Monday, September 30, 2019

Corporate Governance Essay

In a commercial organisation, the board of directors is typically charged with the key responsibility for corporate governance – protecting the rights of shareholders and creditors, ensuring contractual obligations and regulatory compliance. In the public sector, the elected government is typically responsible for corporate governance, and in semi-government and statutory bodies like State Rail, Sydney Water, the Australian Broadcasting Authority, the University of NSW, etc – and in not- for-profit organisations – governments will usually mandate a body similar to a board of directors with the responsibility for corporate governance. What does corporate governance involve? In a recent article, Gomez & Korine (2005, pp. 739-752) propose that: Corporate governance can be understood as a set of contracts that defines the relationships among the three principal actors in the corporation. To simplify what this actually means, corporate governance is the set of relationships where: †¢A key stakeholder whom they refer to as the sovereign (in the case of commercial organisations this would be the shareholders; in the case of public sector agencies, the elected government; for not-for-profit organisations this is often the ‘members’ or other key stakeholders as defined by legislation) †¢sets in place a governing body (eg, board, council, senate, etc) with responsibility for overseeing the actions of the governer (management, staff, employees, volunteers, players, etc) Increasingly, societies and governments are reacting to a rapidly changing world surrounding them, and modifying the regulations affecting ‘corporate governance’ accordingly. The numbers and interests of stakeholders who are affected by the actions of organisations is expanding. Organisations are being seen to impact on: the economy the natural environment society through opportunities for work and employment conditions of work family life, etc Consequently, there are increasingly complex expectations placed on organisations of all sizes to consider and take responsibility for decisions and actions beyond simply their ‘money making’ or other purposes and goals. Corporate governance covers a large number of distinct concepts and phenomenon as we can see from the definition adopted by Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) – â€Å"Corporate governance is the system by which business corporations are directed and controlled. The corporate governance structure specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants in the corporation, such as, the board, managers, shareholders and other stakeholders and spells out the rules and procedures for making decisions in corporate affairs. By doing this, it also provides the structure through which the company objectives are set and the means of attaining those objectives and monitoring performance†1. From this definition we see that corporate governance includes the relationship of a company to its shareholders and to society; the promotion of fairness, transparency and accountability; reference to mechanisms that are used to â€Å"gov ern† managers and to ensure that the actions taken are consistent with the interests of key stakeholder groups. The key points of interest in corporate governance therefore include issues of transparency and accountability, the legal and regulatory environment, appropriate risk management measures, information flows and the responsibility of senior management and the board of directors. Harshbarger and Holden (2004) point out that while many of the governance issues that organizations face are not new, the environment in which they confront them is more challenging than ever: State and Federal law enforcement have applied significantly increased resources and a more aggressive philosophy toward confrontation of governance lapses; the media spotlight has increased awareness among those constituents directly affected as well as the business community as a whole; shareholder proposals are taken more seriously; and the judiciary has demonstrated its willingness for a more stringent definition of good faith. As well, there are a number of factors that have brought ethical issues into sharper focus, including globalization, technology and rising competition. Van Beek and Solomon (2004) also note the ability to deliver a professional service will necessarily take place in an environment in which there is an increasing tendency towards individuality, while society as a whole becomes more global. The new realities of corporate governance show that no entity or agent is immune from fraudulent practices and have altered the way companies operate; they have re-defined the baseline for what is considered prudent conduct for businesses and executives (Dandino, 2004). CORPORATE STRATEGY Strategy can be developed at many levels – in a multi-layered organisation there may be: †¢Corporate level strategy – decisions made for the whole corporation or organisation to gain the better of adversaries or attain ends. Business unit or divisional strategy – decisions made for the business unit or division to gain the better of adversaries or attain the business units end. Functional strategies – such as marketing/finance/huma n resources/IT/technology/ operational/production/etc. strategies. There would be marketing decisions (or finance or HR decisions, etc) designed to get the better of an adversary or attain a marketing/finance, etc, end. †¢So what do we mean by ends? Other terms that are frequently used here for the same concept are goals or missions or visions. Organisations typically have (or should have) a set of goals, desired outcomes or a view of their purpose (mission), or their future achievements and positions (visions) in mind. Ideally these are clearly articulated and understood by everyone in the organisation. When these ends (goals, mission, vision) are clearly understood, then the board, management, staff and partners of the organisation are able to ‘develop’ strategy to achieve these. What is a strategic plan? A plan, whether strategic, tactical, operational, marketing, finance – or whatever – is really just a set of decisions that have been captured in some form (document, web page, PowerPoint presentation, video, etc) that set out the answer to three key questions: 1. Where are we now? 2. Where are we going? 3. How will we get there? Accordingly, a plan is formed by: †¢analysing the existing and ex pected future trends and factors affecting the organisation/business unit, etc †¢setting down clear statements of the outcomes that will help to achieve the ends that the organisation has set itself (these statements of outcomes are commonly called objectives) †¢describing some tactics and actions that will lead to achieving the outcomes ETHICS IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT The dawn of a global knowledge society with information-driven economies and expansion of cross-border trade as consequences of liberalization and globalization policy is placing new demands on business organizations for more innovative approaches in business ethics at both local as well as global business environment (Nissanke and Thorbecke, 2005). This premise is consistent with Brownlie et al. (1999) who indicate that; â€Å"What is it like to think new thoughts†¦ to undo the fragile web of assumption†¦ to render new images to the familiar†¦ to look anew at the world†¦ to see the ordinary and everyday from a fresh perspective?† Many research scholars today share this view and indicate that what they took for granted, assumed, believed and worked towards has been upended by those who argue that in order to ‘get it right’ in a global business environment, organizations must rethink their business ethics approach. Sheth and Sisodia (1999) also support this hypothesis by asserting that, the context of ethics in global business environment is changing in fundamental ways. The acceptance of law-like generalizations has to be, as they suggest, â€Å"Either enhanced or modified†. The old opinion of business ethics as â€Å"an oxymoron†, or that â€Å"business organizations do not have ethics† (Laczniak and Murphy, 1993) is being re-thought. The business ethics is increasingly being called into question from various quarters (Brownlie et al., 1999) and research scholars are developing the discipline in order to challenge the ethical complacency that existed in the past. Business ethics is ultimately the ethics of power, of how to handle the power of business and how that power is acquired, increased and exercised. The need for ethics in business has never been greater, precisely because the power of business was never so manifold and as extensive as it is today (Mahoney, 1997). The term ‘ethics’ has generally been used to refer to the rules and principles of right and wrong conduct. It therefore boils down to morality and good or bad conduct. Business ethics are a set of rules that stipulate how businesses and their employees ought to behave (Aldag and Stearns, 1991). DiPiazza (2002) says â€Å"I see ethics as a mission-critical issue†¦. deeply embedded into who we are and what we do. Its just as important as our product development cycle or our distribution system†¦its about creating a culture based on integrity and respect, not a culture based on dealing with the crisis of the day†¦We speak to ourselves every day, ‘Are we doing the right things?† Sheth, Gardner and Garret (1988) opine that ethical decision-making in a business environment is very complex, and that allegedly â€Å"guilty business practitioners have quite sincerely stated that they honestly did not realize that their actions could possibly create ethical problems†. Business organizations operating at international levels often find that many countries differ in what is considered wrong or right in a business market. IN TERMS OF SONY: ETHICS Ethical business conduct and compliance with applicable laws and regulations are fundamental aspects of Sony’s corporate culture. To this end, Sony has established a Global Compliance Network comprised of the Compliance Division at the corporate headquarters, a global compliance leadership team, and regional offices around the world; adopted and implemented the Sony Group Code of Conduct; and set up Compliance Hotline systems through its Global Compliance Network — all in order to reinforce the Company’s worldwide commitment to integrity and help assure resources are available for employees to raise concerns or seek guidance about legal and ethical matters. In July 2001, Sony Corporation established the Compliance Division, charged with exercising overall control over compliance activities across the Sony Group, to emphasize the importance of business ethics and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and internal policies. The Compliance establishes compliance policies and structures for the Sony Group and performs crisis management functions. In July 2003, Sony established a regional compliance network comprised of offices in the Americas, Europe, Japan, East Asia*1 and Pan-Asia,*2 which are charged with exercising regional control over compliance activities to strengthen the compliance system throughout the Sony Group. Officers responsible for compliance in each region have the authority to issue instructions concerning compliance to Sony Group companies in their respective regions and, by cooperating with one another, are working to establish and maintain a comprehensive global compliance structure. To further reinforce global compliance efforts, a Compliance Leadership Team was formed in September 2009 as an additional component of the global compliance organization. The Compliance Leadership Team assists the Sony Corporation General Counsel and Compliance Division in identifying, developing and implementing key compliance strategies and compliance-related measures; encourages more active participation in Group-wide compliance activities from a larger group of key Sony personnel by involving not only the Regional Compliance Officers but also experienced legal/compliance personnel from Sony Group companies; and creates a global framework that by its very structure highlights the company’s compliance priorities and commitment to best practices. *1Coverage area of East Asia compliance office: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea *2Coverage area of Pan-Asia compliance office: Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa and Oceania *3 The Americas Office is responsible for Sony Corporation of America, the Sony Pictures Entertainment Group, and the Sony Music Entertainment Group, in addition to the Electronics Group companies in the America ’s Region. The Sony Europe, East Asia and Pan-Asia Offices are responsible for the Electronics Group companies in their respective regions. The Japan Office is responsible for Sony Corporation, the Sony Computer Entertainment Group, and Sony Financial Holdings, in addition to the Electronics Group Companies in Japan CORPORATE GOVERNANCE: Sony is committed to strong corporate governance. As a part of this effort, in 2003, Sony adopted the â€Å"Company with Committees† corporate governance system under the Companies Act of Japan. In addition to complying with the requirements of applicable governance laws and regulations, Sony has introduced its own requirements to help improve the soundness and transparency of its governance by strengthening the separation of the Directors’ function from that of management and advancing the proper functioning of the statutory committees. Under Sony’s system, the Board of Directors defines the respective areas for which each of the Corporate Executive Officers is responsible and delegates to them decision-making authority to manage the business, thereby promoting the prompt and efficient management of the Sony Group. Sony Corporation is governed by its Board of Directors, which is appointed by resolution at the shareholders’ meeting. The Board has three committees (the Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee), consisting of Directors named by the Board of Directors. Corporate Executive Officers are appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. In addition to these statutory bodies and positions, Sony has Corporate Executives who carry out business operations within designated areas. Board of Directors: Determines the fundamental management policies of the Sony Group Oversees the management of Sony Group’s business operations Appoints and dismisses the statutory committee members Appoints and dismisses Representative Corporate Executive Officers and Corporate Executive Officers Nominating Committee: Determines the content of proposals regarding the appointment/dismissal of Directors Audit Committee: Monitors the performance of duties by Directors and Corporate Executive Officers (with respect to processes in place to ensure the adequacy of the financial reporting process, to enable management to ensure the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, to ensure timely and appropriate disclosure, and to ensure compliance with applicable law, Articles of Incorporation and internal policies). Monitors the status of any other items described in the â€Å"Internal Control and Governance Framework† determined or reaffirmed by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Companies Act of Japan. As part of its monitoring, attends the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee meetings. Oversees and evaluates the work of the independent auditor (including to evaluate the adequacy of its independence and its qualification, to propose its appointment/dismissal or non-reappointment, to approve its compensation, to evaluate the appropriateness of its audit regarding the financial results and internal control over financial reporting, and to pre-approve its engagement for any services other than audit services to be provided) Prepares the Audit Committee Review Report in which the Audit Committee expresses its opinion on the performance of duties of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers, on the Business Report and on the independent auditor’s audit procedures and results based on its review activities including review of the matters subject to the Committee’s opinion in the Audit Committee Review Report. Compensation Committee: Sets policy on the contents of individual compensation for Directors, Corporate Executive Officers, Corporate Executives and Group Executives, and determines the amount and content of individual compensation of Directors and Corporate Executive Officers in accordance with the policy Corporate Executive Officers: Make decisions regarding the execution of Sony Group business activities within the scope of the authority delegated to them by the Board of Directors Corporate Executives: Carry out business operations within designated areas, including business units, h eadquarters functions, and/or research and development, in accordance with the fundamental policies determined by the Board of Directors and the Corporate Executive Officers

