth which in turn helps self regulation and encourages the student to learn in a classroom setting.