Developments of Music and How the Internet Has Changed the Music Essay

Developments of Music and How the Internet Has Changed the Music Industry for Artists - Essay Example Later on in the century, other modifications had to be fixed to the mechanism to enable audio playback for the sounds captured by the device (Inglis 2006, p. 111). This was essentially in the form of a phonograph, which was pioneered by Thomas Edison. The phonograph enabled for the reproduction of the recorded music as opposed to the phonautograph that only enabled recording but no playback. An advancement of the phonograph led to the invention of the world renowned gramophone, which then set a new bar in the production of, and recording of musical pieces. Emile Berliner held the patent for the gramophone, thereby cementing her name in the music production history. It also brought the onset of disks as a medium for storing sound pieces and later on allowing for their playback through a form of rotational mechanism. However, all these advancements in the production of music still relied on mechanical mechanisms, as their periods of invention fell within the time that could not allow f or integration with electricity (Fenlon 2009, p. 243). The onset of electronic recording was in the early 20th century, and this greatly improved the recording and production of music. This was especially with the advent of the microphone, which replaced the initial mechanical means of recording sound. After the introduction of the electric forms of music recording, most of the music production processes adopted the microphone as the chief equipment for recording music (Goetschius & Tapper 2001, p. 211). This was still reliant upon discs where the electronic recording would be applied either on a single side or on both sides of the disc. Furthermore, another breakthrough in the line of music recording came with the invention of magnetic form of music recording. This was through an... This essay approves that music production has been highly modernized in respect to technological advancements. This is especially since the first forms of music production were an easy task that involved neither a lot of people nor any forms of complex instruments or mechanisms. The pioneering music production mechanisms involved quick processes that took only a couple of days and the music would have been produced. These early forms of recording, such as acoustical recording mechanisms, involved live and direct recording of the music on a medium. Through this, music was passed through some medium to finally reach the audience. This report makes a conclusion that upcoming artists need not be within recording studios as they can easily send their raw musical compositions to producers through the internet who then process it and give them feedback still through the internet. On a general outlook, the internet is used throughout the production of music in the contemporary world. All processes ranging from the recording to the advertising and distribution is web based and the process has been made even faster. The development of music from the initial phases pioneered by Thomas Edison to the era of the internet in relation to music production has highly influenced the trends in how music has developed. All the stages have been essential in music transformation, with the internet being the most revolutionary in most perspectives.

Fundamentls of Entrepreneurship Essay Example for Free

Fundamentls of Entrepreneurship Essay Fundamental of entrepreneurship is an individual who takes initiative to bundle resource in innovative ways and is willing to bear the risk or uncertainty to act. The purpose of done this assignment to know and understand that entrepreneurship play role to started new business enterprise. Moreover, entrepreneur for started new enterprise that SPM JATI (cooking oil), need review performance of his business, identify strength and weaknesses, recommend a plan of action that will capitalize on the company’s strengths, and overcome its weaknesses and finally business existing performance could be maintained and strengthened. Without this cannot complete the task to started new business. Before I start my assignment, I had obtained some information from my lecture and I also get information about entrepreneurship from internet. Through internet I know that entrepreneur of review performance to started new enterprise that SPM JATI (cooking oil), strength and weaknesses, recommend a plan of action and business existing performance could be maintained and strengthened. Entrepreneurship must face all kind of problem and know need to solve the problem then only can achieve in business, if the entrepreneur run away from business it show he or she cannot face it the business and don’t know how to solve the problem. Task 1, is mention a bout review the performance of SPM JATI enterprise cooking oil. It’s easy to focus only on the day-to-day running of SPM JATI enterprise. It’s simply include business efficiency, financial position, business goals and conduct a customers and market analysis. Task 2, is indentify about SPM JATI enterprise, strength could be seen in terms of SPM JATI staff extremely polite and helpful and your competitor’s staff has very few customer-friendly attributes, products SPM JATI provides cooking oil, customers loyalty is demand, and location located at. And weakness, an object’s look every aspect of SPM JATI enterprise whether its products and service could be improved. Task 3, is analysis the company strengths and weaknesses. And how to overcome the weaknesses of company. Task 4 is talking about help jerry to investigate ways in which business existing performance could be maintained and strengthened Task 1: 2. 2 How would you review the performance of his business? 2. 1. 1 Introduction task 1 In this task talking about review the performance of business of SPM JATI Company. This task explains about operation management. Product planning, location planning, process planning, supply chain management and quality management. 2. 1. 2 Answer Review the performance of SPM JATI Enterprise cooking oil for financial position, it’s often fail because of poor financial management or a lack of planning. Often the business plan that was used to help raise finance is put on a shelf to gather dust. When it comes to SPM JATI Enterprise cooking oil business success, therefore, developing and implementing sound financial and management systems. . Product planning Product planning and product control work hand in hand to ensure that consumers get the products they want, when they want. Product planning involves evaluating the product and placement, price, package and position. SPM JATI cooking oil using product planning. Price must standard and the package look nice and the customer attract to the package. Location planning Location is also very important for service and manufacturing ventures, which have such costs as advertising, promotion and distribution that are a direct result on where they located. SPM JATI company location is very near customer and other shop also. Location has to be convenient for customers and their employees need adequate parking. That means locating near to key suppliers in areas for pick-up and deliveries. JATI company choosing the best location for business that us the first step to target the customers. Process planning A business plan is used when starting a new business or new product into market. SPM JATI cooking oil develops the products and maintains the products. SPM JATI cooking oil planning buys a new machine that is automotive packing machine to improve the business and supply in big scale. Supply chain management Supply chain management is the oversight materials information and finance as move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to consumer. The product flow includes the movement of goods from a supplier to a customer as well as customer returns or service needs. SPM JATI cooking oil supply to wholesaler and the wholesaler supply to consumer this is supply hain management of SPM JATI cooking oil company. Quality management SPM JATI Company maintains the good name and reputation of the company. To gain a competitive advantage, many companies will implement a quality management system to ensure they produce the best products. 2. 1. 3 Conclusion The conclusion is when I do this question I got a lot of idea about the business and also I can understand very well about what is product planning, location planning, process planning, supply chain management and how much important to business. This steps all SPM JATI company follow and maintain the business Task 2: 2. 2 Help Jerry identify his company’s strength and weaknesses. 2. 2. 1 Introduction task 2 In this task discuss about SPM JATI company strengths and weakness. SPM JATI company strengths and weakness. SPM JATI Company strengths is understand consumer needs and provide high level customer service. Weakness is not enough workers in the company and also the labor costs very high. 2. 2. 2 Answer: The impacts of internal strengths and weaknesses on the success of the ‘subject’ of analysis. The internal strengths and weaknesses of you, your staff, your products, and your business. The internal strength that make’s organization more competitive than its marketplace peers. And the internal weaknesses with organization that will keep it from achieving its objectives; it is what an organization does poorly. Strength This involves looking at the strength and weaknesses of SPM JATIenterprise cooking oil. Internal strength of business SPM JATI enterprise cooking oil, could be seen in terms of SPM JATI enterprise staff, products, customers loyalty, processes, or location. SPM JATI enterprise cooking oil,strengthterms staffextremely polite and helpful, very important to be totally honest and realistic. Next products, cooking oil, customer loyalty is when a supplier received the reward of his efforts in interacting with his customer. Customer loyalty tends the customer to voluntarily choose a particular product against another for his needs. Location for SPM JATI enterprise are very good because very near to customer and wholesaler also. So when very near to customer the supply cost become low and can save money also. The name of company very popular everyone knows about JATI cooking oil and the products quality. JATI Company understands the consumer needs. JATI Companyprovides high level customer service. Have a presence in retail markets. And also the customer like and go for JATI cooking oil. Weakness Company weaknesses are a lack of resources or capabilities. SPM JATI Company has higher labor costs. Competitor who can have similar productivity from lower labor costs. SPM JATI also not enough workers and the management are not very good. 2. 2. 3 Conclusion In this task discuss about the company strengths and weakness. Explain about the SPM JATI company strengths and weakness. Task 3: 2. Following the analysis of the company strengths and weaknesses, recommend a plan of action that will capitalize on the company strengths, and overcome its weaknesses. 2. 3. 1 Introduction In this task discuss about the strengths and weakness of Jerry Company SPM JATI enterprise. So need to find out some step to help Jerry Company to improve. And also discuss the overcome company weakness. 2. 3. 2 Answer Company strengths The first strengths for jerry JATI Company are good name in market everyone know about the company and the brand. JATI Company provides high level customer service. Customer also likes to buy JATI products because customer likes the packing and the good service also. JATI Company supply goods time to time. Overcome company weakness After I discuss about strength and weakness of Jerry Company that is SPM JATI enterprise. Jerry can be try to improve the products and packing. Customer service is very important in business, Jerry Company must focus on customer service. First the weakness of SPM JATI Company is higher labor costs. After that SPM JATI company not enough workers in the company so cannot produce more products because very less worker. SPM JATI must take new worker for company and can produce more products. SPM JATI company have 3 lorry but that is not enough for supply goods because a lot of order from customer and wholesaler. So need to buy new lorry, for more supply goods for customer and the business also can develop if supply more goods for customer the company can make high profit. 2. 3. 3 Conclusion As a conclusion, I help to find the steps or ways to help Jerry Company to improve and do much better then now. Next is, found the ways to solve jerry company weakness Task 4 2. Jerry has bought you a one-week return ticket to his holiday home in Penang. He wants you to helpHim investigate ways in which the business existing performance could be maintained and strengthened. 2. 4. 1 Task 4 introduction In this task discuss about to help jerry investigate ways in which the business existing performance could maintained and strengthened. I help jerry how to improve the performance of SPM JATI Company. So for one-wee k I will take care jerry business and help him also to improve the business. 2. 4. 2 Answer The ways to improve the company performance I have help jerry to promote his company name and product. I do which customers buy a lot of JATI product they all get some gifts from company. Next is, I give some donation under JATI company name then only people know about the company and what they are selling or produce. This also one good type of advertising. If company name popular in market then all customer know about the company and the business sales also increase. And I ask jerry to do some offer or discount. When customer purchase JATI product the price be half price for few month, to promote the product. Another idea is make t-shirt for customer, like which shop sell a lot of JATI products give them t-shirt. 2. 4. 3 Conclusion Conclusion is, this is the ways to improve the company performance and steps. When jerry follow the steps above sure jerry company will be improve and success on his overall business performance and also can increase the business sales or monthly turnover can increase. This steps all are very good to business improve and can increase the production of the company so jerry must follow the ways to improve. But now Jerry Companyimproves ready, so for no problem for Jerry Company. I think Jerry Company does better sales and better business management. Because jerry know ready what is steps and ways to improve the company performance. 3. 0 Conclusion As a conclusion when I finish this whole assignment I can understand what is business strength and weaknesses. And how to take care the business and also how to solve the problem. So when jerry follows all the ways or steps of business, sure the business will successes and can make more profit. Every entrepreneur must know the business strength and weakness.

