Analysis Of The Poem This Lunar Beauty Essay - 1774 Words

W.H. Auden’s â€Å"This Lunar Beauty† can be read as a poem as an enigmatic love that baffles the speaker, as he attempts to understand the complexity of the lunar beauty. However, Auden lived during the early 1900s and identified himself as a gay man, though he was married, briefly, to a woman. Understanding Auden’s biographical lifestyle can lead one to read â€Å"This Lunar Beauty† under a queer lens. Although the queerness of the poem is not directly stated; the structure and language of the poem lead â€Å"This Lunar Beauty† to be interpreted as a gay relationship that is hidden during the day and is able to come forth during the night when both the speaker and the lunar beauty are able to be their true selves. When reading Auden’s â€Å"This Lunar Beauty† under a queer lens, it is imperative to note how Auden plays with the passage of time and in turn, how the difference between day and night lead the poem to undergo a queer inte rpretation. The â€Å"beauty† that the speaker finds himself captivated by is surrounded by darkness. Particularly, the speaker personifies this love as â€Å"lunar,† as in, it is not found during the day light hours. By characterizing the love as lunar, not only does it relay to the audience that this love the speaker has found is strictly found during the darkness, but also that this love is cyclic in nature, similar to the moon’s cycles. The image of the moon is striking and leads to an interpretation of the poem that can be seen as a queer poem. The lunar beauty isShow MoreRelatedKubla Khan and Its Relation to Romanticism2675 Words   |  11 Pageshave been planning a two hundred to three hundred line poem before he got interrupted by a man from Porlock, after which he had forgotten nearly all of his dream. This may have been merely an excuse, and the poem was scorned at the time for having no poetic value, one critic even going so far as to call it more a musical composition than a poem. This is partly true, as the language seems to strive for an aural beauty more than a literary beauty, although it accomplishes both. Like many great artistsRead MoreA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 PagesSage) of al-Majriti, Maslamati ibn Ahmad II. Summary of the Contents of the Picatrix III. Excerpt from a Lecture on Alchemy by Terence McKenna On the Moon and the Lunar Mansions IV. Extracts on the Moon V. The Mansions of the Moon: â€Å"On the Creation, Proportion and Composition of the Heavens for the Fashioning of Images† VI. The Picatrix: Lunar Mansions in Western Astrology VII. W. B. Yeats and â€Å"A Vision:† The Arab Mansions of the Moon On Ritual and Talismans Picatrix Astrological Magic Aphorisms ExtractsRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesupdated: April 26, 2016 Logical Reasoning Bradley H. Dowden Philosophy Department California State University Sacramento Sacramento, CA 95819 USA ii iii Preface Copyright  © 2011-14 by Bradley H. Dowden This book Logical Reasoning by Bradley H. Dowden is licensed under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. That is, you are free to share, copy, distribute, store, and transmit all or any part of the work under the following conditions:

Evaluation Of Success Of Six Sigma Projects -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Evaluation Of Success Of Six Sigma Projects? Answer: Introducation Six Sigma is an approach used in ensuring continuous quality improvement and lowering inherent variability. 3Ms, Inc. Six Sigma journey began after James Mcnerney was named the companys chairman and executive officer in January 2001. Before his arrival in the company, some Six Sigma activities were taking place in some sections of the company. However, it was not as much as it would be with McNerney's corporate-driven approach. After four years, the progress is remarkable, and the organization has continuously developed new products including new business processes. The companys growth strategy includes the following corporate initiatives: Six Sigma, Sourcing Globally, 3M Acceleration, eProductivity, and Indirect Cost Control. Under the new executive officer, the firm began the task of implementing initiatives that aim at improving customer service. The actions are according to the organizations strategies. The strategies make the customers think of the 3M organization as an agile firm that they are and willing to provide the best goods and services. The improvement processes are usually approved by the management, savings are tracked and defects reduced, and the team leaders are held accountable for the activities. The top agenda at 3M, Inc. was headlong and companywide implementation of the six sigma. The aim was to improve the business by increasing sales, saving costs, satisfying the customers and strengthening management development (Yksel, 2012, pp. 75). The approach was used in two improvement models: existing processes used DMAIC model a nd development of new products used DFSS model. The daily operations in implementing the plan include: tracing down the savings from the project and designing new products and reducing risks in the designing process. These activities are aligned with 3M, Inc. whose strategy is leading in products and products quality. Action Plan Time Objective Action One month To select the appropriate projects. Senior executives are trained and tasked with developing the 100 main sigma projects. One month To train the middle managers. The senior executives were to lead the training. Two months To develop and implement improvement plans. Using the two improvement models: for the existing product, DMAIC model and developing new products, DFSS model. One month To manage for excellence in operations. Management of the daily operations of 3M to ensure that they