Plato and Aristotle Essay

Plato and Aristotle were two philosophers who made an impact on philosophy as we know it as today. Plato is thought of as the first political philosopher and Aristotle as the first metaphysical philosopher. They were both great intellectuals in regards to being the first of the great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to better life by improving the societies in which they were part of during their lives. The views of Plato and Aristotle look different but they do have some similarities to them. Plato is mostly known for his Theory of Forms and Aristotle is known for his thoughts in universals. Even though they both thought a bit differently they did agree in a few things. Plato and Aristotle not only had an impact on society in the past but today’s society as well. Plato was a teacher to Aristotle and lived during the Peloponnesian War, which lead to the end of the Athenian democracy. He had eyewitness account of Socrates, his mentor, trial and execution. Unhappy with the political corruption that plagued the Athenian democratic government, he removed himself from politics. He strongly felt that neither a moral individual nor a state could be established in a democratic environment. Plato felt that the common man was not intelligent enough to deal with concepts that influence the state such as economics, policies and other relative matters. He thought of philosophers as being the most intelligent among men. He viewed political incumbents in the Athens government basically as bought individuals in office for the good of themselves and not society as a whole. Another danger was that extreme liberties given to the people in the democratic society could potentially lead an anarchy. Aristotle was a student of Plato’s and teacher of Alexander the Great. He created his own school in Athens. He thought of metaphysics to be the first philosophy, which was a large interest to him. Aristotle’s stated that forms were universal. According to Aristotle, notion of Essential properties makes something what it is, and accidental properties are the differences of that item. Aristotle believed the state and the individual are similar and democracy would be the better government. In Book VII of The Republic by Plato, Socrates describes the Allegory of the Cave. It is a metaphor to illustrate the effects of education on the human soul. It can also be understood as what is real and what is believed to be real in life. Even though Plato had his ideal city, the forms was really what people could connect with. There is so much one can take from his thoughts on the forms that could be applied to society today. Plato starts out comparing people that are uneducated to prisoners chained in a cave, unable to turn their head. All they can see is the wall of the cave in front of them. A fire behind them burns bright. Between the fire and the prisoners, there is an area for puppeteers to move around and hold up the puppets to cast shadows on the wall that is in front of the prisoners. This is what the prisoners see every single day. This is all they know; shadows, echoes, the smell of the fire, and darkness. They believe that that shadows are reality. One of the prisoners is allowed to go outside of the cave. Once they reach the outside of the cave, they are blinded by the light because they have not seen such. Once their eyes start to adjust, they start seeing shapes and objects around them. They see that the sun is what creates light and that the tall objects with leaves are trees. They are colorful with moving parts. They go back outside to tell the prisoners, but they are not believed. Those still inside of the cave thinks the person just came in from the outside ill because that is not what they see in the cave, they did not see the outside for themselves, so therefore, it does not exist. So now the person that just came in from the bright sun light cannot see very well in the darkness of the cave, their eyes have not adjusted to the darkness, and people think they are crazy. This is where this view fails for Aristotle because it is not realistic. Aristotle rejects Plato’s Theory of Forms, and makes the way for his realistic approach, which underlines observation first and abstract reasoning second. Being a student of Plato’s, I believe he was indebted to justify at lengths why he disagrees with doctrines of his teacher. He provided detailed arguments against many of Plato’s doctrines, a lot of his major works, focusing in particular on the Theory of Forms. In Aristotle’s critique he thinks this theory is essentially an assertion of the superiority of universals over particulars. Plato argues that particular instances of beauty or justice exists only because they participate in the universal Form of Beauty. Say a there are two objects, one is colorless and the other one is red. The colorless one goes where the red on is located. Since the colorless object and the red object are participating, they are both red objects. They have a certain nurture and nature. However, Aristotle argues that universal concepts of beauty and justice derive from the instances of beauty and justice in this world. We only arrive at an idea of beauty by observing particular instances of beauty. This universal quality of beauty has no existence beyond this idea that we build from particular instances. He is staying that the particulars come first and the universals come after and therefor, Aristotle places emphasis on the importance of observing the details of this world. Which leads me to understand his thoughts on happiness a little more. With putting the weight on observing happiness can measured by a person’s life. Aristotle lays out in Book X in the Nicomachean Ethic’s, the continuation of his thoughts on pleasure, happiness and the end of life, and ethics and politics. His view on happiness and the end of human life really made me question his way of thinking. Aristotle suggests that happiness is the final end of life because nothing is greater than happiness or the good life and it goes against his universal theory. Aristotle proposes that happiness, or the good life, is taken to be a most final end. â€Å"We said, then, that happiness is not a characteristic, for in that case it could be present even to someone asleep thought his life, living the life of plants, and to someone undergoing the greatest misfortunes. †(Nicomachean Ethics, 1176a-1176b). The good life for humans is the life of choosing to life the life according to the virtues. â€Å"For we choose everything, so to speak, for the sake of something else-except happiness, for it is the end. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1176b). Also, it seems that only humans can be happy because the happiness is an important nature of every individual human and it is unique to humans in that the function of humans is what distinguishes them from other kinds of things. Happiness is a self-sufficient activity desirable for its own sake. One seeks nothing from happiness beyond the actual experience or performance of it as an activity. Activities that are desirable in themselves are activities in conformity with virtue and indicates that the greatest happiness must be activity in conformity with the highest virtue. It is wrong to confuse happiness with various kinds of amusements involving bodily pleasures, as many people do. Such amusements are neither virtuous nor ends in themselves, but are merely relaxing diversions in which one occasionally engages for the sake of future activity. The greatest happiness is activity in conformity with the highest virtue is excellence. Intelligence is man’s highest possession and the objects of intelligence are the highest objects within his grasp. It is clear that the life of contemplation and theoretical wisdom must be the greatest of human virtues and the highest form of happiness. The objects of the contemplative life are the unchangeable and eternal verities that underlie and govern the universe. From contemplation of these truths the soul derives a feeling of purity and stability. â€Å"Further, this active is most continuous, for we are more able to contemplate continuously than we are to do anything else whatever. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1177a). Also, the wise person is able to contemplate by himself, the wiser he is the more adept he will be doing so. Contemplative happiness is not dependent on other men. It is the form of life in which human beings come most nearly to being divine, the life that harmonizes with intellect, and that life seems to be the happiest, according to Aristotle. There is another kind of happiness, based on moral virtue and practical wisdom, which is concerned with feelings that spring from man’s bodily nature. It can be defined as the harmonious coordination of all parts of man’s complete being. This kind of happiness is not as exalted as the contemplative, but it helps prepare us for the higher happiness and, since man is not all mind and reason, gives us something to fall back upon when we are unable to remain continuously at the higher level. â€Å"For if there is a certain care for human things on the part of gods, as in fact there is held to be, it would be also reasonable for gods to delight in what is best and most akin to them – this would be the intellect – and to benefit in return those who cherish this above all and honor it, on the grounds that these latter are caring for what is dear to gods as well as acting correctly and nobly. † (Nicomachean Ethics, 1179a). This person is the happiest and a wise person would be extremely happy. I believe this idea has some hints of Plato’s forms. The one person who went outside of the cave and saw it all was brought down by all the people in the cave that didn’t see the outside. Aristotle states that you cannot be happy with a lot of friends because they are not true friends. I believe those excess friendships would be a similar situation in the cave. They would not bring your happiness, only suffering. Aristotle and Plato have similarities in their city states as well. Plato gives a place to women, but Aristotle does not seem to care for women. When reading Plato, the texts are in Socrates’s voice. It makes it hard to connect what he is saying, especially in the Republic since it is a play. Also, one cannot tell if Socrates, Plato, is being serious or straightforward or if it’s Socrates’s thoughts or Plato’s. In Nicomachean Ethics, the text is Aristotle’s lecture notes and he is the author of them. While reading, it seems that Plato comes out and gives his opinion on matters, but Aristotle presents them, but does not come out and say what his thoughts are. Plato and Aristotle were two philosophers who made a huge impact on philosophy. They were both great western philosophers. Plato and Aristotle each had ideas in how to better life by improving the societies in which they were part of during their lives. Although they are thought to have completely different views, when laid out, their views have some similarities.