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Projectile Motion Lab: Using a Toy Gun

Projectile Motion Lab: Using a Toy Gun Purpose: The purpose of this investigation is to measure the vertical displacement, or height of the launch, and the horizontal displacement, or range, travelled by a projectile (bullet from toy gun). Questions: What is the shape of the actual path travelled by a projectile? How closely does an actual projectile's results follow the theoretical predicted results? Hypothesis: The shape of the path travelled by the projectile, in this case the bullet of the gun, is a parabolic. This means that is a curvy shape due to the bullet being launched in the air (making curve go up) and the earth's gravity pulling it down (making curve go down). As the height of the bullet's release increases the the time to reach the ground will increase, and therefore the range of the bullet will increase. This is because the bullet's vertical velocity will decrease later as the height is higher up, having a larger time, and therefore a larger range. Materials: Toy Gun Fake Bullets Metre Sick Stop Watch General Observations: A metre stick was used to measure the height and the range of the bullet. A stop was used to determine the time it took for the bullet to reach the ground. As the bullet was released, its path was parabolic. This means that its was curvy because it was first int air, but the gravity pulled it back down to the surface. The toy gun was steadily held in my hand. The initial height was the distance from the gun to the surface used. The gun shot out the bullets at a fairly fast speed. As the height was increased, the more time the bullet took to reach the ground. As the height was increased, the range was also higher. Observation Table: Data of various heights used: | Height (cm) |Time (seconds) |Horizontal Distance (cm) | |25 |2. 26 |70. 7 | |50 |3. 19 |100 | |75 |3. 1 |122 | |100 |4. 52 |141 | Analysis: Picture of the launcher: Height vs. Range graph- Refer to attached data in the back. Position vs. Time graph- Refer to attached data in the back. The graph results definitely support the hypothesis. This is because as the height of the toy gun was increased, the horizontal distance increased. Also, as the horizontal distance of the bullet increased, so did the time (vice- versa). The graphs were very similar due to the horizontal distance (cm) being constant on the y- axis of the graph. In the Horizontal Distance vs. Time graph, the time represented the corresponding heights of the Horizontal Distance vs Height graph. Making the graphs very similar. Determining the Vi of the Bullet: Vi = aav x ? t aav = -9. 81 m/s? ?t = 3. 19 seconds Vi = -9. 81 x 3. 19 Vi = 31. 3 m/s [v] *Therefore the initial velocity of the bullet is 31. 3 m/s [v]. Theoretical Ranges of the Bullet: Formula- ? d = Vi x ? t |Height (cm): |Range/ Horizontal Displacement (cm) : | |25 |? d = 31. 3 x 2. 26 | | |? d = 70. 7 cm | |50 | ? d = 31. 3 x 3. 19 | | |? d = 99. 8 cm | |75 | ? d = 31. 3 x 3. 91 | | |? = 121 cm | |100 | ? d = 31. 3 x 4. 52 | | |? d = 142 cm | Experimental Percent Errors For each Range: Formula- % error = [ (experimental value – accepted vale) / (accepted value) ] (100%) |Height : |Experimental Range: |Theoretical Range: |Percent Error: | |25 cm |70. 7 cm |70. 7 cm |0. 0% | |50 cm |100 cm |99. 8 cm |0. 00 2% | |75 cm |122 cm |121 cm |0. 00 8% | |100 cm |141 dm |142 cm |0. 00 7% | As it can be seen, there was a very little percent error between the actual and the theoretical range of the bullet from the gun. The theoretical and the experimental ranges were almost identical, and in some cases they were Sources of error: The first source of error was the toy gun's bullet were not perfectly a cylinder. Since the bullets we made out of plastic foam there some ripped edges. This would definitely give a slightly inaccurate result sine the bullet would not consistently travel in the same way as it is going in a parabolic path. This would cause some twisting and turning of the bullet since the rips would collect air and make the bullet therefore move around (sort of like air pockets). The main problem with this is that the bullet is not consistently travelling in the exact same way. Another source of error was that since the gun was shot from a human being's hand it is really tough to keep the gun at the same angle (zero degrees) as it is shot. If the angle of the gun is not consistently shot at the same angle it will definitely impact the results because the horizontal distance (range) of the bullet will be different each time. If the gun has an angle pointing downward, the range will decrease. The bullet will be in the air for a smaller amount of time, covering less ground. If the gun is pointing upward the range will increase. The bullet will be in the air for a longer period of time, covering more ground. There can be ways though to fix these sources of errors. For the first one where there were rips in the bullet, what one can do to fix the bullets is use tape to cover up the holes. Or, a better solution would to buy new, fresh bullets where there are no bend, rips or chance of disfunction. To make sure that the bullets angle is constant after each shot, what one can do is use a stand to place the gun in. This would make sure that the gun is not pointing down or upward, giving very accurate data of the range. Conclusion: All projectiles travel in a parabolic path. Projectile motion is the motion of an object who's path is affected by the force of gravity. Everything is affected by gravity, but it profoundly alters the motion of objects that are thrown or shot upward. The arching of the bullet in this experiment is caused by gravity, as well as its falling motion in general. Gravity causes change in the vertical velocity of the projectile. Objects experiencing projectile motion have a constant velocity in the horizontal direction, and a constantly changing velocity in the vertical direction. Thus, this is causing the parabolic shape. The actual projectile's results were really close to the theoretical results in this case. There were no outliers in the range. If the theoretical range and the actual range were not close it would be due to the tools used to measure the time and the distance. A metre stick was used to determine the horizontal range for the experiment. This is very inaccurate because the bullet dropped way to fast to see the actual landing spot. The landing spot was based on the eye. Also since a timer was used to determine the time of the bullet's range this is again very inaccurate since the bullet dropped way to fast to use a stop watch. Overall, the results in this case were luckily extremely close and accurate having a maximum percent error of 0. 00 8%. The reasons for the experimental error was mainly due to the tools used to measure data and, the inconsistency of the angle of the gun. As stated earlier a metre stick was used to determine the horizontal range for the experiment. This is very inaccurate because the bullet dropped way to fast to see the actual landing spot. The landing spot was based on the eye. Since a timer was used to determine the time of the bullet's range this is again very inaccurate since the bullet dropped way to fast to use a stop watch. Again as stated earlier, if the angle of the gun is not consistently shot at the same angle it will definitely impact the results because the horizontal distance (range) of the bullet will be different each time. If the gun has an angle pointing downward, the range will decrease. The bullet will be in the air for a smaller amount of time, covering less ground. If the gun is pointing upward the range will increase. The bullet will be in the air for a longer period of time, covering more ground.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