are at per with the firms strategy. One month To sustain the gains. Continuously tracking down the Six Sigma approach for quality development and product leadership. An action plan is a plan that is detailed, outlining the actions required to reach a goal. 3Ms goal is to improve on product quality through innovation. The first month involves identifying and developing appropriate projects. Senior executives were exposed to an intensive training program. This gave them several ideas and projects that they could use to improve products quality. Appropriate plans that would be put into practice came from these senior managers. The following one month was used in training the middle managers. The middle managers would ensure that the departments applied the Six Sigma model in their daily activities. This would ensure that the approach was successful. The senior executives were tasked with leading training efforts for the middle managers. The following two months involved developing and implementing improvement plans. 3M used two models in developing and improving their product and services. The first model was DMAIC model for improving existing services, while the DFSS model was used in developing new products. The next month would be used in managing the Six Sigma approach for excellent operations. Managing involves ensuring that the companys daily activities are at per with the firms strategy. The entire process is managed to ensure that it achieves the legitimate goal which is improving quality through innovation. The last one month would be used in sustaining the gains. The Six Sigma is continuously tracked down for quality development and product leadership. Any mistakes made within the process are identified and corrected on time. The errors may be detected before they occur to cut down on cots that come along with them. Section Two The Six Sigma approach is customer and quality driven. The program can be defined by its benefits, costs, and risks. The primary advantage of this approach is controlling quality. This method is characterized by having 3.4 defects per one million products. The benefits of the Six Sigma include analysing data for assessment purpose, low-cost savings, improving product and services quality. Also, it ensures effective supply chain management, increases stabilization, saving on process time and vocational training of staff. The real success of the Six Sigma can be seen at 3M. It resulted in a positive impact on the firm. The success has benefited the customers, workers, and shareholders. Anything that is not acceptable to the customer is considered an error. Six Sigma model determines product improvement before defects can occur. The process costs involve many people during Six Sigma implementation. In implementing the project appropriately, there should be a skilled team. However, existing employees abilities can be improved to meet the specifications (Swink and Jacobs, 2012, pp. 443). The selection of the team members that impact on employing and capacity building is crucial. These costs include investing in training, companys infrastructure and culture evolution. The risks involved with the approach are: choosing inappropriate projects, not having the right staff, tools, and the support to obtain the results, and high costs before payback are seen. Some steps of tracking and avoiding risks include; selecting the right project, objectives, and Six Sigmas standard utilization method. For the Six Sigma to be successful, all areas have to be involved. Since the Six Sigma is a model, it can be implemented in all departments. Hence, every department may have the opportunity to practice the model. The sales and marketing department is involved with the customers needs and their satisfaction. The manufacturing and operations department will be needed to meet manufacturing deadlines, producing required capacities, and supply chain management. The operations along with the finance department need to monitor the cash flows and all accounts payable and accounts receivables. The managers are tasked with the responsibility of encouraging employees during the changing initiative. Managers encouragement gives motivation to the employees, helping succeed cultural change during organizations restructuring. The senior management has the responsibility of leading the change initiative (Furterer, 2016, pp. 127). Also, they are required to be the first in Six Sigmas Black Belts. The middle management is entitled to engage the front line workers in making the change successful and long-lasting. Additionally, they need to model the new processes to include everyone and encourage the workers during the shift. The senior managers can be used as the evaluating body. This means that they judge if the Six Sigma approach has been fully implemented. The middle managers are accountable for the implementation of the Six Sigma by the departments. It is known that the Six Sigma approach creates proper procedure aimed at improving an organizations production and process. The primary principles of the system are a careful examination of customers needs and business requirement, measurement of the performance gap, analysis of essential source and implementation of required correction along with modification. Thus, the approach is involved in corporate strategy such as connecting targets to critical quality factors and addressing the lack of capability with an opportunity to enhance project initiative. Thus, the model covers essential techniques that are used to execute the corporate strategy. At times, changing or improving a companys primary procedures is necessary for accurate procedure and management. The 3M organization had taken two central management actions in the level of procedure improvement (Jirasukprasert, et al. 2014, pp. 17). For