The Effects of Technology on Society Essay -- Papers Computers Modern

Today we swim in a sea of ever-changing technology that affects us as much as our thoughts and actions shape it. The technology we have chosen, either by the preferences of those who use it, or the agendas of those who own and benefit from it, has had its own influence on us from gross examples such as increased pollution, or a higher Western-style standard of living, to the way one person perceives another. Some people who resist using some, or even all technology; they are often called Luddites by those who embrace all things new; another type calls themselves Neo-Luddites, such as Kirkpatrick Sale. In his book Human scale, Sale describes the slow rotting of the stones of the Parthenon and other ancient monuments to civilization from the acid pollution developed by our present Industrial civilization and compares it to the slow disintegration our industrialized society has seemed to have undergone. He identifies effects of technology which have been harmful to the human condition and the environment, but seems to not quite "get it" about the Luddites: they were not fighting the machines themselves; they were struggling against powers of society that, for the past century, through enclosure and the abolishment of commonality [and the subsequent arisal of a class of people who lived by renting their labor: the working class] (Laslett, 195), had been seeking to disempower and disenfranch ise the mass of people, and were now striking anew with the latest, and most powerful manifestation of their social policies, the Industrial Factory. The men of Nottinghamshire who died as Luddites were fighting a system, not a technology, a system whose intentions were not to cut costs and increase efficiency, but to increase the co... ... Bibliography: References Black, Bob (1987). The abolition of work. In Sylvere Lotringer and Jim Fleming (Eds.), Semiotext[e] USA (pp. 15-26). Browning, J. (1996, July). New stars for a new media. Scientific American, p. 31. Laslett, Peter (1984). The world we have lost. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Law, John, Ed. (1991) A sociology of monsters: essays on power, technology and domination. London: Routledge. Martinez, E. (1996, April). You call this service? Technology Review, pp. 64-65. Noble, David F. (1984). Forces of production. New York: Alfred A, Knopf. O'Malley, C. (1995, June). Drowning in the net. Popular Science, pp. 78-88. Sale, Kirkpatrick (1980). Human scale. New York: Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan. Stix, G. (1994, December). The speed of write. Scientific American, pp. 106-111.

The Perils of Affirmative Action Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Top

The Perils of Affirmative Action    On January 16th of this year, I picked up the Washington Post and read an article by Richard Cohen that weakly criticized the lack of ethnic diversity in President Bush's new cabinet. The article was an interesting analysis of the ethnicity of Bush's cabinet, but it is even more significant as it dealt with an issue that is becoming of greater concern in this country: affirmative action. This issue has affected me in the past. I live in Northern Virginia, which is a very race-neutral area, and last year during my college application process was the first time in my life when affirmative action affected me. The applications say the race checkbox is only being used for statistical purposes, but when somebody sees these tiny little words on such a very important document, who doesn't get a nagging feeling that their future might be determined by the color of their skin? A lot of students worry about this checkbox. At the time it seems so unfair. You've worked hard for four long years, t aken the SATs twice, joined as many clubs and sports as possible, and yet that might not be enough. The issue of affirmative action is an important one, one that directly shapes our economy and our country. It influences the way people work and live, but should it? The issue of race in this country lingers while it is realistic for us as a people to get rid of it. In today's society, why should race be an issue to anyone, black or white? How can we create a country that is free from fear of the "other" race? There has been a strong pull in the last few decades to ethnically diversify the workplace, as most companies have been and still are dominated by Caucasians. The call for diversification is a big facto... ... in getting a job only pits one race against another in the job market. If nothing is done about affirmative action, then it will eventually grow to become a monstrous proponent of prejudice. What, then, should be done about affirmative action? Well, I for one believe that the idea of affirmative action has become entrenched in our minds. Diversity has become very sought-after, and not just because the government is looking over people's shoulders. Therefore any existing government affirmative action programs are not needed and should be phased out. Affirmative action won't go away. It will always be in our minds, but it will no longer be binding. Employers will no longer have to worry about race in hiring an employee, just their qualifications. Only then can we as a country truly strive for equality, and an end to the race issue that has plagued us for centuries.

Customer Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction Essay

Customer Loyalty can be difficult to define given the different views that are presented within the literature. Zithaml, Berry and Parasuraman (1996) determine that loyalty includes a customer’s intention to stay with an organisation and that loyalty includes four elements: repurchase intentions, recommending the service provider to other customers, less complaints and tolerance of price increases. Oliver, (1999) provides a different definition and describes loyalty as a customer’s overall attachment to a product, service, brand or organisation. A better appreciation of the factors that influence the loyalty of customers, particularly their attitudes and changing needs can help companies to develop strategies to prevent customer defection (Coyles & Gokey, 2002). Customer loyalty is important as it can have a powerful impact on a firm’s performance and it is considered to be a source of competitive advantage (Lam, et al., 2004). There is a strong level of agreement that customer loyalty and satisfaction are linked; however, there is an absence of consensus as to what constitutes customer satisfaction (Caruana, 2002); in addition, despite the fact that many loyal customers are satisfied, this does not always translate into customer loyalty (Kuo & Ye, 1999, Jones & Sasser, 1995) and studies have shown that satisfied customers may express a desire to switch to a competitor but it may prove to be difficult due to a lack of suitable alternatives (Pantouvalkis & Lymperopoulos, 2008, citing Mittal & Lassar, 1998). In contrast however, Reicheld & Sasser, (1990), indicate that high customer satisfaction should provide increased loyalty, which makes it less likely that a customer will decide to switch to a competitor. In addition to customer satisfaction, it has been suggested by numerous Researchers that there are other key antecedents to customer loyalty including perceived value, service quality, corporate image, reputation, trust and switching costs (Ishaqa, 2012, Lam et al, 2004, Bitner, 1995); however, although Researchers have posited that there is a connection, it can be argued that the connections is not fully understood, due to the number of potential antecedents (Wang & Wu, 2012); hence the relevance of this research. Perceived value- Perceived value can be defined in simple terms as the benefits received and the sacrifices made by the customer, although some studies have also proposed that perceived value is multi dimensional (McDougall & Levesque, 2000). It is also important to consider how perceived value can be increased and this may be achieved by delivering a better service, providing customisation of services (Coelho & Henseler, 2012) or reducing the customer’s cost perceptions (Ravald & Gronroos 1996). A customer’s perception of value could motivate them to continue to utilise the services of a service provider (Wang, 2010) and customers may also stay loyal to a company if they feel they are receiving greater value than they would from a competitor (Lam, et al, 2004, citing Bitner & Hubbert, 1994, Bolton & Drew, 1991; Sirdeshmukh et al, 2002). Another consideration of why a customer may stay loyal, rather than move to a competitor is the anticipated switching costs, including the cost involved in changing to an alternative, loss of loyalty benefits and developed routines and procedures (Lam, et al., 2004). In situations where switching costs are high, customers may stay with a service provider regardless of the perceived value (Wang, 2010) Service quality- Some studies have examined service quality as an antecedent of customer satisfaction (Rust & Oliver 1994; Spreng & MacKoy 1996), which as indicated earlier, is posited by some studies to link to perceived value. Parasuraman et al, 1988, developed the SERVQUAL model which can be adapted to suit the needs of an organisation and defines service quality as comprising of five dimensions including reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles. As part of the model the customer will compare their expectations with the perceived performance of services, or according to Santos, (2003), where the customer will make an overall judgement of the service offered. Whilst the SERVQUAL model is said to provide a good indicator of overall service quality (Buttle, 1996), it has been questioned whether or not the model can be applied to a range of industries and if the five dimensions are sufficient (Hu, et al, 2009, citing Buttle, 1996, Carman, 1990, Cronin & Taylor, 1990). Some Researchers have also argued that  the SERVQUAL model has shortcomings, as the model only measures the quality of interaction and tangibles such as dà ©cor, etc., but not the actual quality of the service outcome (Sureschander, et, al, 2001). Brady & Cronin, (2001) proposed a model which includes the quality of interaction, physical environment and the outcome. Given the fact that for this study the outcome relates to the quality of homes, or the end product, it will be important to determine how this influences service quality perceptions, in addition to considering the SERVQUAL model. Also, according to Barber & Goodman, (2011), since the SERVQUAL model was developed, the debate on how to define and measure customer expectations, perceptions and performance and to understand how to address the gap has not been addressed. It is important to understand where gaps exist with the services provided and customer expectations, as meeting customer expectations is a significant driver of customer satisfaction, which can increase loyalty intentions (McDougall & Levesque, 2000). The reality is that different customers have different service needs and expectations (McKnight, 2009) and it is important that this research also provides an insight into how customer expectations can be met. Corporate image- Several authors propose that service quality is determined by an evaluation of the corporate image of the organisation (Martà ­nez Garcà ­a & Martà ­nez Caro, 2008) and the relationship between satisfaction and corporate image have been reported in a number of studies (Razavi et al, 2012, citing Lai et al, 2009, Leblanc, 2001; Kandamplully and Hu,2007) Gronroos, (1984), indicated that image, including corporate image is built mainly via the customer’s experience and the manner in which the service is delivered. Bitner, (1992), proposed that the physical environment is instrumental, yet in later years these views have been extended to include a wider definition, including the business name, architecture, products and services and general impression of quality (Nguyen & Leblanc, 2001).

