Society’s Reaction to Lgbt

Introduction to Sociology Social Issue #2: LGBT community Can you possibly eat be able to eat with both spoons: a paper on the LGBT community Imagine marching in your favourite deli, sitting on your most-loved spot and enjoying your coffee of choice but on a table in front of you rests a woman endeavouring to consume her breakfast using two spoons.And as that phenomena catches your attention, you’re there trying to fathom why on earth would she use two similar utensils whose functions do not seem to jive, why, given the presence of a fork, would she force herself to eat with two spoons, why would she not spare herself from the effort. Before I get censured by philosophical thinkers stating the possibility of actually eating with two spoons, the abovementioned metaphor introduces the issue on the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender collectively known as the LGBT community.Just like grubbing with both spoons, the existence of the â€Å"third kind† is something we ar e not fully accustomed to, something that we perceive as atypical but despite given those we peacefully, I assume, coexist. They are everywhere; Tarzans turning into Janes and Janes turning into well†¦ Tarzans. As their existence raises the brows of so many Filipinos today; so much derision has been thrown to the society who’s only desire, in my opinion, is to set free from the being closeted and express themselves in a way, despite peculiar, that would embody their totality and true persona.Although already accepted in some countries (Argentina,  Belgium,  Canada,  Denmark, Iceland,  Netherlands,  Norway,  Portugal,  Spain,  South Africa,  Sweden, and some sub-national jurisdictions (parts of  Mexico  and the  United States), it is still vetoed, not even close to being fully tolerated, here in the Philippines; that no matter how the number of groups that support the LGBT spring up in the archipelago increase over time, our kababayans still recogn ize it in the wrong lenses.Reports conclude that 379,799 to 804,280 of the Filipino population is made up of the third kind and such number causes the Church to frantically fret; causes it to question how did it surface, nowadays even more blatantly, in a nation whose customs are deeply rooted in the Catholic faith – in a nation taught that in the creation of the Universe it only Adam and Eve, not an Adeve, who were formed.The last time I checked this is still a free world and the liberty of expression still applies so I personally believe that the society should pay more mind on the issues that actually deteriorate the nation; allot more attention to treacherous operations of the government, poverty resolution and other more meaningful agendas than LGBT scorning and leave the community whose sole wish is to cast their rainbow.All humans are entitled to choice, the power to manipulate what happens next†¦ I suggest sceptic faces choose to understand and respect the indivi duals who didn’t have a choice what they would be at birth. References http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage http://pinoylgbt. com/ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/LGBT_culture_in_the_Philippines http://en. wikipilipinas. org/index. php? title=Homosexuality_in_the_Philippines http://lagablab. wordpress. com/2006/09/15/gay-statistics-in-the-philippines-by-consensus/

The Role of Assesment in Higher Education

Table of Content NoTitlePage No 1Introduction 2Role of assessment in curriculum design , learning & teaching 3Assessment for learning v Assessment of Learning 4. Issues and concerns ? Abstract Assessment is an integral part of curriculum practice. The prime consideration of educational institutions are the outcomes of learning, the enhanced abilities students can demonstrate because of their increase in knowledge , able to adapt and understand to changes because of their university experiences.Our concern is how learning takes effect and how teaching and assessment affect the quality of learning in order for students to acquire the knowledge and competencies that is required for the work place. To acquire these industry relevant skills lecturers suggest assessment be integral to teaching and how learning activities are structured. Hence , this report reviews the role of assessment in curriculum design & change, it’s importance of continuous assessment for enhancing learning, c ommon assessment practices and it issues and concerns. 1. Introduction: In this report, literature researched was with regards to the role of assessment in curriculum design & change. Thus this report tries to answer the following questions in order to highlight the role of assessment in curriculum design, implementation and enhancement of learning. 1. What is curriculum and the role of assessment in curriculum development and enhancement? 2. What is Assessment of learning v Assessment for Learning and the practices in higher education 3.Issues and concerns on assessment in teaching and learning at institutions of higher learning? 2. Assessment as a part of curriculum practice Curriculum is a Latin word and it refers to a ‘course’ or a ‘track’ to be followed. In education, the focus is learning, then the most appropriate interpretation for the word curriculum is viewed as a course or ‘plan for learning’ (ef. Taba , 1962). (Howell and Evans, 199 5) defines curriculum as the ‘what’ of teaching. I would define curriculum as a course of study.Then the process of curriculum development can be seen in short where one develops a product, which involves an ongoing improvement. Curriculum development is a long cyclic process of research, designing, implementing and evaluating learning outcomes based on the interest, needs and capabilities of learners, and the many stakeholders, which directs enhancement. The literature review report is in relation to the role of assessment in curriculum development and enhancement of Teaching and Learning. What is Assessment?Assessment is any process that evaluates an individual’s knowledge, understanding and skills. Van den Akker (2003) defines assessment as an integral component of curriculum practice. Assessment gives feedback on curriculum delivery which indicates about student learning, the curriculum and the academic policies. Thus educators strongly believe that assessmen t and curriculum be integrated in the curriculum cycle. For example, Students achievement of knowledge and skills are determined by assessment.Lecturers manage teaching and assessment of student competence according to the level of the course, giving grades, guiding and counselling and so on. These can only be possible if there are effective assessment procedures in the curriculum administration and practice. â€Å"In 1995 the Assessment Forum of the American Association of Higher Education led by Thomas A. Angelo went through an interactive process to develop a definition of assessment. The end-result of that definition process is as follows:† â€Å"Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning.It involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expec tations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance. When it is embedded effectively within larger institutional systems, assessment can help us focus our collective attention, examine our assumptions, and create a shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving the quality of higher education (Thomas A.Angelo, AAHE Bulletin, November 1995, p. 7)† In order to measure a student’s learning outcome, progression and competence attained, various types of information need to be gathered to determine the degree of student’s attainment in the learning outcomes for the curriculum. Various methods of formal