Environmental Degradation – Air Pollution

The environmental degradation is the deterioration of environment through depletion of resources, such as soil, water and air. When natural habitats destroyed or natural resources depleted, the environment are degraded. Here's, one example of air pollution which lead to environment degraded in London. London in SE England had the reputation of one of the most polluted cities in Europe in the 1950s. Air pollution had reached such a serious stage that it caused the London Smog in 1952 that caused 4000 deaths and a host of other related ailments among the Londoners. One of the main causes of the serious air pollution was the burning of fossil fuels by the many manufacturing industries producing iron and steel, automobiles, machinery, textiles and food. Coal and Oil were the main sources of fuel for the factories which resulted in the release of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, smoke, soot and other particulates. Inefficient machinery and obsolete techniques coupled with the improper monitoring worsened the air pollution. the severe air pollution was causing acid rain, smog and health problems. London being the capital city has a very population density and a large volume to transport vehicles such as aircrafts landing and taking off at the Heathrow airport, lorries and buses on the streets, steamships and boats along the Themes River and private cars; all which were burning up coal, petrol and diesel in large quantities. This led to additional pollutants such as carbon monoxide, lead and carbon being released into the air. Fossil fuel combustion was also prevalent in the domestic households. Even fuel wood was burned to provide heating for homes. Inefficient combustion techniques and building construction led to incomplete burning and excessive release of air pollutants such as gases, smokes and particulates. Thermal electricity generation using fossil fuels further contributed to the worsening of the air quality. n addition, ignorance on the part of individuals and the authorities as regards the burning of garbage, accidental fires and burning of forests aggravated the air pollution. The lack of proper monitoring, legislation and implementation of environmental quality laws did little to alleviate the situation, thus leading to serious degradation of air quality with its heavy toll on human life, livestock, fish and vegetation.

What is Scapegoating?

Scapegoat has been going on for centuries, people blaming others for their misfortunes even though the ones that are being punished ad nothing to with it at all. The best known example of scapegoat are the Nazi's, who blamed the Jewish people for Germany's economic problems and along with many other difficulties that hit Germany post-World War l. The Nazi's accused the Jews of being part of a hypothetical conspiracy against Germany and in which cause the death Of over 6 million innocent people.There have been ;o theories that explain scapegoat which are, frustration-aggression-displacement and ideological theories of scapegoat. The frustration-aggression-displacement theory is based on the frustration hero of aggression, meaning frustration causes aggression but if that aggression can't be emitted to the main sources then that person's aggression will be displaced toward an easier target.An example, a woman is becoming frustrated because she is being yelled at by her manager, but wil l not act aggressively with the fear of losing her job the women will leave work to go home and where she will displace that aggression toward the Innocent target which in case will be her child. The child is innocent third party and becomes the replacement for her manger. The frustration-aggression- displacement theory was the first theory of scapegoat but even with 60 years of research it still lacks substantial support for it to be true.There was a study done by Carl Havilland and Robert Sear, about the relation of the economic conditions in the 1 ass's and the hate crime of lynching African Americans people. The researchers wanted to prove that white people were using the African Americans as scapegoat when the economic conditions declined but Donald and colleagues later found with modern statistical tools that the link couldn't truly exist. Thus this theory cannot explain why some outgrows are chosen to be scapegoats and others aren't. The ideological theory is the one that wil l explain why outgrows are chosen to be the scapegoats.The ideological will provide a scapegoat that explains the dilemmas, the people will use this ideology to satisfy the need to understand the reasons for their shortage. The ingrown will make themselves feel better by picking out a common outgrip to compare with and know where to direct the blame. The scapegoats have little power since the ingrown knows he outgrip won't resist, they already disliked the group, may also be chosen because Of their noticeable features or have well-known stereotypes which makes them standout and can be seen as a threat to society.The example of a current scapegoat can be the illegal immigrates, since they have no papers that makes them a citizen people will use them for cheap labor but will also blame them for united states economic troubles and say that their the reason that we are becoming over populated. Describe the relative deprivation theory of prejudice. How is relative deprivation a source of dissatisfaction and resentment and how can this lead to prejudice? Also, how can feelings of relative gratification lead to prejudice?The main meaning of relative deprivation theory is people comparing their lives or possessions to others and beginning to feel deprived relative of things they used before or seen other with and believe the people don't deserve those resources. There are two types of relative deprivation theory. The personal relative deprivation means a person is feeling deprived of as an individual and the group relative deprivation is the person is feeling that their group is being deprived of benefits or of experiences. The group relative deprivation is the type that is connected to prejudice.People become dissatisfied with their lifestyle and envious Of those with a more appealing way of living, making them believing they are the ones who truly deserve it and will start to resent that particular group for obtaining that lifestyle. A study was conducted by Reeve V anessa and Thomas Pettier that had data of white people that felt group deprived. The result showed that 54% aid they were group relative deprivation expressed negative arrogance's towards African American compared to the 42% that were low in group relative deprivation and showed no connection to prejudice.The opposite of relative deprivation is relative gratification, which is when a people is feeling they are getting better than what they really deserve. The study done by Grammar and Edwards proved that relative gratification can lead to prejudice by asking people if they think in the future their economic situations can either worsen (relative deprivation), or become better (relative gratification), r will it stay the same. They found that both economic futures that changed were also willing to endorse political violence.The same Study was constructed by Gumming and Dammars but they added ethic prejudice to be the dependent variable and found that both groups that experienced rel ative gratification and relative deprivation were more prejudice than the controlled group. The feelings of relative gratification can lead to prejudice by people comparing themselves to the outgrip and having negative beliefs of how the outgrip became more successful.

Ethical Concerns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Concerns - Essay Example A patient had been confined in a private room in this health institution for almost one month due to chronic illness with diverse complications. Due to her long stay and numerous laboratory, diagnostic and therapeutic examinations, her statement of account reached a staggering amount which could not be immediately covered by the funds of the patient and her family. She had been accompanied by her daughter who helps by providing physical, emotional and financial support. However, due to the critical condition that her mother experiences, their account was classified as â€Å"red tag†. Patients with red tags are immediately referred to the Customer Relations Department who monitors their status and closely coordinates with the Accounting and Cashier Department for settlement and collection purposes. Once a patient has been classified as â€Å"red tag†, any procedure (therapeutic, diagnostic, laboratory, etc.) need to be immediately settled prior to the administration of the procedure, regardless of the necessity and the kind of the procedure to be undertaken. The rationale for this is to prevent further increases in the amount due to the hospital which might not be collected nor paid. The patient regularly needs any of the abovementioned procedures to monitor her health progress and to identify and assess whether present medications need to be adjusted (increase or decrease in dosage and frequency of administration). However, since this patient was already classified as â€Å"red tag†, and since the daughter still needs to look for alternative sources of funds to settle the staggering amount, the required regular procedures could not be undertaken. In this regard, being a hospital with medical and ethical responsibilities to their patients, does their red tag policy contradict conformity to ethical standards? Based on the underlying definition of ethics, one should examine the rules that govern human action and

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and How It Affected Education Essay

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and How It Affected Education - Essay Example The act suggested the following changes; Annual Testing: States were required to begin testing students from grades three to eight annually on reading, mathematics and science by 2008. These tests had to follow state academic standard. Moreover, in order to compare the states, every state was required to present a sample of fourth and eighth graders to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress testing program. Academic Progress: In order to monitor the progress of an educational institution, â€Å"states were required to bring all students up to the "proficient" level on state tests by the 2013-14 school year. Individual schools had to meet state "adequate yearly progress" targets† ("No child left," 2004). Report Cards: From the start of 2002-2003 school year, states were required to provide annual report cards of school districts that would show a wide range of information on the performance of schools and achievements of students. Teacher Qualifications: The qualification of teachers for schools was set on a standard basis and by 2005-2006 school year, all the teaching faculty hired had to have â€Å"completed at least two years of college, obtained an associate's degree or higher, or passed an evaluation to demonstrate knowledge and teaching ability.† ("No child left," 2004) Reading First: This act created a grant program called â€Å"Reading First† to help states organize â€Å"â€Å"scientific, research based† reading programs for children in grades K-3 (with priority given to high-poverty areas)† ("No child left," 2004). Funding: The act was primarily meant for school districts with higher concentration of underprivileged students. The states were given flexibility in allocating resources for the programs they were required to initiate. The act was subject to hot debate since its enactment as people from the education sector were concerned with its feasibility. The controversial debate rose to an iss ue that had to be addressed. The act has its ups and downs. The comparison of its pros and cons can enable us to critically analyze the depth of its impact. The act affected the education system in many positive ways. Factors that affected the US education system positively are the necessary components of a good assessment system. First and foremost is the accountability factor. The act held teachers and states accountable for the development and progress of the students. Report cards and Academic-progress monitoring were specifically conditioned for this purpose. The ultimate purpose of this act was to improve the education by bringing in the necessary reforms such as â€Å"reading first† and â€Å"annual testing†. This act provided equal opportunity to students, implying that every student could participate in his/her own intellectual development through the initiated programs. Another lucrative factor of this act was the standard for teachers to enter the teaching p rofession. Teachers have to pass a certified test (GACE) in order to teach. As a result of this clause the quality of teaching has improved. With the help of report cards, schools were graded relative to the adequate yearly progress target. If these schools fail to achieve the set target for two years straight, students would be offered choices of other public schools and if a school fails to achieve the set target for continued years than it can even face correctional measures. The last mentionable