Significant Figures Example Chemistry Problem

Significant Figures Example Chemistry Problem Here are three examples determining significant figures. When asked to find significant figures, remember and follow these simple rules: Any nonzero digit is significant.A zero between two nonzero digits is always significant.Trailing zeros are significant if they are at the end of a number and to the right of the decimal point.Leading zeros to the left of the first nonzero digit are not significant. For example, placeholder zeros in the number 0.005 are not significant (only the 5 is significant).If a number ends with a zero, but it is not to the right of a decimal point, it may or may not be significant. Generally, its safest to assume it is not significant. If you take a measurement where the final zero is significant, be sure to include the decimal point to make yourself clear. Significant Figure Example Problem Three students weigh an item using different scales. These are the values they report: a. 20.03 gb. 20.0 gc. 0.2003 kg How many significant figures should be assumed in each measurement? Solution a. 4.b. 3. The zero after the decimal point is significant because it indicates that the item was weighed to the nearest 0.1 g.c. 4. The zeros at the left are not significant. They are only present because the mass was written in kilograms rather than in grams. The values 20.03 g and 0.02003 kg represent the same quantities. Answer In addition to the solution presented above, be advised you can get the correct answers very quickly by expressing the masses in scientific (exponential) notation: 20.03 g 2.003 x 101 g (4 significant figures)20.0 g 2.00 x 101 g (3 significant figures)0.2003 kg 2.003 x 10-1 kg (4 significant figures)

Plan Your Remodeling and Home Improvement Projects

Plan Your Remodeling and Home Improvement Projects It all begins with a dream. Cathedral ceilings! Skylights! Room-sized closets! But, the dream may turn into a nightmare, unless you plan ahead. Before you remodel, follow these steps to get your home improvement project on the right start. How to Remodel a House: 1. Draw Your Dream Even before you consult an architect, you can begin sketching out your ideas and imagining your dreams- just get over the reasons not to remodel your home first. If you are adding or expanding a room, think about how the space will be used and how the changes will affect traffic patterns. Also consider how new construction will affect the overall context of your home. An oversized addition may overwhelm your house or crowd a small lot. A simple home design software program can help you visualize your project. Which Home Design Software is Best?Symmetry and Proportion in DesignFree Tools to Help You Choose House Paint Colors 2. Learn From Others One of the best ways to get inspiration and to avoid pitfalls is to follow the experiences of other homeowners. A number of Web sites offer online chronicles of home improvement projects, along with reply forms, message boards, and chat rooms that let you ask questions and get feedback. Ask around about local networking in addition to these: DIY ChatroomReddit has a number of DIY communities, including Home ImprovementThis Old House 3. Think Ahead Although you may dream of having a spacious new addition, the project may not make sense if you plan to sell your house in a few years. A luxury bathroom can price your house beyond the values in your neighborhood. Some projects, such as vinyl siding on a Queen Anne Victorian, will actually decrease the value of your home. Moreover, your own familys needs may be very different in a few years. Will the plans you draw today fit your future? Plan for StorageBuild to Save EnergyChoose the Best Plans 4. Count Your Money Even the best-laid budgets can go bust. Chances are, your remodeling project will cost more than you expect. Before you set your heart on high-end ceramic tile, find out how much you have to spend and make sure you have a cushion against cost overruns. For must-have items that could wipe out your savings account, explore home improvement loans and other financing options. If you own your home, a line of credit is often the best bet. Consider online borrowing from reputable companies that bring together small investors with borrowers. The Better Business Bureau reviews companies, such as the Lending Club. Some people depend on crowdfunding, but you should know your comfort level and understand what youre getting into. How Much Will It Cost?Build on a BudgetBuilding Cost Estimators 5. Choose your team Unless you plan to take on the entire remodeling project by yourself, youll need to hire helpers. Naturally, youll want to make sure that the folks who work for you are qualified, licensed, and properly insured. But, finding the best team for your remodeling project goes beyond a simple reference check. The architect who has won top awards may have a design vision very different from your own. If you have an older house, hire someone who knows the time period when your house was built; putting a finger on historical appropriateness is an undervalued skill. Use these resources to find the professionals you feel comfortable with. Do You Need an Architect?How to Find an Architect 6. Negotiate a Contract Whether you plan a simple carpentry job or a major project requiring the services of an architect and a general contractor, misunderstandings can lead to disaster. Do not begin remodeling without a written contract. Make sure everyone agrees on the work that will be completed and how long it will take. Also be clear on the types of materials that will- and will not- be used. Top 10 Building / Remodeling Contract Issues 7. Get Permissions In most parts of the world, a legal permit is required before you make structural changes to your home. The building permit assures that the remodeling project meets local building codes and safety regulations. If you live in a historic district, the permit also assures that exterior changes to your home are in keeping with neighborhood guidelines. General contractors will usually take care of the paperwork, but small-time workers may not... and the permits become your responsibility. 8. Plan for Problems - Make Ground Rules The larger the remodel job, the greater the chances are for frustrations. There will be equipment breakdowns, supply shortages, miscommunications, and delays. Draw up a few friendly rules for workers- tell them where they may park their trucks and store their equipment overnight. If concrete is involved, know where the leftover will be dumped. And, dont expect contractors to take care of your pets- the family dog and cat may be happier at a relatives summer camp. Also, take care of you and your family. Plan for ways you can indulge yourself when times become especially stressful. Schedule a day at a spa and reserve a night at a romantic bed and breakfast inn. You deserve it! Why Remodel a House? Theres a difference between renovation and remodeling. Renovation is aligned with preservation and restoration- keeping up with repairs and the original intent of an historic house. The word itself means to make new again- re- novus. The root of remodeling is something different. It shows a dissatisfaction with the current model, so you want to do it again, to change something. Too often people get involved in remodeling a house when what they really need to do is remodel themselves or a relationship. So you might want to ask yourself this: Why do you really want to remodel? Many people have good reasons to make a change- life events (does someone now use a walker or wheelchair?), different circumstances (are the parents about to move in?), or preparation for the future (shouldnt we install a home elevator now, before we need it?). Some people just like change, and thats okay, too. The first step in any home remodeling, though, is to take a step back into self-reflection. Know why youre doing something before you make the plan how to do it. You might save yourself a bunch of money- and a relationship. Good luck!