and informal observation of students during their learning, examinations and quizzes, performance on assignments, projects and presentations are used to gather this information. Lecturers advise that there should be a plan for assessment at programme, course and lesson level, which is often overlooked.As P ratt (1998) stated, to make sure student achievements and grades reflect the learning outcomes established, assessments must be carefully planned, conducted, subject to continuous analysis, evaluation and enhancement. Learning outcomes (knowledge and competence of students), assessment, and teaching are all parts of an integrated whole. Assessment is believed to be essential to the teaching process in delivery and experience of the curriculum. But some students think of assessment as a form of control for lecturers. As (Pratt, 1998; Haladyna & Downing, 2004) stated when students progress from one semester to another they become displeased and suspicious about the assessment practices, and regarding them to be unfair and a means to demonstrate favouritism and punishment. † In institutions of higher learning, educators have the choice to choose the assessment types and practices. Since assessment results affect academic competence, educators are required to create a conducive le arning environment and make assessment integral to educational processes.In an encouraging learning environment a healthy dialogue takes place, trying out ideas, reflection, discussion, ask questions and enjoy the process of learning. (Pratt, 1998) Assessment is an important component and has several purposes. It directs the teaching process. Monitoring, discussion and observations in the classroom is also an important kind of assessment. This allows the instructor to gauge how well the lesson is going and whether learning is taking place with healthy discussion, participation and answering sessions (Nittko, 2004).Assessment helps in identifying learning difficulties, students’ strength and weakness. This then allows the instructor to set questions that can help build on the student’s weaknesses both formally and informally. Secondly assessment provides feedback on the learning. Information from assessment helps in programme evaluation (Pratt, 1998). Thirdly assessment declares ones achievement for various stakeholders like students, parents, the institution, prospective employers, the government sectors, accreditation body, and professional bodies.Assessment in the form of quizzes, tests, class projects, assignments and informal observations declare how well a student has achieved the learning outcomes and grade in his/her course, module or unit (Nittko, 2004). Besides, assessment points students to pedagogical priorities and directs students approach to experience course curriculum. Classroom questions test and examinations would indicate to students, important topics of the curriculum. Example, if questions are based on trivial information, then students focus would be at factual recall and knowledge.If tests require substantive knowledge and deep understanding then students change their perspective to curriculum. Assessment motivations, improves self image and a sense of self power of students. When assessment is well designed, it produces su ccess in learning; it motivates and stimulates student confidence and wanting to learn. Meherus and Lehman (1991) describes assessment as an important tool as it increases motivation towards their course, which establishes healthy study habits, which also provides feedback to lecturers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses.Assessment gives lecturers an opinion on students’ learning. Assessment results enable the lecturer to provide further guidance about their learning. Therefore, lecturers in institutes of higher learning should be aware of the significant role of assessment in curriculum and thus have the skills and tools to effectively setup curriculum at programme level. 3, Assessment for Learning v Assessment to Learning What is Assessment for Learning? It could be defined as: †¢a form of positive formal feedback [ e. g. ecturers comment; self-assessment systems] †¢provides informal feedback [ e. g. dialogue teaching; peer interaction] †¢i t gives an opportunity to the student to try and apply knowledge, skills and their understanding †¢ assessment tasks that are relevant †¢it guides students to develop independence and †¢it has an appropriate balance between summative and formative assessment. There should be a balance between formative and summative assessments. Continuous assessment or assessment for learning is practiced less compared to summative assessment.As stated by Careless (2004), lecturers in institutions of higher learning tend to choose more for theoretical knowledge than for practical and procedural knowledge in assessing students. Such assessment focuses on theory and concepts really do not help students for the real world. This limits the students of skills that employers look for. Brown & Glaser (1999) states improving on assessment practice improves student learning. Further to that, standards of learning rose through ongoing assessment practice. It is noted that students’ beha viour and attitude towards learning changes, when assessment methods change.Students become more responsible and take ownership of their learning. But there are challenging problems with assessment for learning. Problems identified by Black and William (2004) with regards to assessment for learning in institutions of higher learning as: †¢Assessment methods used by lecturers are not effective to promote good learning †¢Grading practices gives rise to competition rather than self improvement and †¢Feedback on assessment if practiced, often has a negative impact on less performing students which makes them believe that they lack ability and thus are not able to learn.Diamond (1998) further goes to describe the basic problem with assessment practice in institutions of higher learning, as a mismatch between learning outcomes and the assessment methods and criteria used by lecturers to assess and grade their students. Frequently, learning outcomes are expected to demonstra te critical thinking and problem solving skills, but the assessment type used would most frequently focus on recalling and recognition of content learned. Assessment used for the purpose of promoting student learning is described as assessment for learning.Assessment used for accountability purpose, grading or certification is assessment of learning. Assessments that promote enhancement to learning is one where there is a continuous process of back and forth between the student and the lecturer which provides feedback on progression until the outcome is well met. This sort of assessment is called ‘assessment for learning’ when assessment evidence is used to adjust teaching to meet learners needs and difficulties (Black & William 1998). Assessment is part and parcel of learning. Assessment in fact, shapes learning.Much has been discussed and written that to enhance student learning, assessment has to be integrated with teaching (Wright, et. al, 1997). Gibbs and Simpson ( 2005) regards assessment for learning as a system which directs and controls student learning based on the power of summative assessment and grades in addition to providing feedback. Assessment and teaching has to be blended to contribute to the goal of improving learning. Good instructors do pay careful attention to assessment and teaching, and to have learning activities well structured.Despite this suggestion, lecturers in higher education do not practice the real importance of assessment. As Black & William (1998) says this could also be because lecturers are