40 Connection between Writing and Sleeping

40 Connection between Writing and Sleeping Various people were told it is best to express your feelings and thoughts on paper. Bottling up your emotions and keeping them inside, could cause major stress on your body. That’s where the subject of diaries and journals come in to position. They are made to help others who can’t express their feelings verbally, express their feelings by writing them down. Writing however, does have a significant connection to sleep. Writing can affect how we sleep in multiple ways. â€Å"Forty percent of American adults say they have difficulty falling asleep at least a few times each month. The most common reason is an inability to stop thinking aboutwhatever it is you can’t stop thinking about.† (Denworth, 2018). Almost everyone has had trouble falling asleep either because they were worried about something or someone, or they constantly can’t stop thinking about a situation. Studies shows that if we write down our thoughts before we go to bed, then you’ll be able to fall asleep faster at night. â€Å"There’s something about the act of writing, physically writing something on paper, that tends to offload it a little bit, or help us hit the pause button on it. The outcome seems to be [that] you decrease cognitive arousal, and you decrease rumination and worry† (Denworth, 2018). Cognitive arousal comes from a theory that was created by Stanley Schachter and Jerome E. Singer. This theory is known to the cause of misinterpret thoughts because it is based off two factors: cognitive label and physiological arousal. To sum this up, writing your feelings down before bed, will help you fall asleep faster but it will also decrease the chance of misinterpreting your thoughts. Not only does writing before bed helps you fall asleep quicker but writing a to-do list versus a completed list, will also affect how you sleep. â€Å"If you test people’s memory for things that were unfinished versus things that were completed, people remember the things that were unfinished a lot better. It seems that unfinished tasks rest at what we call a heightened level of cognitive activation† (Denworth, 2018). Cognitive activation is the idea of stress. It is about learning new ways to solve problems and focusing on the steps that was taken to solve the problem. Not so much of focusing on the answer itself but the action. When something is not done, our mind tends to drift off towards that because we consistently think about ways we can complete that project. We think of events that will happen the next day that will affect how the project gets done. From personal experience, I can recall a time where I had a major mid term project due. Of course, I was a procrastinator, so I waited till the day before it was due to fully complete it. It was late in the night and I told myself that I was going to finish it in the morning. Moral of the story, I was up all night and I didn’t get any sleep because I was thinking about this unfinished project that I still had to complete. The next day I was drowsy, and I didn’t feel very well. I did finish my project but because of my lack of sleep, my presentation did not reflect my best work. Thinking back, some ways I could’ve took to avoid this situation would include; not waiting until the last minute to finish or taking a few minutes before bed to write down exactly what I needed to do in order to complete it. Based on the reason of not having that completed or written down, I lost a very much effective sleep and major points on an important assignment. Don’t be like me. Write your thoughts down. Researchers and readers still have unanswered questions pertaining to writing and the affects of sleep. The two main questions Denworth is being asked are, did to-do lists improve sleep in other ways? If so, do you think the effect can be sustained? Her response was â€Å"We haven’t tested that. It could be, yes, because each night you’ve got this big to-do list. But [it’s also true that] the to-do list fluctuates, and how much you accomplish during the day also feeds into that. So maybe it’s going to be most effective on the nights when you have a whole lot of stuff to do, and it’s more likely to be eating at you if you don’t write things down† (Denworth, 2018). During this study, I believed she used an experiment for only one night. The goal of this study is more so understanding because we are having the ability to understand the connection between writing and sleep. You write down your day’s thoughts, you get a longer sleep. Structuralism is an idea founded by Wilhelm Wundt and his ideas was focused more on the structure of mental life into the building blocks of life (personal experiences). This study corresponds more with structuralism because the connection between writing and sleep is reflecting off your pass experiences and analyzing them into your mental life, to determine the amount of sleep your will get. In this experiment, the dependent variable is the amount of time it takes for that individual to fall asleep. The independent variable is taking five minutes before bed to write down your thoughts, feelings, or your to-do list. In conclusion, taking a little time before bed to reflect on your day is very effective. It will determine how your body act towards sleep. Remember our body need as much energy as it can get, so we should treat it with care. Even the littlest thing, can affect how much sleep we can receive. Our brains are always working, so it is highly recommended that we clear our mind while we are sleeping to get that full stock of energy for the next day. One way to achieve that is to write.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Innovation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Innovation Report - Essay Example Perhaps the most widely accepted definition is provided by Michael Vance, according to him â€Å"Innovation is the creation of the new or the re-arranging of the old in a new way†. Most of the products, services or processes that are considered to be innovative are often found to be either ideas or thoughts of others or rework of already existing products, services or processes (Sarkar, 2007). According to Peter Drucker innovation is perceptual as well as conceptual in nature. Therefore innovation necessitates an attitude to go out and look, ask and listen. Successful innovators are found to be using both left and right sides of their brains. In order to make the innovation process effective, the focus must be simple but intense. Most of the effective innovations are found to be exceptionally simple. (Drucker, 2003). This paper is on iPhone, an innovative product, which has taken the generation by its stride. It presents a comparative study of the major drivers of innovation and their role in the innovation process. It also scrutinizes those factors that hinder the innovation process. A study of various theories has been applied to find out the possible challenges faced by the company while developing this innovative product. The paper also includes a critical evaluation of the role of knowledge, design and creativity in the process of making an innovative product. In today’s competitive business environment, innovation is the key to success for any organization. Over the past century most of the business organizations had focused only on continual improvement of the products and services in order to gain competitive advantage. However According to Jim Clifton, CEO and chairman of Gallup Management, such approach is not enough in the current state of economy. According to him today’s organizations must come up with completely new ideas rather than marginally better ones. This was exactly what Apple did over the past few years. The company kept on innovating

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Globalisation and British Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Globalisation and British Politics - Essay Example In terms of the political aspect in one country, the idea of globalisation or creation of a world government was first described by Dante Alighieri, an Italian writer in the 14th century, as a centralised global constitution governing laws which promotes international peace and order. Oppositions however argued against international understanding wherein the authority and command of a government within its jurisdiction especially in terms of environment and economics will be influenced by external control (Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, 2003). The word globalisation had been used to offer clarification, significance and knowledge about the essential characteristics of new age capitalism (Murphy, 1994). It suggests several discrete processes and developments which involves the international level and joins them into one centrally dominant procedure of change. Substantial interest focuses on the practical application of information technology into the procedure of production with the simultaneous action in the process of changing the administration, system and communications which is at the commercial, communal and state levels. Giddens (1997) cited that effects of globalisation are not exclusively consistent. He argued that the 1997 British general elections which resulted in an overwhelming electoral victory but a surprising downfall in turnout. He credited this as an outcome of decline in belief, trust, and assurance of the people to the elected officials in institutions or government agencies.... the situation on the global aspect that is constantly remoulded and reformed by current trends brought about by globalisation in the political economy displacing the traditional sovereignty of a nation or state. On the other hand, the sceptics argue about the certainty and basis of the gathered facts from previous experiments and observations since these global flows are in itself doubtful claiming a world without limits in terms of globalisation simply stating there had been no occurrence of change. When talking about the extent of the operation of globalisation, one sees it to be the unavoidable consequent flow of economy, information and technology, and people and interplay of their role in a single huge global market. Furthermore, Giddens stated that the term in itself spread to almost every parts of the world which came from nowhere. Regarding with the distribution of globalisation in terms of capital flows, it should be noted that its flow courses unidirectional from the top co nsisting mainly of those capable of investments down to consumers which pay for the other’s investment returns. Experiencing globalisation is more empowering to the capitalists but otherwise to the consumers of goods and services hence, inequality. Giddens asserted that nowadays, globalisation is nearly not worth mentioning since its extension has merely molded us of what we are today (Giddens, 1997). Globalisation in British Politics Globalisation implicitly decides and influences the boundaries of social knowledge which political subjects are incapable of controlling thus making them lame before the face of changes. Additionally, through the radicals’ perspective, globalisation has been considered as part of the common sense of human being and is accepted to occur as the way how

A critical assessment of Morrisons approach to strategic HRM Essay

A critical assessment of Morrisons approach to strategic HRM - Essay Example A critical assessment of the approach Morrisons takes to its strategic HRM, in this context will help to justify The Personnel Review’s (2009)iii notion that if a big organisation is to function successfully, strategies at different levels need to inter-relate. Furthermore, an evaluation of the extent to which Morrisons’ SHRM approach contributes to organisational effectiveness substantiates TIJHRM’s (2004)iv view that focusing on the alignment of SHRM with firm strategy is a means of gaining competitive advantage. However, in order to effectively measure the extent to which SHRM contributes to the overall organisational effectiveness, an important aspect requires to be taken into consideration which is moving away from sole reliance on financial measures of organisational success. Instead, holistic frameworks are applied such as Kaplan and Norton’s (1996) Balanced Scorecard, which seeks to judge Morrisons’ performance on the basis of a range of indicators. The report’s conclusion observes that the approach which Morrisons’ managers implement, SHRM policies and exercise leadership, is strongly related to positive employee views in respect to a range of issues that facilitate motivation and productivity (e.g. worker-management relations, reward and recognition, coaching and guidance, communication and quality control (Morrisons 2010). Having said that a noticeable recommendation recognises that since pay mix is related to financial performance (Gerhart and Milkovich, 1990)v, in order to simultaneously improve employee ownership and promote high wages, staff and managerial remuneration, compensation should be based on Morrisons financial performance. This paper applies associated theory & practice to critically assess the approach Morrisons takes to its strategic HRM. This will be achieved by critically examining the definitions of personnel