Organizational Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Organizational Change - Research Paper Example commence their business with the aid of conventional business processes and stay aloof from the technological changes in the industry; this aspect provokes many organizations to change their conventional processes and adopt new ones. Change management is vital to enable organizations to stay competitive in the market and updated with the changing nature of the times. The paper discusses the introduction of a change in a bank that aims to streamline the business processes in a better manner and enhance productivity for the organization. The nature of the change is technological since it encompasses the introduction of new information systems in the organization. Section 2 discusses the portfolio of the company, while section 3 includes the driving forces that created the need for such a change in the organization. Section 4 highlights the stakeholders of the change and how they might be affected by it. Section 5 discusses the possible barriers of change in the organization, which is followed by effective strategies that might be adopted to ensure a smooth implementation of changes. Finally, the seventh section includes the foreseeable effects of the implemented change. The bank under discussion is one of the oldest banks in the region and has survived over the years due to its wide coverage and network. The bank had not been affected by the intervention of technology in the banking industry and chose to maintain most of their operations on paper. After following the same business processes and policies for decades, it has been felt by the management that the market share is deteriorating at an incremental rate. The introduction of newer banks and automated processes in the market is bearing an effect on its market share and causing brand shifts. Efficiency, convenience and quality bear great relevance in the banking industry in the modern times. The fast paced nature of the modern times demands efficient service from a bank that would also focus on the quality

Problematic situation is Contract Law Case Study

Problematic situation is Contract Law - Case Study Example It is fortunate the judge took the time to find where the problems lay and also decide the outcomes (GP Surveyors). In June 2003, Mr. Simon Davenport and Mrs. Angelika Davenport, husband and wife, engaged the services of a small and untried building contractor called TL Construction (UK) Ltd. ("TL") to carry out plastering, wiring and other such refurbishment work in their beautiful stucco terrace leasehold house located in Knightsbridge, SW3. Mrs. Davenport was in charge of all the work being carried out by TL. While she left the technical aspect of the work to TL, she provided most of the management needed to keep the work going through day to day close personal involvement and continuous monitoring of the finished product. Mrs. Davenport also looked after the co-ordination of the work of the building contractor with the directly engaged specialists. The work was done without any builder's specification. Mr. David Jones, surveyor and principal to Design Group Nine Ltd provided limited supervisory services. The work was paid for at cost and in cash and there was no defined contractual period or completion date or any clear definition of the specialist work such as the electrical work, plastering, joinery or painting work. After having paid a substantial amount and not satisfied with the work, they terminated their contract with TL nine months later during Easter 2004. The Davenports had paid out 147,000 and this amount was in excess of what had been quoted at the outset and the work was still significantly incomplete. The Davenports were unhappy with most of the work, particularly waterproofing and electrical works done by TL. They began to despair when the work kept dragging on even after nine months! The plastering and waterproofing was not only substandard but also erratic. Some weeks before terminating the contract with TL, the Davenports had engaged Monavon, following an introduction from Mr. David Jones, to install a new conservatory extension at the rear of the house. When the contract with TL ended on a sour note, Mr. Davenport invited Mr. Ian McGowan, Monavon's principal, to inspect the works and indicate how much he would charge for remedying the defective work left by TL. The work was to be done to a very high standard. Mr. Davenport also obtained quotations from two other contractors. He did not disclose this to Monavon. Mr. McGowan gave Mr. Davenport what he contends was a provisional guide price of about 100,000 which was less than half what the other two contractors had quoted. Mr. Davenport therefore decided to engage Monavon. Monavon carried out the work between April and September 2004. It was not to Davenports' satisfaction. The work by McGowan also took more time than was anticipated. It not only took more time, but the payments to be made were more than what the Davenports were ready to pay. Basically, there were three works that needed to be done. They were electrical work,

The great pacific patch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The great pacific patch - Essay Example The western and the eastern garbage patches form the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Larger proportion of the patch consists of the plastic that is not bio-degradable but instead, photodegradable releasing small plastic particles that are harmful to marine animals. The particles act like sponge that soak toxic chemicals in the sea and suspend on the sea water and seabed sediments. When fish and other marine animals feed on them, they may die and their predators may have less to feed on causing successive deaths (Curtin & Belcher, 2008). Changes in the sea life for algae and other marine life also affect human life. For example, changes in water temperatures disturb the numbers of bacteria and fungi in the waters with negative consequences on marine animals and fish. Fish is essential for the growing human population and diseases arising from microorganisms affect food attainability. Wastes from factories cause harm to these organisms and can as well poison wildlife and humans. Wastes from industries also lead to declining of the sea grasses and reduced pathogenic potentials. Sea skaters also lay their eggs on flotsam objects such as pumice and seashells. Increased number of plastic wastes in the seas and large water bodies has increased egg concentrations in the gyre area because the plastic garbage provides surface for laying of these eggs. The marine wastes can also disturb the food webs at the sea in the north pacific gyre. Planktons and algae on the basement of the sea use sunlight to make their own food. The trash that collects on the surface of water blocks the sunlight from reaching planktons and algae which are the most common autotrophs in the food web. The entire food web may change because fish and other small animals that feed on the planktons and algae will have less to feed on and as a result may die. The predators that feed on these fish will also be affected and the food web will be affected in whole (Bowler, Karl, & Colwell,

Critical Thinking - Discussion Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking - Discussion Question - Essay Example reative thinking tries to create a list of something or ideas that are new whereas critical thinking tries to make choices by assessing the validity or worth in something. In addition, creative thinking is often carried on by violating accepted rules because it requires inventiveness. This, therefore, implies that, in creative thinking, the mind is at liberty to wander about in search of new, varied, and unique ideas. Critical thinking, on the other hand, is often carried on by applying the accepted principles because it involves making choices. It is a mental activity that is associated with using the mind. Creative thinking is a process that assists in or contributes to fostering creativity. It is associated with tools and techniques such as problem-solving, brainstorming and lateral thinking (Lau, 2013). Conversely critical thinking means using mental processes like categorization, attention, selection, and judgment. For instance, creative thinking has helped team members to come up with an out of the box solution regarding a particular issue, however, a critical thinking has helped an employee relations specialist to conduct workplace investigatio ns on whether to terminate or suspend an employee who is alleged to have engaged in sexual harassment. Therefore, a person who thinks creatively is able to come up with new ideas regarding a particular thing whereas, a person who thinks critically is able to use skepticism as well as doubt usefully in analyzing anything before them thereby making a better and a more informed decision (Lau, 2013).   It is very crucial to develop critical thinking skills because creative thinking has numerous benefits to an individual. First, critical thinking results in a more focused reading. Myself, critical reading has enabled me to look up for the information I need more carefully (Cottrell, 2011). For instance, I was able to select the most economical washing machine in terms of power consumption from a variety of models for my

Project management maturity model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Project management maturity model - Assignment Example Project management principles that need application and support are included in this level. These principles are related to methodologies applied by the company. III. Level 3 Singular Methodology: A company is in a position to integrate all corporate methodologies into one with a focus on project management. These effects termed as synergistic effects simplifies process control in combination with single methodology rather than multiple methodologies. IV. Level 4 Benchmarking: at this level, competitive advantage is enjoyed by a company. Process improvement is the focus of management so that the company maintains this advantage. This level is performed regularly and continuously. Decisions made at this level look at whom and what to benchmark. V. Level 5 Continuous improvement: all information from benchmarking are important for success in project management. This information is used in benchmarking followed by a decision whether the information will empower singular methodology. The se levels of maturity are not only accomplished by companies’ in a consequential manner but may overlap in one manner or the other (Kerzner 2001, pp.41-44). Ferris HealthCare, Inc. ... The need for project managers in career path position with a structure to accommodate project management was seen a priority in making the organization prosper. A project management training program was conducted by a consultant in the organization. One twelfth of the organization’s employees participated in the training program. The fifty trained officials held several meetings in the next two months to set out models to use for the firm. Finally, three stage gates were identified although dictated by personal interests. The models were information systems, new products portfolio and corporate clients. The models developed had several similarities since they had rigid policies and procedures. After a year of implementation of the models, a problem in decision making about the right project manager for a specific project emerged. Project managers were obliged to understand the three models. The only option available was assigning project managers who understood particular meth odology. Later, the company consolidated the methodologies into one, with a focus on guidelines rather than policies and procedures. The new model received support from most employees. The company organized another training session for untrained employees on project management with a focus on the new method. Unfortunately, there was no success in future projects. Questions a. What difficulty did the management face to initiate one methodology from the start? b. Why did the three methods based on policies and procedures? c. Why do you think the company was forced to seek for single methodology? d. Why did the company decide that the methodology rely on guidelines rather than policies