not well trained in this area. In most institutions of higher learning assessment is used to test knowledge and does not test the critical and problem solving skills. Example, multiple choice questions promote de-contextualised, rot learning and this narrows the curriculum to basic skills with low cognitive demands. In contrast to this, the industries demand for transferable skills like communication, information retrieval, critical thinking, problem solving.And because of this, institutions have fast inclined to formative, holistic form of assessment which is described as ‘authentic’ assessments. However, as Black & William (1998) argues that traditional form of assessment cannot be easily replaced because they are embedded in complex histories, culture and power relations of school societies. Shepard (2001) also suggested that conventional assessment method based on theories and psychometric principles conflicts with implications of assessment for learning which is based on cognitive and constructive learning standards.James (2003) findings indicate a number of major effects with assessment methods and students self-perception and confidence level. For many students, they were disappointed with feedback, on how to improve their level of competence, for others was the concern on how to achieve higher marks. Term exams were rarely discussed or available so that students could use them to improve their knowledge and skills. Assessment plays a significant role in implementing curriculum. There should be significant guiding principles for this to happen. James (2003) had put forth the following guiding principles for assessment for learning: †¢Ensure ssessment methods used promote and reward desired learning activities and outcomes. †¢Students have got clear instructions on assessment requirements. †¢Provide effective and timely feedback with comments on a continuous basis. The first principle is based on Bloom’s taxonomy, which is to recall and recognition, comprehension and application, critical thinking and problem solving. In his second principle (James: 65) states the following: â€Å"Assessment procedures in higher education are likely to become increasingly open to security to candidates, and to candidates appeals.The need for commonly agreed marking procedures and techniques is obvious, if collective responsibility for candidates is maint ained, full openness between colleagues and demonstrable internal consistency of courses and related assessment procedures are vital importance† There can be a problem in generalised good assessment practices for learning. Different subject discipline like Engineering versus psychology would have different pedagogic assumptions. So if general principles cover all subjects, the way in which they manifest may differ for different subjects (Black & William, 2004).Boud (1990) suggests alternate developments in student assessments in higher education, which is careful monitoring of assessment to see how relevant they are to the students. He also challenges that current assessment methods do not really prepare students to the real world. Meherns & Lehman, 1991 & Nitko 2004, state quality teaching and assessment are intertwined. They greatly improve students’ learning. Teaching will be effective when teaching activities, learning outcomes and assessment methods are well aligne d.As Nitko (2004) suggests 4 key questions lecturers got to ask themselves when preparing for teaching and to implement continuous assessment. †¢Is my lesson going well? Is there progression in student leaning? To align to these questions suggested assessment methods could be classroom observation during class activities, response to questions and students’ interactions. †¢How can I improve to make the learning activity better? Diagnosis types of errors made by students, identify students who are not participating and also at the assessment methods used. †¢What feedback to be given about the student’s learning?Assessment methods used are informal observation and encouragement, how well they have achieved the learning outcome, assignments, quiz and consultations. †¢Finally are the students ready to progress to the next level? Informal observation, checking and questioning students about their understanding of homework, test, quiz and grades obtained to decide on their progress to their next learning or do they require remedial instructions. Lecturers should use a variety of assessment methods to help student achieve the learning outcomes as stipulated in the course curriculum. In most cases lecturers generally use pen-and-paper achievement tests.Meherns & Lehman (1991) argue that classroom evaluation should not be restricted to pen-and-paper but other forms like observation techniques, checklists etc. Continuous assessment is practical for everyday classroom use. Test, presentations, projects, journal, collaborative works are some that could be used to assess students and lecturers their stand in relation to knowledge and skills. Smith (2003) and Shepard (2001) stated that assessment trends are moving away from traditional methods to a variety of new approaches. For instance, Observation is greatly used by experienced teachers to identify students’ progression or having difficulties.Portfolio or records of work are also another form of assessment practice. Portfolio is a kind of file where student’s written works are kept. Portfolios provide cumulative evidence of learning over time in much detail and substance than a mere list of scores. Self and peer assessment are also essential to learning. Students’ self-reflection and their understanding are used to inform for further teaching and areas the lecturer needs to spend more time and effort. Brookhart (2001), Shepard (2001), and Stiggins (1999, 2001) maintained that students should be actively involved in self-evaluation as a form of assessment.Their argument was that students need to monitor their own progress by applying ongoing feedback that is helpful in showing them how to meet the ultimate learning outcome. However, self-assessment is only possible when lecturers help students develop assessment skills, because it is difficult for students to think of their work in terms of learning outcomes (Black & William, 2004). Peer-assessm ent is also another important form of assessment. The learning task is placed in the hands of the students. While the lecturer is able to observe and reflect on what is happening and frame helpful interventions.The lecturer finds this form very helpful indeed. Misconceptions are highlighted and these are discussed when they go over the assessment. These forms of assessment require student active learning. As one student stated ‘after a student marking my assignment, I can now acknowledge my mistakes easier. I hope that it is not just me who learned from the work but the student who marked it also’ (Black & William, 2004:16). Feedback and comments to students about their learning is a good practice in assessment. Feedback should state ways for improvement.Grades or marks are not providing enough feedback to help improve student learning (Nitko, 2004). Feedback is effective when it provokes thinking in students. With regards to this, Back & William (2004) stated marks are likely to set comparison; while only feedback and comments help them to improve. Research studies on feedback showed 60% improvement on performance. Feedback with no comments was more of judgement or grade with no indication for improvement (Black & William, 2004) Hence it is important for the enhancement of student learning that lecturers emphasise on feedback and comment on assessed work of students in the learning process. . Issues and Concerns Staff One of the main concerns