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Self- Reflection Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self- Reflection - Personal Statement Example eating timetables was a habit that developed in me that was similar to building castles in the air; so much so that my timetables would sometimes have time set aside for the creation of more timetables in the future. The fact that I would make more than one (quite a few in fact) timetables meant that one could easily be changed for the other and I would not need to put in the effort that would be required so as to adhere to a particular timetable. The timetables that I created with the decreasing amount of time at my disposal started to become more and more impractical and thus made me increasingly desperate. This made a certain kind of desperation set into my mental makeup and I started thinking that I would never be able to do well in my studies. This points to another flaw in the strategy that I had drawn up during the last semester. The setting of impractical goals led me to the same point that impractical schedules did. A feeling started to set in my mind that made me feel that I would never be able to achieve my goals. With the passing of time, this feeling started to get worse and paradoxically, my schedules started to get even more hectic and unmanageable. Laziness is probably the root of much of the failure that I encountered this semester. To rectify this problem in most aspects of my life shall be an aim that I adopt beginning with this semester. To cultivate a work ethic that makes me accountable to myself would be one of the things that I would attempt to do this semester. As a result of this, I believe my grades would improve and I would also be able to understand how results are achieved and hence value labor as it should be. This would also prevent me from taking goals and targets lightly. I would be able to become aware of the fact that a victory is achieved through slow and steady hard work. Attempts at finding shorter routes to success cost me last semester and I would advise anybody who is a student to not attempt to find a substitute for hard

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Adminstrative Ethics and Patient Privacy Research Paper

Adminstrative Ethics and Patient Privacy - Research Paper Example These include trust and confidentiality among others. However, in the issue discussion, the paper aims at understanding recent ethical problems from different perspectives. In conclusion, it supports the concept of penalizing violators of patient privacy. In addition, different forms of thinking used in this paper are also discussed. In summary, similar to any other right, patient privacy is extremely fundamental thus deserves respect. Introduction In administrative ethics, beliefs are described as an acceptance that the administration and the staff people perceive at the hospital as truth or reality to private privacy. It may also include a conviction or opinion that is steadfastly held by the staff involved. Values, on the other hand, are the significant beliefs or attitudes, which people acknowledge by choice, pride or articulate in action with a sense of responsibility and ownership towards patient privacy. Similarly, perception involves the selection, organization and interpreta tion of sensory data in a form that enables us to understand the world patients and their privacy. Perception can also be the way people interpret outside events and experiences into sensible internal comprehension. Alternatively, administrative ethics involves the principles of right and wrong that determine the roles and functions of administration officers. On that note, it should involve responsibility to the society, virtues, principles, and benefits that assist the patient in safeguarding his privacy (Bruce, 2001). Ethics can also be the internal regulations that push a person to obey or not obey certain external facts. Therefore, what is the link between beliefs, values, perception and ethics in administrative matters and patient privacy? In this aspect, the general beliefs people have toward administrative ethics and the privacy of patients is what generates to various values. However, ethics is the perception of people toward these values in a setting such as a hospital and they relate to the privacy of patients. Ethical action according to me is the method of realizing a problem, producing substitutes and selecting among them in order for the substitute chosen to capitalize on the most significant ethical values. Additionally, the substitute selected is also meant to achieve the intended goal (Kaner, 2011). Therefore, in my view, the most important beliefs and customs in consideration of behavior pertaining to patient privacy are several. For instance, medical practitioners involved in the administrative ethics of patient privacy should have an open mind, which makes them unbiased towards their patients. In addition, their personal convictions should have ethical basis, which do not end up affecting the trust of the patients. Issue Statement Various contemporary administrative ethics are applicable in different organizational settings. For instance, there are positive issues such as honesty, fairness and integrity that have an effect on patient priva cy. On the other hand, there are negative issues in the form of lying, abusive or intimidating behavior, bribery, corporate intelligence and discrimination. However, in this case, we are going to discuss the administrative ethical issue of discrimination in relation to breach of a patient’s privacy. Discrimination as a form of negative ethical issue is the prejudice against a person on the grounds of color, disability, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, public assistance status and age among others (Abele, 2004). These forms of prejudice go at betraying the trust and confidentiality of the patient leading to gross violation of rights and freedoms. So, why do

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Theological Inquiry Christological Heresies Essay

Theological Inquiry Christological Heresies - Essay Example Athanasius of Alexandria strongly opposed these teachings and emphasized that Jesus Christ was indeed fully divine. Arius argued with the bishop Alexandria stating that Jesus Christ was not immortal and that he was the first creation of God. Arius’ ideas had a huge impact on the definition of Orthodoxy following several creeds, for instance with Jehovah Witnesses who are considered present-day Arians. They present several Biblical arguments stating that Jesus Christ is not God (Fitzgerald 26-27). Arius being a presbyter insisted upon Jesus Christ’s inferiority to God and because Alexandria along with the Greek East was characterized by an intellectual climate, the argument widened and went on to reach Emperor Constantine. Both sides- the Christian church and the Arians did not let up leading Constantine to call for imperial attention and thus the Council of Nicaea was convened. At this meeting, the framework for the official Orthodox Christianity came into being as over 200 bishops argued out the theological and philosophical language. The Council of Nicaea came to be regarded as a major event as it brought about the explanation of spiritual reality as the question of both the dogmatic definition and theological language was raised. Notably, also, the relative authority of offices along with individuals, an assembly of bishops and independent bishops, the emperor along with the council, and the pope and the council was argued out. Subsequently, the issue of authority to define orthodoxy as well as heresy came to be associated at the outset with the issue of where authority was placed in the Christian community (Peters 39). It is crucial to note that Arius got his argument from studying under Lucian of Antioch who depicted Jesus Christ as a semi-divine intermediate being. Since Arius had plenty of friends some of whom were Asian bishops, they tolerated his ideology when he was ordained. This was how he started to raise a following that was spread o ut.  

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Girl Power Essay Example for Free

Girl Power Essay Sensitivity analysis helps to test the sensitivity of the optimum solution with respect to changes of the coefficients in the objective function, coefficients in the constraints inequalities, or the constant terms in the constraints. For Example in the case study discussed: The actual selling prices (or market values) of the two products may vary from time to time. Over what ranges can these prices change without affecting the optimality of the present solution? Will the present solution remain the optimum solution if the amount of raw materials, production time, or storage space is suddenly changed because of shortages, machine failures, or other events? The amount of each type of resources needed to produce one unit of each type of product can be either increased or decreased slightly. Will such changes affect the optimal solution ? The Input or Arrival Process †¢The input process is usually called the arrival process. †¢Arrivals are called customers. †¢We assume that no more than one arrival can occur at a given instant. †¢If more than one arrival can occur at a given instant, we say that bulk arrivals are allowed. †¢Models in which arrivals are drawn from a small population are called finite source models. †¢If a customer arrives but fails to enter the system, we say that the customer has balked The Output or Service Process †¢To describe the output process of a queuing system, we usually specify a probability distribution – the service time distribution – which governs a customer’s service time. †¢We study two arrangements of servers: servers in parallel and servers in series. †¢Servers are in parallel if all servers provide the same type of service and a customer needs only pass through one server to complete service. †¢Servers are in series if a customer must pass through several servers before completing service. Queue Discipline †¢The queue discipline describes the method used to determine the order in  which customers are served. †¢The most common queue discipline is the FCFS discipline (first come, first served), in which customers are served in the order of their arrival. †¢Under the LCFS discipline (last come, first served), the most recent arrivals are the first to enter service. †¢If the next customer to enter service is randomly chosen from those customers waiting for service it is referred to as the SIRO discipline (service in random order). †¢Finally we consider priority queuing disciplines. †¢A priority discipline classifies each arrival into one of several categories. †¢Each category is then given a priority level, and within each priority level, customers enter service on a FCFS basis.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Tourism Education And Work Experience