Igniting Young Minds Essay Example for Free

Igniting Young Minds Essay Swami Vivekananda’s success Mantras for youth! â€Å"My Faith is in the Younger Generation, the Modern Generation, out of them will come my workers. They will work out the whole problem, like Lions.† Swami Vivekananda expressed this confidence in the youth of this country exactly 50 years before the end of Colonial Rule while speaking to a mammoth gathering of youngsters in Madras. Swami ji himself was the embodiment of youth, dynamism and vibrancy. The life and ideals of Swami ji are the greatest inspiration for the youth of our nation. In a short life of 39 years, 5 months and 22 days, this great man conquered the entire world with his message. Many great personalities both in India and across the world became deeply inspired by Swami ji. The writings of Swami ji can ignite the minds of the reader.. Anybody who has come into either direct or indirect contact has witnessed an ocean of change in his or her life. Today, the youth of this country faces various challenges and I am certain that the message of Swami Vivekananda has the power to wonderfully guide them into the future. PURPOSE OF LIFE Swami ji always held that the real birth of the individual takes place when the purpose of his life germinates. He believed that he who does not have a purpose is nothing but a walking-talking corpse.It is extremely important not to decide the purpose of life with the narrow objective to be something or the other. Think of doing not becoming and in this process you will certainly become something. Once the purpose of life is clear, all actions of life become driven by that purpose. SELF-CONFIDENCE A precursor to do anything in life is to have confidence in the self. Swami Vivekananda attached more importance to self-confidence than even faith in God! â€Å"He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself,† he famously stated. Unfortunately, we have limited ourselves without knowing our capabilities. Many times we feel that we can do ‘only this much’ despite being blessed with tremendous capabilities. If our youth is determined, there can be nothing impossible for them to achieve in the world! But, for this we must regain our self-confidence. Swami ji always believed that everything that is happening around us be it small, big, positive or negative gives us the opportunity to manifest the potential within. DEDICATION For any endeavor to attain the pinnacle of success, dedication to the cause is absolutely essential. Swami Vivekananda once said, â€Å"To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. ‘I will drink the ocean’, says the persevering soul; ‘at my will mountains will crumble up’. Have that sort of energy, that sort of will; work hard, and you will reach the goal.† Another quality that Swami Vivekananda spoke of was patience. He said, â€Å"Be like the pearl oyster. There is a pretty Indian fable to the effect that if it rains when the star Svà ¢ti is in the ascendant, and a drop of rain falls into an oyster, that drop becomes a pearl. The oysters know this, so they come to the surface when that star shines, and wait to catch the precious raindrop. When a drop falls into them, quickly the oysters close their shells and dive down to the bottom of the sea, there to patiently develop the drop into the pearl. We should be like that.† Very often, it so happens that we take on a task with immense enthusiasm but as time passes by, the same enthusiasm fizzles out. Pursuing a challenge with utmost dedication is indeed a road to success for our youth. TEAMWORK This era belongs to organization and teamwork. Be it any sector from science, technology to business, teamwork constitutes a major cornerstone to attaining the desired results. When he was in USA, Swami Vivekananda was greatly impressed by the spirit of teamwork there and he thought of the need to re-vitalize this spirit of teamwork in India. Leading by example, he founded the Ramakrishna Mission and organized Sanyasis to work towards nation building. Friends, if the present youth walks on the hallow path of Swami ji’s ideals and beliefs it will merely be a matter of time before India adorns the mantle as the leader of the World. In any case, we are the most youthful nation in the world but simply that is not enough. It is necessary to arm our youth with the relevant knowledge and skill that will convert this mammoth potential to desired results. India is celebrating Swami Vivekananda’s 150th Birth Anniversary and Gujarat is commemorating the entire year as ‘Yuva Shakti Varsh’. It is indeed high time that we resolve to follow these ideals of Swami Vivekananda and take this youthful nation to greater heights as the leader of the world.

Socrates Concept Of Justice When Applied To War Philosophy Essay

Socrates Concept Of Justice When Applied To War Philosophy Essay The nation is at war, and your number in the recently reinstated military draft has just come up. The problem is that, after serious reflection, you have concluded that the war is unjust. What advice might Socrates give you? Would you agree? What might you decide to do? One fundamental question answered in the Republic is Socrates concept of Justice. As all the answers, the conclusion about what it is was reached using the dialectical method, a process that is also called, intellectual midwifery. Socrates begins another discussion and a conclusion is reached that it is just to do good to our friends when they are good and harm to our enemies when they are evil, but he does not accept this as the final meaning if justice, and said that doing harm is far worse than receiving harm, because committing injustice harms ones self internally (Davis, 2000). In conclusion, harming any person is an injustice, and so any just man would not commit it. Davis noted that it was the first that it had been declared in European philosophy the idea that a man should not harm others, even his enemies (2000). This is in fact very deontological, as the goodness of an act is considered in itself. In the first book of The Republic, Socrates receives the argument that men find it easier to fall into the pleasures of the unjust rather than choose the inevitable loss and suffering endured as a result of being good and just. But because the just life is more important than the external pleasures that vice and injustice can yield, loss and suffering is a little price to pay. Better is the poor man with a good, just soul than the rich man who has found his wealth through vice and thus attained a tainted soul (Davis, 2000). In addition, his view of justice was exemplified by the famous story, The Ring of Gyges. The point of the story is this: when one has the chance to do something bad, and gain something for ones self, one should not. That is justice. Thus, in this first question, I think that Socrates would have regretted it, because it is not the right thing. We should take note that Socrates is a good warrior himself of Athens, while being its greatest philosopher at the same time. While the end could be good, the point is it was attained in the wrong manner. In his line of thought, Socrates would have advised that there should be some form of repayment to the commitment of injustice. And yes, I would agree. The essence of justice, as was expounded by Davis is not gaining something good for ones self by making other people suffer. Would it have been unjust for Socrates to escape? If you think it would have been, explain your position on whether it is ever morally appropriate to disobey the law. If you think Socrates could have escaped without committing an injustice, explain why. Is there some argument Crito could have made but didnt? Habin noted three arguments of Crito as he was convincing Socrates to escape. First, Socrates friends reputations would have suffered; because it would only mean that his friends do not have the courage to help him escape. Their reputations would suffer. Second, Socrates would not be able to provide for his children in prison. And third, if he does not flee, it would become impossible for Socrates to teach philosophy, which means success for his enemies (2003). Socrates responded, however, that, A good man cannot be harmed eitherin life or in death, and in addition, and in relation to his concept of justice, one not ought to harm ones friends. It must be cleared that harming a person, for Socrates meant means him less good, less. Lastly, in response to Critos argument related about his children, the philosophers reply was, if escaping is unjust and he does it, then he would show himself unfit as teacher of virtue-he would have shown that he did not know what virtue is-and so he could not make his children just or virtuous (2003). Following the line of thought that Socrates notion of justice is justice in itself, the one characterized by Gyges, wherein one should commit something beneficial for ones self without hurting people, it would be injustice if ever he tried to escape. In the first place, Socrates was condemned to drink hemlock because he was accused of youth corruption and in believing other Gods. Thus, while this he is receiver of injustice himself, it would have been greater injustice to try to escape, because he would simply commit greater injustice. One argument Crito could have made is that the Athenian laws are base or morally incorrect, and so he could have convinced Socrates to escape because it would not be injustice as it is a rebellion against the laws themselves. This is different from disobeying the laws as they are laws, and disobeying the laws because they are in itself wrong. Are your moral judgments merely expressions of your personal preferences? If not, how are they different? In articulating your position, be sure to explain how it compares to Reagans. Moral judgment is not only expressions of personal preferences. In the line of thought of the philosopher Levinas, this question itself is invalid, because there can be no personal when it comes to morality in the sense that morality is only possible between two people. Morality is not a question of acts (acts could be personal). Moral preferences could not, as they are always based on a person to person relation. To be moral means to acknowledge others preferences as well. To be moral is an acknowledgment that people are people and deserve to have a life. Thus, to cancel this right is a transgression. I thus agree with Reagans position that there must not be individual preferences when it comes to moral judgments. In one newspaper article I have read about Reagan, he was said to be mistaken in judgment simply because he deems that a baby born without brain should not be starved to death. This is in fact very humane, because while the child would have not survived even a week, Reagans decision is just an acknowledgment of the right of the infant. Is it possible to be moral without believing in God? Why or why not? It is possible to be moral without believing in God, if this idea of God is based on tradition (i.e. Jesus, Allah, Jehovah.) For although religion is a great foundation when it comes to morality, it does not mean that religion is the sole foundation of it. For instance, there are a claim in the Philosophy of Science that science is not only taking-over explanations on metaphysics (I mean, reality,) and knowledge, but science is also taking over epistemology, and now even aesthetics and ethics. For example, there is what is called bio-ethics. Question about the possibility of being moral without God is actually outdated, for Nietzsche had long ago pronounced the death of God.-the death of objectivity, as new demi-gods arises: perhaps the result is this age of post-modernism. Aside from Nietzsche, there are other ethical philosophers who have founded a system of morals without relying on the idea of a god: there is utilitarianism, pragmatism, hedonism, rational egoism, and a lot more.