in assessment will be the lecturers. Especially here in Malaysia in the private sector , many lecturers lack the knowledge in assessment practices. Universities and college do not believe in investing in training. Another factor is lecturers have heavy teaching work load and large class sizes that formal assessment would be replace by mere test, assignment and examinations due to time constrains. Cost Costs to the faculty and institution are an important factor. Some form of assessment processes can be time consuming, involving student supervision in observation of activities.Time, of course, is money. Also investing in additional resources like technology increases cost. This does not enable the lecturers to use innovative methods of assessment. Standards To increase pass rates standards are compromised. Assessment requirements have placed more weightage on coursework, so student achievement has appeared to improve the assumption coursework is easier then exams. In some cases institutions do not have a quality system in place. Validity and reliability of assessment could be questionable. ConclusionAssessment is a vital component of curriculum practice that has important contribution for effective practice and operations of curriculum. Lecturers’ acknowledgement for continuous assessment practice has significance for students learning of knowledge and skill. Lecturers should set assessment tasks that are practically challenging, provide feedback as they assess and get students e ngaged in the assessment process. Finally lecturers should change their views and practices of assessment and be committed to prepare competent graduates with the knowledge and skill in their specific field of study for the market place. References Akker, Van Den. (2003). Curriculum landscapes and Trends (pp1-10). Curriculum Perspectives:An Introduction. Black,P and William. (1998). Assessment and Classroom learning. Assessment in Education 5(1) Black,P. ,and William,D. (2004). Inside the Black Box: Phi-Delta kappan, 86(1):9-21 Diamond, R. M. (1998). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula: A practical Guide. Sanfrancisco: Jossey-Bass Inc Boud, D. (1990). Assessment and the Promotion of Academic Values. Studies in Higher Education 15(5): 101-111 Gibbs, G. & Simpson, C. 2004-5) Conditions under which assessment supports students' learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 1 (1), 3-31. Brookhart,S. M. (2001). Successful students’ formative and summative use of a ssessment information. Assessment in education 8, 153-169 Brown S. And Glaser A. (1999). Assessment Matters in higher Education: choosing and Using Diverse approaches. Great Britain: St. Edmunds bury press Ltd, SRHE and Open University press Careless,D. (2004). Converting assessment into learning. Theoretical and pratical perspectives. Paper Presented at Chinese University of Hong Kong.Unpublished. Haladyna and Downing. (2004). Constructive irrelevant in high stakes testing. Educational measurement:Issue and practice 23(1), 17-27 James,D. (2003). Making the graduate. Perspectives on student experience of assessment in higher education. In Ann filer (2003). Assessment: Social practice and social product. London: Rutledge Meherens, W. A. , and Lehmann, J. I. (1991). Measurement and Evaluation in Education & Psychology (4th ed). Wadsworth: Thomson learning Nitko, A. J. (2004). Educational Assessment of Students (4th ed). Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall Pratt,D. 1998). Curriculum planning: A handbook for professionals. London: Harcourt Brace College Publishers Smith, K. J. (2003). Reconsidering reliability in classroom assessment and grading. Educational measurement: Issue and practice 22(4), 26-3. Stiggins,R. J. (1992). Relevant classroom assessment training for teachers. Educational measurement: Issue and practice 1091), 7-12 Wright, et. al (1997). Teacher and classroom context effects on student achievement; Implication for teacher evaluation; Journal of personnel Evaluation in Education, 11,57-67.

Isomer Definition and Examples in Chemistry

An isomer is a chemical species with the same number and types of atoms as another chemical species but with distinct properties because the atoms are arranged into different chemical structures. When atoms can assume different configurations, the phenomenon is termed isomerism. There are several categories of isomers, including structural isomers, geometric isomers, optical isomers, and stereoisomers. Isomerization can occur spontaneously or not, depending on whether the bond energy of the configurations is comparable. Types of Isomers The two broad categories of isomers are structural isomers (also called constitutional isomers) and stereoisomers (also called spatial isomers). Structural Isomers: In this type of isomerism, the atoms and functional groups are joined differently. Structural isomers have different IUPAC names. An example is the position change seen in 1-fluoropropane and 2-fluoropropane. Types of structural isomerism include chain isomerism, where hydrocarbon chains have different degrees of branching; functional group isomerism, where a functional group may split into different ones; and skeletal isomerism, where the main carbon chain varies. Tautomers are structural isomers that can spontaneously convert between forms. An example is keto/enol tautomerism, in which a proton moves between a carbon and oxygen atom. Stereoisomers: The bond structure between atoms and functional groups is the same in stereoisomerism, but the geometrical positioning can change. This class of isomers includes enantiomers (or optical isomers), which are nonsuperimposable mirror images of each other, like left and right hands. Enantiomers always contain chiral centers. Enantiomers often display similar physical properties and chemical reactivities, although the molecules may be distinguished by how they polarize light. In biochemical reactions, enzymes usually react with one enantiomer in preference to the other. An example of a pair of enantiomers is (S)-()-lactic acid and (R)-(-)-lactic acid. Alternatively, stereoisomers may be diastereomers, which arent mirror images of each other. Diastereomers may contain chiral centers, but there are isomers without chiral centers and those that arent even chiral. An example of a pair of diastereomers is D-threose and D-erythrose. Diastereomers typically have different physical properties and reactivities from each other. Conformational Isomers (conformers): Conformation may be used to classify isomers. Conformers may be enantiomers, diastereomers, or rotamers. There are different systems used to identify stereoisomers, including cis-trans and E/Z. Isomer Examples Pentane, 2-methylbutane, and 2,2-dimethylpropane are structural isomers of each other. Importance of Isomerism Isomers are especially important in nutrition and medicine because enzymes tend to work on one isomer over another. The substituted xanthines are a good example of an isomer found in food and drugs. Theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline are isomers, differing in the placement of methyl groups. Another example of isomerism occurs in phenethylamine drugs. Phentermine is a nonchiral compound that can be used as an appetite suppressant yet doesnt act as a stimulant. Rearranging the same atoms yields dextromethamphetamine, a stimulant stronger than amphetamine. Nuclear Isomers Usually the term isomer refers to different arrangements of atoms in molecules; however, there are also nuclear isomers. A nuclear isomer or metastable state is an atom that has the same atomic number and mass number as another atom of that element yet has a different excitation state within the atomic nucleus.