70 Million Years of Primate Evolution

70 Million Years of Primate Evolution Many people take an understandably human-centered view of primate evolution, focusing on the bipedal, large-brained hominids that populated the jungles of Africa a few million years ago. But the fact is that primates as a whole - a category of megafauna mammals that includes not only humans and hominids, but monkeys, apes, lemurs, baboons, and tarsiers - have a deep evolutionary history that stretches as far back as the age of dinosaurs. (See a gallery of prehistoric primate pictures and profiles.) The first mammal that paleontologists have identified as possessing primate-like characteristics was Purgatorius, a tiny, mouse-sized creature of the late Cretaceous period (just before the K/T Impact Event that rendered the dinosaurs extinct). Although it looked more like a tree shrew than a monkey or ape, Purgatorius had a very primate-like set of teeth, and it (or a close relative) may have spawned the more familiar primates of the Cenozoic Era. (Genetic sequencing studies suggest that the earliest primate ancestor may have lived a whopping 20 million years before Purgatorius, but as yet theres no fossil evidence for this mysterious beast.) Scientists have touted the equally mouse-like Archicebus, which lived 10 million years after Purgatorius, as the first true primate, and the anatomic evidence in support of this hypothesis is even stronger. Whats confusing about this is that the Asian Archicebus seems to have lived around the same time as the North American and Eurasian Plesiadapis, a much bigger, two-foot-long, tree-dwelling, lemur-like primate with a rodent-like head. The teeth of Plesiadapis displayed the early adaptations necessary for an omnivorous diet - a key trait that allowed its descendants tens of millions of years down the line to diversify away from trees and toward the open grasslands. Primate Evolution During the Eocene Epoch During the Eocene epoch- from about 55 million to 35 million years ago- small, lemur-like primates haunted woodlands the world over, though the fossil evidence is frustratingly sparse. The most important of these creatures was Notharctus, which had a telling mix of simian traits: a flat face with forward-facing eyes, flexible hands that could grasp branches, a sinuous backbone, and (perhaps most important) a bigger brain, proportionate to its size, than can be seen in any previous vertebrate. Interestingly, Notharctus was the last primate ever to be indigenous to North America; it probably descended from ancestors that crossed the land bridge from Asia at the end of the Paleocene. Similar to Notharctus was the western European Darwinius, the subject of a big public relations blitz a few years back touting it as the earliest human ancestor; not many experts are convinced. Another important Eocene primate was the Asian Eosimias (dawn monkey), which was considerably smaller than both Notharctus and Darwinius, only a few inches from head to tail and weighing one or two ounces, max. The nocturnal, tree-dwelling Eosimias - which was about the size of your average Mesozoic mammal - has been posited by some experts as proof that monkeys originated in Asia rather than Africa, though this is far from a widely accepted conclusion. The Eocene also witnessed the North American Smilodectes and the amusingly named Necrolemur from western Europe, early, pint-sized monkey ancestors that were distantly related to modern lemurs and tarsiers. A Brief Digression - The Lemurs of Madagascar Speaking of lemurs, no account of primate evolution would be complete without a description of the rich variety of prehistoric lemurs that once inhabited the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, off the east African coast. The fourth-largest island in the world, after Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo, Madagascar split off from the African mainland about 160 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period, and then from the Indian subcontinent anywhere from 100 to 80 million years ago, during the middle to late Cretaceous period. What this means, of course, is that its virtually impossible for any Mesozoic primates to have evolved on Madagascar before these big splits- so where did all those lemurs come from? The answer, as far as paleontologists can tell, is that some lucky Paleocene or Eocene primates managed to float to Madagascar from the African coast on tangled thatches of driftwood, a 200-mile journey that could conceivably have been accomplished in a matter of days. Crucially, the only primates to successfully make this trip happened to be lemurs and not other types of monkeys - and once ensconced on their enormous island, these tiny progenitors were free to evolve into a wide variety of ecological niches over the ensuing tens of millions of years (even today, the only place on earth you can find lemurs is Madagascar; these primates perished millions of years ago in North America, Eurasia, and even Africa). Given their relative isolation, and the lack of effective predators, the prehistoric lemurs of Madagascar were free to evolve in some weird directions. The Pleistocene epoch witnessed plus-sized lemurs like Archaeoindris, which was about the size of a modern gorilla, and the smaller Megaladapis, which only weighed 100 pounds or so. Entirely different (but of course closely related) were the so-called sloth lemurs, primates like Babakotia and Palaeopropithecus that looked and behaved like sloths, lazily climbing trees and sleeping upside-down from branches. Sadly, most of these slow, trusting, dim-witted lemurs were doomed to extinction when the first human settlers arrived on Madagascar about 2,000 years ago. Old World Monkeys, New World Monkeys and the First Apes Often used interchangeably with primate and monkey, the word simian derives from Simiiformes, the infraorder of mammals that includes both old world (i.e., African and Eurasian) monkeys and apes and new world (i.e., central and South American) monkeys; the small primates and lemurs described on page 1 of this article are usually referred to as prosimians. If all this sounds confusing, the important thing to remember is that new world monkeys split off from the main branch of simian evolution about 40 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch, while the split between old world monkeys and apes occurred about 25 million years later. The fossil evidence for new world monkeys is surprisingly slim; to date, the earliest genus yet identified is Branisella, which lived in South America between 30 and 25 million years ago. Typically for a new world monkey, Branisella was relatively small, with a flat nose and a prehensile tail (oddly enough, old world monkeys never managed to evolve these grasping, flexible appendages). How did Branisella and its fellow new world monkeys make it all the way from Africa to South America? Well, the stretch of Atlantic Ocean separating these two continents was about one-third shorter 40 million years ago than it is today, so its conceivable that some small old world monkeys made the trip accidentally, on floating thatches of driftwood. Fairly or unfairly, old world monkeys are often considered significant only insofar as they eventually spawned apes, and then hominids, and then humans. A good candidate for an intermediate form between old-world monkeys and old-world apes was Mesopithecus, a macaque-like primate that, like apes, foraged for leaves and fruits during the day. Another possible transitional form was Oreopithecus (called the cookie monster by paleontologists), an island-dwelling European primate that possessed a strange mix of monkey-like and ape-like characteristics but (according to most classification schemes) stopped short of being a true hominid. The Evolution of Apes and Hominids During the Miocene Epoch Heres where the story gets a bit confusing. During the Miocene epoch, from 23 to 5 million years ago, a bewildering assortment of apes and hominids inhabited the jungles of Africa and Eurasia (apes are distinguished from monkeys mostly by their lack of tails and stronger arms and shoulders, and hominids are distinguished from apes mostly by their upright postures and bigger brains). The most important non-hominid African ape was Pliopithecus, which may have been ancestral to modern gibbons; an even earlier primate, Propliopithecus, seems to have been ancestral to Pliopithecus. As their non-hominid status implies, Pliopithecus and related apes (such as Proconsul) werent directly ancestral to humans; for example, none of these primates walked on two feet. Ape (but not hominid) evolution really hit its stride during the later Miocene, with the tree-dwelling Dryopithecus, the enormous Gigantopithecus (which was about twice the size of a modern gorilla), and the nimble Sivapithecus, which is now considered to be the same genus as Ramapithecus (it turns out that smaller Ramapithecus fossils were probably Sivapithecus females!) Sivapithecus is especially important because this was one of the first apes to venture down from the trees and out onto the African grasslands, a crucial evolutionary transition that may have been spurred by climate change. Paleontologists disagree about the details, but the first true hominid appears to have been Ardipithecus, which walked (if only clumsily and occasionally) on two feet but only had a chimp-sized brain; even more tantalizingly, there doesnt seem to have been much sexual differentiation between Ardipithecus males and females, which makes this genus unnervingly similar to humans. A few million years after Ardipithecus came the first indisputable hominids: Australopithecus (represented by the famous fossil Lucy), which was only about four or five feet tall but walked on two legs and had an unusually large brain, and Paranthropus, which was once considered to be a species of Australopithecus but has since earned its own genus thanks to its unusually large, muscular head and correspondingly larger brain. Both Australopithecus and Paranthropus lived in Africa until the start of the Pleistocene epoch; paleontologists believe that a population of Australopithecus was the immediate progenitor of genus Homo, the line that eventually evolved (by the end of the Pleistocene) into our own species, Homo sapiens.

Christianity 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Christianity 1 - Essay Example Poverty no doubt is one of the elements that is widespread in society. Jesus took the initiative to address the issue of poverty. Before Christianity people had different standards that defined poverty. Poverty was considered obviously to be bad and saw a person in poverty as insignificant one. However, Jesus took a different approach towards poverty. Jesus saw this as a test and said â€Å"Blessed are the poor in spirit†. Clearly, Jesus is emphasizing the fact that the poor will reach salvation and have strong faith. Moreover, Jesus goes on to say that being physically poor is completely different from being spiritually deprived. There may be a man who is deprived of nutrition, is exhausted, fatigue but can still possess an ego and have arrogance. However, a person with humbleness and poor soul is modest and will be forgiven for any minor sins. Spiritual poverty was a concept that was heavily emphasized in this sermon, and Jesus constantly persuaded his followers to be humble , modest, and to be compassionate. Jesus was a huge advocate of prayer. This could be perfectly illustrated through his statement in which he states, â€Å"If he prays, his prayer will not be compulsory, but a declaration of love which expresses the inner feelings that come from the heart and not from the lips.† In essence, Jesus is saying that prayers are necessary to reach spiritual salvation.

Self-Preservation and Justifiable Violence in Maxine Kumin's Essay

Self-Preservation and Justifiable Violence in Maxine Kumin's Woodchucks - Essay Example More than just a mere 30-line poem, Maxine Kumin’s â€Å"Woodchucks† is a demonstration of the idea that threats to self-preservation causes a good man to resort to evil and violence in order to survive. In Kumin’s poem, the narrator is a good man who simply acts according to reason when he decides to have the woodchucks gassed. He resorts to â€Å"gassing the woodchucks† with help from a company he calls the â€Å"Feed and Grain Exchange† (Kumin, 2012, 1-2). Although this seems like a cruel act that alludes to the Nazi way of gassing prisoners during the Second World War, the narrator is simply defending his right to his vegetable garden, which is obviously his property. The exercise of this right of ownership must necessarily override the idea of kindness and must therefore naturally prompt him to defend his own property at any cost, even if this would mean the death of those who seek to take it away from him. In the poem, the woodchucks are the a nimals that destroy his garden by â€Å"nipping the broccoli shoots [and] beheading the carrots† (11-12). The cruel imagery that uses the word â€Å"beheading† emphasizes the idea that these small creatures are actually cruel and that their actions lead to the unjust and cruel execution of the owner’s vegetables. ... After the failure of the gassing because the woodchucks have hidden in their â€Å"sub-sub-basement,† the narrator does not even say that he would do something to eventually kill these animals. The narrator’s biggest decision – the decision to exterminate all of them by shooting at them – has simply been prompted by the idea that â€Å"next morning [the woodchucks] turned up again† (7). The lines that follow seem to demonstrate their very fast destruction of the vegetable patch and an equally speedy consumption of the plants in it from the marigold to the broccoli to the carrots. When the narrator picks up his .22 rifle, he has simply reacted to the idea that if he does not do anything, his whole vegetable garden would be wiped out by the woodchucks in no time. The narrator recognizes the reasonableness of his decision when he says that it is only â€Å"righteously thrilling† for him to defend his property from the woodchucks that want to des troy it (13). He also emphasizes his â€Å"Darwinian pieties for killing† the woodchucks, which means that what he is doing is only a matter of survival and something which is akin to shooting someone who is also just about to shoot him too. The narrator feels guilty but this is a proof not of his evil but of his compassion. As the narrator begins shooting at the woodchucks, he assumes they are a family complete with the â€Å"littlest† woodchuck, the mother, two baby woodchucks, and an old one (17-25). His guilt is evident in his recognition of their roles in the family. Otherwise, he would simply regard each one of them as a mere woodchuck that deserves to be killed. The fact that these animals, no matter how much damage they have caused him, are still also baby, mother and old fellow, somehow