the Strategic Project Selection (SPS), the approach improved structure positioning procedures, customer requirement, and prioritization. This was done according to the strategic objectives of the firm. For the Project Management Infrastructure (PMI), the model ensures procedure improvement as per the standard method. When Six Sigma approach is employed, corporate strategy becomes a concern from the bottom up to the top level management. This is because it develops organizational goals throughout the organization and its departments. This may result in a shift in the firms culture. Implementing the approach set objectives that are linked to specific business processes. The processes are prioritized for specific reasons which include the companys value and required resources. The Six Sigma shapes the strategy of the organization. The Six Sigma model is highly structured. Hence, it requires that crucial leaders are designated as team leaders. This means that the Human Resource department is faced with the duty of matching every employee to the roles and functions required in attaining success. Hence, the selection of the workers would involve measurement of their ability to work within a structure and follow a protocol. The companys structure would also be affected when the Six Sigma is employed in the firm. The reason is that the organization would be performing duties as units specializing in a process (Evans and Lindsay, 2014, pp. 234). This may either flatten the structure or make it more diversified. The employees reward would as well be changed because their performance would be measured by efficiency in improving their final output. However, if the employees fail to reach the standards, no reward would be allocated to them. Basing the reward on individual performance would result in redesigning the orga nizations rewards system. As with any firms initiative, many factors contribute to success. These responsibilities fall within the Human Resource as discussed. First, the success of the Six Sigma depends on selecting the right people for the Black Belt role (Pyzdek and Keller, 2014, pp. 72). Investing in training is vital for the position. The Human resource is helpful in identifying the right people for these Black Belt roles. Second, the Black Belts join the initiative from different departments in the company where they receive differing compensation. Thus, it is difficult to make adjustments in the level and compensation to the team as they play the same role. The Human Resource can help in tackling the challenge by establishing right rewards or recognition. 3Ms history has been dotted with innovations and is seen as the most reliable point of the organization bringing about sales, growth and market share. 3M is a diversified firm that has depended on RD departments ability to develop new products. This made the company to secure the first position in its field. The Six Sigma approach was heavily criticized for stifling creativity, meaning reduced innovation opportunities. Since the approach focuses on systematizing procedures and lowering costs and risks, innovation has no room in such a set-up. Six Sigma is about consistency, control, and uniformity. However, innovation is about mutation, difference, failure, and chance. The Six Sigma made the morale at the 3M to sink from being the number one in the most innovative countries list in 2004 to number seven in 2007. Nicholson commented that the Six Sigma approach killed innovation in the company. Hence, the ambassadors at the firm pointed out that the approach was not ideal for the creative process. The approach may work by improving 3Ms approaches mainly in production and marketing. Since Six Sigma is not enough, it can be excellent for improving the organization's performance. However, there are instances where this is not applicable. Arguments on if the approach enough takes two sides (Pulakanam, 2012, pp. 49). The first argument is that innovation and improvement cannot exist in the same company. Second, it is argued that an ambitious company has to attain innovation and improvement by creating a balance. The Six Sigma mod el should be applied in tandem with culture and the organizational structure that can support structure and procedures. At the same time, it should leave room for creativity and innovation (Pyzdek and Keller, 2014, pp. 73). References Evans, J.R. and Lindsay, W.M., 2014.An introduction to Six Sigma and process improvement. Cengage Learning. Swink, M. and Jacobs, B.W., 2012. Six Sigma adoption: Operating performance impacts and contextual drivers of success.Journal of Operations Management,30(6), pp.437-453. Pulakanam, V., 2012. Costs and savings of Six Sigma programs: An empirical study.Quality Management Journal,19(4), pp.39-54. Jirasukprasert, P., Arturo Garza-Reyes, J., Kumar, V. and K. Lim, M., 2014. A Six Sigma and DMAIC application for the reduction of defects in a rubber gloves manufacturing process.International Journal of Lean Six Sigma,5(1), pp.2-21. Pyzdek, T. and Keller, P.A., 2014.The six sigma handbook(Vol. 4). New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Yksel, H., 2012. Evaluation of the success of six sigma projects by data envelopment analysis.International Journal of Business and Management,7(13), p.75. Furterer, S.L. ed., 2016.Lean Six Sigma in service: applications and case studies. CRC Pr

Maya Angelou Essay Example