Linguistic Changes of an Individual in Migration Essay

As the world becomes increasingly globalised, we observe a rising trend where individuals migrate for educational and economic opportunities. The prestige of being educated in a highly ranked university and the prospects of higher paying jobs are definitely important pull factors for both internal and international migration (Welch, 1970). When people move, they also transfer the use of their existing linguistic repertoire to their host country. However, what might have been effective at home might be interpreted differently when placed in different socioeconomic contexts. Hence, the relative value of linguistic repertoire one possesses and how mobile are one’s language skills in the world determines how a migrant interacts with a new community. Consequently, this paper seeks to provide insight on how the relative value of linguistic resources affects one’s mobility and decisions in community interactions. Drawing on Blommaert’s study on the sociolinguistics of globalisation, this discussion will focus on how an individual’s linguistic repertoire is being used to one’s advantage within the community. It also highlights the changes which occur when one attempts to transfer the same linguistic repertoire as the shift to a place of varying cultural and linguistic ability. As Blommaert suggests, â€Å"placed resources are resources that are functional in one particular place but can become dysfunctional as soon as they are moved to other places† (Blommaert, 2003). Essentially, this essay seeks to expound on the changes of one’s linguistic repertoire and how it affects one’s interactions with new communities resulting from migration. Linguistic repertoire refers to linguistic varieties acquired by an individual to different degrees of proficiency and for different uses (Crystal, 1990). The acquisition of linguistic repertoire thus extends not only to the procurement of different types of language codes like English and Hindi, but also the speech styles and genres within each language. In light of this definition, this paper chooses to trace how one’s use of language repertoire might change in the context of internal migration and international migration. With this in mind, a migrant from India who experienced both types of migration was chosen. India boasts twenty-two official languages as per the Constitution of India, where English is determined as the secondary official language and is used as lingua franca throughout India. Within the context of this paper, the experiences of the migrant serve to provide personal insight on language mobility within the transmigrational arena. Research methodology and background of interviewee With this in mind, a fifty minute interview was carried out on 16th October 2012 to gather substantial data in order to provide a comparison between internal and international migration. The sole participant is Joshua Cherian, aged 24 who is currently pursuing a postgraduate education in Singapore. He was born and raised in Kerala, Southern India, after which he moved to Jamshedpur, Northern India to pursue a tertiary education before working in New Delhi. He was taught English at a young age and learnt Hindi during university, while his mother tongue is Malayalam. During the interview, questions were asked ranging from the interviewee’s experiences of language acquisition and his experiences in India and Singapore to language policies in India. Utilising his personal insights on adapting to different communities and observing it through the concepts provided in Blommaert’s study, the relative value of linguistic repertoire consequently becomes more obvious not only from country to country but also within different areas of the community. Language repertoire in internal migration Within India, it is said to have a de-facto three plus minus one language policy. Those who neither speak the language of the state nor the two official languages, English and Hindi, now have to grapple with learning four languages in order to pass the school systems and secure jobs within the modern sector (Laitin. D, 1989). Consequently, many people who migrate in the pursuit of education or jobs find it necessary to expand their language repertoire in order to compete for the chance of upward socioeconomic mobility within India. Joshua notes that: â€Å"There is a divide between the corporate world and industrial world, where managers and people in multinational companies speak in english, but those in manufacturing speak Hindi in work. In the north of India everyone speaks Hindi, so I had to learn Hindi. When I worked in Delhi, I spoke mostly Hindi in my workplace, because I am a manager of labourers and those who just passed tenth standard, they just need to make something so they don’t need English. People who do software need to interact with clients overseas, so it is important for them to speak English.† Due the demands of his job, Joshua was required to expand his language repertoire to include fluent Hindi in order to communicate with his subordinates effectively. Although English could have sufficed in interacting with white-collar professionals, learning Hindi would have enabled Joshua to ensure a smooth running of operations that he was in charge with. As such, it is observed that migrants tend to expand their language repertoire within internal migration according to which languages are most functional within their community. Furthermore, an expansion of linguistic repertoire also affects one’s interaction the community. As immigrants acquire proficiency in more languages, there is a tendency to broaden their participation in various communities within the area that they have settled in. This is especially evident in Joshua’s recount: â€Å"In India you would have to know many languages in order to fit into different communities. University students will use English because it is prestigious. It shows you are well educated. Outside of the education system, everyone speaks their own dialect or their own state language. I used to hang out with many friends when I was studying in Jamshedpur who came from all over India. I also managed to become my student governing body’s president, so speaking the many languages helped me reach out to a lot of people.† Even though migrants who migrate within their home country experience a new environment, there are common cultural familiarities that they can relate to by being in the same country. Naturally, this allows them to assimilate into the communities easily since they already share similar cultural and national identities. Rather, this pre-existing factor enables immigrants like Joshua to interact with different groups of people. Such a preference is also extremely beneficial to an individual within a new community as they are able to called upon a large network of acquaintances should they need help in the future. Hence, the broadening of one’s interaction with many communities would be positively correlated to the acquisition of language repertoire because both serve the same purpose of helping the migrant assimilate well into the new environment they are in. Language Repertoire in International Migration In contrast to internal migration, one’s use of language repertoire might decrease across different geographical spaces. It is noted that international migration denotes a shift to a foreign culture in which the values placed upon certain languages is different from one’s original country. As such, many migrants would utilise a language within their repertoire that is widely used in the world. Joshua relates his experience moving from India to Singapore: â€Å"When I first arrived in Singapore, everything was easy for me to get used to because I was already proficient in English. Even if I needed help, I could just approach anyone and they would reply me in English. I don’t even Hindi anymore because the friends and people I meet with speak only in English. Perhaps it is because there are so many races here so communication needs to be in a common language. Although I have friends from India here, they never speak in their mother tongue! Everyone would rather speak in English than Hindi! Despite Joshua’s extensive language repertoire, he only speaks in English in Singapore, thereby showing a decrease in language repertoire employed in daily life. In most cases of international migration, migrants often move from the ‘periphery’ to the ‘core’ of the world system. As one attempts to transfer one’s language repertoire from one country to another, the languages employed more frequently within the core global system would be more mobile compared to other languages. In particular, because Singapore is a multi-racial community, it requires English as a lingua franca in order to achieve cohesiveness and efficiency. Consequently, rather than expanding one’s linguistic repertoire to gain access to every community, a migrant in Singapore need only focus on speaking proficient English, which subsequently narrows his language repertoire within the host country. Parallel to one’s decrease in language repertoire, it is observed that migrants narrow their participation to a few communities that they are comfortable with. While migrants who migrate internally tend to broaden their participation in a wide array of communities, people who migrate internationally prefer to focus their efforts in interacting with a particular community where they feel most comfortable with. Joshua, expresses that: â€Å" I like to be in a place where I can interact with people well. When I came to Singapore, everybody spoke â€Å"Singlish†. It was especially hard for me to understand the jokes of my Singaporean friends. Thats why I wanted to be in a Christian group, so I went around to look for churches and even joined the varsity christian fellowship. Then I found a church cell group to be in and we could talk about common things, at least everyone there understands what I am going through when I talk about my struggles and life. I don’t meet with the Indian community much because everyone here speaks English anyway and I am more comfortable speaking in English, so when I talk about God and faith, I don’t get any puzzled looks when I am with church people† For most immigrants, being in a foreign community could be unsettling because there exists stark differences in culture that they might not understand. In Joshua’s case, not being able to understand Singlish hindered his active participation in various communities, especially in understanding humour within the sociocultural context of Singaporean society. As such, by participating in communities with specific shared beliefs that the migrant can identify with, it could be easier for him to assimilate into a new environment. Communities with shared beliefs also tend to share a similar use of register in their daily speech. Drawing on Joshua’s case of finding a christian community, a christian setting could be more comfortable for him because he understands the semantics of words such as â€Å"communion† and â€Å"faith† used frequently in that community. Additionally, by narrowing one’s participation to few communities, individuals would have more time to spend more effort on forging closer relationships within a particular communities. This in turn could be more beneficial to the migrant as this niche area of society provides a source of emotional support for the migrant in order to cope with the anxiety of being away from home. Conclusion What Joshua has experienced demonstrates the constant change of the value of language resources as he shifts between places in migration. This relative value of one’s linguistic resources is largely due to cultural and socioeconomic factors that have shaped the community to place emphasis on certain languages and speech styles. As such, an immigrant’s increase or decrease language repertoire is largely affected by the placed importance of certain languages within their host communities. In conclusion, this paper has asserts that language mobility is profoundly affected by the changing values of linguistic resources which vary from place to place, especially when there is a shift of resources from the periphery to the core of the world system. Whether one participates in a wide number of communities or chooses to focus their efforts in a single community depends on a change in one’s use of his language repertoire. References 0. Blommaert, J. (2003). Commentary: A Sociolinguistics of Globalization. Journal of Sociolinguistics 7/4, 2003: 607-623 0. Crystal, D. (1990). A Liturgical Language in a Sociolinguistic Perspective. In D. & R.C.D. Jasper (eds),Language and the worship of the church (Basingstoke: Macmillan), 120-46 0. Laitin D. D. (1989). Language Policy and Political Strategy in India. Policy Sciences, Vol. 22, No. 3/4, Policymaking in Developing Countries (1989), pp. 415-436 0. Welch F. (1970). ‘’Education in Production’, Journal of Political Economy, 78 (1), January/February, 35-59