The effects of single mother hood on child delinquency Essay

The effects of single mother hood on child delinquency - Essay Example It is even more difficult to discuss delinquency and single motherhood and to describe a relationship between the two because there are so many inter-related issues. It is not easy to separate out these issues and define a straightforward link between the two. However the issue is an important one since more and more children are living in single parent homes as time passes. And not just in single parent homes, but more specifically in homes where the mother is the single parent. The absence of fathers in children’s lives is an increasing challenge to society. According to the US Bureau of the Census in 1990 (cited in Stolba and Amato 543) â€Å"The proportion of children under 18 who live with a single parent increased from 12 percent in 1968 to about one-fourth at present†. This was almost twenty years ago. The figure now is even more cause for concern. In order to develop the discussion it is first important to understand some parameters of the term itself- how is it defined and measured; to understand the phenomenon and the nature of the problem in terms of the extent to which it is a problem in children and young people. In broad terms delinquency is antisocial or criminal behavior. It is juvenile delinquency when displayed by children or adolescents. Juvenile delinquency is also considered behavior that deviates from the norms. Even trying to understand what juvenile delinquency actually is presents problems since norms vary from place to place and even from one household or family to the next. The attitude of parents and other adults can also add to the difficulty as what one parent may consider delinquent behavior another parent may merely shrug it off as defiance or ‘a behavior phase’ that the child is going through. There seems to be no definite definition for delinquency. For clarity and standardization then a nd for this

Practical Skills vs Knowledge Gained from Textbooks Essay

Practical Skills vs Knowledge Gained from Textbooks - Essay Example Instead, practical skills such as creativity, critical thinking, resourcefulness, and originality are now considered more valuable than things that are being learned in textbooks.   Learning practical skills does not mean forgoing theoretical concepts in learning any subjects.   It meant the fusion of theories into practice and the ability to adapt to change to make the knowledge and skills useful in the real world.   This method of learning was emphasized by Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a college dropout, as more necessary in the economy than the traditional modes of learning that is textbook based that does not teach students to solve any real-world problem. The real world requires solving practical issues and the ability to adapt to change.   Learning merely base on textbooks do not teach these skills and therefore would render the student unprepared to face the real world when he or she graduated from the university.   What is ideal to become eclectic in learning approach to draw knowledge and skills from many sources that include not an only textbook, but also experience, experiments, practice, and creativity.

Free Trade Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Free Trade - Article Example The problem with this type of outsourcing is that it can critically harm the domestic labor market. Ease of service outsourcing has made millions of domestic jobs vulnerable to being outsourced overseas (Wessel & Davis, 2007). The local labor market is likely to suffer shortage in labor supply as labor demand exacerbates. This scenario would likely trigger economic chaos in the affected economy. On the other hand, countries where most services are outsourced to would experience an influx, similarly causing economic imbalances in labor demand and supply. This type of outsourcing has its benefits too. The process keeps globalization running, thereby enhancing global interdependence in trade. Outsourcing along this line also creates opportunities for poor economic performers when they interact with tiger economies. To enhance competition along free trade and communication technology aspects, outsourcing practices should be subject to globally agreed upon regulation procedures. The flow of outsourced services should be controlled by taking into account the economic potential of all economies involved. This would ensure that the magnitude of outsourced services matches the economic potential of the destination country. All variables of free trade would also have to be factored in in enhancing

Practical Skills vs Knowledge Gained from Textbooks Essay

Practical Skills vs Knowledge Gained from Textbooks - Essay Example Instead, practical skills such as creativity, critical thinking, resourcefulness, and originality are now considered more valuable than things that are being learned in textbooks.   Learning practical skills does not mean forgoing theoretical concepts in learning any subjects.   It meant the fusion of theories into practice and the ability to adapt to change to make the knowledge and skills useful in the real world.   This method of learning was emphasized by Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and a college dropout, as more necessary in the economy than the traditional modes of learning that is textbook based that does not teach students to solve any real-world problem. The real world requires solving practical issues and the ability to adapt to change.   Learning merely base on textbooks do not teach these skills and therefore would render the student unprepared to face the real world when he or she graduated from the university.   What is ideal to become eclectic in learning approach to draw knowledge and skills from many sources that include not an only textbook, but also experience, experiments, practice, and creativity.

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 2

International Marketing - Essay Example The report will discuss in detail the profile and the external environment factors pertinent to a geographic market in the operation of an overseas fast food chain. Jollibee Foods Corporation will be the subject of this marketing study. This would include a tabular comparison of relevant market facts and an analysis of the 4 Ps of the subject company which will serve as basis for the formulation and recommendation of strategies. The report will focus only on the three markets required which include Japan, Germany and China. Priority is given on demographics, general outlook and culture and will only briefly mention the procurement, distribution data as well as cost figures. The global fast food market is growing at an accelerated pace as developing countries now earnestly face globalization by opening its borders to foreign trade, welcoming foreign investments and expanding their markets in overseas locations. While global interconnection encourages free trade, increased investments, and reciprocal employment opportunities, it also puts pressure on the local human resource as job requirements become more intricate and time consuming. As the standard of living in urbanized cities soar, people would need to generate increased income levels to support personal expenditures. This promotes the crossover from traditional cultural patterns in terms of income households and consumptions. As the trend for single-person households and working mothers escalates, the tradition of house-cooked meals and leisure eating becomes more and more difficult due to time constraints. These developments put to the fore the need for fast and convenient food items that only a f ast food outlet can provide. Food Info Net defines fast food as â€Å"the sale of food and drinks for immediate consumption, either on the premises or in designated eating areas shared with other foodservice operators, or for consumption elsewhere† (Food Info Net, December 2006). For the chosen product