Siberian Prison System :: Russian Russia History

Siberian Prison System PRISON SYSTEM IN SIBERIA My project is dedicated to description of the history of Siberia as a place to where send prisoners--from the days of Ivan the Terrible until today. I will tell about the reasons for choosing Siberia as place of exile, the system of prisons and conditions in Siberian prisons. Choosing Siberia as a Place of Exile As with other Western powers that gained colonies overseas, the acquisition of Siberia led to making it a place of exile. Criminal and political prisoners had been sent to Siberia for more than three centuries; millions of people, in total, were deported there. Due to its remoteness and severe weather conditions 'Russian Australia' was one huge prison, escape from where was almost impossible and very dangerous not only because of the chase, but because of the Siberian killing frosts, unimaginably long distances, bounty-hunting natives, deep forests and wild animals. Another reason for establishing punishment by exile was the desire of society to banish still cruel and barbarous criminal code of XVII century according to which criminals had been punished by amputation of their limbs, being bastionadoed, and being branded with hot iron. Exile was quick and easy method of getting them out of the way. The punishments, however, didn't become more human e. They just began to happen far away from where most of the people could see them. Before making Siberia place of exile criminals died from being tortured in Moscow; after they died from the hard, exhausting work, cold winters, and diseases in Siberia. Although originally applied as a corporal punishment, exile can be viewed as a means of population and developing the colony. Government needed people to work in Siberian mines and to build roads, and penal servitude began to replace long prison terms, while list of offences meriting exile steadily lengthened to include even vagrancy, fortune-telling, wife-beating, debts, accidentally starting a fire or drunkenness. In 1754 death penalty was abolished for some years and replaced with exile at hard labour. Convoy to Siberia Until the middle of the XIX century, most of the convicts had to walk to the place of their exile from their homes. Often the journey took years--the distances walked measured thousands of kilometres. They walked from etape (transit prison) to etape. Until the beginning of XVIII century there was almost no long-range planning and even supervision of exiles was extremely negligent. Convicts had to beg their way because there was almost no food provided for them.

The Derivation of Incest and Pedophilia as a Repressed Societal Fear in

The Derivation of Incest and Pedophilia as a Repressed Societal Fear in Dracula Franco Moretti provides a cogent argument for a particular understanding of societal fears existing in the Britain mind of the Victorian Era manifest in the gothic novel, Dracula. In his reading of Dracula, he chooses to extrapolate these fears along the lines of Marxist and psychoanalytic interpretative frameworks. Though Moretti admits that â€Å"it is hard to unite them harmoniously† (Moretti 104), he does not suppose these two frameworks to be mutually exclusive. In both cases, terror serves a dual function. It simultaneously expresses and hides the unconscious content of society. Dracula serves a metaphor for this content in two capacities. On the one hand, he symbolizes the uncontrollable individual pursuit of capital outside any moral boundaries. On the other, he symbolizes the liberator of sexual desire, the element which draws the trope of lust and passion into explicit social discourse. The repressive element in relation to this symbol is established solely in how it compromises the integrity of the Victorian notion of the woman. When Moretti notes that â€Å"[f]ear and attraction are one and the same†¦ (Stoker 99)†, he is addressing the dynamic between a man and a woman. â€Å"Vampirism is an excellent example of the identity of desire and fear: let us therefore put it at the center of analysis. (100)† Though his concern throughout the article seems to be caught up in deriving the real fear in British society, by thematizing the male-female portion of the transgressive sexuality spectrum, he overlooks what appears to be, through further textual analysis, an equally prevalent hidden fear in British society: pedophilia. Moretti establishes the family,... ... the discourse when the trope of sexual explicitness is represented. The vampire bite is understood as a distinctly sexual act, initiating the transition of the victim towards passion and lust. The inclusion of children into the realm of vampirism, even in the absence of obvious sexual and gender distinctions, does not escape the implications of the nature of this act. Jonathon Harker, in his seemingly innocent epilogue, aligns sexuality with children. The child becomes bound by the same repressive fear applied to the male-female relationship. If the child can fall victim to the vampire, then the domestic sphere, the family, can be split not only along the lines which compromise the holy bond between husband and wife, but also those between the positions of parent and offspring, which extend the repressive field of sexuality into the realm of pedophilia and incest.

Discrimination :: Essays Papers

Discrimination Janet Smith awoke early morning to prepare for her job interview at Britax Vision Systems. She started the coffeepot in the kitchen and returned to her bedroom to sort through her wardrobe. After careful consideration, she decided on a navy blue pantsuit with white trim and matching dress shoes. After Janet had taken her shower, she dressed and went back to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. Deciding on an English muffin, she sat down at the table to enjoy it along with her coffee. Janet finished her breakfast, brushed her teeth, and continued readying herself for the meeting. Once her morning ritual was complete, Janet got into her blue Escort and drove to Britax with the sound of Jimmy Buffet in her ears. Upon arrival, Janet parked her car in the guest parking lot and turned off the ignition. Giving herself another look over in the mirror, along with a few words of encouragement, she headed towards the main building. After she had entered through the double glass doors, she approached a nearby desk. Behind the desk sat a young, light-brown haired woman. The nameplate on her desk read Ashley. Ashley was an attractive girl with bright green eyes with blue speckles at the edges. She wore a cranberry vest along with a matching skirt that, to Janet, seemed much to short for an office job. After a few seconds of waiting, Ashley looked up at Janet questioningly. â€Å"Hi, I’m here for my interview. My name is Janet Smith and I have an eleven o’clock appointment†, she said confidently. The young girl opened a small leather book at the right edge of her desk and began scanning the pages. A moment later she returned her attention to Janet and instructed her to be seated across from the door to her left. There were five seats lined against the wall, each with black backing and gray upholstery. A man with dark hair and eyes sat farthest to the left. He wore gold-rimmed glasses that had slipped down his nose in the course of his reading. A Time magazine lay open on his lap. He scanned the pages slowly, although Janet suspected that he wasn’t really reading at all, but rather trying to pass time. Janet chose the middle seat and placed her purse on the chair beside her. She began thinking about her family. Her husband Mark had just had his 34th birthday, making him two years older than she.