Systems maintainence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Systems maintainence - Research Paper Example Theoretically, a reliable product is completely free of any technical errors. In practical world, there is no an ideal system (Huo, Zhang, Wang, & Yan, 2005). The reliability-Centred Maintenance Reliability-Centred Maintenance, simply called RCM is a system improvement approach that focuses on identifying and fixing the maintenance, operational and capital enhancement policies that would manage the dangers of equipment failure in the most effective way (Hauge & Johnston, 2001). It is a framework that facilitates the definition of a total maintenance regime. It considers maintenance as the means through which the functions required by a user are met. As a discipline, RCM enables machinery stakeholders to observe, predict, asses, and in general terms understand the working of their practical assets (Douglas & Greg, 1997). This is included in the first part of the RCM procedures that involves identifying the operating context of the given system, and document a Failure Mode Effects and Critically Analysis Applying the â€Å"RCM logic† is the second part of the analysis, which helps to establish the suitable maintenance tasks for the spotted failure modes of FMECA. Immediately the logic is complete for the entire FMECA elements, the outcome of the maintenance are â€Å"packed† in order for the task periodicities to be rationalized and be called up in the work packets. However, it is vital not to demolish the maintenance applicability at this stage. Lastly, it is advisable for RCM to be kept live during the entire â€Å"in-service† machinery life, where the efficiency of the maintenance is reviewed constantly and adjusted as per the experience obtained (Douglas & Greg, 1997). The RCM method can be used to recognize the most effective way to utilize resources for medical system maintenance. It involves spotting out actions that when applied, will decrease the possibility of failure and that are more cost-friendly. It seeks the best mix of Conditi on-founded actions, a Run-to Failure, or Time-or-Cycle-Based operations approach. Reliability-Cantered Maintenance is a continuous process that collects data on uses and performance of data to enhance planning for maintenance in future. These maintenance methods, rather than being used independently, are put together to take advantage of their respective powers to optimise equipment/departmental operation and competence within a particular resource constraint (Huo, Zhang, Wang, & Yan, 2005). RCM approach employs Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM), repair, proactive maintenance methods, and Predictive Testing and Inspection. (PT&I) techniques are an integrated way to increase the likelihood that a medical component or device will work in the required way over its design life-cycle. The aim of this approach is to offer the required availability and reliability at the lowest cost possible. It necessitates that maintenance decisions be founded on the requirements justified by economic and technical support. Like for any approach, there are numerous processes or paths that lead to an eventual end. This is especially a reality for RCM, where the results of failure can differ dramatically (Hauge & Johnston, 2001). Define supportability and how it is used in the system design process Supportability refers to the level to which the design features of a support or standby system meet the operational needs of a firm (Yu, Li, Jia, & Li, 2012). In

Ideology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ideology - Research Paper Example due in part to centuries of anti-Semitism and sensitivity to the way in which issues relating to Israel’s existence and the Holocaust are understood by individuals throughout society. Yet, rather than dismissing this topic out of hand, due to the fact that it is somewhat unpopular to discuss, this particular student has felt it necessary to undertake an analysis of the situation that could help to spread a further level of understanding with regard to whether or not the Israel lobby is in fact disproportionately powerful within the United States house and Senate. Research by Dov Waxman indicated that the Israel lobby has a long standing relationship with both political parties; thereby enabling it to engage newcomers and the executive branch in a way that few other lobbies are capable of doing. Such an understanding is essential towards realizing the scope and breadth of the Israel lobby and the means by which AIPAC and others mobilize their influence to effect key goals that relate to the strategic needs that Israel and its lobbies represent. Waxman further notes that even though many other countries have sought to label their own lobbies after that of Israel, the overall level to which they are able to accomplish their strategic vision and needs pales in comparison to the degree and extent to which Israel is able to continue to foist its views on to the political spectrum within the United States. Hila Tal indicated that the commercial success of the Israel lobby is ultimately continues to encourage it integrate the political process within the United States. Ultimately, as a direct result of the fact that the Israel lobby is effectively able to garner tens of billions of dollars each and every year for Israel and its respective interests throughout the region, the lobby self perpetuates and gains a further foothold with respect to the way in which it can engage the Democratic and Republican stakeholders within the United States Congress. Other lobbies that

How does Norfolk Southern Corp. affect the Hampton Roads Area Research Paper

How does Norfolk Southern Corp. affect the Hampton Roads Area - Research Paper Example This review will look into the issues and in the end offer a concise and concrete analysis of the effects of the Norfolk Southern Corp on the residents of Hampton area. Primary information about the company as well as sources is encompassed in the review so that as more information about the relationship that exist between the company and area residents- and the area in a general- are deeply established. It is hoped that this paper will provides an informative insight into the significance of the company to the residents, the neighboring community and the micro economy of its environs. The Norfolk Southern Corporation is the company that owns Norfolk Southern Railway Company.   The company mainly focuses on transporting raw materials, semi-processed products and processed goods mainly in the Southeast, Midwest and East areas though interchanges with rail carriers in all parts of the United States.   The company also takes part in overseas freights transportations through Gulf Coast and Atlantic ports.   The company provides services as well as offering intermodal network in almost half of the Eastern part of the USA. It is estimated that in 2012 alone, the company covered about 20,000 miles in some 22 states and the Columbia (The Right Direction: Norfolk Southern Corporation 2002 Annual Report and Form 10-K p72). The system is such that it reaches various individual companies, mines, electric generation facilities in eastern and western Kentucky, northern southern West Virginia as well as Western Pennsylvania. It covers distribution centers, companies, transload facilities and various businesses located within its areas of operation. The company’s subsidiary christened Triple Crown Operations provides truckload transportation, through road trailer services. This is a technology that integrates both under-the-road and above-the-road transportation through the use of tractor trailer and highways by use of locomotives. Triple Crown also uses traditional trailers

''In this complex world compagnies have objectives that are not Essay

''In this complex world compagnies have objectives that are not stricly economic'' Discuss - Essay Example Societal demands on new roles for companies on societal needs are forcing companies to think beyond any traditional philanthropy that they were engaged in to company objectives that are not strictly economic. Traditional philanthropy may be viewed as the only times when companies deviated from spending their resources without real tangible returns to their coffers. This was however limited to activities towards their employees or in a minimal manner to the society or societies in which they operated. The complex dimension that has arisen for companies is the demand from societies that they need to show more concern for the societies in which they operate. Such a perspective is reflected in the call of the United Nations for companies around the world to be aware and show adopt more socially oriented objectives as they explore opportunities (Magee, 2007). With the concept of globalization and the global village become more of a reality than a considered possibility actions of companies oriented towards economic concerns with societal detrimental effects have a means of spreading to all corners of the globe, which has made the societal demands for responsibility from companies more strident. This has led to the concept of corporate social responsibility, wherein companies become aware of the needs of maintaining the environment in which they operate and assistance to societal needs and are encouraged to incorporate them among the objectives of the company. This has resulted in environment orientation, social buying, and social advertisements as examples of the incorporation of non-economic criterion being incorporated in company objectives (Drumwright & Murphy, 2001). Since the last decade of the twentieth the concept of corporate greening, wherein companies have become more aware and concerned about their environmental responsibilities and have shown the tendency to incorporate this non-economic criterion among their objectives has attracted a lot

Study of Reflective Practice and Continuous Learning Research Paper

Study of Reflective Practice and Continuous Learning - Research Paper Example On the other hand, half a century later, David Schon (1983; 1987) introduced his concept of reflective practice emphasizing the importance of context and experiential knowledge for continuous improvement. The integration of ideas from these two theorists is evident in current reflective practice literature. â€Å"As is often the case, the answer is not ‘either/or’ of Dewey and Schon but ‘both/and’† (York-Barr et al., 2006, p. 5). Reflective practice is borne out of the basic premise that changes in an organization starts within each individual. It is regarded as a â€Å"meaningful and effective professional development strategy† (Osterman and Kottkamp, 2004, p. 1). Although the goal remains synonymous (the development of individual competencies leading to improved organizational performance), reflective practice offers an alternative approach to traditional professional development approaches. The emergence of reflective practice in the educational setting, as discussed by Osterman and Kottkamp (2004), was a response to the failure of educational reforms to effectively address the need of academically and socially preparing students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. The independent studies done by Fulla and Hargreaves (1996); and Ingersoll (2003) reveal that â€Å"for many teachers working conditions are still characterized by overload, isolation, exclusion from decisions about thei r work, and a lack of meaningful professional development opportunities† (as cited in Osterman and Kottkamp, 2004, p. 4). Educators on a daily basis â€Å"routinely juggle multiple tasks, process information on many levels, manage a continual stream of interruptions, and make on-the-spot decisions to meet the changing needs and demands in the teaching environment† (York-Barr et al., 2006, p. 2). Though teachers are guided by their knowledge, a significant margin of uncertainty accompanies their