cognitive linguistics - 3443 Words

The topic of seminar: The main trends of Cognitive Linguistics in works of foreign (American and European) scientists Problem task: What principles of cognitive linguistics did G. Lakoff pay much attention at ? Describe his idea. Describe the study of spatial relationships and types of movement in the conceptualization of language, the concept of imaginative schemes and types of schemes. Describe the study of body based consciousness and language of humans. The idea of the concept of embodiment. Make a classification of areas and approaches, allocated in cognitive linguistics by foreign authors. Present it as a flowchart (Ã' Ã'‚Ã'€Ã'Æ'Ð ºÃ'‚Ã'Æ'Ã'€Ð ½Ã °Ã'  Ã' Ã'…Ð µÃ ¼Ã °). Lecture 6.The main trends of Cognitive Linguistics in works of foreign scientists.†¦show more content†¦The Generalization Commitment has concrete consequences for studies of language. First, cognitive linguistic studies focus on what is common among aspects of language, seeking to re-use successful methods and explanations across these aspects. For instance, just as word meaning displays prototype effects – there are better and worse examples of referents of given words, related in particular ways – so various studies have applied the same principles to the organization of morphology (e.g., Taylor, 2003), syntax (e.g., Goldberg, 1995), and phonology (e.g., Jaeger Ohala, 1984). Generalizing successful explanations across domains of language isnt just a good scientific practice – it is also the way biology works; reusing existing structures for new purposes, both on evolutionary and developmental timescales. Second, cognitive linguistic approaches often take a vertical, rather than a horizontal strategy to the study of language. Language can be seen as composed of a set of distinct layers of organisation – the sound structure, the set of words composed by these sounds, the syntactic structures these words are constitutive of, and so on. If we array these layers one on top of the next as they unroll over time (like layers of a cake), then modular approaches are horizontal, in the sense that they take one layer and study it internally – just as a horizontal slice of cake. Vertical approaches get a richer view ofShow MoreRelatedMetaphor In Talk Essay910 Words   |  4 Pagesbones into small bits and ‘He caused my stomach to burst.† As Maalaj notes it is important to include cultural practices in any account of conceptual metaphors. 2.6.2. Metaphors in Linguistics and Literature (Paprottà © and Driven, 1985) that brings metaphor within the scope of applied Linguistics. 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The Influence Of Neo Confucianism On China - 1066 Words

In china there has been no central rule in China for 70 years until the Song Dynasty created in 960. Things started to change in China, for example, the government started to aid the poor a lot more than what they have in the past. They were getting this money from the newly introduced income tax. This made a lot of people happy and everyone started to have more patriotism and pride. This pride gave the government a feel of legitimacy. Some of the major things the government is paying for is the roads, food, and education. Pottery at this time helps out the economy in China, because the pottery is so advanced that it was being exported for good money and it also led more people to come to China. Even though China was number one in the world for many things like technology and a sophisticated culture they were weak military wise (Holcombe p.127). Neo-Confucianism was also created in the Song Dynasty. Neo-Confucianism was Confucianism put together with Taoism, which was the ying and th e yang, which was also put with Buddhism. This new patriotism also led to xenophobia in the country which leads to irrational decisions in the future. As time when on the Song Dynasty would lose some land to smaller dynasties who took over smaller parts to China in the south. Despite this the economy amazingly boomed during this time where the Chinese call the â€Å"medieval economic revolution† (Holcombe p. 130). Trading had a big role in this economic revolution. Archeologists have uncoveredShow MoreRelatedChina Golden Age: Song Dynasty1297 Words   |  5 PagesGLOBAL CHINA GOLDEN AGE: SONG DYNASTY A golden age is a specific time where peace, happiness and prosperity flourishes within a civilization. In China. This period was known as the Song Dynasty, which lasted from (920-1279). China’s Golden Age was followed by the Yuan Dynasty, which dated from the years (1271-1368). During this period the Song Dynasty was exciting to people. Agriculture flourished leading to the inventions of the moveable typewriter and magnetic compass, paper moneyRead More Confucianism Essay573 Words   |  3 Pages Confucianism Confucianism is a moral and religious system of China. Its origins go back to the Analects, the sayings attributed to Confucius, and to ancient writings, including that of Mencius. Confucius was born a mandarin under the name Kongzi. It was developed around 550 B.C. In its earliest form Confucianism was primarily a system of ethical concepts for the control of society. It saw man as a social creature that is bound to his fellow men by jen, or â€Å"humanity.† Jen is expressed through theRead MoreBuddhism Is An Indispensable Element Of Chinese And Formation Of Mahayana Buddhism Essay1477 Words   |  6 PagesBuddhism has been the main religion of china for several thousands of years. In fact, Buddhism is an indispensable element of Chinese philosophy and literature. As we all know, Buddhism originated in India and first spread to China around 100BC. Nevertheless, (Mahayana) Buddhism in China separated itself from the mainstream Buddhism and created a new form of Bodhisattv a precept instead of following the Indian Vinaya precept. In fact , the distinct Chinese history and culture played significantRead MoreEvaluate the Changes and Continuities in the Role of Religion in Chinese Society from 600 to 1450.1043 Words   |  5 PagesChina has been the home to various religions. At different times different dynasties endorsed certain religions while repressing others. While Buddhism flourished during the Sui and Tang dynasty, it faced opposition from the government during the Song dynasty. Confucianism lost government endorsement during the Sui and Tang but gained momentum during the Song as Neo-Confucianism. Yuan dynasty promoted Islam and Tibet Buddhism but ignored Confucianism. Different rulers sponsored and protected differentRead MoreThe Link Between Mahayana Buddhism And Chinese Culture1476 Words   |  6 Pages The link between Mahayana Buddhism and Chinese Culture Buddhism has been the main religion of china for several thousands of years. In fact, Buddhism is an indispensable element of Chinese philosophy and literature. As we all know, Buddhism originated in India and first spread to China around 100BC. Nevertheless, (Mahayana) Buddhism in China separated itself from the mainstream Buddhism and created a new form of Bodhisattva precept instead of following the Indian Vinaya preceptRead MoreIn What Major Ways Did Confucian Philosophy Manifest Itself in Chinese Society During the Ming and Qing Dynasty2983 Words   |  12 PagesConfucius who lived between 551–478 BC in China. [1]The essence of Confucianism is that the human mind can be cultivated through virtue and moral perfection. Confucianism has had tremendous influence on Chinese history and culture as well as other East Asian cultures. Even before the Ming and Qing dynasties, Confucianism had a profound effect on Chinese society. Confucianism was the state ideology of the Han dynasty with later forms developing such as Neo-Confucianism developed during the Song dynasty knownRead MoreConfucianism And Its Influence On Society2178 Words   |  9 PagesConfucianism can be regarded as a religion, a belief, a way of ruling and a basis for laying the ground rules for the East Asian countries. Confucianism had gone through so many transformations and has been affected by many religions and dynasties. Many dynasties have adapted the ways of Confucianism, which state that there is a connection between humans and heaven. However, as time progressed, religions such as Buddhism and Daoism also adapted the ways of Confucianism, but they changed some of itsRead MorePhilosophy Of Mencius And Xunzi1111 Words   |  5 Pages Confucianism is unique in the fact that unlike other religions, it doesn’t have a divine ruler that is worshiped by its followers. Instead, followers of Confucianism adhere to the ideas and values spread in the teachings of Confucius, a philosopher. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Confucius was a thinker, political figure, educator, and founder of the Ru School of Chinese Thought (Reigel, para. 1). Other than that, however, not much is known for certain about the life of ConfuciusRead MoreSimilarities And Contributions And Achievements Of The Tang Empire1296 Words   |  6 Pageswas referred to as the â€Å"Southern Song†. Both the empires Tang and Song have several economic, political, and social achievement differences and similarities. Similar achievements include ideas of credit, experiencing a change in empire size, and Confucianism, although the use of all three of these achievements differ in each empire as well. Differences in achievements include separate forms of printing, different empire capitals, and contrasting distinct advancements in m edicine, astronomy, and inventionsRead More: Discuss the History of Korea and Its Impact on Koreas Culture, Politics and Business.1397 Words   |  6 PagesThe first Korean kingdom Gojoseon was established on a flourishing bronze culture in BC 2333 by Dangun who was the legendary founder of Gojeseon and people believed he was the grandson of heaven (Edward 2005). It was centered in the basins of Liao (China) and Northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Politics and economy In Korean history, Gojoseon was the first state to unify its political and religious functions within one governing system and legal system as represented by its Eight Prohibitions

Management System Corporate Strategies of NAB

Question: Discuss about the Management System for Corporate Strategies of NAB. Answer: Introduction The project aims to focus on the management system of the chosen company NAB. The strategies of the company are discussed in the project that includes the mission, vision and the competitive advantage of the over the competitive market in which it operates. The various strategies that has been criticised are highlighted in the project. Furthermore, the environmental analysis of the NAB is performed with the help of the PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis, internal and the specific environment analysis. The leadership style and its impact have been discussed in details in order to understand the topic in details. Discussion on how and why are the strategies applied in the company Mission, vision and competitive advantage of the company NAB is the National Australia Bank in Australia that aims to help its potential customers with their money. NAB operates in more than 800 locations in Australia, New Zealand and all over the globe. NAB being one of the largest bank for business in Australia, works with the small, large as well as the medium business in order to support them in growth and development of the business. Moreover, the organisation provides funds to the essential infrastructures of the area such as the schools, construction of roads and hospitals. The main motive of the company is to carry out its responsibilities in an innovative, responsible manner that helps to create customer satisfaction and thereby drawing more customers towards the company (nab.com.au 2016). The competitive advantage of the companies helps them to sustain in the competitive market by achieving advantage on its products, goods, services and strategies over its competitors. The competitive advantage of the company supports the organisation to attract the potential customers that is important to increase sales and profit of the company. NAB has been converting the loyalty of its staff in order to gain competitive advantage over its rival companies. In the opinion of Obiozo and Smallwood (2014), commitment and loyalty of the staff and the team within NAB is one of the reason behind the success of the company in the process of sustaining in the market. Past strategies used by the company Like every organisation, NAB has been using several corporate strategies that supported the growth and the development of the business. The company uses its corporate strategies in order to provide a positive impact on the customers and the environment on which it operates. NAB had used various strategies in order to achieve its organisational goals and objectives. The strategy of the company supported the societies, which are more social and financially strong, delivered efficient programs. The company tried to provide goods and services that made the management of the environmental risk easier for the customers. The strategies even helped the customers to effectively use the new market opportunities in order to grow and develop. Current strategies of the company NAB developed current strategies that helped the company to overcome its loopholes. The stakeholder engagement process of the company is improved to obtain efficient corporate strategies for the organisation. The company has been recently more concerned in strengthening the relationship with its stakeholders that is useful in analysing the environmental, government and the social issues. The corporate strategy of NAB helps the management to set objectives, policies and measuring procedures for the company. The CR management and the reporting into the government structure have been adopted by the organisation to ensure the corporative responsibilities (Gelens, et al. 2014). Controversies and its outcomes Discussion on strategies that were criticised Jensen et al. (2014) mentioned that it is important to consider the appropriate corporate strategies for the organisation that can help the company to fulfil its goals and objectives. However, NAB has applied a number of strategies that has been criticised for failing to achieve its goals. In 2000, the company undertook a strategy in which it disposed of the MNC to the ABN-AMRO at US$2 billion. NAB had failed to understand the complex features present in the mortgage market of US. Thus, the company suffered from a loss of over US$2 billion that has adversely affected the company. The strategy adopted by the company on order to make a small gain has been therefore criticised as a loss making strategy for the NAB. On the other hand, NAB had incorporated other strategies within the company that has been criticised as the bank has failed to reach its goal of being the leading financial service company in the world. The company had focused on the targets for the contribution of the earnings, while Bourne (2016) had argued that the company needs to concentrate on the back to basic approach of Australia and New Zealand in order become a successful financial service company. According to financial services inquiry (FSI) the bank can ensure survival in the volatile situation only if they are unquestionably strong. The inappropriate decisions and the inefficient strategies of the company has been a major cause behind the loss in the financial position of NAB. The company witnessed a downfall in its revenue and profitability that restricted the investors from investing into the business due to the poor financial performance (Johnston and Marshall, 2016). On addition to this, the overseas acquisition of NAB had finished in that particular period as the overseas acquisition of the company was more opportunistic in nature rather than being strategic. NAB further sold of the GWB that caused a loss of A$67 million. Environmental analysis PESTEL analysis The PESTEL analysis is an effective tool used by the managers of NAB in order to analyse the macroeconomic factors of the environment in which the company operates. The PESTEL analysis includes the factors such as the