Tourism Education And Work Experience Tourism education supply has faced a rapid growth over the past three decades (Micheal Morgan, 2004). It is a global phenomenon (Joseph Joseph, 2000) and the reason behind is to guarantee qualified and well trained employees on the tourism employment market as demands keep on growing (M.S, Mohd Zahari, 2004). Both the government and the private sector play an important role in the provision of tourism education; at secondary and tertiary level. In Mauritius, tourism education undergoes a pyramid-type program system; meaning that tourism curricula is available a secondary programme, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes (Tertiary Education Commission, 2010). Tourism education has been criticized for producing a tourism workforce regardless of the quality. Quality workforce is of great influence as it plays a key role in organizations meeting customers expectations and satisfaction (Evans Lindsay, 1999; Zeithaml et al., 1990). As students embark on tourism education programmes, it is expected that they come out with high quality knowledge, skills and the ability to meet the needs of the industry (Goeldner and Ritchie, 2006; Harris and Zhao, 2004; Kok, 2000). Szambowski et al (2002) put forward that significant emphasis should be placed on students gaining practical experience outside the classroom learning environment. However, increase in offers for tourism education has raised an alarm about graduates having difficulties in finding a tourism job in the coming decades. But still, the industry needs the services of qualified and committed workforce to impact positively on customers satisfaction of experience. To meet the industry demand, work experience has been added to tourism curricula to equip students with the technical, operational and professional skills under the form of internship. Bullock, Gould and Hejmadi (2009, p. 482) cited that internships have enhanced their understanding of their own life choices, enabled the acquisition of transferable skills and provided a tangible link between theory and application. It is the tool that gives students the opportunity to examine career possibilities in a realistic and real world environment and to explore a possible fit with a particular enterprise (Kapoor, 2000; Waryszak, 1999). Several researches were carried out in accordance to work experience and its importance in the tourism and hospitality perspective. It is essential according to Getz (1994) to investigate how work experience changes attitude and perception of students towards tourism and hospitality careers. Demonte Vaden (1987) stated that the factor that had the greatest influence on students decision for a tourism career was work experience. Further findings supposed that it may discourage students to enter the industry, instead of them looking forward to pursue a tourism career (Busby, 2003; Boud, Solomon Symes, 2001). Tourism as an employer There has been a rapid ascendancy of tourism to the worlds largest industry since the whole world continues to travel in a robust manner. Tourism as a sector has grown more rapidly than the total employment in the world economy (WTO, 2005; WTTC, 2005a). It is a service oriented industry, based on a labor intensive production system, meaning that employees play a major role in the delivery of products and services that influence the overall tourism experience (Chellen Nunkoo). Statistics depict out that world tourism employment is estimated at 258.6 million year to date, which is approximately 8,3% of total employment and it is forecasted to increase by a percentage of 2.3% per annum, to reach a figure of 323.9 million by 2021. These jobs include both direct and indirect employment (Justin Matthew Pang, 2010). Direct employment refers to the jobs helping in the creation of the business itself while indirect jobs refer to businesses producing goods and services that assist in supplying visitors and travelers directly (Justin Matthew Pang, 2010). Direct employment in the tourism industry is 99 million to date and it is forecasted to increase to 120 million by 2021 (WTTC, 2007). In Mauritius, for the year 2011, total tourism employment is figured at 28 039 (Survey of employment and Earnings in large Establishments). Beside such statistics, Li (2007) put forward that there will be a shortage of talent in the industry but this goes in contradiction to what Evans (1993) and Busby (1994) mentioned. They both put forward that the trend on increasing application for tourism related courses will accordingly, result in a surplus of graduates on the tourism labor market. Tourism has proved to be a major employer and contributor to the world economy. But still, the tourism industry is being criticized for creating low skilled and low paid jobs with low satisfaction, high level of staff turnover, waste of trained personnel and limited scope for promotion (Kusluvan and Kusluvan, 2000; Chellen and Nunkoo, 2010; Richardson, 2008; Richardson 2009; Roney and ÃÆ'-ztin, 2007). Such critics give rise to one of the major challenge of the industry which is to attract and retain qualified and motivated staff. Employers across the world, whether large or small, face the same challenge; attracting and retaining people with the right skills and personal attitudes and attributes to deliver a quality experience to tourists. It is a sensible issue for the industry as the tourism sector depends much on people (Baum, 1999). One of the reasons why there is such a need for people is because of the nature of its guest services and also its late adoption of technology and newfangled management process (Bull, 1995). This global phenomenon of attracting and retaining qualified workforce was once an isolated case for some markets but it has made its way through, to the whole world industry. Although there is much literature about tourism, there is very few addressing students attitude and perception to further a career in the industry (Roney and ÃÆ'-ztin, 2007). Now that the phenomenon is widely spread, the need to investigate on the issue is becoming more and more important for the whole tourism universe. According to Chellen and Nunkoo (2010), this would be helpful to get a clear view of the status of tourism jobs in the human resources planning process for the tourism sector. While working on tourism and hospitality workforce development programs, knowing tourism job status is deemed bringing more accuracy for the preparation of inline strategies. Human Resource plans focuses on the employment needs of large international tourism organization, especially in hospitality, neglecting how students perceive tourism as an employer. It is necessary for tourism and hospitality providers to attend to one of their most precious assets, namely, their human resource, if they wa nt to be competitive on the marketplace. In fact it has been argued that without employees having a positive attitude towards their work, there is minimal chance for the organization to achieve customer satisfaction and loyalty, thus an advantage over competitors (Rosentbluth, 1991; Zeithaml Bitner, 1996). Various researchers have been questioning the reluctance of many students to embark themselves in a career in the tourism and hospitality industry. They started to investigate in secondary and tertiary institutions, where the potential new recruits are found. Students from secondary schools were those who were the least exposed to experience in the tourism industry. Ross (1994) conducted a research in a secondary school in Australia and results showed that they had high level of interest in working at management level the tourism industry. Further researches were carried out at tertiary level as well as vocational institutions. Barron and Maxwell (1993) studied the perception of new and continuing students at Scottish higher education institutions and found that while students recognized the career opportunities attached to the tourism and hospitality industry, the majority could not foresee a long-term career in the industry. This is further confirmed by Johns and McKechnie, (1995) who stated that 50% of students choose careers out of the industry upon completion of their studies. Richardson (2008) research on Australian students revealed that more than 50% of tourism and hospitality undergraduate students were already contemplating careers outside the industry. According to Richardson (2009) the students look for job in more remunerative sectors upon graduation. Bloome (2006) cited that many students who embark on a tourism and hospitality curriculum do not join the tourism and hospitality industry upon graduation. Students complained not having the opportunity to develop managerial skills in tourism jobs according to Purcell Quinn (1995) while Casado (1992) investigated the basic expectations of students in the tourism and hospitality sector, and found their expectation to be fairly realistic before graduation. Students failing to integrate the industry for work result in wastage of trained and experienced personnel and above all, high staff turnover (Doher ty, Guerrier, Jamieson, Lashley Lockwood, 2001; Jenkins, 2001; Pavesic Brimer, 1990; Zacerreli, 1985). According to Kusluvan (2001), it is important to understand the attitude of students in order to gain an insight as to why many of them are disinclined to join the line or choose to leave the industry after a relatively short period. In order to understand this, Kusluvan (2003), states that it is important to see the perspectives of students who are currently pursuing a tourism and hospitality curriculum and those who have graduated. For the purpose of this research, only those ongoing a tourism curriculum will be questioned. Students opinion about jobs in the tourism sector get them to be reluctant in majoring a career in the tourism industry. Gu et al (2007) conducted a research in China and the students claimed that career development in the tourism and hospitality industry was not sufficiently promising. Furthermore, according to a research in China (Jiang and Tribe, 2009), students classified tourism job a short-lived profession. They were not committed to develop a career in the field where the nature of the tourism job itself, clearly affects their decision. Unlikely, there are actually, six million people employed in the tourism and hospitality industry in China. The statistics for tourism job in the country is forecasted to rise by one million in the next ten years. Students commitment to tourism jobs is what determines the prosperity of the sector on a worldwide avenue. As per Roney and ÃÆ'-ztin (2007), students commitment is one of the major factors that shape the image of the tourism industry positively. Through exposure to the industry, tourism and hospitality students become considerably less interested in selecting tourism and hospitality as their first choice for a career (Kusluvan Kusluvan, 2000; Getz, 1994). Students compare their expected career goals to the offer of the tourism industry, and as they notice the negative gap between those two, their interest for the industry deteriorates. Their images of the industry include poor treatment of staff, little or no training given, and effort outweighing rewards. For students who choose tourism education as first choice and having a clear view of what they will be facing in reality, their attitude towards working in the industry are positive (Lu and Adler, 2009). Those who embark on a tou rism education trek without realistic knowledge of the career opportunities and working conditions, claim that they would have not done so if they had a proper career guidance and orientation right from the start at secondary level (Roney ÃÆ'-ztin, 2007). Hence according to Kusluvan and Kusluvan, proper measures like efficient career guidance and orientation, written exam supplemented by interviews, psychometric tests like personality and service orientation tests, should be adopted to reduce uncertainties of future tourism students about tourism job. Most research pertaining to students perception and attitude towards the tourism industry end up stating that tourism students or fresh graduates had a negative image of the sector as an employer. Kusluvan Kusluvan certified his works by evidence that students have an unfavorable evaluation towards different dimensions of working in the tourism industry. According to Getz (1994), the percentage of people who considered the hospitality attractive decreased from 43% to 29% over the periods 1978 1992. This represents a nearly half percentage decrease in the statistics. Most hospitality graduates have been found to believe that a number of extrinsic factors, such as poor working conditions, high pressure, long working hours, and a lack of motivation, training programs, and career opportunities, may contribute to poor employment aspirations, high turnover rates, and the wastage of educational investment (e.g., Kang and Gould, 2002; Jenkins, 2001). This should be a cause for concern sinc e attitudes are considered to be effective predictors of intention and behavior (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980), and negative attitude would make students less willing to look for tourism jobs. Several books and journals have been published on tourism, but very few were to address the issue of tourism students perception towards the tourism and hospitality industry in Mauritius. To enlighten the situation in Mauritius, this paper seeks to identify the factors influencing students perception and attitude towards furthering a career in the tourism sector in Mauritius. Though there is a lack of such literature pertaining to developing countries, the paper will try to adapt the research to the country which is a developing one and as well the fastest growing region in global tourism (Chellen Nunkoo). This paper aims at studying the attitude and perception of tourism undergraduate students towards a career in the tourism industry in Mauritius. To further understand how attitude and perception helps to predict ones intention to integrate the industry, this paper will make use of the Theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), which predicts behaviour by intention. Then, to strictly measure the students attitude and perception, an instrument of 9 dimensions adapted from that developed and tested by Kusluvan Kusluvan (2000) will be used. The 9 dimensions are classified as nature of work, social status, industry person congeniality, physical working condition, pay and fringe benefits, co-workers, promotion opportunity, managers and commitment. Two likely studies have been carried out in Mauritius by Chellen and Nunkoo (2010) and a University of Mauritius tourism graduate (2011). However this paper, in addition to the 9 dimensions of Kusluvan and Kusluvan (2000), bring up the issue of work experience for differentiation, as a tool capable of shaping students attitude and perception towards a career in the industry upon graduation.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Can Business Ethics Exist? Essay -- Business Ethics