Macro and Micro Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Macro and Micro Economics - Essay Example These three components account for the significant differences observed in the various economies in the world. Economic performance in the context of institutional effects on an economy consider expropriation of risks by governments, applicable laws, quality of bureaucratic procedures in the economy unethical practices like corruption, contracts repudiation by governments, trade operations and liberties that are civil in nature. In the view of these factors, the applicability of ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies in developing countries can be evaluated in the global context. The underlying interest is to determine the universality and global application of a ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policy under the context of institutionalisms. The Assessment Liberalization policies in many developing economies are yet to receive full integration into the prevailing economic systems. Regulatory frameworks that are institutionally installed have been the primary pillars of market moni toring in these economies. Levels of development vary across developing economies, and so are the levels of development in developed economies (Roland, 2004, p.109-131). The role of deregulation practices in these economies is expected to take time before it is realized, even with the notion that ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies of liberalization are good for domestic and international business. Africa, Asia and Latin America economies for example shows that the characteristics of, and reasons for, liberalisation are to a large extent country and sector-specific (Greif, 2006, p.164). The general take that one is good for all fails to account for the individual characteristic of each economy, and therefore the intended economic impact of such a policy may not be realized. While liberalization of market and economies in the developed nations has been procedural over time, the developing nations’ case is characterized by hasty liberalization activities, backed up by pol icies that generalize the developing world’s scenario. Many and more important aspects of market and economy liberalization are overlooked in the process, resulting in inappropriate capacities of regulation and public apparatus that fail to account for specific economic conditions as need be. As a result, most institutions in these economies are strained to comply, even when they face significant challenges such as: information-sharing and enforcement problems, capture risk, difficulties in introducing competition and the manifold formation of universal service obligations which arguably acquire particular connotations in developing countries (Eicher and Schreiber, 2005, p.73). ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies are designed to apply and function universally, whether formulated ad implemented for developed or developing economies. The institutional critique of these policies in developed countries cites their uniformity in application and functionality. However, in dev eloping countries, these policies are in a way adopted in a wholesale manner due to the fact that the institutions that advocate for them are economically influential to developing economies. In most cases therefore, the intended impact of the policies in the various economies that adopt them fail to be realized. Liberalization ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ policies for example are aimed at expanding deregulation of economies through the removal of market restrictions in terms of entry and exit, price reduction,

Chinese Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chinese Film - Essay Example The reasons why film is particularly suited for semi-unimpeded movement across national borders, cultural boundaries and linguistic barriers will be illustrated in this essay through reference to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Through a critical analysis of this production, the essay will expose the extent to which this supposedly Chinese film is, as with cinema in general, a transnational work. Globalisation has, undoubtedly, maximised cinema's capacity to function as a transnational medium of communication. As Lu (1997) asserts, contrary to immediate assumptions, this is not because globalisation has facilitated the movement of goods and services across borders or because it is characterised by an intricate network of transnational interpersonal communication system (internet), but because film has become transnational. Ethnic and national cinema is decreasingly purely ethnic and increasingly international in scope (Lu, 1997). The veracity of the aforementioned is perfectly evidenced in Ang Lee's 'Chinese' film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. ... Produced and released in 2000, the film won, within the context of non-English speaking cinema, unprecedented international acclaim and box office success, even scooping up four Oscars (Rose, 2001). The film's budget of fifteen million dollars was the highest ever for a Chinese language film and became the most commercially successful foreign film ever to be distributed worldwide, grossing more than two hundred million dollars in global box office receipts (Rose, 2001). Its international success cannot be divorced from the inherently transnational character of the production. As Cheshire (2001) writes, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's director, Ang Lee, was born in Taiwan, studied theatre acting and directing at the Taiwan Academy of Arts in Taipei, received a bachelor's degree in theatre at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign, and continued his studies in film at New York University in the nation's cultural melting pot. By the time he made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Le e had already completed three Chinese language films and three Hollywood projects (Cheshire, 2001). In 1995, the British screenwriter and actress, Emma Thompson, invited Lee to adapt Austen's British classic Sense and Sensibility to the cinema. Then Lee took on the American suburbs of the 1970s in Ice Storm (1997) and the war-torn American South in Ride with the Devil (1999) (Cheshire, 2001). Apart from the thoroughly transnational character of its director, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) includes such transnational artistic talents as Chow Yun-Fat (Hong Kong), Michelle Yeoh (born in Malaysia, but began her film career in Hong Kong), Zhang Ziyi (China), Chang Chen (Taiwan), and Cheng Pei-pei (Hong Kong). The cinematographer Peter Pau and fight

Quality Of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality Of Education - Essay Example Today’s education is far more excellent compared to yesterday’s education. One of my proof is the availability of advanced computerized and centralized learning classrooms and libraries in most of the schools and colleges. Telephony and Data Communications also contributes instant information especially in the presence of intranet and internet. Due to the evolution of teachings and through some academic research it aided our educators to be more efficient in their way of teaching, thus, improved the quality learning of the students. Unlike my parents’ experiences, assignment and research are not a problem at all since it is not as difficult to find reference materials. Through the usage of a word processor like the Microsoft Office Word, multimedia editor like Adobe Photoshop and presentation software like the Microsoft Office Powerpoint installed in computers, my reports and presentations are much more creative and presentable compared to what my parents had, he nce, enables me and my classmates to establish better communication and understanding. Regardless of what course and degree, most of the subjects and courses were change especially in the field of science and technology due to the additional knowledge to be imparted in the curriculum. It is also a proof that due to the availability of many courses our education has become more advanced. Another factor affecting the quality of education is the teacher itself. The teaching strategy is a big factor affecting the education of the students.

Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams Essay Example for Free

Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams Essay In the article entitled, Greed, Need and Money, Walter Williams presents his take on the economics and logic of keeping CEOs highly paid. He essentially argues that these huge â€Å"golden parachutes† and corporate salaries are justified by return that these companies get in return. Just because a CEO gets a high salary does not mean that he does not deserve it or do anything to help the company recover that value. By comparing this to a simple supply and demand model, Walter Williams is able to show that the reason the salaries are so high is because the demand is high as well and supply is pretty scarce. One manner by which the mention of the word greed can be applied to the economic lessons that have been discussed is to juxtapose this to the application of greed as an economic theory. Greed can be said to be the primal instinct for self-preservation of people. In an attempt to protect one’s self, man seeks only to pursue his individual interests without care for the well-being of others. In relation to economics, this pursuit of individual interests is greed or the pursuit of economic self-interests, otherwise known as individual wealth accumulation. Greed as a driving force is not an entirely new concept as it was originally part of the Invisible Hand theory introduced by Adam Smith. The basic precept of the invisible hand is that in a free market a person who chooses to be greedy and pursue his own interests in invariably also furthering the good of the entire community. A perfect example is in a situation where a person seeks to maximize his personal profits in total disregard of other factors. By applying the Invisible Hand theory of Adam Smith, it can be shown that when the total revenue of society is calculated this becomes identical to the summation of the individual revenues of every member of that society. In order to arrive at a better understanding of how greed, which is a key concept under the Invisible Hand Theory, both drives and regulates capitalist markets, it is essential to have a brief discussion of the basic supply and demand model. This is because production is driven by the willingness of the seller to supply and the basic goal of every seller is to increase profits (greed). This can be understood from two approaches, however, the first being profit maximization through an increase in the volume of units sold (assuming ceteris paribus) and the second being profit maximization through a decrease in the cost of the factors of production which in turn increases the profit margins per unit sold. The basic supply-demand model becomes critical in this understanding because under the market model sales will only willingly occur at the equilibrium point. The price level of a good essentially is determined by the point at which quantity supplied equals quantity demanded. The law of supply and demand predicts that the price level will move toward the point that equalizes quantities supplied and demanded. Greed is crucial in this sense because it is the basic assumption or behavior under this model. Without greed, there would be no drive for the individuals in society to pursue their own self-interests. The absence of this driving mechanism would mean that there will be no individual revenues and thus leading to the failure of the community revenue to equalize with its summation. This basically means that society’s scarce resources become more efficiently allocated through the regulatory nature of greed in capitalist markets. While the Invisible Hand theory has already been rejected as an acceptable economic model by the works of John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman, the more complex markets of today have shown that the pursuit of self-interests, while natural of human behavior, must be regulated by external systems in order to ensure a more equitable and efficient allocation of resources. This means that greed is not necessarily good in today’s current economic situation. As used in this discussion and in the article, this greed may not only be the effect of supply and demand but the pursuits of an individual’s self-interests for the improvement of the economic system.