Orthodox Jewish Wedding Essay Example for Free

Orthodox Jewish Wedding Essay Marriage is normally a ceremony done in churches, in government premises, or in modern ones like beaches and gardens. It is usually done as a sign of love between two people. Marriage used to be a very sacred ceremony as two people say their vows to each other. Different cultures do this in different manners. In this paper, we will discover how the Orthodox Jewish wedding is done. This would prove the diversity of cultures in the world and how the Jewish community carries out their traditions and belief. This is divided into three parts that include the preparations done before the wedding, the set up days before the wedding and the wedding proper. When two people fall in love, what they want to end up mostly is a bride and a groom or a husband and a wife. Although it is altered by some other reasons in the modern times, the idea of marriage is still considered sacred by most of us. Although socio-economic status, health, dynasty and other things affect the people’s view on marriage, we still cannot take away the fact that the people who get married always ask for a happy life. Whatever reason they may have, the bottom line is still that they are searching for contentment in any way. A Jewish wedding day, the same with all other religions, is something that they really celebrate. Different kinds of rituals happen weeks before and during this day, in consideration of their history and heritage. As soon as the couple gets engaged, rituals already take place. It includes breaking a plate to represent the temples in Jerusalem that were destructed. It is to signify that even if they are enjoying in the celebration of the wedding, they are still saddened with the fact that these temples were destroyed before. It is also usual for the parents to do the arrangement of the wedding, with the help of someone like a match-maker called Yenta. Although this is so, the groom is still required to ask the bride’s father for her hand in marriage and to pay a dowry in exchange of the bride (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/religion/religions/judaism/rites/weddings_1. shtml). Judaism sees this practice as sacred. They think that without a man and a woman, each of the sexes will never be complete. They complement each other and each compensates what the other loses. They also teach in their doctrines that any person without getting married doesn’t experience the absolute joy and contentment in this life. It means that being married gives satisfaction to people, especially when they are blessed by God. When referring to marriage, they usually use the term â€Å"sanctification† which usually refers to the spirituality of the bond that binds two people and of the commandment made by God. They also see it as something that has a purpose. They view marriage as a perquisite to reproduction and friendship. It is both procreation and companionship. In the bible, as they believe, â€Å"It is not good for a man to be alone†. It is also a practice of each person’s legal rights through a contractual agreement where they sign on. Although there were times when the Jews were dispersed all over the world, they are still successful in preserving this practice as they live. This is probably because they really believe in the practice, because through it, history proves that families stayed stable and happy when they underwent the same kind of marriage . Jewish weddings are almost the same. They are made easier by the Rabbis by asking for a very minimal requirement. The Rabbis is the one who makes the laws in this kind of ritual (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Marriage in the Orthodox Jewish is very much full of traditions that show practice and devotion. In planning their weddings, every detail is very important. They take the preparation as a challenge of their capacity and a challenge to celebrate the wedding successfully. They pay too much attention to all the needs of the ceremony that makes every wedding a perfect one. The Orthodox Jews are believed to be the strictest among the strands of the Jewish faith. Their wedding ceremony is done by combining the legal and religious aspects of marriage. In case one of the couple is non-Jewish, he or she is asked to convert to the same religion. They believe that happiness cannot be achieved if they don’t undergo marriage, which is a license to fulfillment in the world. Also, it is said that when they get married, they don’t just focus on material and temporal elements of the preparation, but they also assure that their doctrines are properly carried out and that their spiritual and moral preparedness is enveloped on the marriage itself. It just proves that although their marriage is after a good life on earth, they still put in more consideration the supernatural and their religion per se (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Planning an Orthodox Jewish wedding is very tedious. They must consider a lot of things for them to be able to come up with a successful one. Most of the Jewish couple provides a planner that would make it easier for them to see chronologically their plans and the specifics of the ceremony. Through that, they will be able to get organized and efficient in the planning of the main event. The date of the wedding is usually known after they already register with a synagogue and Rabbi at the Chief Rabbi’s office. The time of the day and the day itself are also given much attention to in planning a wedding. It is usual to marry in the afternoon or in the evening, but you can also marry anytime of the day according to what the couple desires. Most of them, however, choose to marry on days like Sunday and Tuesday. It is also not allowed to do the wedding three weeks between July and August and on the Sabbath of festival days (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover Shavuot, and Sukkoth). In case, they want to get married on a Saturday, they prohibit doing the ceremony earlier than two hours before the sun is down (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. onfetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). In general, the first thing to do in planning it is to choose a date that they both want. They usually choose special days like the birth or the death of their rabbis to make a more meaningful celebration. Like other people getting married, they choose a date that means something to them or a date that is significant in their relationship. They also must specify a place or a venue which has enough space for dancing and a wide area where you can put a divider to separate men and women for modesty’s sake. They are very much particular with modesty which they can prove by separating people of different sexes during the wedding ceremony. They must also choose a rabbi to preside the wedding ceremony and a sofer or a Jewish scribe to take charge of the Ketuba or the marriage contract. After that, they must tell their relatives and friends about the wedding and invite them to attend on it. Attendees on this kind of practice matters a lot to the couple because the wedding would not mean anything at all without the presence of a specific number of people. Once they confirm their attendance, they can already inform the caterer about the approximate number of visitors. This is usually done to avoid hassles to both families of the groom and the bride and to assure that everyone eats enough as they celebrate that most important part of their couple life. After that, they must inform those people who are taking part in the wedding to dress accordingly. This is also a sign of respect to the practice. The female ones must use clothes covering the knees and the arms to the elbows, while the married ones must cover their air. Men must wear yarmulkes. The couple must make the wedding canopy from a cloth that is velvet or from a prayer shawl. This is to signify the clouds that helped Jews with everything when they were in the desert. They must make sure that they have the dress, rings without anything engraved in them, and the other things. The bride must make sure she has a veil thicker than the others’ to wear it on the wedding day. From that, they must find a schedule to do the veiling ritual prior the wedding ceremony. It is said that such a practice symbolizes the biblical story that happened between Jacob and Rachel, when they planned to get married. They must assign seven men to utter the words of blessings with a wine. Lastly, they must secure a room for the couple where they can spend on after the wedding proper. They are expected to stay there before they eat and spend time together alone for a certain period (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. ehow. com/how_2077192_plan-orthodox-jewish-wedding. html). The wedding invitation is usually two sided and has an English translation at the right side. It does not ask for the person’s presence, instead it is asking people to â€Å"dance at† or â€Å"share in the joy of†. In this kind of ritual, visitors are very important, because they play a very vital role in the process. The copies of the invitation may be distributed and may be given by the couple or both of their parents. Sometimes, the invitation also includes biblical quotes to explain people why such thing is done or to further elaborate the importance of each part of the program (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). All of the guests are provided with copy of the program for them to know exactly what part they are in during the wedding proper. It may also include some Ketuba texts, the vendors’ names, a note coming from the bridal couple and some explanations of the different elements of the ceremony. This is also done to avoid unnecessary noises when they ask others why a particular thing is done (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). The Orthodox bride must prepare something white, while the groom must have a short white linen robe called a kittel. The bride is also expected to visit mikyah in the morning of her wedding. This is done to make sure that the bride undergoes a ritual bath that is believed to purify her and to make her a better woman as she gets married (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). It is also a must, that in able for a couple to get married in the Orthodox Jewish tradition, it is a perquisite that their parents also married in the same manner. Usually, both of their parents underwent the same practice. If in case their parents did not undergo the practice, they must talk to the rabbi for clarification. The ceremony includes singing and reading from the psalms. The wedding usually takes an hour before it finally ends. The wedding can actually occur anywhere, depending on what the groom and the bride choose. Given a desired venue, the bride or the Kallah and the groom or the Chatan, must stand under a canopy. The venue as chosen by them is usually paid by the bride’s parents. The validity of the wedding depends on the number of males present. There must e ten of them, which in their tradition, is called minyan (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. confetti. co. uk/article/view/5054-7598-0-). Prior to the ceremony, the groom may spend time with his friends as eat and drink together on a table, called chassans tisch. Brides, on the other hand, take three or seven times circling her groom which is also a practice based on their bible (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). When the guests arrive on the wedding day, males go with the groom in a certain room, while the female ones go with the bride in another room where she sits on a throne-type chair. This is called â€Å"public beckoning† and may be spent with just family and other guests (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. eddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). A service usually starts with the opening from the rabbi, followed by a bride being escorted to the canopy. It is then followed by a ritual of circling the groom by the bride. This also has a hidden meaning. The benedictions are read after and then the sharing of the cup of wine. The exchange of the rings is then done, followed by the reading of ketuba. Another cup of wine is offered which is shared by the groom and the bride. It was first blessed and told with a prayer for the companionship and joy of the newly wed. Later on, they are proclaimed as husband and wife and they are showered with rice and are greeted with a toast (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). During the marriage proper, the groom is asked to read from the Torah. That ritual is called Aufruf. Further, it is like a way of congratulating the couple, and letting the public know that they are getting married soon. In the same practice, some brides throw candies and nuts as he finishes the recitation of the benedictions. Through that, they are able to ask for a sweet and fertile life. The groom gives his bride a ring that is a sign of love. It is put on the bride’s right index finger, up to the second knuckle. It is so, because they believe that such a finger points to the soul and that it is used in pointing when they are reading the Torah. On the contrary, she puts the ring on his left ring finger. As they are doing this, they are reciting a Hebrew statement called haray aht (Retrieved on December 11, 2008 from http://www. weddingdetails. com/lore/jewish. cfm). In summary, preparing for the Orthodox Jewish Wedding is no easy thing. It requires a lot of effort to come up with an acceptable wedding that takes in consideration both the earthly and the religious aspect of life. Through this paper, we can also picture that even if there are still more days before the wedding, the people are already busy planning the event and are already doing some practices for the benefit of the big day. The wedding proper shows that values of these people as they do the rituals associated with getting married. It is also very obvious that they are really trying hard to avoid getting away from the proper way of doing it. Before and after the wedding, they are very optimistic about their, because of their trust to the Almighty. Everyone is looking forward to a happy and a blessed life ahead as they undergo the blessing of God through marriage. Celebration of their wedding is really something that the Jewish community must really be proud of. It is full of traditions that only their group inhibits and practices as well. Their culture is very rich and admirable. This is only a proof that cultures vary from place to place and that each culture has its beauty that everyone can admire. It is the Jewish community’s pride to have this and definitely, there are not just proud, but happy about acquiring this kind of culture.

The Understanding Of Knowledge Influence Human Resource Development Education Essay