Maya Angelou Essay In Maya Angelou’s â€Å"Champion of the World† a boxing match affects how African- Americans will be treated in society. The story tells of an important fight between a white man vs. a black man and what the outcome means to an African- American community. To Angelou’s community, the fight is much more than winning or losing a boxing match. It is hope that maybe blacks are as good, as or even better than the whites. When Angelou’s race gets to prove that they are humans and should be treated equal, they come together as a community. The community comes together to see if they could actually be as good as or better than the people who oppressed them. One black man, Joe Louis affects the entire African-American race, by fighting a white man. If Joe Louis wins, it would be a huge step for the African- American race. It would be another step closer for whites and blacks being equal. By Joe winning, it gives not just the community but the whole race hope that things will get better. But if he loses, then blacks go further away from being equal to whites. They become what whites want them to be, in slavery, dumb, worthless and ugly. If Joe Louis loses, they still get punished, while also losing pride and hope. The outcome is much more than winning or losing a boxing match, it determines how blacks will be treated. The community is listening to a boxing match that impacts them forever, a social importance. People came together in Maya’s uncle’s store to listen to the only radio for miles around. Even the Christian ladies who would never allow any type of violence was at the store listening. We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer During the time of the fight, all the differences were forgotten. Everybody at the store comes together as one. They are all hoping for the same thing. The community hopes that maybe a black man can defend his title by beating a white man. That maybe by Joe Louis winning this, then things will get better. To just be there at the store listening to fight was important. The fight represents a long history of racism and discrimination between whites and blacks. Joe Louis falling down symbolizes Angelou’s people falling back into slavery and discrimination. Every time Joe got hit, the people at the store seemed to feel it. As if the hits were hitting their dreams and accomplishments. When Joe was against the ropes getting hit, it reminded the community of all the struggles they have been through. â€Å"My race groaned. It was our people falling. It was another lynching, yet another Black man hanging on a tree. One more woman ambushed and raped. A Black boy whipped and maimed. It was hounds on the trail of a man running through slimy swamps. It was a white woman slapping her maid for being forgetful. She uses this because this is how it used to be and how she thought it would be if Joe were to lose. This shows how important the boxing match was to them, they had to come as a community. The community was together during the hangings, lynches, rapes and other harmful things. So when they get a chance to be better than people who harm them, they come together. The community represents the whole entire African-American race. The people in t he store celebrate Joe Louis victory as their own personal battle. For Joe Louis to beat the white opponent, it is like proving that the whites are no better than the black race. It was as if the community wanted to win the boxing match to prove that they were better than what they thought they were. When Joe did win, the whole store celebrated. â€Å"People drank Coca-Colas like ambrosia and ate candy bars like Christmas† It was big deal to listen to Joe win the fight; he proved to the white people that blacks were worth something. They all came together hoping for victory, for a better future, and to be treated fair by the ones who oppressed them. When Joe Louis won the fight, he proved to the world that African- Americans were the strongest people in the world. Not what whites said what blacks would be. Joe Louis win symbolizes the strength of the African-American people not just in Angelou’s community but the entire African- American race. When Joe Louis wins the fight not only does he keeps his title as â€Å"heavyweight champion of the world†, but he also becomes the African-American’s hero. Joe Louis represented all the â€Å"negroes all over the world†, by winning the championship. The community came together to listen and hope for Joe Louis victory. Maya Angelou Essay Example Maya Angelou Essay In Maya Angelou’s â€Å"Champion of the World† a boxing match affects how African- Americans will be treated in society. The story tells of an important fight between a white man vs. a black man and what the outcome means to an African- American community. To Angelou’s community, the fight is much more than winning or losing a boxing match. It is hope that maybe blacks are as good, as or even better than the whites. When Angelou’s race gets to prove that they are humans and should be treated equal, they come together as a community. The community comes together to see if they could actually be as good as or better than the people who oppressed them. One black man, Joe Louis affects the entire African-American race, by fighting a white man. If Joe Louis wins, it would be a huge step for the African- American race. It would be another step closer for whites and blacks being equal. By Joe winning, it gives not just the community but the whole race hope that things will get better. But if he loses, then blacks go further away from being equal to whites. They become what whites want them to be, in slavery, dumb, worthless and ugly. If Joe Louis loses, they still get punished, while also losing pride and hope. The outcome is much more than winning or losing a boxing match, it determines how blacks will be treated. The community is listening to a boxing match that impacts them forever, a social importance. People came together in Maya’s uncle’s store to listen to the only radio for miles around. Even the Christian ladies who would never allow any type of violence was at the store listening. We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Maya Angelou specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer During the time of the fight, all the differences were forgotten. Everybody at the store comes together as one. They are all hoping for the same thing. The community hopes that maybe a black man can defend his title by beating a white man. That maybe by Joe Louis winning this, then things will get better. To just be there at the store listening to fight was important. The fight represents a long history of racism and discrimination between whites and blacks. Joe Louis falling down symbolizes Angelou’s people falling back into slavery and discrimination. Every time Joe got hit, the people at the store seemed to feel it. As if the hits were hitting their dreams and accomplishments. When Joe was against the ropes getting hit, it reminded the community of all the struggles they have been through. â€Å"My race groaned. It was our people falling. It was another lynching, yet another Black man hanging on a tree. One more woman ambushed and raped. A Black boy whipped and maimed. It was hounds on the trail of a man running through slimy swamps. It was a white woman slapping her maid for being forgetful. She uses this because this is how it used to be and how she thought it would be if Joe were to lose. This shows how important the boxing match was to them, they had to come as a community. The community was together during the hangings, lynches, rapes and other harmful things. So when they get a chance to be better than people who harm them, they come together. The community represents the whole entire African-American race. The people in t he store celebrate Joe Louis victory as their own personal battle. For Joe Louis to beat the white opponent, it is like proving that the whites are no better than the black race. It was as if the community wanted to win the boxing match to prove that they were better than what they thought they were. When Joe did win, the whole store celebrated. â€Å"People drank Coca-Colas like ambrosia and ate candy bars like Christmas† It was big deal to listen to Joe win the fight; he proved to the white people that blacks were worth something. They all came together hoping for victory, for a better future, and to be treated fair by the ones who oppressed them. When Joe Louis won the fight, he proved to the world that African- Americans were the strongest people in the world. Not what whites said what blacks would be. Joe Louis win symbolizes the strength of the African-American people not just in Angelou’s community but the entire African- American race. When Joe Louis wins the fight not only does he keeps his title as â€Å"heavyweight champion of the world†, but he also becomes the African-American’s hero. Joe Louis represented all the â€Å"negroes all over the world†, by winning the championship. The community came together to listen and hope for Joe Louis victory.

Sans-Culotte Essays - French Revolution, Clothing, Sans-culottes

Sans-Culotte Essays - French Revolution, Clothing, Sans-culottes Sans-Culotte Power within the Paris sections of 1792-94 - its social composition, dynamics, and ideology -.(1) That is what was explored in the book The Sans-Culotte. Albert Soboul describes and outlines the composition and activities of the different sections in Paris during Revolutionary France. Soboul describes the activities of these sections as a popular movement by the people of Paris. He explains how the people of Paris united to form different sectional assemblies with their main goal being to improve the lives of the middle and lower class individuals in not only Paris, but France in its entirety. In The Sans-Culottes, Soboul explains in great detail the different ways these sections influenced law making and tried to gain equal rights for all. In addition to describing the political activity of the sans-culottes and the other sections, Soboul also explains some of the military activities and movements of these sections during the revolution. Soboul's book has always been thought as the main authority on the sections in Paris, but in the early 1980's, a critique was written on The Sans-Culottes and many things were found to be wrong with the book. In the critical evaluation of Albert Soboul's The Sans-Culottes a full critique of the book takes place and many problems with the book are pointed out. The problems or shortcomings discussed in the critical evaluation range from a lack of description of the sans-culottes and other sections in Paris and errors in explaining what type of people constituted the membership of the sections, to a lack in a wide range of quality sources. The two problems in The Sans-Culottes that will be discussed in this essay are the lack of quality sources and the lack of description of the sections and who constituted them. The lack of description of the sections in Paris is a major blemish with the book. The critique points out that Soboul lumps all of the sections of Paris together when describing them. He fails to separate them into exactly what they are: sections. It is true that there were movements made to try and unite all the sections, but this never becomes a reality so distinction between sections should be shown. Soboul makes no distinctions between quartiers' and sections, and between socio-economic geographies and local politics.(2) Soboul's history of the sections from June, 1793 to sid-July, 1794 described them horizontally, en masse....(3) This lumping together of the sections leads one to the false conclusion that sections were all one entity, but they were not; they were very much seperate. Soboul also leads the reader to incorrect conclusions by calling the sections and sans-culottes a popular movement. He frequently makes this statement. Soboul describes many changes in the policy of the sections that allow the lower class to join the assemblies. A quote used by Soboul by Hanriot states, For a long time, the rich made the laws, it is about time the poor made some laws themselves and that equality should reign between the rich and the poor.'