LL Bean Essay

1. How significant (quantitatively) of a problem is the mismatch between supply and demand for LL Bean? As per the historical series and its associated statistical description (see graph below), we can observe that there is a significant spread between the A/F ratios sine the standard deviation equals 1/3 of the mean. Besides in cases, there is mismatch beyond 50% between the forecast and the actual demand. Besides the mean value shows that there is a 9% bias meaning that on average the actual is always 9% above the forecast. It should be noticed as well that there distribution is skewed to the left with higher values meaning that there is a 100% underestimation for certain items. 2. Use the provided Excel file that contains demand and forecast data for a collection of items. Suppose those are the data LL Bean will use to plan their next season. Consider an item that retails for $45 dollars and costs LL Bean $25. The liquidation price for this item will be $15. The sales forecast for this item is 12,000. What order quantity would LL Bean choose for this item? Based on the Cu/(Co+Cu) ratio that equals 20/(10+20) =0,667 and the A/F distribution, we end-up with a probability of 0,676 given the round up rule. Hence LL Bean should order 12 000 * 1,179975 = 14160 items to maximize its profit. (We used the distribution derived from the data rather than the normal distribution with the same mean and standard deviation. Indeed despite the important gaps between the different percentiles of the real distribution, we reject the hypothesis that the distribution is normal at a 5% level as per the Anderson Darling test result with p-value= 3%). 3. Assuming LL Bean manages to derive the correct forecast, what do you think about their ordering process? (You may wish to begin with Mark Fasold’s concerns at the end of the case. Also, think about Rol Fessenden’s concern about estimating contribution margin and liquidation costs). †¢ If the contribution margin and liquidations costs are wrongly assessed this has a direct consequence on the commitment order size as per the newsvendor model methods (cf. the Cu/(Co+Cu) ratio). †¢ There is a grey area in the case to know how LL Bean really assesses the number of actual for products generating a demand higher than the forecast. An overestimation of lost sales can create a bias loop since it will impact the next year order commitment by generating mechanically higher commitment orders. As per the mean (8% above 1) and the distribution that is skewed to the left, it could be inferred that there is a systematic overestimation of lost sales which may explain that there are not different common pattern across items and buyers. †¢ We can’t suggest any bias due to outlier since they mention that there have not found any specific pattern. †¢ The split between â€Å"new† and â€Å"never out† for the historical errors makes sense since both nature of articles share a common property. †¢ We recommend making use of the phone calls and orders through all selling channel to build more robust analytical data and reduce the potential bias of data used to build the A/F distribution. 4. What do you think about LL Bean’s forecasting process? Is that the best that they can do? Problems †¢ It seems unreliable and not data driven as per the use of rules of thumb and use of consensus that may reduce the weight of the expert. †¢ Forecast reconciliation issue with the bottom up (items by items) and the top down (catalog) approach forecast approach. †¢ A lot of the forecast relies on the inaccurate slash at the end of the process. †¢ Aggregation of demand for item common to different catalogs seems unclear and prone to error, there may be an overestimation of the demand forecast by double counting the expected sales (cf. catalog arriving to same customer that are considered the best i.e. buying the most). †¢ Issues with the impact of new products and cannibalization †¢ Differences observed between the aggregation Suggestions †¢ More frequent interactions between bottom up and top down approach to avoid or at least reduce the slash of the end. Such interactions could be achieved through the so-called â€Å"W† approach that implies meeting points at different levels over the process. †¢ For items common to several catalogs, consider a customer approach instead of a catalog approach to avoid counting several times the expected purchase of one customer receiving several catalogs. †¢ We recommend making use of the phone calls and orders through all selling channel to build more robust analytical data in order to improve the forecasting process. †¢ Try to find alternate sources of supply to reduce the current lead time of 9 months and allow finalizing the forecasting process closer to the sales time.

Chemistry Essay

An increasing interest and intensive research have been devoted towards understanding the chemistry of ionic liquids over the past decade. These liquids are not any new and have extensively been used in organic separation and synthesis. With renewed interest towards these liquids, researchers have started to realize novel uses of ionic liquids and now research efforts have been spread to other specialties within the umbrella of science and technology. While research into ionic liquids has been limited to the classification as esoteric compounds, other applications of ionic liquids continue to be realized such as performance additives, bioreactor applications and in the designing of pharmaceutical compounds has received increasing recognition. Ionic liquids have been thought to be green although noxious ionic liquids have been synthesized with ease. An example of these potentially life threatening liquids have cyanide as their sole anion and alkaloid as the anions[1]. Therefore, there seems to be a misunderstanding on the nature of ionic liquids which has in many times led to the poor definition of ionic liquids. A detailed understanding will generate new insights into sustainable exploitation of ionic liquids in industrial processes. Apart from ILs being praised for being excellent solvents, they are also good catalysts especially in biological systems although they take part in highly selective catalytic solvents[2]. Definition of Ionic Liquids Ionic liquids, abbreviated as IL comprise of a new class of solvents that is mainly composed of ions (cations and anions). They ILs are regarded to be green solvents because of their properties such as negligibility to vapor pressure, high thermostability and non-inflammability. Due to these properties, new biotechnological applications are continuously being discovered. Among the biotechnological applications of ILs which have been developed include whole cell and enzymatic catalysis. While ILs have been labeled ‘green’, the label has recently been questioned and challenged after ILs were shown to decompose as relatively low heat intensities. ILs have also been shown to express some toxicity levels towards microbial cells as well as higher organisms. At the same time, it is possible to modify the physicochemical properties of ILs and come up with designer solvents with unique chemical structures[3]. Perhaps interventions required to make ILs retain their ‘green’ label could be the fine tuning so that the toxicity drawbacks are addressed. Their applications need to be broadened in order to fully maximize their benefits to man. Important properties of ILs have been investigated in order to understand this important class of solvents. However, not every ionic liquid will show similar properties as other classes of solvents. The most common properties of ILs which can be presented by this class of solvents include the liquid range which is 3000C (-96-+2000C)[4]. ILs have also been shown to be excellent inorganic, organic and polymeric materials solvents. The acidic composition of ILs can generally be said to be superacids. Some ILs are highly water sensitive and therefore have to be used in dry boxes. In contrast, other ILs are highly hydrophobic (water haters) and have high air stability. ILs have also shown high thermal stability up to temperatures of 2000C. vapor pressure at room temperature has not yet been estimated and is assumed negligible. While ILs are noninflammable, it has been shown recently that some can be explosive and this raises eyebrows over the tag, ‘green’ solvents. At room temperature, ILs are basically salts with heavy phosphorous or nitrogenous organic rich organic cations with a linear skeleton or chain of alkyl groups. Extensive research has been invested mainly in the imidazolium ILs especially the cations of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium. The structures of these cations have also been studied extensively. ILs are known to be of dual functionality since they have both the cations and the anions. The most common anions of ILs include, the nitrates such as chlorides (Cl-) and bromides (Br-), chloroaluminates such as [Al2Cl4]- Â  and [Al2Cl7]-, nitrates such as [NO3]-, tetrafluorophosphates [BF6]- hexafluorophosphates, Â  [PF6]-Â   and alkyl sulfates [RSO4] such as ethyl sulfate [C2H5SO4]-.