The Understanding Of Knowledge Influence Human Resource Development Education Essay The importance of interpretive sociology is renowned in this Anne Fearfulls piece of research. Clerical skill and knowledge, and the role of the clerical function within five organisations are explored using qualitative research, mainly in-depth interviews. The study also focuses on the concept of common sense in order for clerks to become efficient or effective in their work. Moreover, in her study, Fearfull concluded that the skills and knowledge of the clerks can easily play an important role with regards to the success of a particular organisation. Additionally, interpretive methodology serves to create new perceptivity in the investigation of skills and knowledge amongst the workforce. Such research aims at the discovery of more opportunities. How might the understanding of knowledge as proposed by Fearfull (2005) influence human resource development policies? Various features constitute human resource development, including training, performance management and career growth. These attributes aim at the development of the employees knowledge. Organisations should understand what knowledge is needed in order to be easily explained to their workforce. In Fearfulls research, the difference between the experienced (older) and the inexperienced (younger) clerks, is remarked. As a human resource development policy, organisations can explore the possibility of engaging more experienced employees in delivering the training programmes to the newly recruited and less experienced employees. This can take the form of job mentoring whereby new and/or less experienced employees absorb knowledge from the experienced ones in order to have greater opportunities at succeeding in their position. Research indicates that when newly employees experience mentor relationships, they are more likely to be retained and immersed more quickly into the organisations cu lture. By this type of relationship, the mentor also benefits since it provides the opportunity to re-evaluate his/her skills and knowledge and provide areas for improving them. Provide a brief example which demonstrates your understanding of the key points outlined in the article. Throughout my University life, I had been engaged in various practicum placements as part of my undergraduate course. These placements have helped me to acquire knowledge through hands-on experience, understanding theories through practice. Additionally, during my first weeks of my employment, I had been engaged in an induction programme, whereby experienced employees provided training to the new recruits, including myself. I had the opportunity to become more knowledgeable of the organisations procedures and acquire the skills needed to function effectively in my new post. Despite this, the induction programme did not aid in accelerating the process of getting to know the underlying procedures which established employees employ in the day to day running of the service. Such procedures may be viewed as becoming part of the jobs common sense reasoning, which employees acquire after a considerate amount of time in the post. This was something that I have learnt by time. But this problem had been solved by having a mentor in the first four months of my employment. I consider myself as very lucky since my mentor invested trust in my abilities and was always available when needed. This was a truly learning experience whereby knowledge and work skills have been transferred from an employee who had already lived through the same experience. Lastly, I believe that the secret of the organisations success is the total and unwavering dedication of every worker, from the lowest to the highest designations. Accomplishment is the result of a collective effort from each and every employee. Reflective statement on the use of Blackboard: This is my first time I ever used Blackboard as a means of virtual learning environment. To be honest, I have never heard of it prior commencing my studies with the University of Leicester. In fact, I even had to perform some research before writing this reflective note on the use of Blackboard. At first, I thought it was quite a complicated tool but after spending some time navigating, my views on the software have changed completely. Blackboard is a system whereby students find useful resources about different subjects (depending on the course one is reading). It offers an excellent alternative to the traditional school / University classroom-based method of learning. Students can have the opportunity of sharing their ideas on a particular subject and even posting assignments and other useful resources online. Although Blackboard might be seen from some people as a means of killing face-to-face interactions, I am quite sure that when using Blackboard, it is going to turn out as a positive experience. Lastly, by looking and analysing at what my other colleagues have posted on Blackboard, I am indirectly increasing my knowledge and level of understanding about the subject. I strongly believe that everybodys effort and input is relevant since a broad subject like Human Resources is a not a topic that entails a one-good answer. AWS Portfolio Exercise 2 Identify one key argument that Garavan makes. In no more than 500 words, summarise the main argument and critically evaluate the respective strengths and weaknesses of this argument. One of the main arguments identified by Garavan (1997) in his article Training, Development, Education and Learning: Different or the Same? is that training, development, and education should be integrated together by the concept of learning. This implies that the three components are all involved in the process of learning and complement each other to better the human potential or talent (1997: 42). Although the four concepts represent different meanings, they all can be incorporated together resulting in a more competitive and efficient organisation. From a human resource development perception, the relationship between the four may be considered as largely related, with each component facilitating the other (Garavan et al, 1995). Work and education are no longer separated as were in the previous years. A more integrated model (Garavan, 1997: 47) is needed to the process of knowledge expansion amongst employees. This process should continuously be practiced as it will enhance the effectiveness of the organisation. By training employees, both the trainees and the organisation will benefit and research has shown that trained employees have a higher retention rate in a particular organisation (Umiker, 1994). Garavan (1997) also argues that the concept of management education is an important stage in an employees career (1997: 48), entailing an opportunity to test understanding and organise knowledge in a competing environment (Association of Management of MBA/MMS Institutes, 2009). The above goes hand in hand with the concept of talent management which in my opinion is an important aspect of human resource management. It refers to the employees skills and knowledge which ultimately drive their business success. Various resources, including training opportunities, offering competitive salaries, and being able to attract and recruit qualified staff, helping employees achieve their full potential. Investing knowledge, development and education amongst employees, is a way of putting an organisation into a more competitive environment and its chances of survival are quite higher than the others organisations. This is the reason why talent management is becoming an important feature in the strategic plan of an organisation. Thus, these three integrated concepts of learning are vital in an organisation because employees are giving the chance to advance in their future and career. They all motivate employees to be more efficient and more creative so that the organisation will in return provide them with a better salary and more skills. These concepts can also provide a range of challenges to a particular organisation. Such challenges include: If training is given in a short period of time (lets say in the beginning of his/her employment), the employee can be overwhelmed with lots of information. This challenge can be overcome if organisations provide training and development opportunities throughout the employees careers and not only during the first phase of their employment. The possibility that the employee leaves the organisation to a better or more exciting workplace, after the organisation invests so hard on the development, education and training of the employee. Successful organisation depends on the level of support given at all levels and its exposure of shared knowledge and information amongst all employees (Nayab, 2010). Lastly, training, development and education increase knowledge, skills and abilities in each employee. In order to avoid having the situation of no talented employees within a particular organisation, training, education and development must work together and be more involved in the strategic plan of the organisation. The three components together act as strategic partners aiming towards the organisations success (Kustoff, 2011). Bibliography Garavan, T. N. (1997) Training, Development, Education and Learning: Different or the Same?, in CLMS (2011) MSc in Human Resource Management and Training. Reading 103. Garavan, T. N., Costine, P. and Heraty, N. (1995) Training Development in Ireland: Context, Policy and Practice. Dublin: Oak Tree Press. Kustoff, R. (n.d.) The New Learning Paradigm. Self Improvement Inc.: Morganville [Online]. Available: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/The_New_Learning_Paradigm.html [2011, February 9]. Nayab, N. (2010) An Overview of HR Talent Management. Bright Hub Inc.: New York [Online]. Available: http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/96352.aspx [2011, February 9]. Umiker, W. O. (1994) Does Training Increase Employee Retention? [Online]. Available: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3230/is_n4_v26/ai_15410797/ [2011, February 9]. AWS Portfolio Exercise 3 In no more than 500 words, analyse the relationship between the process of learning and the role of the trainer, making specific reference to the three readings listed above. Over the years, many people have examined the way people learn. This has resulted in the formation of various theories in which different views on the learning process have been developed. The readings pertaining to this exercise entail different approaches towards the process of learning. Lave and Wenger, as cited in Guile and Youngs (1998) remark learning in a socially manner whereby knowledge is transferred amongst a group of people working together rather individually. This type of learning, known as situated learning, constitutes a multidirectional approach (rather unidirectional) whereby the apprentice (trainer) is engaged in a web of relationships amongst the other colleagues rather than with his/her trainer only. They coined the term community of practice whereby all people share their knowledge by contributing ideas and information, and by helping each other out (Smith, 2003, 2009). This contrasts with the behaviourists theory on the process of learning. As noted in Tennants reading on Behaviourism, the trainer takes all the control during the learning process, while the trainees have little or no control over the process. Their simple notion is that if a positive reinforcement follows a desired behaviour, the latter is most likely to happen again. This type of reinforcement, or rewards, motivate the learner to continue with that kind of behaviour. This will consequently increase the process of learning within individuals. Additionally, negative reinforcement will give the same results, whereby negative situations are ceased as an effect of the behaviour. Punishment will occur because a negative situation is experienced as a result of the behaviour. Therefore, unlike in the community of practices, motivation occurs only as a result of rewards rather than for a self-wish for learning (Ford, 2009). Lave and Wengers work has been built on Vygotskys zone of proximal development in which an individual performs a task under adult supervision and through the support of his peers. Therefore, learning here is seen as a symbiotic experience for both the learner and his/her tutor whilst in behaviourism, the learner determines his/her behaviour on the reinforcements provided by his/her trainer. Therefore in the behaviourists approach, the trainer models the behaviour of the trainer rather easing the learning process. Khoon and Jewson (1995), in their research paper Changing Hearts and Minds: Training Programmes for Mid-Career Workers in Singapore suggested four stages in the development of learning process / training programmes by using the learning-centred approach. The findings of their research imply that motivation did not occur within the first stage but is built gradually within the four stages. In fact, no motivation exists amongst people during the first stage (withdrawal) whereby people in an organisation do not treat training programmes as a solution to their problems and difficulties. As a result, the main task of the trainers here is that of convincing employees by changing their ideas on their perception of training. This stage will then lead to the awareness phase in which people start to recognise training as a potential source of help (Khoon and Jewson, 1995). In the second stage motivation is built and people have been convinced to attend training. Norming is the next stage that follows. Here the trainees understand the fact that learning is the only option to enhance their problem-solving skills and therefore training is now seen as a privilege rather than a punishment. The final stage implies participation whereby people participate fully in the training process without the fear of failing. It is only at this stage where the dispositional barriers are fully conquered. Furthermore, like in the community of practice, in this stage, people feel that the learning programme is relevant to them. Lastly, in both situated learning and learning-centred approach, the role of the trainer is more that of facilitating learning by providing support. This will eventually encourage trainees to participate in training programmes and take the initiative of entering into such programmes themselves. Bibliography Dunn, L. (2000) Theories of Learning. Oxford Brookes University: Oxford [Online]. Available http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/ocsd/2_learntch/theories.html [2011, February 12] Ford, P. (2009) Behavioural Approach [Online]. Available http://paulford.com/behavioural-approach-to-learning/ [2011, February 12] Guile, D. and Young, M. (1998) Apprenticeship as a Conceptual Basis for a Social Theory of Learning, in CLMS (2011) MSc in Human Resource Management and Training. Reading 115. Khoon, H. C. and Jewson, N. (1995) Changing Hearts and Minds: Training Programmes for Mid-Career Workers in Singapore, in CLMS (2011) Msc in Human Resource