(4) This leads the reader to believe that everyone was involved actively in the sections and that anyone could become leaders of a sectional assembly, but this was not the case. The lower class, or plebeians, did very little except for what the leaders let them or told them to do. As written in the critique: Their [plebeians] pressures were selectively channeled into politics by the sans-culotte' leadership.... During the regeneration' battles of the spring and summer of 1793 by which sans-culottes' won official sectionary power, plebeians appeared forcefully in the general assemblies - not as atomistic individual voters, but as groups of workers mobilized by their sans-culotte' employers for temporary muscle when ballots were to be cast by fists and feet.(5) This quote shows that the lower class, or plebeians, were merely ponds for the sans-culottes. They were permitted to vote when the leaders felt the votes cast by the plebeians were necessary to achieve victory. The view one gets from the critique is totally contradictory to that of Soboul's book. The generalization Soboul used when describing the members of the sections can also lead to confusion on the readers part. Soboul repeatedly describes members as being part of a certain trade,

A Definition of Collaborative vs Cooperative Learning Essay Example for Free

A Definition of Collaborative vs Cooperative Learning Essay ? I have been searching for many years for the Holy Grail of interactive learning, a distinction between collaborative and cooperative learning definitions. I am getting closer to my elusive goal all the time but I am still not completely satisfied with my perception of the two concepts. I believe my confusion arises when I look at processes associated with each concept and see some overlap or inter-concept usage. I will make a humble attempt to clarify this question by presenting my definitions and reviewing those of other authors who have helped clarify my thinking. Collaboration is a philosophy of interaction and personal lifestyle whereas cooperation is a structure of interaction designed to facilitate the accomplishment of an end product or goal. Collaborative learning (CL) is a personal philosophy, not just a classroom technique. In all situations where people come together in groups, it suggests a way of dealing with people which respects and highlights individual group members’ abilities and contributions. There is a sharing of authority and acceptance of responsibility among group members for the groups actions. The underlying premise of collaborative learning is based upon consensus building through cooperation by group members, in contrast to competition in which individuals best other group members. CL practitioners apply this philosophy in the classroom, at committee meetings, with community groups, within their families and generally as a way of living with and dealing with other people. Cooperative learning is defined by a set of processes which help people interact together in order to accomplish a specific goal or develop an end product which is usually content specific. It is more directive than a collaboratve system of governance and closely controlled by the teacher. While there are many mechanisms for group analysis and introspection the fundamental approach is teacher centered whereas collaborative learning is more student centered. Spencer Kagan in an article in Educational Leadership (Dec/Jan 1989/1990) provides an excellent definition of cooperative learning by looking at general structures which can be applied to any situation. His definition provides an unbrella for the work cooperative learning specialists including he Johnsons, Slavin, Cooper, Graves and Graves, Millis, etc. It follows below: â€Å"The structural approach to cooperative learning is based on the creation, analysis and systematic application of structures, or content-free ways of organizing social interaction in the classroom. Structures usually involve a series of steps, with proscribed behavior at each step. An important cornerstone of the approach is the distinction bet ween â€Å"structures† and â€Å"activities†. â€Å"To illustrate, teachers can design many excellent cooperative activities, such as making a team mural or a quilt. Such activities almost always have a specific content-bound objective and thus cannot be used to deliver a range of academic content. Structures may be used repeatedly with almost any subject matter, at a wide range of grade levels and at various points in a lesson plan. † John Myers (Cooperative Learning vol 11 #4 July 1991) points out that the dictionary definitions of â€Å"collaboration†, derived from its Latin root, focus on the process of working together; the root word for â€Å"cooperation† stresses the product of such work. Co-operative learning has largely American roots from the philosophical writings of John Dewey stressing the social nature of learning and the work on group dynamics by Kurt Lewin. Collaborative learning has British roots, based on the work of English teachers exploring ways to help students respond to literature by taking a more active role in their own learning. The cooperative learning tradition tends to use quantitative methods which look at achievement: i. e. , the product of learning. The collaborative tradition takes a more qualitative approach, analyzing student talk in response to a piece of literature or a primary source in history. Myers points out some differences between the two concepts: â€Å"Supporters of co-operative learning tend to be more teacher-centered, for example when forming heterogeneous groups, structuring