Online Classes versus Traditional Classes Essay Example for Free

Online Classes versus Traditional Classes Essay Technology and education has given students many choices in how they obtain their education such as online classes. There have been numerous discussions recently about the success of online learning. The success of the online classes versus traditional classes is based upon the uniqueness of each individual way of learning. Online classes and traditional classes provide flexibility, direct communication and course materials. Studies have shown that online classes can be successful and that on average most students perform better than being in a traditional classroom. The argument of online classes and traditional classes; which is better than the other has many exceptional differences. One is the discussion of how does a person learn: is he a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner? A visual leaner needs written materials, exercises and graphics. An auditory learner has to hear it, repeat it and needs to have a discussion. A kinesthetic learner needs real life simulations, hands on demonstration and needs to see how the principle works. Visual learners and kinesthetic learners most likely would be more successful in online courses because of the atmosphere it provides. Auditory learners would need to have traditional classes which would provide the best learning opportunity for their learning style. There are cases that individuals do not know how they learn best; an assessment should be given in the situation. The second discussion is flexibility. Online classes and traditional classes both can be just as flexible as the other. Online classes may seem more flexible but depending on the class the deadlines of each assignment may be very time consuming. Online classes sometimes provide more work than traditional classes. Traditional classes can be flexible due to the times that you select to take the classes. Schools are providing more night classes and early morning classes for the working and family-oriented students. Traditional classes provide more lecturing and sometimes more hands on in order to teach the concepts. The third discussion is communication. Online classes communicate by sending  and receiving emails. Some classes have chat rooms for discussions which provide the students opportunities to enrich their understanding of the course or subject being discussed. It also allows those individuals that normally would not speak in discussions to express their thoughts. The instant transfer of material is convenient for the students and professors to communicate. A traditional class allows students to verbally exchange ideas and ask questions directly to the professors. Sometimes this environment does not allow the students to fully express themselves due to time constraints. Some people feel that there are communication barriers in a face to face classroom setting due to time and class structure. (Anderson) One of the most important debates between the two classes is the course materials. The question has been asked if the online course is giving adequate material to teach an individual a lesson. Studies show that online professors give more than enough resources to express the subject and also gives practice graded material to ensure that the student understands. Traditional classes have been accused of doing the opposite and taking for granted that the students are in their presence and extra resources are sometimes a rarity. Online classes allow a person to minimize their distractions and it gives them the ability to fully concentrate on the material they are presented with. A person that enrolls in an online course should be self-motivated in order to be in an environment that requires the individual to monitor themselves and be responsible to handle the course as if it was a traditional course. (Kassop) Online courses provide the ability to be accessible at all times but the work that is required should be quality work. The students’ writing ability will enhance because this is their only form of communication. (Kassop) The professors do not expect students to procrastinate because of the accessibility but the possibility is there. The professors of these courses expect more from the online students since there are not time restraints. Online students have the ability to form small groups to relate to because the workload in online course is difficult. The workload is believed to be difficult be cause of the apparent reason of teaching themselves. Traditional classes allow students social interaction which is a vital piece for many students. There is a set amount of time in a classroom setting and there is limited one on one interaction with the professor. Professors have the ability to read their students body language to assure them if the material or concept is being understood by his or her students. Traditional classes also allow students to get behind if they miss a day or an assignment. The traditional classroom allows the students to strengthen various areas of their social skills such as verbally expressing themselves in classroom discussions. There are differences and similarities in online courses and traditional courses. Throughout are reading and research there can be two conclusions: 1. Online courses are better than traditional courses if the individual is discipline to take the course. 2. Online courses and traditional courses are just as good as the other because they both have the same goals and are achieving the goals to the students that are willing to receive. Works Cited Anderson, Terry, Elloumi, Fathi Theory and Practice of Online Learning (eds.) (2003) http://cde.athabascau.ca/online_book Angiello, Roanne. Study Looks at Online Learning vs. Traditional Instruction. Education Digest 76.2 (2010): 56-59. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. Diaz, D.P., Cartnal. R.B. Students learning styles in two classes: Online distance learning and equivalent on-campus. College Teaching 47(4), 130-135 Kassop, Mark. The Technology Source. May/June 2003. 6 August 2011