Management and Training. Reading 120. Smith, M. K. (2009) Communities of Practice. Infed: London [Online]. Available http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm [2011, February 11] Standridge, M. (2002) Behaviorism [Online]. Available http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Behaviorism [2011, February 11] Tennant, M. (2006) Behaviourism, in CLMS (2011) MSc in Human Resource Management and Training. Reading 104. AWS Portfolio Exercise 4 Cognitive theory is more relevant to the trainer in the modern workplace than behaviourist theory. To what extent do you agree with this statement? A possible plan. Introduction Points: Both cognitive and behaviourist theories are feasible learning theories. Although many believe that the former has surpassed the latter in its dominancy, it can be argued that both theories are still valid nowadays. Throughout the essay, an overview of what constitute both theories will be provided, and then share any similarities between the two. Subsequently, this essay will provide the reader with another theory, cognitive-behaviourism, which in a nutshell, is a combination of both theories underlying a comprehensive interaction between thoughts and behaviours. The main thrust of the argument presented in this essay is that trainers in modern workplaces shall use the cognitive-behaviourist theories with regards to training of employees. Body Points: What does cognitive theory say about learning theory? Learning occurs within the mind; Trainee learns by listening, watching, touching, reading, or experiencing and then processing and remembering the information (ThinkQuest, n.d.); Provide meaning to knowledge; How people understand material. What does behaviourist theory say about learning theory? Learning is seen as the acquisition of new behaviours; Learning results from pleasant or unpleasant experiences in life (Bailey, 2011); Observable behaviours produced by a learners response to stimuli (positive and negative) (Michigan State University, n.d.); For example, if a positive reinforcement follows a desired behaviour, the latter is most likely to happen again; This type of reinforcement, or rewards, motivate the learner to continue with that kind of behaviour; This will consequently increase the process of learning within individuals. Learn to (Behaviourist) vs. Learn that (Cognitive). Are there any similarities between the two theories? Yes. In a nutshell, they both agree that: Experience impacts learning; Learning theories should be objective and based on empirical based research. Were the two theories relevant someday or another? What about today? What does literature tell about their relevancy? Can the trainer use both methods? Cognitive-Behaviourism Theory Blending both theories together entails having a persons faulty thinking and behaviours changed through education and reinforcements. Such techniques foster more adaptive ways for the trainee to cope (Grohol, 2004); Feeling based learning theories; Responses are based on continuous interactions between out feelings, thinking and behaviours. I believe that trainers can apply both theories in the modern workplace if they are implemented correctly and competently. How? Bibliography Bailey, L. (2010) Cognitive and Behavioral Learning Theories [Online]. Available http://ezinearticles.com/?Cognitive-and-Behavioral-Learning-Theoriesid=3633960 [2011, February 13]. Grohol, J. M. (2004) Types of Therapies: Theoretical Orientations and Practices of Therapists. Psych Central: Newburyport [Online]. Available http://psychcentral.com/therapy.htm [2011, February 13]. Purcell, L. (n.d.) Behaviorism: Learning Theory [Online]. Available https://www.msu.edu/~purcelll/behaviorism%20theory.htm [2011, February 13]. ThinkQuest Team (n.d.) Cognitive Processes [Online]. Available http://library.thinkquest.org/26618/en-5.5.3=cognitive%20learning.htm [2011, February 13]. AWS Portfolio Exercise 5 For each extract, please provide your view in response to the following: Evaluate the style and expression. Are there any problems with it? Does it have any particular strengths? Extract 1: In my belief, the author of this extract failed to provide the reader with the basic accounts of the key concepts of Skinners work. Instead s/he criticise Skinners work by only providing the reader with a number of limitations. This also suggests that the author did not provide an analytical discussion of Skinners theories in comparison with his/her own arguments. Citing other peoples views could have helped the author to back up his/her arguments. Also, the author used a numeric list while mentioning a number of limitations in his assignment. This style is normally used when presenting facts and not when suggesting the writers own ideas. The latter in my opinion could have easily been explained better using more detailed paragraphs on each limitation. Furthermore, the author failed to adopt a third person approach in the assignment, leaving a more judgmental approach on the issues being tackled. This also suggests that the writers expressed opinions are not analysed in a balanced manner. Besides this, the author failed to use precise academic language with over-lengthy sentences and incorrect construction of sentences. A positive strength about this extract is the use of questions, which when used rightly, are aimed to attract the attention of the readers. Extract 2: The author in this citation, is picturing the audience in an excellent manner. S/he is not assuming that the reader has a prior knowledge on the subject. In fact, arguments are well defined and issues are discussed clearly and logically. Unlike the first extract, evidence is provided in regards to the statements that the author made. The style of writing is very clear and concise with an excellent flow of discussion that amalgamates the various issues surrounding the topic. Moreover, the author avoided the use of the first person when writing sentences and therefore expressing ideas in a very balanced way. One problem that I encountered while reading this extract was the use of over-lengthy sentences and colloquial expressions. The last sentence is a case in point, where it could have been simplified by using shorter and simpler sentences. Extract 3: The author of this extract used a personal account as an introductory and explanatory statement in order to support the answer of the question. On the other hand, although there is nothing wrong with personal experiences, the author should pay extra attention in order not to become carried away and loses the point of the question. As a general rule, personal reminiscences are not appropriate in the construction of academic assignments as the focus of the question can easily be shifted. However, in my opinion, I do not see anything wrong with this unless it is within the remit of the subject in caption, and used only as a preamble in an assignment. Lastly, in the body of the assignment, the author should offer discussions based on the various relevant sources about the subject being discussed. AWS Portfolio Exercise 6 Please provide a summary of a reading of your choice from the readings in your first module. Name of article: Learning from others at work: Communities of practice and informal learning Authors: David Boud and Heather Middleton Summary: Informal learning is not normally attributed in most organisations although some efforts are now being made to take account of it. In fact, this research paper aims to investigate the way employees learn from each other at their place of work. The researcher engages him/herself in work-site interviews with various employees within a particular organisation. The questions asked sought to find suitable ways of learning strategies amongst the workgroups. Moreover, the results of this study have been compared with Lave and Wengers concept of communities of practice, which is highly linked with informal learning at work. Four different groups were interviewed in order to investigate their learning practices within their own units. The first group (teachers of floor and wall tiling) have been working together for the last ten years. The head teachers role in this group is quite notable in the learning process amongst the other teachers. Information is passed on orally during unofficial meetings and also by emphasising significant sections of different articles and passes them on to his colleagues. Furthermore, members of this group act as a learning source for each other. The second group (educational planners) deals with quite sensitive issues within the organisation and their method of learning involves the contribution of experiences and collective knowledge. Colleagues are nominated to act as the central sources for information amongst their faculties. Similar to the first group, the leader of this newly integrated group act as a source of feedback and assistance on the performance of his/her colleagues. The next group forms part of the Human Resources Department of the organisation. It consists of employees of different grades with a very strong teamwork spirit. Job learning occurs through the supervision of the junior staff by their senior personnel and again the team leader is a primary focus in dealing with the most complicated and unusual difficulties. Learning also takes place through informal gatherings and regular staff meetings. Informal learning also occurs when employees pertaining to this group are asked to act at a higher level whilst others are on leave. The last group (workplace training unit) is quite small in number and its members have a very close working relationship between each other. Again, employees learn from each other during informal meetings whereby experiences and new ideas are shared amongst each other. The experience of learning within this organisation is highly dependent on the nature of work amongst the different workgroups. Apart from this, there were some commonalities amongst various sections of the groups with the concept of communities of practice. No relationship between communities of practice and the workgroups themselves has been noted due to lack of common activities and differences of function amongst the employees. Lastly, learning from other colleagues (of the same level) is quite popular in the workgroups interviewed. This contributes to the concept of horizontal or sideways development and learning as developed by Engestrom (2001). Bibliography Boud, D. and Middleton, H. (2003) Learning from Others at Work: Communities of Practice and Informal Learning, Journal of Workplace Learning, 15(5): 194-202. Engestrà ¶m, Y. (2001) Expansive Learning at Work: Towards an Activity-Theoretical Conception, Journal of Education and Work, 14(1): 133-156. Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. AWS Portfolio Exercise 7 Correct any referencing errors in the extract and bibliography. You should edit the extract, correcting the referencing errors as you go, highlighting where you have done so. Lynda Measor and Patricia Sike Measor and Sike (1992) identify the influence of gender on pupils achievement in education. They examine pupils experience of gender role stereotyping in secondary school and how the expectations placed on them contribute to their success or failure. In particular, they suggest that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦schools prepare each sex for quite different styles of life, and that Girlsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦leave school unqualified or under-qualified for paid work in the labour market (Measor and Sike, (1992: PAGE NUMBER MISSING). They acknowledge that boys expectations of work are also affected by the roles they are expected to fulfil (Measor and Sike, 1992). Indeed, Adams (1996: PAGE NUMBER MISSING), studying the design of competencies for jobs, notes that there is also a difference in expectations of womens and mens behaviour at work, even when those men and women hold the same post (1996). Clearly then gender shapes expectations, thus affecting the outcome of education and training. However, whether gender is the dominant factor affecting learning outcomes is debatable. Research by Troyna and Hatcher (1992) and Mac an Ghaill (cited in CLMS, 2008) suggests that experience of racial and ethnic difference in schools has as strong an effect on educational outcome as gender. In one study black pupils responded to racism within education in different ways, some by rejecting the expectations placed on them and others by resisting the system but nevertheless achieving above-average results (AUTHOR/S SURNAME/S MISSING, 1988). Interestingly, both the studies on gender and those on race and ethnicity identify social class as having a fundamental effect on educational outcome. While gender and race can been seen as key barriers to achievement, the underlying mechanisms of social class create barriers to the advancement of both boys and girls of all races and ethnicities in the edu cation and training systems. For example, in Britain the remnants of a strongly divided social class system have an effect on education. CLMS summary of the work of Andy Furlong identifies factors such as, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦poverty, overcrowding, differences in values and attitudes towards education, teachers attitudesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and the type of jobs which are available locally (1995: PAGE NUMBER MISSING), all of which influence the outcome of education. Thus, while education in Britain is supposed to offer equal opportunities to all pupils, CLMS shows that these factors are all, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦associated with social class (1995: PAGE NUMBER MISSING). These social barriers to learning in the classroom translate to less training later in life. Statistics from a government survey published in 1989, which identified social class by income, showed that members of Social Class 1 (skilled, non-manual occupations) were twice as likely as those in Social Class 3 (manual workers) to report receiving training in the previous three years (Training Agency, 1989). Aaron Pun, who is interested in the current technological capacity to deliver training to widespread communities via open and distance education, adds to this debate by concluding that a lack of sensitivity to cultural differences can also create barriers to learning (Pun, 1995). He gives an example of Chinese managers, whose expectations of Management Development training were not met. Self-directed and participative training styles were used in a programme supplied by a Western trainer a lack of cultural sensitivity meant that expectations of a more didactic approach were not taken into account, creating a barrier to successful training. This point is emphasised by other researchers who note that some problems in training are caused by cultural differences in learning style. In conclusion, all of the cases above show that both cultural and social differences have an effect on learning, and that these influences must be taken into account in the design of training programmes.