positive inter- dependence, and teaching co-operative skills. Collaborative learning advocates distrust structure and allow students more say if forming friendhip and interest groups. Student talk is stressed as a means for working things out. Discovery and contextural approaches are used to teach interpersonal skills. † â€Å"Such differences can lead to disagreements†¦. I contend the dispute is not about research, but more about the morality of what should happen in the schools. Beliefs as to whast should happen in the schools can be viewed as a continuum of orientations toward curriculum from â€Å"transmission† to â€Å"transaction† to â€Å"transmission†. At one end is the transmission position. As the name suggests, the aim of this orientation is to transmit knowledge to students in the form of facts, skills and values. The transformation position at the other end of the continuum stresses personal and social change in which the person is said to be interrelated with the environment rather than having control over it. The aim of this orientation is self-actualization, personal or organizational change. † Rocky Rockwood (National Teaching and Learning Forum vol 4 #6, 1995 part 1) describes the differences by acknowledging the parallels they both have in that they both use groups, both assign specific tasks, and both have the groups share and compare their procedures and conclusions in plenary class sessions. The major difference lies in the fact that cooperative deals exclusively with traditional (canonical) knowledge while collaborative ties into the social constructivist movement, asserting that both knowledge and authority of knowledge have changed dramatically in the last century. â€Å"The result has been a transition from â€Å"foundational (cognitive) understanding of knowledge†, to a nonfoundational ground where â€Å"we understand knowledge to be a social construct and learning a social process† (Brufee, Collaborative learning: Higher Education, Interdependence, and the Authority of Knowledge, 1993). Rockwood states: â€Å"In the ideal collaborative environment, the authority for testing and determining the appropriateness of the group product rests with, first, the small group, second, the plenary group (the whole class) and finally (but always understood to be subject to challenge and revision) the requisite knowledge community (i. e. the discipline: geography, history, biology etc. ) The concept of non- foundational knowledge challenges not only the product acquired, but also the process employed in the acquisition of foundational knowledge. â€Å"Most importantly, in cooperative, the authority remains with the instructor, who retains ownership of the task, which involves either a closed or a closable (that is to say foundational) problem ( the instructor knows or can predict the answer). In collaborative, the instructor–once the task is set– transfers all authority to the group. In the ideal, the group’s task is always open ended. † â€Å"Seen fr om this perspective, cooperative does not empower students. It employs them to serve the instructor’s ends and produces a â€Å"right† or acceptable answer. Collaborative does truly empower and braves all the risks of empowerment (for example, having the group or class agree to an embarrassingly simplistic or unconvincing position or produce a solution in conflict with the instructor’s). † â€Å"Every person, Brufee holds, belongs to several â€Å"interpretative or knowledge communities† that share vocabularies, points of view, histories, values, conventions and interests. The job of the instructor id to help students learn to negotiate the boundaries between the communities they already belong to and the community represented by the teacher’s academic discipline, which the students want to join. Every knowledge community has a core of foundational knowledge that its members consider as given (but not necessarily absolute). To function independently within a knowledge community, the fledgling scholar must master enough material to become conversant with the community. † Rockwood concludes: In my teaching experience, cooperative represents the best means to approach mastery of foundational knowledge. Once students become reasonably conversant, they are ready for collaborative, ready to discuss and assess,†¦. † Myers suggests use of the â€Å"transaction† orientation as a compromise between taking hard positions advocating either methodology. â€Å"This orientation views education as a dialogue between the student and the curriculum. Students are viewed as problem solvers. Problem solving and inquiry approaches stressing cognitive skills and the ideas of Vygotsky, Piaget, Kohlberg and Bruner are linked to transaction. This perspective views teaching as a â€Å"conversation† in which teachers and students learn together through a process of negotiation with the curriculum to develop a shared view of the world. † It is clear to me that in undertaking the exercize of defining differences between the two ideas we run the risk of polarizing the educational community into a we versus them mentality. There are so many benefits which acrue from both ideas that it would be a shame to lose any advantage gained from the student-student-teacher interactions created by both methods. We must be careful to avoid a one-size-fits-all mentality when it comes to education paradigms. As a final thought, I think it behooves teachers to educate themselves about the myriad of techniques and philosophies which create interactive environments where students take more responsibility for their own learning and that of their peers. Then it will become possible to pick and chose those methods which best fit a particular educational goal or community of learners. A Definition of Collaborative vs Cooperative Learning. (2017, Mar 13).