Safety Passport Scheme For Power Generation Sector Construction Essay

Safety Passport Scheme For Power Generation Sector Construction Essay Since the evolution of humans, people have been injured, maimed and killed during the course of their work right from carrying their work as hunters, to the modern day nuclear power plants. Implementation of health and safety practices dates back to the Hammurabi era (1780 BC), where death sentences were imposed to the builders who do not build it safer for the residents. As years passed, health and safety practices had good responses. It had many accidents, disasters and transformations to achieve a status of what health and safety practices mean to every industry now. Importance and awareness of health and safety practices among the workers are essential and also it is their right to have the information on health and safety practices. Before doing any work, one should know about the health and safety hazards in the work he does, to safeguard himself and those who work with him, he needs to be informed with the potential health and safety hazards in the environment. Health and safe ty practices became business and among many business models of health and safety practices, the model for informing and training an individual about the health and safety practices in the industry he/she works is Safety Passport Scheme. It is not just a business or a way for income, it became a business for the values it spread to the individuals who undergoes it. Health and safety at work is an area of management activity which, no matter how an organization perceives it, cannot be disregarded. Only professionals in health and safety can deliver the values to them. Health and safety became a subject of research where now we have even courses provided my many universities on health and safety practices. Safety Passport scheme generally is a passport for the individuals who hold it to enter the site they work for. A safety passport holder will have all the basic knowledge of the health and safety hazards around him and his colleagues and practices to follow in order to avoid them. A responsible manager on working site considers the safety passport as a way to have and ensure a safe environment in and around the site. Initially, safety passport schemes were developed generally which will apply to almost all industries. But as the technologies and methodologies changed drastically, specialisation and update was needed for the health and safety practices. In any sector, now only specialists are valued much. Gone are the days where people were looking for generic interests. In any field, only specialists are welcomed and recruited, specialists will have the deepest knowledge of that particular field they are involved with and they will excel in it. Though power generation sector falls under construction industry, it varies drastically from it. Technology, engineering, method of construction and erection of equipment, panels, testing and also hazards compared to the general construction industry, it has many potential hazards. In the research, I have done a market r esearch for a Safety Passport Scheme which is specially designed for the power generation sector by the health and safety specialists for the industry. The market research is conducted for United Kingdom. Report Background United Kingdom produces a total of 78,293MW of energy. As a single entity, British Energy is the market leader by producing 10,723MW of energy. Table below shows the market share of key players of power generation industry in UK. Major Players MW British Energy 10723 RWE Npower 10115 E.ON 9988.27 Scottish and southern energy 9176.4 Scottish power 6404 International power 4984 EDF 4928.4 Drax power 3945 Centrica 3530 Magnox 1622 Premier power 1156 Others 11720.93 Total 78293 The organizations have their own portfolio within their power production. Portfolios of power generation are decided by the fuel type they use for the production of electricity. Each fuel type has its own engineering process and construction, out of them few has similar engineering processes and construction only with minor changes, but they are regarded as same. So according to them, the categories I have decided are 1. Nuclear, 2. Hydro, 3. Combined Cycle Gas Turbine, 4. Coal/Oil/Gas, 5. Wind, 6. Others such as mine gas, poultry waste. According to the categories, the market share by fuel type is given in the table below. Fuel Type MW Coal/Gas/Oil 39298.3 CCGT 22091 Nuclear 10137 Hydro 4245.4 Wind 2297.6 Others 223.7 Total 78293 Out of the above categories, Nuclear does not support safety passport schemes and the safety passport scheme on which I am conducting the market research is not applicable to hydro power generation. I have identified the major players in other fuel categories for my research. In INDG381 the HSE (2003b) indicate that a safety passport training course should cover areas such as the hazards and risks that workers may face and how to identify them; having identified them what to do to either eliminate the hazard or control the risk; how to take steps to control the risks to themselves and others; where to find health and safety related information in connection with their job and how to follow a safe system of work. It is with this guidance in mind that the following reviews have been carried out. Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) CSCS was set up by the construction industry with the aims (amongst others) raising standards of health and safety to reduce risks and accidents throughout the industry (CSCS, 2007). The members of CSCS comprise employers trade bodies and Trade Unions including Construction Confederation; Federation of Master Builders; National Specialist Contractor Council; GMB Trade Union; Transport and General Workers Union; Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, Construction Industry Council. The holder of a CSCS card is in theory able to prove his training and by implication competence in the role he is undertaking. There are several categories of CSCS card visitor (to a construction site) trainee, construction site operative, experienced worker, skilled worker, supervisor, experienced manager, senior manager and professionally qualified person. The structure of the card system is, for the worker and supervisor section of the workforce, largely hierarchical. For example a construction site operative would be expected to, either through practical experience, induction or other training and under supervision carry out basic activities such as using relevant hand tools, using PPE, organising work, reporting of accidents and handling material and components using accepted and safe methods and procedures. To receive a skilled worker card, in addition to the requirements above, the applicant must be in possession of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) or Scottish Nation al Vocational Qualification (SNVQ); or have completed a a recognised trade or employer sponsored apprenticeship and completed a City and Guilds of London Institute Craft Certificate. The other standard requirement is that applicants for all cards must successfully pass a health and safety test. The basic test is of 30 minutes duration and, in addition to English is currently available in German, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian and Welsh. There is no requirement for any pre-test training course. The basic core test contains à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦either 2 or 3 questions from each of the 15 Core sections with 40 questions in total (CITB, 2000).The core sections include accident prevention and reporting; health and welfare; manual handling; working at height; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); emergency procedures and first aid; safe use of hazardous substances and are heavily biased towards traditional construction of the building site type. The publication CITB ( 2000) also covers some specialist areas these include supervisory and management; demolition; plumbing or gas; highway works; specialist working at height and lifts and escalators. Summary CSCS is heavily biased towards traditional construction and covers the hazards and risks involved with traditional construction work at a basic level. Only two of the specialist areas (supervisory and management and working at height) have any real relevance to power station outage work. There is little emphasis on behavioural aspects of safety Engineering Services Skillcard The Engineering Services Skillcard, created by the Heating and Ventilation Contractors Association (HVCA), is similar in concept and affiliated to the CSCS scheme it has the aim of registering à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the skills and competence of people working throughout the mechanical services sector of the building services engineering industry (HVCA, 2009). Accreditation in health and safety is achieved by undertaking the CSCS affiliated health and safety test. Other similar schemes affiliated to CSCS include Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS0; Construction Industry Scaffolder Record Scheme (CISRS); Northern Ireland Construction Skills Register ((NI)CSR); Certificate of Competence of Demolition Operatives (CCDO); Joint Industry Board Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS); Plumbing Mechanical Engineering Services scheme (PMES) and Joint Industry Board for Plumbing in Scotland and NI (SNI JIB Plumbing) Summary Skillcard is an extension of CSCS above with exactly the same health and safety content and requirements. The CISRS and ECS affiliated schemes may have some relevance to outage work in certain circumstances. Client Contractor National Safety Group (CCNSG) The aim of the CCNSG Safety Passport Scheme is to ensure a basic knowledge of health and safety for all site personnel to enable them, after appropriate site induction, to work on site more safely with lower risk to themselves and others (CCNSG, 2009). Membership of the CCNSG includes the Construction Industry Association (CIA), the Trades Unions and the Training Providers. The Group is chaired by a member elected from the Client Group. The CCNSG Secretary is provided by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), the organisation who now manages the scheme. The CCNSG safety passport is differentiated from the CSCS (and other similar card schemes) in two main areas. It is a specific accredited two day training course followed by an end test and it is claimed that it is designed for the Engineering Construction Industry rather than the Construction Industry. However it is the clients on individual sites who specify which card or cards is or are acceptable as a demons tration of competency on their sites. The CCNSG National Course includes a wide spectrum of directly safety related training including Safe Behaviour at Work; Safe Place of Work; Confined Space Entry; Excavations; Permit to Work Systems Safe Use of Access Equipment Working at Heights; Site Transport; Protecting the Environment; Safe Lifting and Manual Handling; Safe Systems of Work; Asbestos; Hazardous Substances; The Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations( LOLER); The provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations (PUWER); Electricity; Isolation; Hand-Arm Vibration; Noise. Summary Training for the CCNSG passport is carried out by accredited (by the ECITB) independent organisations and its quality is open to being variable. The hazards and risks covered in the training are mainly focussed on construction but more aspects of the syllabus appear to apply to power station outage work and some aspects of behavioural safety are covered Assuring Competence in Engineering Construction (ACE) Closely allied to the CCNSG and also supported by the ECITB is the Assuring Competence in Engineering Construction (ACE) scheme. ACE is an industry initiative supported by all areas of engineering construction in the UK including, in addition to the ECITB, Contractors the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA), the National Joint Council (NJCECI), the ECITB and the Trade Unions. The ECITB (2009) say that the aim of ACE is to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ensure that the competence of workers in the UK engineering construction industry is validated against National Occupational Standards in a flexible and cost effective way, with minimum disruption to ongoing productivity. Furthermore since June 2008 ACE has become affiliated to CSCS and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a joint Assurance in Competence in Engineering Construction (ACE) and CSCS card will be available to individuals who meet the competence and health and safety awareness requirements relevant to NVQ Level 3. (ECITB, 2009b).This involves reaching a competency level in standard health and safety modules involves having a working knowledge of health and safety legislation, hazards, safety reporting, first aid procedures and procedures for reporting. Working knowledge is described as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the minimum level of knowledge and understanding sufficient to perform your role in a manner that would normally be associated with the minimum acceptable performance of a competent person undertaking your role (ECITB, 2009c). Information from ACE (2009) indicates that the driver for the ACE scheme is that of technical competence validated by ECITB NVQ or SNVQ and this is currently available in a restricted number of engineering trade roles (e.g. welding and plating; [steel] erecting; mechanical fitting (including maintenance); pipefitting (including Instrument); electricians and rigging) Summary Although the main thrust of the ACE card is raising the skill levels in engineering construction in, currently a limited number of craft areas, the health and safety modules appear to have a closer synergy with outage work than other schemes. Behavioural aspects of safety are dealt with in the relevant health and safety modules. Basic Electrical Safety Competence (BESC) The BESC registration scheme is intended for anyone who carries out work either directly or indirectly on or near operational plant and equipment associated with the transmission and distribution of electricity. The scheme was developed by a task force of the Electricity Association Management Co-ordinating Committee (Distribution Transmission) with the assistance of the Electricity Company Training Managers and of the Electrical Training Association. The managers of the BESC scheme, Energy Utility Skills (EU Skills), label it as a workplace competency assessment and registration process, dealing with entering, moving around and exiting three specific work areas namely, substations, overhead lines; and underground cables. The basic safety requirements of the scheme are those relating to safe entry and exit, equipment identification, use of the correct PPE and carrying out of tasks in a safe manner. They are based on standards taken from the City Guilds N/SVQ awards and in particul ar specific relevant modules from the Electricity System Technology Engineering Support and Electricity System Technology Engineering awards. Summary BESC is specific specialist training and qualification directed towards electricity distribution companies and National Grid with specific reference to the hazards from working adjacent to live high voltage electricity equipment and so has limited relevance to power station outage work. The Safety Pass Alliance (SPA) Renewable Energy Sreenivasan et al (2003) portray the SPA as a UK organisation whose objective is to design and implement Safety Passport Training Schemes, delivered through accredited training providers and committed to providing a nationally recognised standard of health and safety training. SPA passports comprise a core section along with an industry sector specific section. To obtain acceptance into any additional sectors the holder of a current passport would need to attend the appropriate sector specific training session to upgrade it. Sectors with specific modules include industrial utilities, building maintenance food and drink, renewable energy, ports and shipping, quarries and pharmaceutical. The core health and safety training covers the following areas Organising for safety (health and safety law, responsibilities and risk assessment); the workplace (Including safe behaviour, welfare, and access and egress); plant and machinery (including tools, electricity and workplace transport); heal th (including PPE, COSHH, musculoskeletal problems); procedures (fire and first aid) and the environment. One of additional industry specific modules is the Renewable energy which focuses on those issues of particular concern for those who work within the renewable energy. This course comprises of nine modules: Workplace risk, Licenses permits and passes, Plant and equipment, Explosive atmospheres, Environment, Electricity, Working at height, Occupational health, Personal Safety (Safety Pass Alliance, 2010). Summary assuming that the relevant Renewable energy module is undertaken this offers the prospect of a close match of relevance to outage work but it is little used within Generation currently. The only client for this is ATKINS and Atkins was involved in designing this course. Some aspects of behavioural safety are addressed in the core health and safety training module. The European Dimension There have been an increasing number of non UK nationals working in the UK, figures from the Statistics Commission (2009) indicate that there were 2 million foreign nationals of working age in the UK in 2007out of a total working age population of 27.2 million. Generation has seen increased incidences of foreign workers on sites during outages and because of this the landscape of competence assessment schemes is infinitely more complex. In addition to foreign language versions of the CCNSG safety passport, currently offered in the UK in Polish and Portuguese amongst others there are several similar passport schemes existing in other EU member states including Health and Environment Checklist Contractors (SCC) in the Netherlands, FAS Safe Pass Health and Safety Awareness in Eire and the Occupational Safety Card in Finland. Both the latter are the national equivalents of CSCS. In the review of safety passport schemes Sreenivasan et al (2003) explains that although originally intended f or the petro-chemical and pharmaceutical associated industries in the Netherlands, SCC covers a range of other industries involved in hazardous work including construction and civil works. The scheme is now widespread across Belgium, France, Germany, and Austria and can be used without restrictions in Belgium and the Netherlands. The SCC qualification has the basic elements that broadly cover the contents of the CCNSG syllabus. The SCC has recognised, however, that there is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦wide variation and an (excessively) wide bandwidth in the exams set by the various examination bodiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [possibly due]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to the excessively vague definition of the attainment targets (SCC, 2003). Included in this is a reference to Romiszowskis taxonomy that discriminates between knowledge (knowing something) and skills (being able to do something). Included within the attainment targets are the requirements to cover both these aspects of competence. Summary The SCC process does recognise that competence in health and safety does include more than the successful completion of a training package and although one of the target industry sectors petro-chemical has similarities with the Generation business, there is little evidence of the particular qualification having been used to any great extent within the UK. Advantages and Disadvantages of Safety Accreditation Schemes There are advantages and disadvantages to all accreditation/passport schemes discussed by Sreenivasan et al (2003). Advantages include the possession of a safety passport gives readily available evidence that the contractor has some form of basic health and safety training. A passport shows that a worker has up-to-date basic health and safety or health, safety and environment awareness training (HSE, 2003b) what they crucially do not do is demonstrate a way of knowing or identifying that a worker is competent (HSE, 2003b).Furthermore they are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ generally not designed to correct the major faults in competence or diligence that usually result in the major accidents à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Sreenivasan et al, 2003). A recognised widespread scheme with a standard syllabus and acceptable attainment standards does however give some modicum of standardisation across an industry or an industry sector. The possession of a passport takes the form of a credit card-sized plastic card, usu ally with the employees name, photograph and identification number. If this is accompanied by a centrally held database directly accessible by subscribers it is a straightforward way of ensuring a passports validity. Finally passports do provide the contract company with a demonstration and audit trail that they are providing some of the suitable and sufficient training required by health and safety legislation. One of the main disadvantages of all accreditation and passport schemes is their financial implications in terms of training cost and lost productive time. These may well be able to be absorbed by a large company as part of its training budget but may well become a burden for both SMEs and individuals who act as freelance contractors. For businesses some of the costs may be able to be off set by grants (for example from the CITB Construction Skills levy) and a demonstration that most of a companys staff are in possession of a recognised safety accreditation may result in inc reased business. Additionally, although there is no empirical evidence to substantiate this, there is the possibility that there is a financial pressure on the accredited training provider to provide evidence of his worth and doing this by ensuring that he has an acceptable success rate in the assessment from his candidates. Aims and Objectives The report analyses the market for safety passport scheme for the power generation sector. The main aims of this market research are To provide evidence based approach for the acceptance of Safety Passport Scheme designed for power sector in UK. To capture the perceptions, opinions and aspirations of the potential target consumer market in relation to the safety passport scheme for the power sector in UK. Objectives were to identify Current schemes available and accepted. Which ones are most popular and why. Report on size of potential market in UK for a power generation specific safety passport scheme. Research into whether a sector specific passport would be accepted by Power Generators and associated contractors; specifically aimed at benefits and possible demerits. Confirm that an Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) scheme will have widespread acceptance. Research current pricing and if new scheme were developed what price should be set to achieve the Return on Investment. Review on how to roll this project out sustainably, assuming that new scheme is acceptable own resources, licensing to other providers to propose alternatives. Definitions Senior Executives The group consists of Directors of power generation organizations, managing directors of power generation organizations, and Senior Health and Safety professionals with massive experience in Health and Safety practices. Plant Managers The group consists of Health and Safety professionals responsible for power plants, and directors of power plants. Contractors The group consists of Managers of the construction contractors firms, Health and Safety directors of the firm, and Health and Safety managers. For current Schemes and their popularity Interviewed people from IOSH, ECITB, CCNSG, SPA, UKCG, CIC, and questionnaires distributed among contractors and plant managers. Potential Market in UK The market for safety passport scheme for power sector is the workers of the contractors who work for power generation industry. Data obtained from Office of National Statistics (ONS), UK. Acceptance of sector specific passport scheme with IOSHs accreditation For Power Sector Questionnaire distributed among senior executives, plant managers and contractors. Study of the environment by looking through variables like Regulation, News from power generators, Interview with health and safety professionals who had massive experience in the field, Political views, News from national skills academy of power. Economic patterns on Health and Safety spending Current Pricing Schemes Interviewed people from SPA, CCNSG/ECITB, CSCS, etc., including training providers Review on how to roll this project sustainably References from services marketing cases Market research for the Safety Passport Scheme was conducted during the period when the halted constructions of new power plants due to the recession for the past two years resumed their work. Spending was stopped during the recession on construction projects. The construction industry was overcoming the recession where the contribution of construction industry towards GDP of the country was increasing again. After a series of job cuts and cost cutting processes, the employment rate of construction industry had a significant increase during the period. Economic Trends Cost-cutting programmes, internationalization, commercial principles, shareholder value and sustainability, In all high value bids, safety is given more importance than bids of low value (Amec takes central role in  £20bn nuclear programme., 2009). Market Size Market for Safety Passport Scheme for power generation sector is the construction workers who work for the power generation industry. More than one million people are employed for the construction industry (Construction workers, 2008). Industry Structure Spending on health and safety Contractors fear that after years of improvements in health and safety standards, it could be undone if power generation organizations exploit the recession to drive down the construction costs. If power generation organizations force below-cost bidding, contractors could go backwards in health and safety standards. Power generation organizations could get really cheap prices but something has to give, they cannot expect contractors to come up with rock-bottom prices and then expect fantastic safety standards (Cheap deals could hit safety, warn contractors., 2009). Safety director of EDF said that contractors chosen to deliver EDFs new build schemes are expected to be productive, modern site committed to safety. The statement proves that power generation organizations are committed to Health and Safety practices. The construction director at EDF also announced that he is willing to help the suppliers to improve its safety competence (Power station sites face tight surveillance., 2009). In a statement released by UK Contractors group, they have agreed that Safety Passports cut risks in contract work (Safety passport cuts risks in contract work., 2009). Market Position Key Trends Speaking to media on EDFs  £20bn new build nuclear programme in UK, chief executive Vincent de Rivaz told that EDF is committed to safety. And it will maximise the opportunities for the UK supply chain. When issuing the civil packages to Laing ORourke, Costain and Carillion, De Rivaz confirmed them that EDFs commitment to safety and quality assurance is absolute. And he wanted to work with the partners who too are committed to safety. He also mentioned that the suppliers too will be expected to meet tough productivity and skills training targets (Safety first for EDFs nuclear contractors, 2009). Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has claimed that nearly one out of every 10 UK businesses has slashed its health and safety budget because of recession. IOSH also found out that for most companies, health and safety is not the first budget on the chopping block. Contradicting the above stated facts, IOSH found out that emphasis on the need of health and safety practices among employers and staff work more closely together to minimise risks with business leaders in particular needing to ensure that corners are not cut out during economic times (Paton, UK reduces budgets for health and safety, 2009). Key Associations DRETS Analysis Demographic factors Population growth growth of number of employees, increase in the number of households, better education, Regulatory factors Political and legal factors learnings of the government in power, shift of regulatory power IOSH said that falling foul of tough new safety regulations could spell the end for firms already struggling with the economic downturn. It also warned that companies that play at health and safety practices, or firms that fail to provide a safe environment for staff, could face the prospect of incurring increased financial penalties. As per the new law which is effective from 16 January, maximum fine for minor breaches are from  £5,000 to  £20,000 and also pave the way for prison sentences of up to two years for individuals found guilty of health and safety breaches (Pitcher, 2009). Economic factors Contribution to Gross national product of the industry, changes in consumers income, changing expenditure patterns, countrys change of economic development, inflation, Looking for balance, confident and living well, at ease, overwhelmed. Technological factors Integration of technology with the service, impact of e-business and m-business Social factors Prevailing values, traditions, trends in society these tendencies are influenced by the above four factors. Individualism and rising customer expectation, the need of the groups, interest in health, time usage and energy expenditure, Competitive Structure The Marketplace Market Leaders Marketing Activity SWOT Analysis Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threats The Future Influence In 2002 when contractors are asked to increase company reporting on health and safety performance in the annual reports, just 103 of the countrys top 350 contractors have accepted the challenge. Out of them only the following five are top-10 contractors, Balfour Beatty, AMEC, Carillion, Skanska and Mowlem. HSC had asked the companies to put health and safety at the top of the agenda, but thats not the case in reality. It also found that, unless the decision makers know of the advantages to the bottom line of their organization, there will be no changes. HSC chairman Bill Callaghan also mentioned that the industry has a role to play and it is through shared experience and a change of culture that the sharing will happen (Pearman, No business case for safety stats, 2002). Forecasts Sector Trends Civil contractors are gearing up to bid for multi-million pound frameworks as part of the  £50bn nuclear power plant decommissioning programme now being rolled out across the UK. Last week, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) took control of the countrys 20 nuclear power plan