Niall Fitzgerald, stated, â€Å"Corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it... because it is good for our business.† (as cited in Elliot, 2003, para. 14) What is social responsibility? Peter F. Drucker (1981) suggests it is today’s business ethics as defined by society’s ever-changing values, values based on people functioning as a group. Milton Friedman’s (1970) view of social responsibilities is one of individual ethics. Both Drucker and Friedman interchangeably use these terms; ethics and social responsibility, in their case views on the subject. Business ethics and social responsibility are like fraternal twins, born from a womb of moral imperatives and as such, share a base genetic foot-stamp in scope and ideology. In the case views as presented by Peter F. Drucker and Milton Friedman, what ethics and social responsibility is varies between a n individual and business view. Friedman (1970) is very clear on the line between individual ethics and business. An individual acts in his own right based upon his personal morality code. He takes on responsibilities unique to him in a singular fashion such as marriage. A business, however, is a collective of reasoning from group thought defined by social convention. It is soulless as societal pressures dictate the ethical code. Individual responsibilities however, are self-assign because he adopts his own code of ethics and consequences. When the individual is working as an executive, he is required to balance the needs of the stockholders and the owners of the business all the while producing profit. His individual ethical leanings, either consensual or conflicted, are su... ..._interest/detail/what-is-business-ethics Elliot, L. (2003, July 4). Cleaning agentInterview Niall FitzGerald co-chairman and chief executive Unilever. theguardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2003/jul/05/unilever1?INTCMP=SRCH Friedman, M. (1970, September 13). The Social Responsibility Of Business is to increase its profits. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F11FB3E5810718EDDAA0994D1405B808BF1D3&scp=2&sq=The%20Social%20Responsibility%20of%20Business%20is%20to%20Increase%20its%20Profits&st=cse Josephson Institute Quotations Bank. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://josephsoninstitute.org/quotes/quotations.php?q=Education Mackey, J. (2005, October). Rethinking the social responsibility of business. reason.com. Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2005/10/01/rethinking-the-social-responsi/3

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Romans 14 Essay -- The Book of Romans

The book of Romans was written by Paul. It is actually a letter that Paul wrote to the Romans telling them about his understanding of the Gospel. In this book his explains our sins and how we can achieve forgiveness through Christ. The most specific sin that he explains is that of judging one another. He helps address the problem of religious disagreements about different customs or religious convictions. These customs or religious convictions include the days on which people worship the Lord and the things that people will and will not eat. He wrote about the fact that we should not judge each other for God is going to judge us all in the end. "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the lord of both the dead and the living." (Ro 14:9). The first distinction I want to make about this passage is the wording Paul used to describe Christ. He states that Christ died and than lived. His resurrection is what gives Him grounds to rule over the living and the dead. His power is as mighty in the living world as it is in the afterlife. We are never going to be on our own for he is there to reign over us for all of eternity. "You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat." (Ro 14:10). Paul is saying that we should not look down upon or judge a fellow believer. If what they are doing is truly in worship of the Lord, then who are we to judge them as though they are the ones who are wrong? The choices that he is dealing with are those of many people's religious traditions. One of these is the choice of which day different believers decide to worship the Lord. The other is whether or not a perso... ...he one who is going to judge us all in the end. Paul is letting us know that who we judge and how we judge them is going to be the same way that we are going to be judged on our day of reckoning. Everyone shall give an account of his life to the Lord. (Ro 14:12) This ending verse is basically a summary of what Paul has been writing about through most of chapter 14. It is there to say that in the end we will not be the ones who judge each other. Whether or not I have passed my judgment upon you in life will have no bearing on what happen to you in the afterlife. The same goes for if you are to pass your judgment on me. Our judgments have no affect on each other once we are brought before the Lord on our day of judgment. I will not be there to judge you and you will not be there to judge me. The Lord is going to be there to judge us all for our lives.

Medieval Castles :: History

Medieval Castles In 1494 the armies of the French king, Charles VIII, invaded Italy to capture the kingdom of Naples. They swept through the country and bombarded and destroyed many castles. This invasion signaled the end of the castle as a stronghold of defense. For centuries it had been the dominant fortification in Western Europe for the defense of kings, nobility, and townspeople. Ancient cities were often walled to keep out invaders, and within the walls there was usually a citadel, a strongly built fortification occupying the highest or militarily most advantageous position. A castle is much like such a walled city and its citadel contracted into a smaller space. Castles were basically fortified locations. The word itself comes from the Latin castellum. Up to the 6th century fortifications were primarily communities in which most of the population lived. But in the middle of the 6th century, the armies of the Byzantine Empire began to build strong forts as defensive positions. For the next few centuries this castle building was confined to the Byzantine Empire, but later hordes of Islamic warriors who swept out of Arabia to conquer the Middle East, North Africa, and much Byzantine territory also started building such forts. Western Europe, in the depths of the Dark Ages from the 5th through the 9th century, had no such works. But late in the 9th century, as local lords and kings began to consolidate power, castle building began probably in France. Once begun, castle building spread rapidly to other areas. But it was not until the 12th and 13th centuries, after the Crusaders returned from their wars against Islam in Palestine, that castles as imposing as those of the Byzantine or Islamic empires were constructed in Europe. Many of the stone castles of the late Middle Ages still stand. Some are tourist attractions, in various states of repair, along the Rhine River from Mainz to Cologne in Germany, dotted about the French countryside, or perched on hilltops in Spain. The original French castles had been built on open plains. Later ones, however, were situated on rocky crags, at river forks, or in some position where advancing enemies would find approach extremely difficult, if not impossible. The fortifications became more elaborate with time, with considerable attention paid to making the living quarters more comfortable. A typical castle was usually guarded on the outskirts by a surrounding heavy wooden fence of sharp-pointed stakes called a barbican_. Medieval Castles :: History Medieval Castles In 1494 the armies of the French king, Charles VIII, invaded Italy to capture the kingdom of Naples. They swept through the country and bombarded and destroyed many castles. This invasion signaled the end of the castle as a stronghold of defense. For centuries it had been the dominant fortification in Western Europe for the defense of kings, nobility, and townspeople. Ancient cities were often walled to keep out invaders, and within the walls there was usually a citadel, a strongly built fortification occupying the highest or militarily most advantageous position. A castle is much like such a walled city and its citadel contracted into a smaller space. Castles were basically fortified locations. The word itself comes from the Latin castellum. Up to the 6th century fortifications were primarily communities in which most of the population lived. But in the middle of the 6th century, the armies of the Byzantine Empire began to build strong forts as defensive positions. For the next few centuries this castle building was confined to the Byzantine Empire, but later hordes of Islamic warriors who swept out of Arabia to conquer the Middle East, North Africa, and much Byzantine territory also started building such forts. Western Europe, in the depths of the Dark Ages from the 5th through the 9th century, had no such works. But late in the 9th century, as local lords and kings began to consolidate power, castle building began probably in France. Once begun, castle building spread rapidly to other areas. But it was not until the 12th and 13th centuries, after the Crusaders returned from their wars against Islam in Palestine, that castles as imposing as those of the Byzantine or Islamic empires were constructed in Europe. Many of the stone castles of the late Middle Ages still stand. Some are tourist attractions, in various states of repair, along the Rhine River from Mainz to Cologne in Germany, dotted about the French countryside, or perched on hilltops in Spain. The original French castles had been built on open plains. Later ones, however, were situated on rocky crags, at river forks, or in some position where advancing enemies would find approach extremely difficult, if not impossible. The fortifications became more elaborate with time, with considerable attention paid to making the living quarters more comfortable. A typical castle was usually guarded on the outskirts by a surrounding heavy wooden fence of sharp-pointed stakes called a barbican_.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Coping with Life Challenges Essay