Evualiating strategies of Inter Continental Hotel groups Essay

1. Introduction This report will evaluate strategies of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in China and how they rose to being the biggest and most successful hotel operator in China. What strategies were formed and implemented to get to position. Then this report proceeds to define strategy and apply the SWOT, Porter’s diamond forces model and Porter’s five forces to IHG in China. 2.1 Company Profile – InterContinental Hotels Group InterContinental Hotel’s Group is one of the world’s leading hotel companies having 679000 in over 4,600 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG operates nine brands which are InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites Hotels, Candlewood Suites Hotels, EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE Hotels. This portfolio includes everything from luxurious upscale hotels in the world’s major cities and resorts to reliable family oriented hotels offering great service and value. So guests travelling for business or leisure, honeymoon or a family holiday, IHG will have a hotel that’s right for them. 2.1.1 Goal: To grow by making their brands the first choice for guests and hotel owners 2.1.2 Strategy: To build the hotel industry’s strongest operating system focused on the biggest markets and segments where scale really counts. 2.1.3 Operating System: IHG’s operating system is made up of all the things they do to drive demand for their brands. This report will look at this in the next section. 2.2 Driving Demand This includes; Hotel distribution: 4,600 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. When people travel, they look for familiar brands they know from home, increasing the demand for hotels that operate under their brands around the world. IHG’s Advertising and marketing campaigns: Annual fund totalling $1.2bn through a central fund where their franchisees pay a fee into, used on their behalf for marketing and promotions to generate demand for their hotels. Web/Mobile presence: Websites operating in 13 different languages and IHG have 6 different language apps for smartphones. IHG Rewards club: The world’s largest hotel loyalty scheme with over 76 million members. Reservation systems: Their 11 global reservation offices (call centres) are available to take hotel bookings from guests 24 hours a day in 11 different languages. Sales force: A global sales force of more than 17,600 professionals throughout the world, talking about and selling the booking of hotels under their brands to individuals and companies. Food and beverage: Over $4.6n of food and beverage revenue and over 4,500 outlets worldwide. Focusing on the biggest markets where their scale really counts ensures that IHG concentrate their resources on the opportunities that will provide the greatest return. 2.2 IHG Business Model IHG operates hotels in 3 different ways – as a franchisor, as a manager and on an owned and leased basis. Their business model focuses on managing and franchising hotels, whilst their business partners own the bricks and mortar. Below is the breakdown of IHG business: Franchising This is the largest part of IHG business: 3,955 hotels operate under franchise agreements. Managing IHG manage 689 hotels worldwide. Owning IHG owns 9 hotels worldwide (less than 1% of their portfolio). Source: IHG, 2013 2.3 IHG’s winning ways These are a set of behaviours based on IHG’s values helping them to become one of the very best companies in the world. These winning ways provide a strong sense of shared purpose, and are critical to driving their business performance forward, as well as making them a great, enjoyable place to work. These are: Doing the right thing Showing care Aiming higher Celebrating difference Work better together These winning ways make IHG a high-performing organisation that helps deliver their company’s core purpose – ‘Great Hotels Guests Love’. 3. Chinese culture and Chinese Hotel Industry Introduction of the Open Door Policy in 1978 opened the door to what would become decades of unprecedented economic growth in China’s history. Riding along the waves of new found economic liberty and the freedom to partner with foreign investors, China’s hotel investment community seized the opportunity to welcome outside investment. The hotel industry in China quickly developed from 137 properties in 1978 to 14,237 properties in 2009. One of the main catalysts of the rapid development seen in the hotel industry has been the expansion of multinational hotel groups into China (Guillet et. al., 2011). China is poised to become the number one international tourist destination in the future. Tourism in China, both domestic and international, has exploded in recent years along with the booming economy and foreign hotel companies are racing to fly their flags in key markets in China and capture a portion of the rapidly growing tourism market. China’s hotel industry is different from that of other countries due to ï ¬ erce competition, multiform ownership and management systems, coupled with China’s unique culture society (Kong and Cheung, 2009). The hospitality industry is one of the forerunners in economic development and privatization in China (Chan & Yeung, 2009). A strong local loyalty program is key to winning visitors as upper middle class Chinese are influenced by them when choosing a hotel (A.T. Kearney report, 2013). There are four barriers to hotel chain development in China, which are economic and political systems, hotel ownership, management capability and resources, and competition between local and foreign chains (Pine and Qi, 2004). Additional hurdles MHG’s may encounter when developing in China are: establishing a successful loyalty program, navigating the unpredictable government environment, understating the role of guanxi, finding skilled labour and dealing with high pollution levels (Chan & Yeung, 2009). 3.1 I HG’s strategies in China InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) entered China in the mid 1980’s. They were the first U.S. based MHG to focus on growth in China. IHG opened 8,084 new rooms in China in 2011 alone, bringing their total room count in China count to an astonishing 55,182 rooms. The new IHG hotel openings included four of their flagship luxury InterContinental. Hotels and 11 Crowne Plaza Hotels, which cater to the much sought after business travel segment. IHG reported 17.4% RevPAR (revenue per available room) for the year in 2011, which was a 10.7% increase over the previous year (HMA Staff, 2012). China is IHG’s second largest market after the United States and is likely to surpass the US to become their largest by number of rooms by 2025. IHG directly manages almost all its Chinese hotels and is currently the largest employer among all international hotel companies in the region, with nearly 60,000 employees working at its corporate office and hotels across over 70 cities in the country. IHG in December 2013 announced plans to recruit more than 110,000 employees between 2013 and 2015. IHG has a highly ambitious development strategy which includes deepening penetration in key cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou and targeting Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities. In 2012, IHG launched HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts, a new hotel brand specifically designed for Chinese guests, th e first of which is scheduled to open in 2014, with 21 hotels currently in the pipeline. The English name Hualuxe translates as â€Å"China luxury,† while the Chinese name reads Hua Yi. Hua means Chinese, and Yi stands for a city or a capital. Yi is also often associated with cognac, which is a sign of luxury in China. Positioned between the company’s upscale Crowne Plaza and luxury InterContinental brands, Hualuxe will focus on China’s second- and third-tier cities and is geared to please business travellers from domestic companies, state enterprises and government. IHG has confirmed 20 Hualuxe properties in destinations including Zhangjiajie, Changsha and Lijiang. â€Å"[The new China brand is] going to Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou in time, but not until [it’s entered] tier-two and tier-three cities because that’s where the future opportunity is,† Keith Barr, IHG Greater China’s CEO, told CNN travel. All figures as of 30th September 2013. Source: IHG website All figures as of 30th September 2013. Source: IHG website In China, IHG sees the greatest opportunity for growth of any single country and their strategy has been to enter the market early, to develop their relationship with key local third party owners and grow their presence rapidly. They also formed strategic alliances with large property developers with the benefit of getting multiple projects and the security of working with a reputable developers who have solid financial background (Fei, 2006). In a country with 659,000 branded hotel rooms, IHG is the largest international hotel company with over 61,000 rooms and more than 50,000 in the planning phase or under construction. This rapid pace of openings for IHG has been in anticipation of increasing demand for hotels, driven by a large, emerging middle class and growing domestic and international travel. Their approach is to find the right hotel owner as a means of benefitting from local knowledge. IHG then manages the hotel on the owner’s behalf, ensuring brand standards are consistently delivered. The owners, in turn, are keen to operate under the group’s well-established international cachet. IHG focuses on franchising and management of the properties. Typically, the senior management of the hotel such as the general manager and the financial controller are IHG employees with the third-party owner employing all other staff. (IHG, 2013) 4. What is Strategy? Strategies are the means which enable organisations to achieve their objectives in a changing environment through the configuration of its resources and competencies with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations (Johnson & Whittington 2009). Strategy is a plan into future, a pattern that is consistency in behaviour over time for e.g. a company perpetually marketing the most expensive products in their respective industries pursue what is commonly called high end strategy like Apple and Zara. Strategy is position namely the determination of particular products in particular markets and strategy is perspective that is vision and direction (Mintzberg, 2001). 4.1 Business level strategy A business level strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions a firm uses to gain competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product markets (Volberda, et. al., 2011). Every business must design a strategy for achieving its goals, consisting of marketing strategy and compatible technological strategy and sourcing strategy (Kotler & Keller, 2006). To identify rivals in the international hotel industry, current practice is to use price, segment and proximity (Matthew, 2000). The main competition strategy research related to the hospitality industry has concentrated on competition interaction (Baum & Haveman, 1997) (Baum & Ingram, 1998), critical success factors, (Brotherton, 2004) (Geller, 1985), global strategy and marketing strategy (Whitla et. al., 2007). 4.2 Theoretical Framework 4.2.1 SWOT analysis Swot stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and summarises the key issues from the business environment and the strategic capability of an organisation that are most likely to impact on strategy development (Johnson, et. al., 2008) At this point, the author will like to do a SWOT analysis of IHG in China. Strengths Leading competitive positioning and broad geographic reach– IHG is the largest hotel operator in China with 65,239 hotel rooms in 198 hotels across key Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangzhou along with entering 2nd and 3rd tier cities like Dalian, Tianjin, Wuhan and others. Diverse brand portfolio – The company operates a diverse portfolio of brands across multiple economic segments which cater for multiple price segments from the upper upscale (5-star) segment focusing on the international business traveller, to the upscale (4-star) segment catering both to the business traveller and the leisure traveller down to the midscale (3-star) targeting both domestic business and leisure travellers. Early entry – IHG’s timely entry in China has led them to establish a strong brand presence in the country and consolidate its competitive positioning. IHG’s Holiday Inn is the second most important hotel brand in the country, with 90% of its customers being Chinese. Pipeline Development – As of 30th September 2013, IHG has 179 hotels in pipeline for China. This represents an enormous competitive advantage to the company as it further consolidates its global presence and capitalises on booming travel and tourism industries in China. IHG Academy programme – China faces massive skills shortage in the hotel industry and IHG is winning the war on talent by opening its own academies to attract and groom talent for non-supervisory level positions, leading to the industry’s largest talent infrastructure It now has 29 programmes in operation in China alone, with approximately 5,000 participants taking part in 2011. IHG were the first hotel group to introduce this type of training programme, Today IHG boats of a highly engaged work force. Loyalty programme – In order to create value for Chinese guests, InterContinental introduced a paid membership program called Priority Privilege, which was exclusive to China. Priority Privilege will help create brand preference for IHG hotels among consumers throughout China and is offered alongside IHG’s global loyalty programme which is the largest loyalty programme in the world. Strong strategic partners – Through key strategic alliance IHG have developed its relationship with real estate developers, government and key local third party owners and grow its presence rapidly. A new hotel brand HUALUXE specifically designed for Chinese guests focussing focus on China’s 2nd and 3rd tier cities. Weaknesses Luxury focus – IHG might have avoided mid-range hotel sector in china for too long focussing only on luxury market and big cities which might have led to competitors taking over lion’s share of the mid-range hotel sector in China Opportunities Strong economic fundamentals – Robust GDP growth and continued urbanisation will drive sustainable economic development leading to new cities and create new markets and better link existing ones tremendously conducive to long-term hotel growth. Domestic travellers on the rise in china IHG could target this segment which it has started to slowly address now. Threats Potential of over supply with the number of hotels in pipeline as some newly developed cities reported problems of occupancy Local Chinese hotels already established in the mid-range hotel sector will provide competiveness along with other Multinational hotel companies entering china. Pollution in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai could affect the number of tourists coming to China Unpredictable government policies which could impact operations Global economic slowdown effecting china. The booming hotel industry in 2012 did report somewhat a slowdown for a brief moment before regaining momentum. Outbreak of diseases like SARS in 2003 and Bird flu and swine flu. Human resource shortage for the hotels in pipeline for 2nd, 3rd and 4th tier cities as labour is likely to be less skilled here coupled with risk of competitors seeking employees leading to shortage of skilled labour. Fluctuations in foreign currency can affect hotel operations Change in consumer taste can hurt IHG and its pipeline projects 4.2.2 Porter’s Diamond The conceptual framework that links structure, strategy and performance is Porter’s diamond which suggests that there are inherent reasons why some nations are more competitive than others, and why some industries within nations are more competitive than others (Johnson, et. al., 2008). In his framework, he suggests that national competitiveness will anchored along four dimensions: A nation’s factor conditions, Demand conditions, Firm strategy, structure and rivalry and Related and supporting industries (Porter 1990) Source: Johnson, et. al., 2008 Michael Porter’s model illustrated above describes the factors contributing to advantage of firms in a dominant global industry and associated with a specific home country or regional environment. 