Strategic Corporate Finance Workshop Research Paper

Strategic Corporate Finance Workshop - Research Paper Example A shareholder may not find investment in the company as an attractive option taking into consideration the time value of money. Thus, profit maximisation does not provide any assurance with regard to the timing and risk associated with the cash flow either. It can be concluded that profit maximisation does not help in improving the value placed on the company by the shareholders. It is needless to say that it is the funds from the shareholder that mainly supports the operations of a company and shortage in such funds could affect the survival of the company in the long run. Therefore, profit maximisation should not be the ultimate goal of a financial manager. Just like profit maximisation, sales maximisation would not bear an impact on the market value of the company. Sales maximisation does not even assure profit maximisation, leave alone enhancing the company's value. Sometimes, the cost involved in maximising the sales may even cancel out the benefit derived from it. In today's world, it is extremely important for every company to be socially responsible. Social responsibility includes maximising benefits to the employees and the society at large. In the long run, socially responsible actions taken by a company would also benefit the shareholders indirectly. However, social responsibility cannot be viewed as the main purpose of running a company. The company cannot put its social responsibility ahead of its own survival. Therefore, maximisation of benefit to employees and local community would not be the main goal of a financial manager. (d) Maximisation of shareholder wealth - Shareholders are the actual owners of a company. Shareholders investment is crucial for the survival of the company. The shareholders choose to invest in the company that can give highest returns on the investment made. Therefore maximisation of shareholder wealth should be the main goal of a financial manager. The financial manager should ensure that the resources are allocated in such a way that it results in maximisation of shareholders wealth. Answer 2:- (a) Net Present Value (NPV): Conversion of uncertain cash flow to certain cash flow Year Uncertain Cash Flow() Certain Cash Flow () (Uncertain CF x 0.75) 1 103,750 77,812 2 113,750 85,312 3 123,750 92,812 4 133,750 100,312 5 123,750 92,812 6 105,750 79,312 7 103,750 77,812 8 98,750 74,062 Computation of Net Present Value (NPV): [NPV = Present Value of Cash Inflow - Present Value of Cash Outflow] Year Certain Cash Flow () Discount Factor* Present Value of C

Issues in Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issues in Homeland Security - Essay Example Based on the official report of DHS and the research of David Inserra and Steven P. Bucci, border and aviation security, illegal immigration issue, coast-guard revival, ineffective program management and departmental failure, preventing violent domestic extremism, cyber security, and insufficient research and development are the major issues, which are ranked according to the highest priority issues in the homeland security (Webster, 2008, p. 6-15; Bucci & Inserra, 2013). The DHS was formed after the attacks of 9/11 with the main objective of the country’s border and aviation security (Webster, 2008, p. 3). The border and aviation security is crucial for the integrity of the country. Considering the ongoing threat of international and domestic terrorism, enhancement in border and aviation security is the topmost concern for the DHS. Illegal immigration is another issue that is affecting the social and economical stability in the US. Various researches have regularly highlighted the direct link between growing crime rates and increasing number of illegal immigrants in the country (Bucci & Inserra, 2013). Hence, it is second most concerning issues which need to be tackled by implementing policies for current immigration laws enforcement. The necessity of coastguard revival is another priority of the DHS. According to the reports, the rate of coastguard operations has increased due to the growing threats to the US marine security and the necessit y of protecting the state’s interests in adverse conditions, such as in the hurricanes and Arctic (Bucci & Inserra, 2013). Another significant issue in the DHS is its failure to effectively utilize allocated funds and flaws in management system. It is reported that often crucial homeland security funds are invested in low-valued or unnecessary projects such as, zombie apocalypse simulation in California, or underwater robotic devices in Columbus