Toni Cade Bambara, born March 25, 1939 in New York City; her mother was Helen Brent Henderson Cade. Bambara adopted that last name when she discovered it on a sketchbook her great-grandmother had. Bambara spent the first ten years of her life in Harlem, New York. In 1973, she published and essay in Redbook explaining what she liked about her mother. Bambara is an activist, novelist, writer, essayist, and a filmmaker. Bambara was influenced by her work as a social worker in the 1960’s. Bambara knew how the black community had been neglected and abused in the American society. Bambara became devoted to her community; she wrote primarily for her black community and in black dialect. Toni Cade Bambara wrote several short stories, one specifically was â€Å"The Lesson,† in this short story; she speaks on how to overcome struggles and stereotyping in the black community. In â€Å"The Lesson,† Toni Cade Bambara, uses characterization, style of language and setting; she also shows how she felt about how unfair the American society was through the eyes of a black woman. First, Bambara uses characterization. In â€Å"The Lesson† Bambara developed a strong and positive character who could teach us about valuable lessons in life. This character was a strong black woman named Miss Moore, who taught all the children in her community how to overcome the struggles in their community. Miss Moore first took the children to a store on Fifth Avenue, this store was the most expensive toy store the name of the store was F. A. O. Schwartz. The first life lesson was an expensive handcrafted sailboat, â€Å"Hand-crafted sailboat of fiberglass at one thousand one hundred and ninety-five dollars. † (Bambara) This lesson was to show the children the value of money, and how to value what they have and not what they want. In the second trial Bambara uses style of language, Miss Moore questioned the children on how they felt about the expensive sailboat. One of the characters in the story, Sylvia became upset with Miss Moore because out of all the children, she was the only one to get the point. Sylvia said, â€Å"I’m mad, but I won’t give her that satisfaction. So I slouch around bein very bored and say, Let’s go. †(Bambara) Sylvia realized that Miss Moore wanted them to see what type of environment they lived in and wanted them to think of ways to overcome those struggles in the future. Last, Bambara uses setting, Miss Moore, wanted the children to realize how unfair life was in the American society. Miss Moore wanted the children to see, that they had to overcome the stereotyping and become the opposite of what life was expected out of them. Miss Moore said, â€Å"Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What do you think? † (Bambara) Bambara’s main character knew what life expected out of them and she wanted the children to overcome the struggles, simply by experiencing them. In conclusion, the author felt that living within your society, you have to overcome the stereotyping and become the opposite of what life is expected of you. Toni Cade Bambara wanted her characters in â€Å"The Lesson,† to overcome society’s obstacles, cruelty, and devaluation and to discover their strengths, and to have pride within them. Toni Cade Bambara is universal and lives on in today’s society.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Technology in Satellite Internet