4.2.2.1 Applying Porter’s diamond to IHG in China The first dimension in Porter’s diamond refers to factors of production, the inputs necessary to compete in any industry – labour, land, natural resources, capital and infrastructure (Volberda et. al., 2011). Factor condition advantages at a national level can translate into general competitive advantages for national ï ¬ rms in international markets (Johnson, et. al., 2008). IHG entered China soon as it opened doors to FDI and economy has been booming since having excellent infrastructure. The population in china is exploding meaning there will never be shortage of people finding work however in Multinational companies’ cases they may need to spend on training them to their standards. China is technologically advanced allowing IHG to reach customers in innovative ways The second dimension is demand conditions characterized by the size of buyers need in the home market for the industry’s goods or services. As seen from above section, China has been a fav ourite travel destination over the years and in a few years will become the number one tourist destination in the world. There has been emergence of domestic Chinese travellers due to the booming economy creating a new market. IHG has used these to competitive advantage by opening hotels catering to different segments. Related and supporting industries is the third dimension. Local ‘clusters’ of related and mutually supporting industries can be an important source of competitive advantage. These are often regionally based, making personal interaction easier. China has excellent transportation and travel links with more and more upcoming high speed train projects. Chinese food is the favourite amongst most international travellers and IHG operates the best restaurants in its hotels Firm strategy, structure and rivalry make up the final dimension. The characteristic strategies, industry structures and rivalries in different countries can also be bases of advantage. In China, IHG’s strategy has mainly been to partner and develop relationships with owners that want to build properties and have their branding over them and also by investing in people. Its initial strategy was to targ et upscale luxury hotels and as it anticipated demand for other segments it catered by having hotels across different cities catering to different segments. Part of IHG strategy is they determine which hotel brands go into which city, along with where exactly they want to be in the city to achieve maximum growth (IHG, 2013) Their structure is a mix of as a franchisor, as a manager and on an owned and leased basis. IHG faces competition from both local and foreign hotel operators in China. 4.2.3 Porter’s five forces This is a framework for assessing and evaluating the competitive strength and position of a business organisation. This theory is based on the concept that there are five forces which determine the competitive intensity and attractiveness of a market. Porter’s five forces helps to identify where power lies in a business situation. This is useful both in understanding the strength of an organisation’s current competitive position, and the strength of a position that an organisation may look to move into (Johnson et. al., 2008). These five forces can be seen in fig Source: Johnson et. al., 2008 4.2.3.1 Applying porters five forces to IHG Threat of substitute goods In the hotel industry there is usually another hotel just round the corner, as in the case of Chinese hotel industry. Many international chains have raced to china to start operations making it an extremely competitive industry. For IHG the challenge will be to get the guest to choose their hotel over competitors like Marriott or Hilton. Some domestic Chinese hotels offer luxury at reasonable prices thus being attractive to the domestic travellers in china. Bargaining power of buyers As more and more customers become technology savy, it is now really simple to go online and book a hotel eliminating the role of intermediaries like travel agents or corporate travel consultants. Customers are finding price comparison websites like cleartrip.com or expedia.com which will negotiate or discover bargains for them. All this means high service standards have to be maintained by IHG at all times to get customers to stay at their hotels again instead of losing them to competitors. Competitive rivalry Rivalry among competitors in the Chinese hotel industry is likely to be fierce. IHG’s immediate rivals in China are JW Marriot hotels, Hilton hotels, Starwood Hotels and Hyatt hotels. There is likely to be price war amongst these hotels as competitors might attempt to gain advantage over others. Barriers to entry It will be very difficult for new competitors to match IHG’s already established operations in China. IHG was the first in china and today is the biggest international hotel company by number of rooms. Quanxi is considered very important to do business in China, it gets developed with time as you do business in china. It will be very difficult for new entrants to immediately develop quanxi and get things done. IHG offers differentiation in the sense that it caters to different segments including a hotel exclusively targeting Chinese. It will be difficult for a new competitor to match this differentiation. China is not an easy place to do business and IHG over the years through key strategic alliances and partnerships have developed expertise which again will be difficult to match by new entrants. Bargaining power of suppliers There is human resources challenges and shortages for the hotel industry in China. There are fewer qualified people to fill up service industry jobs. Trade unions exist in china which play a major role and sometimes might exploit the employers. IHG tackles this war on talent by running various programmes at its IHG academy’s in China building a talented work force all proud to be working at IHG (IHG, 2013) 5. Strategy formulation In many perspectives to strategy formulation, it is usual to define the purpose for the organisation and then develop a range of strategy options that might achieve the purpose. After developing the options a selection is made between them (Lynch, 2000). Gary Hamel (1997) ‘‘The dirty little secret of the strategy industry is that it doesn’t have any theory of strategy creation.’’ The complexities associated with the process of strategy formulation are generally thought to be overwhelming, and, as a result, many people believe the process of strategy formulation cannot be structured or formalized. It is useful to consider strategy formulation as part of a strategic management process that comprises three phases: diagnosis, formulation, and implementation. Strategic management is an ongoing process to develop and revise future-oriented strategies that allow an organization to achieve its objectives, considering its capabilities, constraints, and the env ironment in which it operates (Mitchell, 2005). 5.1 Diagnosis includes: Performing a situational analysis (internal environment analysis) including identification and evaluation of current mission, strategic objectives, strategies, and results, plus major strengths and weaknesses Analysing organisations external environment including major opportunities and threats. Identify major critical issues that require high priority attention by management. 5.2 Formulation The second phase in the strategic management process, produces a clear set of recommendations, with supporting justification, that revise as necessary the mission and objectives of the organization, and supply the strategies for accomplishing them. In formulation objectives and strategies are modified to make the organisation more successful. This includes trying to create â€Å"sustainable† competitive advantages, although most competitive advantages are eroded steadily by the efforts of competitors. It is important to consider â€Å"fits† between resources plus competencies with opportunities, and also fits between risks and expectations. There are four primary steps in this phase: *Reviewing the current key objectives and strategies of the organization, which usually would have been identified and evaluated as part of the diagnosis *Identifying a rich range of strategic alternatives to address the three levels of strategy formulation outlined below, including but not limited to dealing with the critical issues *Doing a balanced evaluation of advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives relative to their feasibility plus expected effects on the issues and contributions to the success of the organization *Deciding on the alternatives that should be implemented or recommended. 5.3 Implementation Strategies must be implemented to achieve intended results. Final stage of the strategic management process involves developing an implementation plan and then doing whatever it takes to make the new strategy operational and effective in achieving the organization’s objectives. 5.4 Strategic decision making profile The strategic decision making profile is a very important profile in an organisation. It is to do with strategic leadership which is the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create strategic change as necessary (Volberda et. al., 2011) It starts at the top management level but includes a much wider range of potential actors, from strategic planners and consultants to middle managers. The conventional view is that strategy is the business of top management. In this view, it is absolutely vital that top management are clearly separated from operational responsibilities, so that they can focus on overall strategy. The chief executive ofï ¬ cer is often seen as the ‘chief strategist’, ultimately responsible for all strategic decisions. CEOs of large companies typically spend one thirds of their time on strategy. However there are some dangers. First, centralising responsibility on the CEO can lead to excessive personalisation. Organisations respond to setbacks simply by changing their CEO, rather than examining deeply the internal sources of failure. Second, successful CEOs can become overconï ¬ dent, seeing themselves as corporate heroes and launching strategic initiatives of ever-increasing ambition. The overconï ¬ dence of heroic leaders often leads to spectacular failures (Johnson et al 2008). The top management team, board of directors and divisional general managers are other commonly recognised strategic leaders. In truth, any individual with the responsibility for the performance of human capital is a strategic leader (Volberdo et. al., 2011). Strategic leaders have substantial decision making authorities that cannot be delegated. 6. Conclusion As seen from the above sections, Chinese economy and hotel industry both are booming. IHG took advantage of this and entered China at the right time thus working its way towards the biggest hotel operator in China. Its strategy mainly has been differentiation at the start where it just focussed on 5 star luxury hotels and as the economy kept going upwards new markets were created and by bringing all of its brands to China IHG today caters to all segments in china in all major cities. It is also targeting upcoming cities by having major projects in pipeline. IHG operates in an extremely competitive environment and has made use of all opportunities by working on its strengths but must not get complacent and always be vary of threats while continue to eliminate any weaknesses it might have. The author concludes by summarising IHG’s strategy’s key points. IHG’s winning strategy Broad portfolio of strong brands in key locations Longest established loyalty programme The deepest relationships with key strategic partners The most focused development strategy Only international hotel company with dedicated, standalone region reporting directly to the CEO Largest people infrastructure – IHG is winning the talent war in China by 1st fast-track scheme for non-hotel talents, 1st Academy to attract and groom talent for non-supervisory level positions. A managed model with minimal capital expenditure. Management contract focus (98% of system and pipeline) – Ensures consistent delivery of guest experience, Imbeds operational capability, Preferred by owners with limited operating experience, Potential to franchise Holiday Inn Express given the more standardised operating model. Contract terms – Base fee = 2% gross revenues, Incentive fee = 6% – 8% of gross operating profit, Length of contract: 10 – 15 years, No fee discounting, No requirements for guarantees Use of capital expenditure -To date no capital expenditure requirements The most established relationships with key strategic partners 30 years of building relationships in China, (Guanxi) Strong connections to the government (Guanxi) Excellent partnerships formed with leading real estate developers Almost half their hotels are with multi-unit owners Signed more portfolio deals than any other international operator REFERENCE LIST 1. A.T.Kearney Report (2013) China’s Hospitality – Rooms for growth. 2. Baum, J. A., & H. A. Haveman H.A. (1997). Love the neighbour? Differentiation and agglomeration in the Manhattan hotel industry. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(2), pp. 304-338. 3. Baum, J. A., & Ingram. P (1998). Survival-enhancing learning in the Manhattan hotel industry. Management Science Journal, 44(7), pp. 996-1016. 4. Baum, J. A., & Mezias, S. J. (1992). Localized competition and organizational failure in the Manhattan hotel industry. Administrative Science Quarterly, 37(4), pp. 580-605. 5. Brotherton, B. (2004). Critical success factors in UK budget hotel operations. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 24, pp. 944-969. 6. Chan, B., & Yeung, S. (2009). Hotel development in China: The hoteliers’ perspective. Journal of China Tourism Research, 5(2), 210-223 7. Chon, K.S., Cunill, O.M. (2006): The growth strategies of hotel chains: Best business practices b y leading companies, The Haworth Press, p. 6 8. Clark, J. & Guy, K. (1998). Innovation and competitiveness: A review, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management journal, 10(3), pp. 363-395. 9. Fei Chang Tai, 2006, , Vol. 5, p78-80 10. Guillet, B., Zhang, H., & Gao, B. (2011). Interpreting the mind of multinational hotel investors: Future trends and implications in China. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(2) 11. http://travel.cnn.com/shanghai/life/travel-new-gold-mine-china-centric-hotel-brands-918730 12. http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=2 13. http://www.the-financedirector.com/features/featureintercontinental-hotels-group-high-growth-markets-expansion-china-tom-singer/ 14. Johnson G., Scholes K. and Whittington R. (2008) Exploring Corporate Strategy, England: Pearson education limited, 8th edition 15. Johnson, G. and Whittington, R. (2009) Fundamentals of Strategy, Essex: Pearson Education. 16. Kong, H. and Cheung, C. (2009) Hotel development in China: Review of English Language Literature, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 21 (3), pp. 341-355 17. Kotler, P, Keller, K.L, (2006) Marketing Management, New Jersey: Upper Saddle River 18. Lynch R. (2000) Corporate Strategy, England: Pearson education limited 19. Matthews, V. E. (2000) International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 12(2) pp. 114-118 20. Mintzberg, H. (2001) the rise and fall of strategic planning, Essex: Pearson Education 21. Mitchell, R. C., (2005) â€Å"Strategic thinking† 22. Pine, R. and Qi, P. (2004), â€Å"Barriers to hotel chain development in China†, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 37-44. 23. Volberda H., Morgan R., Reinmoeller P., Hitt M., Ireland R. and Hoskisson R. (2011) Strategic Concepts and Cases Management: Competitiveness and globalisation, Hampshire: Cengage learning EMEA 24. Whitla, P., P., Walters, G & Davies, H.( 2007). Global strategies in the international hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 26(4), pp. 777-792 25. Zhang, H., Guillet, B., & Gao, W. (2012). What determines multinational hotel groups’ locational investment choice in China? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2)