political, economic, social, technological and environmental and the legal factors of NAB. Political- This factor discusses the degree of government intervention into the business of the company. The business of NAB is greatly affected by the governmental policies, foreign trade policies, tax, labour law, environmental law and the trade restrictions. Economic- The economic growth of Australia, interest rate, exchange rate, inflation rate and the disposable income of the consumers plays an important role on the profitability of NAB. Social- The social factors that influence NAB are the population growth in Australia, health and career consciousness, believes and the attitudes of the population. Technology- The technological factors of NAB affects its management in three different ways. First is the new method in the production of goods and services. Second is the new ways in the distribution of goods and services and third new process in the communication with the target markets. Environment- It is one of the important factors as it includes the availability of the raw materials in order to continue production. The pollution targets, ethical consideration set by the government are also included. Legal factors- The legal factors of NAB include the health, safety, equal opportunities, and rights of the consumers, product labelling and safety. It is important for NAB to consider the legal factors properly in order to trade effectively. Analysis of specific environment of the company The specific environment of NAB is the portion of the business that is directly helpful for the company in achieving the objectives. Lozano, Ceulemans and Seatter (2015), stated that the managers need to analyse the specific environment of the company effectively in order to make correct decision for the business. the specific environment of NAB are the target audience that is the customers, government, economy and the competitors of the company. Analysis of internal environment of the company SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis helps NAB to understand and analyse its internal environment. The SWOT analysis is as follows: Strengths Healthy financial position Good revenue and interest income Diversity in products Largest bank in Australia in terms of assets Weakness Reduction in the revenue causing poor growth and development No global acclaim Opportunities Expansion in international market Acquisition and JVs Asset management sector Threats Strong competition with the rival companies Changes in the regulations of the government Financial crisis From the above SWOT analysis of NAB, it can be inferred that the company can use its strength and opportunities effectively in order to minimise its weakness and threats. The analysing of the strength, weakness, opportunities and the threats helps the company to maximise its efficiency level in obtaining higher growth and development. Leadership style within the company Core values present in the company In the competitive market, the core present value of NAB is very essential in order to support the vision, culture of the organisation. The effective implementation of the core values can be achieved with the incorporation of the effective leadership style within the organisation. NAB has the participative or the democratic leadership style within the organisation. This kind of leadership allows the team members and the peers to participate in the decision-making, however, the final and the major decisions are carried out by the team leader. In the opinion of Kogg and Mont (2012), the democratic leadership used by the NAB is effective as it helps to motivate the employees by allowing them to actively take part in the business. Moreover, this kind of leadership supports the employees of the company to accept the changes taking place within an organisation as the employees play a vital role in the decision-making process. The leadership style is also effective in the situation when NAB needs to make a decision in the short period of time. The core values of NAB helps the organisation to enjoy internal as well as external advantage in the business. One of the values of the company is to stand behind the quality of the goods and services offered by the company. Thus, this value automatically removes the product or service that is unable to reach the satisfaction level. The core value of the company is beneficial as it helps to make the customers and the clients aware of the information regarding the company. This provides a competitive advantage to the company. Impact of leadership on the strategies and culture of the company An effective leadership style has a positive influence on the culture and the strategies of the organisation. The leaders of the NAB Company help to set a long-term effectiveness of the organisation. The effective leadership helps to understand the role that the norms of the organisation play. The democratic leadership within the organisation is helps to influence the team members in order to meet the organisational goals and objectives of the organisation (Goethals et al. 2014). The leadership pattern in NAB helps to develop the ability to create a clear vision that further helps to understand the organisational culture in details. The democratic leadership helps to increase the productivity of the employees and in turn increases the organisational productivity, as the employees are encouraged to work efficiently by providing those feedbacks, ideas and suggestion. There is a presence of more content workforce as the employees or the team members of NAB has individual role in the process of decision-making. Conclusion From the above project, it can be inferred that the corporate strategies of NAB in Australia is an essential component of the company in order to achieve long-term growth and development. The company needs to include strategies that positively affect the business of the company. The market analysis with the help of the PESTEL analysis and the SWOT analysis is beneficial for NAB as the company is able to determine the external and the internal factors affecting the business and the performance of the company. Moreover, the leadership style used by NAB is the democratic leadership style that supports the growth and development of the organisation. The overall study is useful in obtaining the knowledge on the management of NAB that is needed for sustaining in the competitive market. References Bourne, L., (2016).Stakeholder relationship management: a maturity model for organisational implementation. CRC Press. Gelens, J., Hofmans, J., Dries, N. and Pepermans, R., (2014). Talent management and organisational justice: employee reactions to high potential identification.Human Resource Management Journal,24(2), pp.159-175. Goethals, G., Allison, S., Kramer, R. and Messick, D. eds., (2014).Conceptions of leadership: Enduring ideas and emerging insights. Springer. Jensen, K., Scott, R.J., Slocombe, L., Boyd, R. and Cowey, L., (2014). The management and organisational challenges of more joined-up government: New Zealands Better Public Services reforms. Johnston, M.W. and Marshall, G.W., (2016).Sales force management: Leadership, innovation, technology. Routledge. Kogg, B. and Mont, O., (2012). Environmental and social responsibility in supply chains: The practise of choice and inter-organisational management.Ecological Economics,83, pp.154-163. Lozano, R., Ceulemans, K. and Seatter, C.S., (2015). Teaching organisational change management for sustainability: designing and delivering a course at the University of Leeds to better prepare future sustainability change agents.Journal of Cleaner Production,106, pp.205-215. nab.com.au, (2016), About NAB, Available at: https://www.nab.com.au/about-us [Accessed on 1 September (2016)] Obiozo, R. and Smallwood, J., (2014), February. healing gardens for the construction site: an innovative organisational management strategy. inpostgraduate conference (p. 325). Omotayo, F.O., (2015). Knowledge Management as an important tool in Organisational Management: A Review of Literature.Library Philosophy and Practice, p.1.