An Investigation into Freshmen Student Perceptions of the Effectiveness

All the students taking part in this project were freshmen students in their first semester at State University, and almost all came straight from high school. All but one of them had experience of studying overseas for periods ranging from one year to, in one case, their whole life. Only one student had their whole educational experience in Japan, but even this student attended internationals school in Japan for the most part. So they were a very, very diverse group in terms of their international experience as the graphic above shows, as there is a map icon for each country a student spent at least one year in as a student. This information came from an in class survey as I was giving a presentation on this class and these students to the wider ELA community as part of the summer teacher retreat program. The students themselves were at the very top of the English language ability range at Sate University and almost native speaker level, indeed some of them spoke better English than Japanese and many had a third or fourth language ability. In terms of their English they all scored 650 or higher on their TOEFL entrance test, and they also all did very well in their personal interviews with ELA teachers before being selected for stream 1. AS they all spent time in either English speaking countries or schools this was not surprising, indeed 9 of the students came from the same class at ICU High School next door to my university and just across the road from the ELA building. In common with the undergraduate student body at ICU in general, the gender make up of the class was roughly 65% female and 35 % male as there were 8 males and 14 females. In addition like most universities the vast majority of the freshmen intake at ICU ... ...2014, from http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/about-dyslexia/further-information/dyslexia-style-guide.html Urata, N. (1996). â€Å"Evaluation Issues in Contemporary Japanese Universities.† Vaus, D. de. (2002). Surveys In Social Research (5th ed.). Routledge. Wagner, M. (n.d.). Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips - Getting Smart by Guest Author - edchat, EdTech, PLN. Getting Smart. Retrieved from http://gettingsmart.com/2012/01/personal-learning-networks-for-educators-10-tips/ World University Rankings 2013-2014 - Times Higher Education. (2013). Retrieved January 4, 2014, from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2013-14/world-ranking Yano, M. (2013). Japan’s New Recruits: Victims of the Japanese-Style Family and Japanese-Style Employment. Has the Japanese Employment System Changed?, 10(1), 62.