Technology is getting better each day. The Internet is one of the best, if not the best, technology that was invented on this century. Internet allows us to see the world that we have not seen. Internet widens our knowledge on certain perspectives and information. Internet makes learning easier and more accessible as compared to the past century before it was invented. It allows us to see places that we cannot see physically. In short, it gave us the world of easier and more accessible pool of knowledge. Dial-up Internet access was the first innovation that was used to connect to the Internet. This type of Internet connectivity connects through the Internet using the customary telephone line. The telephone line is then connected to a modem, a device that needs to be attached on the computer to allow internet access. By configuring the computer to dial up a specific telephone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP), Internet is already accessible. The next innovation used to connect through the Internet was the Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). This type of Internet connectivity was the widely used type of Internet connectivity on these days. Compared to a dial-up connection, DSL is faster as they are designed for use with high-speed DSL connections. Recently, another innovation in Internet connectivity was introduced to the market, the satellite Internet. Satellite Internet, from the name itself, connects to the Internet using satellite. The outgoing and the incoming data are sent and arrive at the computer through the satellite. Hardware that is needed to be installed on the computer to have this type of internet connection includes satellite dish antenna and a transceiver which works in the microwave portion of the radio spectrum. This type of Internet connection is recommended for residents and business establishments that do not have access on DSL or cable internet on their location. This research paper aims to take a closer look on the technology behind satellite Internet. What is satellite internet? Satellite Internet provides Internet through satellite. It is connected to a dish network subscriber service. The speed that satellite internet provides is just the same as those provided by other broadband technologies. However, not all locations have DSL or cable internet providers. Some rural areas lack DSL and cable internet service. Satellite Internet solves this problem for it can be connected anywhere as long as there is electricity to power a computer system. There are three types of services offered in satellite internet: (1) One-way multicast; (2) One-way with terrestrial return; and (3) Two-way satellite access. IP multicast-based data, audio, and video distribution are the usage of one-way multicast satellite Internet systems. This type of service is recommended for TV and radio contents as they need modest user interface. This happens because full interactivity is not possible for this type of service. FCC license is a requirement in the United States for the uplink station though there it is not needed for the users. Because of this, most Internet protocols does not work adequately on one-way access because a return channel is needed. By pushing to a local storage at end user sites, webpage can still be distributed on the Internet. Interface to the Public Switched Telephone Network for squawk box application is a system hardware component needed for this type of service. On the other hand, custom programming at the remote site is needed for the system software component. Filter, store, present a selection interface to, and display data are the tasks needed to be performed by the software at the remote site. While provision of access control, priority queue, sending, and summarizing of data are the tasks needed to be performed by the software at the Teleport. Used with a dial up access to the Internet, together with outbound data traveling with the use of a modem, one-way terrestrial return satellite Internet systems downloads are sent through satellite having the speed almost the same as those offered speed by other broadband Internet services. The transmitting station or the Teleport is needed component of system hardware. This transmitting station has two components: (1) Internet connection and (2) Satellite uplink. Minimum programming that can provide authentication and set Proxy server settings are needed by the remote sites, which is the system software component. Compared to a dial up modem, this type of satellite Internet service’s speed is faster and latency is higher. Speed of download is faster than dial-up modem but slower than terrestrial broadband methods. According to sattellitemaps. om, two-way satellite Internet sends data from remote sites via satellite to a hub, which then sends the data to the Internet. To avoid obstruction with other satellites, the satellite dish must be accurately positioned on each location. Obstruction with these systems can be caused by oscillators in various radar detectors. To adjust the amount of transmit power, each location is required to use power management. TDMA and S CPC are the two types of two-way satellite Internet. Internet speed for this type of service uncommonly exceeds one megabit per second and the latency can reach up to one second. Speed, in general, for satellite Internet can be two-megabits per second (Mbps) for downstream and one-megabit per second for upstream. On the other hand, a typical dial-up Internet connection speed reaches only 53 kilobits per second (Kbps). Therefore, satellite Internet is by far faster than a dial-up Internet connection. Though satellite Internet solves the problem of those who live in areas that do not have DSL or cable Internet services, it still has its drawback. It is generally expensive as compared to dial-up and DSL connection. High latency, which means signal delay, is another drawback of satellite Internet. A request for a webpage from a satellite Internet subscriber travels 22,300 miles to reach a satellite in a geostationary orbit. Another 22,300 miles is traveled by the signal upon reaching the geostationary orbit back to the earth. Lastly, another 22,300 miles must be traveled for the signal to reach the user. All in all, the total distance traveled by the information is 89,200 miles. The total distance is what the user is paying for this type of Internet connection. Average latency, on the other hand, is approximately 500-700 milliseconds. In short, latency cannot be avoided in satellite Internet. Thus, it is not recommended for some Internet activities such as multiplayer online gaming. In general, satellite Internet is by far faster than a dial-up connection but still slower as compared to other broadband technologies such as DSL and cable internet connection. How does satellite internet works? The Technology behind the Innovation The large satellite dish is the hub station. Its average diameter ranges from 6 meters to 32 meters. Receive gain is dependent on the size of the satellite dish. The large size of the satellite dish brings high receive gain and sensitivity. Transmit power is minimized through the large dish. The large size also brings high transmit gain at the same time minimizes the transmitter power at the hub. A router to interface to the external ISP network, DVP-IP encapsulator that will insert the IP data into a format of MPEG-2, DVB multiplexer, continuous modulator, timing clock, up-converter, and high power amplifier are the transmit Hub Common Equipment (HCE). Meanwhile, low noise amplifier, down-converter, timing and distribution of MF-TDMA demodulator unit and multiple MF-TDMA demodulator units for each inbound carrier to be received simultaneously are the components of receive HCE. Having high sensitivity is a requirement for the satellite uplink so it can function well in small dish transmits services. If the uplink beam coverage area is small, high sensitivity is easily achieved. Adequate high gain setting is also a need for the satellite transponder. This will be easily achieved but it should be specified fist before satellite construction begins. Through a remote control of a gain step attenuator, adjustment of the gain of satellite is possible. On the other hand, a lower gain setting is preferable for large dish services. Frequency bands for satellite internet can be any of the following: (A) C band 4/6 GHz; (B) Ku band 10-12/14 GHz; or (C) higher Ka band. Among all the customer terminals, a large outlink carrier from the hub is shared. It has a bit rate of 60 Mbits/s rate. It is also ETSI-compliant for modulation and FEC. Quadrature or 8 Phase Shift Keying (QPSK or 8-PSK) is the format of the outlink carrier. The following are the ways of transmitting digital data. For a particular bit rate, both need the approx and the same power from the satellite but 8-PSK concentrates the power into half the bandwidth (VSAT, 2005). 8-PSK becomes viable with dual satellite transponder bit rate capacity if there is a powerful satellite and maybe larger remote terminals. A series of symbols, where each symbol has four to eight possible states, form the carrier. Thus, each symbol conveys two to three binary bits per symbol. Forward error correction systems are used, which add extra bits to form a higher transmission bit rate, to attain an insignificant bit error rate for the information. A pragmatic Trellis type is the inner code together with the 8-PSK. MPEG-2 with DVB Multi-Protocol Encapsulation (DVB-MPE) format for IP data is the data stream format. The extra forward error correction bits, found at the customer receiver, are utilized to perceive errors and basically correct all of them. Another important component in satellite Internet is the Return Channel Satellite Terminals (RCST) outdoor unit (ODU). The following are its components: (1) Parabolic antenna reflector; (2) Feed; (3) Ortho-mode transducer; (4) Filters; and (5) Transmit/receive radio frequency modules. The received downlink from a satellite is normally collected by the reflector. It is better to have a bigger size of the reflector. Most dishes used are of offset front fed parabolic shape with the feed at the bottom on an arm (VSAT, 2005). Appearance of radio signal from the radio equipment until it reaches the air functions in the feed. To allocate power across the dish area is its primary function. It should also be considered that the position of the dish must be at the focus of the parabolic dish shape. Division of the two polarizations positioned at linear and right angles are performed by the Ortho-Mode Transducer (OMT). The function of the two polarities is for the other to transmit and the other to receive. To avoid the transmitter from obstructing the receiver, filters are inserted. It is also used to attach the transmitter and receiver. Up-converting of the signals to transmit frequencies and amplifying them before transmission is the function of transmit module. Powers are directly proportional to transmit bit rates. The higher the power, the greater is the transmit bit rates. If there is RCST-ODU, there is also Return Channel Satellite Terminal (RCST) Linkstar indoor unit, which is an integrated unit that has connections for two coax cables to the antenna and a CAT5 10/100 Base-T connection for an ethernet cable that is linked to the subscriber’s computing equipment. The received MPEG-2 stream is recovered from the outbound signal by an integrated circuit consisting of a DVB-S demodulator and de-multiplexer (VSAT, 2005). The outbound signal is demodulated by this logic. The IP packets that are aimed for precise customer terminal are recovered by the demux, which is then delivered to the external network via the ethernet interface. RCST is responsible in preparing the data into short packets or bursts that are conveyed according to a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system. If you are interested in connecting your personal computer or a local area network, the least complex installation will involve a single computer that is connected with ethernet cable. The basic task is to set the IP address and subnet mask. On the other hand, local area network can be connected through the use of a local router. This will allow many computers on a local area network, cafe, and wireless LAN to be connected. Future Trends in Satellite Internet As we all know, satellite Internet is just a recent innovation for Internet connection. Thus, it still needs to be improved and developed further to allow more people to benefit from this innovation. In the near future, IP protocols are expected to improve at the same time compatible to SAT channel. Voice over IP is also a future trend for satellite internet. Since satellite Internet is costly these days, it is expected to have a lower cost specifically in storage devices in the near future. Traffic over satellites is one of the drawbacks of satellite Internet. However, it is an expected trend in the future to have a more advance hardware and software that will handle and improve traffic over satellites. New networks and traffic management systems is also expected. Innovation in antennas, switching, MMIC, and bandwidth use are expected to get better as satellite internet attracts more market share. Lastly, new satellite systems that use new frequencies such as Ka, V, and Optical systems are also expected to occur in the near future for satellite Internet. Companies Involved in Satellite Internet Teleglobe is one of the largest Internet backbone access providers to Latin America. Recently, it just closed the deal of providing satellite access to content located on Teleglobe’s global Internet backbone network to the University of Costa Rica. It is the leading provider of Internet backbone access services to carriers and ISPs all over Latin America. In addition to its services, it also provides access services for research and education networks throughout the world. Another satellite Internet provider is the Panamsat Corporation. It is included among the world’s top three satellite operators. It manages a global fleet of 30 satellites, which 23 of these satellites are owned by the company. It also supports the largest satellite-based business networks in United States. Its services benefits cable television systems, broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home operators, Internet service providers, and telecommunication companies. One of the global leaders in the market of broadband satellite networks and services is Hughes Network Systems. It provides its services to enterprises, governments, small businesses, and consumers. Globecomm Systems Inc. acquired all the shares of Netsat Express Inc. in June 2001 and decided to combine the services offered by both companies. This acquisition improved Globecomm’s position in the field of satellite-based communications and Internet solutions. Another satellite-based company is the Intelsat. It is the largest provider of fixed satellite services all over the world. These are just some of the companies using satellite for the services that they are offering to the market. Another provider of satellite Internet in Australia and other countries in Asia is Orion Satellite Broadband. Generally, Orion is a provider of wide-ranging telecommunications solutions. However, their primary focus is on developing innovations and approaches to some issues and challenges in communications that cannot be solve by conventional providers. Satellite Internet is one of their services to solve the problem of Internet accessibility. It is also developed and operated by HughesNet in the United States. Another provider of satellite Internet is the partnership of Zaksat and Fantastic Corporation. Zaksat is known as one of the leaders in satellite operator in Middle East countries. Fantastic Corporation is a Swiss-American company that focuses on software technology. The partnership of Zaksat and Fantastic Corporation aims to provide broadband multimedia services among businesses and household consumers in the Middle East, India, Asia, and Australia. In Australia and New Zealand, Netaccess Satellite is the leading provider of satellite Internet. It provides high-speed, business-grade Internet connection even on remote areas of the country. The satellite that they are using for their services, which is their own satellite Optus, covers 100% of countries Australia and New Zealand. The benefits that they are offering their consumers include lightning-fast broadband anywhere in the country, wider coverage of Internet access, ideal Internet access backup, trusted and quality performance, 24-hours customer support, and reporting tools. In countries Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, Cyprus, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Syria, and Turkmenistan iDirect is the leading provider of two-way broadband Internet access. Their services can benefit private consumers, businesses, and institutions. Speed, performance, and flexibility is what they are offering to their services offer the market. There are others that are not mentioned here. These companies are proofs that satellite Internet can benefit and have a large share on the market of Internet providers. Regulatory Issues in Satellite Internet Just like in cable Internet, privacy and speed are the major drawbacks in satellite Internet. Another of its drawback is its susceptibility during bad weather conditions. Redefinition and recasting of 1934 Communications Act is shown in Telecommunications Act of 1996. Its primary goal is to address the emergence of competition in previously monopolistic markets. However, many still believe that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is not enough to solve and address the issues of the continually changing telecommunications environment. Innovations and changes in the technology of telecommunications include the advancement of Internet in supplying data, voice, and video. Convergence in the telecommunications sector is also a factor that is considered for the need of revision of the act. Some of the issues that concerns broadband communications are as follows: (A) Traditional providers who enter new markets, which they do not hold any power; (B) Extent of existing regulations that should be imposed on new entrants while they compete for traditional providers in the same market; (C) Suitable regulatory framework that will be imposed in new and converging technologies which are not classified in the present framework. Broadband technologies are major considerations in the policy debate. Questions on whether the present regulations are enough to address the issues concerning competition and consumer benefits and satisfaction. Global Implications of Satellite Internet The primary implication of satellite Internet is its geographically advantage over other broadband providers. It solves the problem of Internet accessibility, especially in rural areas where there are no providers of DSL or cable Internet connection. Though innovations and technical advances are continuously arising in today’s world, there are still some who do not have the access to these technologies. Internet is one of the best innovations in today’s century. Though, there are still some who do not have access to it. This is where the function of satellite Internet comes in. It offers an alternative to many consumers. However, its price is generally expensive compared to other broadband providers. Other drawbacks include its delay in delivering of data and its susceptibility on bad weather. As compared to dial-up Internet connectivity, it is by far faster in terms of speed. However, when compared to other broadband technologies such as DSL or cable Internet, it offers just the same speed and other benefits with higher price. As a summary, satellite Internet provides an alternative Internet connection to many geographically challenged areas that do not have connection for DSL or cable Internet. It is not recommended for those who have broadband connections in their area for it has higher price and delay in relaying information especially on bad weather conditions. It diversified the market for consumers in terms of Internet connection.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Speech About Education in Indonesia

Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb. Firstly, I would like to say thank because it is a great honor for me to stand here and give a brief speech entitled â€Å"Formal Education in Indonesia† Education system in our country is divided into two major parts, they are formal and non-formal. A formal education is divided into three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary education. While non-formal education is carried out for the learners who get difficulties to meet the requirements in formal education. An example of non-formal education is PLS or Outside School Education.Before entering primary or elementary school, children in ourcountry usually have attended kindergarten. But this education is not compulsory for Indonesian citizens, as the aim of this is just to prepare them for primary school. Children ages 7–12 attend primary education at Elementary School. This level of education is compulsory for all Indonesian citizens. Similar to education systems in the U. S. and Aust ralia, students must study for six years to complete this level. Some schools offer an accelerated learning program, where students who perform well can finish elementary school in five years.The next level is secondary education. After graduating from elementary school, students attend Middle School or Junior High School for three years from the age of 13-15. After three years of schooling and graduation, students may move on to Senior High School. In Indonesia, this school is basically divided into two kinds: SMA and SMK. SMA is different with SMK in their studies. The students at SMA are prepared to advance totertiary education or university, while students of SMK as a vocational school are prepared to be ready to work after finishing their school without going to university/college.The last level of education in our country is tertiary education. Students who have graduated from senior high school may attend to university or academy. They can choose any kinds of university or ac ademy based on their interests or scopes of knowledge, for example majoring in English, Mathematics, or teacher training university. I think that’s all my speech. I hope my brief description on the formal education in our country will be useful for us. Finally, I would like to say sorry if there are mistakes in my speech words. Thank you very much for your attention. Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.