Shakespeares as You Like It and One Related Text free essay sample

AOS Belonging Sometimes we belong most in the places we shouldnt and vice versa. Discuss this referring to your set text and one related text. For human beings, belonging creates a connectedness that helps nurture self-esteem and confidence. The social and cultural milieu provided by society offers a range of specific roles and circumstances that a person is expected to abide by and a person is rewarded with the the knowledge that they belong if they play these roles as well as possible. However, circumstances beyond control can lead a person to being unable to fulfill the expected roles enabling a sense of isolation and not belonging. This can be particularly seen in As You Like it and Tim Burton’s 2010 movie remake of Alice in Wonderland, both of which have protagonists that have little control over their own circumstances and are as a consequence isolated and at odds with places where they should belong. We will write a custom essay sample on Shakespeares as You Like It and One Related Text or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In As You Like It, the traditions and dispositions of society push characters to play certain roles. Rosalind, the protagonist of As You Like It, has no control over the societal and gender expectations laid before her. Despite being the most intelligent, active and interesting character in the play, she is confined into the expected female role, suppressing her personality, in an attempt to fit into and belong at the court which embodies the societal expectations of the period. Her attempts at conformity lead her to initially feel fear at seeking out the forest of arden as such a place would be dangerous to a woman and yet she overcomes this by transcending gender boundaries, choosing to masquerade as a man. While disguised as a man Rosalind is able to unleash her true personality and fully explore her identity. It can be seen that had Rosalind not used the role of Ganymede within the forest, she may have been left in a largely passive role similar to that of Celia who is unable to shake off the constraints of her femininity. Despite having new found freedoms in her role as Ganymede, Rosalind is still an oddity even among the banished nobles of the forest, having to concoct stories to explain her amazing intellect and command of language. While she does not belong within the constraints of the court neither does she truly belong in the forest of arden. The article, Belonging in Arden: back to nature or nature as you like it? Clearly points out that Rosalind is ‘a shape-shifter, a chameleon, who does not properly belong anywhere neither within one place, nor within one gender’ This inability to belong is not within Rosalind’s control and is influenced by the societal expectations of gender present in the period. Rosalind is hence forced into a situation where she must conform and suppress her personality in order to fit in or otherwise be a continually acknowledged outsider. By stepping out of the play at the end, Rosalind demonstrates that she belongs more to the theatre, stretching across all time and in all places than she belongs to any one play or one period. Within Alice in Wonderland societal constraints and expectations lead to a fixed group identity and the enhancement social isolation. Similar to Rosalind, Alice does not fit into the role she is expected by society to play. However, Alice makes little attempt to conform to the expectations and as a result constantly feels awkward and isolated in society. The expectations of society make Alice believe that she had not choice but to conform as all decisions regarding her life are made outside of her control. Within Wonderland, Alice struggles with the importance and instability of personal identity and this doubt is further nourished by her constantly changing physical appearance. The many examples of rapid physical growth and regression in size also symbolize Alice’s gradual emotional growth. By the end of the movie she has grown in all senses; size but also in her capacity to think independently such as using the magic potions to her advantage. Alice, just like Rosalind, has no control over the expectations and the circumstances of her life in the real world. While she is unable to change or influence what is expected of her, she is also unwilling to conform and as such is regarded as an oddity and something of an outcast. In Wonderland, Alice is placed firmly control of her own life as she is told that no one can decide the course of her life for her. By not having to conform to the will of others, Alice is able to explore and understand her own desires and motives, discovering her true worth, identity and ultimately a sense of belonging. For both texts, external factors such as the environment have a large influence on a sense of belonging or not belonging. Both Rosalind and Alice find themselves at odds with the environments that they should naturally belong to, the court and upper class Victorian society. The environment is completely beyond their control and forces the inhabitants to conform or be outcasted. In this, the Ascot Manor, symbolic of the hidebound Victorian culture, can be likened to the vitriolic Court of As You Like It. In both locations the inhabitants strive to quell any aspects of individuality in a combined effort to fit in, creating a fixed group identity that outcasts anyone who is different. Within these places, characters have little to no control over their situation beyond choosing to conform and thus loose part of their individuality or to stand apart and be shunned. Similarly, Wonderland can be likened to the Forest of Arden as both are places that the protagonists choose to embrace and are portrayed as positive environments in which there is a great liberty and equality among inhabitants. Within both places the characters can choose how to live and act without having to worry about conformity or outside expectations. Social and cultural expectations that are beyond the ability of an individual to control can greatly hinder belonging. When not abiding by set social conventions a person is socially isolated and can come to doubt their own sense of identity. In both As You Like It and Alice in Wonderland, the effect of circumstances outside of a person’s control can be seen to greatly hinder a sense of belonging. Once the protagonists are able to take control of their circumstances, they are able to fully explore and discover their own identity, creating an enhanced sense of belonging.