Frida Kahlo Exposed Her Soul on Canvas Essay -- Biography Biographies

Frida Kahlo Exposed Her Soul on Canvas Frida Kahlo was born in Mexico City on July 7, 1907. Though she wanted many to believe that she was born in 1910, the year of the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. Her father was a photographer of Hungarian Jewish decent, and her mother was Spanish and Native American. From an early age Frida's life would be marked by years of physical suffering. At the age of six she was stricken with polio, this left her right leg to appear much thinner than the other, as well as leaving her with a limp. Though she suffered dearly as a child, she was fearless and brave. She was also extremely intelligent. In 1922 she entered the Preparatoria, the most prestigious educational institution in Mexico, which had only just begun to admit girls. She was one of the only thirty-five girls out of the two thousand students. It was there that she met Diego Rivera, the man that she would eventually marry. In 1925, Frida was involved in a horrific bus accident that would alter the way she would live her life from that point on. She seriously injured her spine, abdomen, pelvis, and right foot. Frida was forced to stay flat on her back, encased in a plaster cast and enclosed in a box like structure for months. Though she survived the accident, the wounds that she suffered led to a lifelong physical battle with pain. Frida eventually regained her ability to walk, but she had many relapses, which caused her to be hospitalized for long periods of time, and also caused her to undergo numerous operations (32 throughout her life). It was her accident that led her to the path of becoming an artist. Frida in itially started painting out of boredom. She would go on to paint many of her masterpieces while being confined to... ...he opening, she of course refused to listen to the doctors and at the last minute she arrived at her exhibition on a hospital stretcher. A few months later she had to have her right leg amputated below the knee, due to a persistent infection. This caused her to spiral into a deep depression. She eventually attempted suicide several times. On July 13, 1954, Frida died. No official autopsy was done, it was a rumored suicide. Her last words in her diary read "I hope the leaving is joyful and I hope never to return". Frida Kahlo would leave behind a legacy of paintings that illustrates the beautiful and talented woman that she was. She offered the world so much beauty, though her time here was spent in such tremendous pain. I only wonder if she would have been able to create such masterpieces without going through such physical and emotional difficulties. Probably not.

Industrialization - Economic Change and Effect :: European Europe History

Industrialization - Economic Change and Effect Since the 19th century, industrialization has had positive and negative effects on the live of workers. Industrialization is the process of modernization and mass production of most goods. This also includes but not limited to mining and the forging of iron. An area where industrialization had a massive effect was in Eastern Europe. It emerged as a need to modernize and unify Europe. Although Britain led industrialization at first, it quickly exploded from Spain all the way through Russia. Early in the industrial revolution Britain stood alone as the world's industrial giant. To protect its head start Britain placed strict laws monitoring the exportation of inventions. Then in 1807 a British mechanic William Cockerill, opened factories in Belgium for the manufacturing of spinning and weaving machines. Belgium thus became the first European nation to industrialize. By the mid 1800s, other nations had joined the race, and several newcomers were challenging Britain's industrial supremacy. The effects of industrialization were especially obvious in Germany. By the late 1800's Germany had setup a standard for chemical and electric companies worldwide. Germany was second only to Britain among the European powers. Germany spectacular growth was due to the ample amount of iron and coal resources in the area. A disciplined and educated work force also helped the economy, while a rapid growing population provided a huge home market and a highly skilled work force. It almost eliminated the poverty factor in Germany due to the vast availability of employment. But along with the attributions of industrialization also came the bad. Poor work place conditions lead to work place abuses. Workers were forced to work long hours for little pay and even children were abuses during this time. Some of the abuses were children as young as 7 could be seen in work places, sexual discrimination was present. Women were often hired in factories because they could be paid less then men. And pollution was also a serious problem. These were among the most common problems of the time and these were too often seen in most if not all the work places. Workers were outraged by these abuses and how the government, at the time, did nothing to help. Workers established unions and won the right to bargain with employers for better wages and hours. And eventually the government passed laws regulating the employment of children and set safety regulations in the work place.

Relation to the Socio-Political Essay

Comparison and Contrast of the General Tones of the Sumerian and Egyptian Hymns, in Relation to the Socio-Political and Geographic History of these Nations It is interesting to note that the Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations both sprung up beside rivers: Egypt lies in the delta of the Nile while the Sumerian civilization was on the fertile Mesopotamia along the banks of Tigris and Euphrates. It is thus expected that both civilizations revere their river, and associate them with gods, because the rivers prove to be vital to their existence and a channel of life for them. These forces of nature are considered holy and addressed by prayers. Examples of such pleas can be found in both hymns â€Å"A Sumero-Akadian Prayer to Every God† and the â€Å"Hymn to the Nile. † In these prayers, however, we find very different attitudes of the early people towards their gods. In the Sumero-Akadian prayer we will read a tone of sorrow, grief and fear by a troubled soul over his offences with the gods. The introduction fearfully desire for peace with the divinity: â€Å"May the fury of my lords heart be quieted toward me. † Throughout the text we will also find out that the gods are not named, but is rather just sanctified as an existing being that may not be offended. This apparent fear of the divinity may be attributed to the structure of the Mesopotamian civilizations, where the land was divided into different city-states believed to be owned by a deity. The Sumerian state is therefore not a solid state, but is a conglomeration of small states. Consistent fear of invasion made them turn into the divine beings for protection and blessing. As a further note, in the Sumero-Akadian civilizations, the power of government is divided into two: the lugal took care of the military powers and the even more powerful ensi was the supreme religious leader who also controlled â€Å"economic and technological expertise† (Krejci and Krejcova, p. 31). It can therefore be seen that the fear of the gods was the way of the ensi to maintain political control over his dominions. Political and social structure in Egypt proved much different from the Sumerians. The whole of Egypt was controlled by only one ruler – the Pharaohs. This unity gave the Egyptians more control over their surroundings and their country. Early on, the Egyptians had a clear sense of identity (Kemp, p. 25). This control is best exemplified by their ability to time and control the flooding of the Nile. However, geographically, the Egyptians were not as lucky as the Sumerians, as they were surrounded by deserts. This made them consider the Nile as a gift from the gods, a means by which they would live. It is therefore not surprising that the â€Å"Hymn to the Nile† is a joyous song of praise. The overall theme of the hymn is perhaps best stated in the first lines: â€Å"Hail to thee, O Nile! Who manifests thyself over this land, and comes to give life to Egypt!† References Mircea Eliade `From Primitives to Zen`: A SUMERO-AKADIAN PRAYER Ancient History Sourcebook:Hymn to the Nile, c. 2100 BCE Jaroslav Krejci, Anna Krejcova (1990). Before the European Challenge: The Great Civilizations of Asia and the Middle East. SUNY Press. Barry J. Kemp (2006). Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization, 2nd Ed. Routledge

Generation Gaps Essay

In our generation we switch byg single by numerous economical, social, and political changes. several(prenominal) of which our p atomic number 18nts would never have ideate of. Things practically(prenominal)(prenominal) as the cell phone, Wi-Fi, 9/11, and unhomogeneous mass shootings have permanently changed the dash our generation lives and has forced our parents to adapt to a new way of lifetime.Growing up I remember how different life was from the way it is now. Gas was $0.99 and everyone had dial-up internet service. drome rules were more than more forgiving. For example, If you wanted to pass away you had the option of bringing food with you to bend eating tasteless airplane meals. You were simply frisked and didnt have to go through a full body image scanner before you departed to your gate. In my renders time the rules were sluice more lax. In the 1960s there was smaller c formerlyrn everyplace terrorism and airport impregnablety. There were almost no w arrantor procedures in place and because of this all a passenger had to do was to stroll over to the ticket counter, purchase their ticket, show identification, and maturate the plane. In addition to this smoking was permitted in all areas of the airplane and sometimes cigarettes were even provided to the flyers.Another aspect of our culture that has changed drastically is engineering science. A prime example of how technology has changed radically is the creation of the World roomy Web. The World Wide Web or the Internet as it is more usually cognise catalyzed the birth of what is now known as the Digital Age. An age alter with constantly changing machinery that have at long last changed how we go about our lives. Because of the Internet we are now able to buy and shoot down things online. We can also pay bills, make pass with relatives, and share picturessomething our parents generation never dreamed of doing.Unfortunately less pleasant things such as the Columbine shooti ngs and the more new-fashioned Sandy Hook Elementary initiate shooting have shattered the once widely perceived view of safe public schools and government buildings. Ironically, these places were never unfeignedly safe to begin with. These tragic events have forced our government to implement laws to hold dear our safety. Back then, there wasnt as much controversy over guns as there is today.Partly due to the circumstance that there was not as much violence in that time period. Thus, the ordinary public felt safer and therefore, felt no need to carry around firearms or other types of weapons. All in all, one of the main reasons our society has changed so much is due to things like the Great notion and the recent Recession as good as other less ominous events such as the inauguration of Barack Obama and technical advances such as WiFi, electric cars, and suffer phones. These changes have altered how we live our lives in the 21st Century. Some have been improvements term oth ers are mostly viewed as a decline from what life used to be like.