The Gods Must Be Crazy

The funny film showed that the contrasting worlds of the civilized area and the primitive yet calm society of the bushmen manifest an also contrasting example of worlds in terms of the equation I = P x A x T, an equation formulated to describe the impact of human activity on the environment. [where Human Impact (I) on the environment equals the product of population (P), affluence (A: consumption per capita) and technology (T: environmental impact per unit of consumption)]. In the primitive population of the Bushmen, it would be believed and manifested in the film that their human impact on the environment of the Kalahari Desert is apparently less than that of the civilized world found on the city since the living Bushmen are not too many in number, they are just about twenty or so. Being primitive, they also had a very low level of technology. They are just using soft raw materials provided by their environment, thus, they cannot produce more products, putting their affluence also on a low level. In the civilized world somewhere in South Africa, the city, which is densely populated by busy civilized individuals (since the rise of the industrial societies equates to an exponentially increasing human population), greatly developed their technology which in return enormously aid in developing their affluence, has indeed a greater human impact on the environment of the area they are residing in South Africa relative to the primitive population of the bushmen living in the Kalahari Desert, as seen with the tall buildings, long roadways and road bridges and other landscapes that could attest to this great impact. The Gods Must Be Crazy â€Å"The Gods Must Be Crazy† This film tries to send a message on how globalization can negatively affect a culture such as the Sho tribe of the Kalahari Desert. The people of a technologically advance and â€Å"civilized† culture decide to casually discard an empty â€Å"Coca Cola† bottle from the window of an airplane. A member of the â€Å"primitive† Sho tribe witnesses this object falling from the skies and considers it a â€Å"gift from the gods†. In his mind this is an object to be worshiped and must have been sent by the Gods to benefit his tribe, therefore he gave it to his people.Prior to the introduction of the â€Å"Coca Cola† bottle the people of the tribe were peaceful, satisfied, and shared with each other. There was no sense of possession or greed, no jealousy, nor did they physically harm one another physically or purposefully. The tribe found many beneficial uses for this â€Å"gift†, such as making music, pounding on dough, and grinding flour. All of these things were accomplished before the appearance of the bottle, however now the task seemed to have been made easier.Since all of the members of the tribe had different uses and needs for the bottle, it became a commodity, a desired possession of value; it was no longer a worshipped object. This created discourse among the people and led to the physical injury of a child, due to a malicious act that resulted in hitting the child with the bottle. The tribe now felt shame at their behavior and questioned the â€Å"Gods† for sending them this â€Å"evil thing†, which the tribe removed from their presence and returned to their peaceful cultural ways.A current example of the above situation would be the introduction of cell phones and laptops to a culture based on home phones and office computers. One would consider the technological advances of cell phones and laptops as a gift, that will simplify their life, free up more personal tim e and save them money. Instead what has occurred is that you spend more time on learning how to use these items, you are now more easily available and thus more occupied, and you spend more money on the attachments and upgrades needed to keep these items current and functional.Now your life is more complicated and busier than ever, however unlike the Sho tribe most people in our culture cannot or more importantly will not go to the end of the earth (or their trash can) and toss them away. Another important point that this films illustrates is the differences in communications and personal views in different cultures. Such as how in most civilized cultures shaking your head from side to side indicates â€Å"No† or negative, however to the Sho tribe this gesture means â€Å"Yes† or positive.This causes a lot of confusion when communicating between the two cultures. There is a scene in the movie when the man from the Sho tribe sees a white woman for the first time, which accurately portrays the cultural differences in personal views and taste. He contemplates her appearance, her actions and physical build. Though the woman in her own culture would be considered quite pretty, normal and physically fit, to this man of the Sho tribe she was ugly, crazy and too fat.In his view the woman’s skin is too white, it was a very hot day yet she is fully covered in clothing, she has a large body shape and must require too much food to sustain her. This can be seen as a difference in opinion, if it were not for the extremity of the opposite points of view. The two cultures considered the woman in different ways because of what they are accustomed to as well as where and how they were raised. When thinking in terms of Globalization a person generally feels that their culture is the best.That their culture should be universal and those that follow other cultures are primitive, difficult, and wrong. Consider how some cultures attempt to change others through political, business, and religious means. For example the United States tries to influence other countries to change to a democratic system of government because it is the â€Å"best†, however they do this mostly to promote or facilitate the political agendas of the United States. Coca Cola uses the popularity of its products to influence other countries to buy more by inundating them with advertisements and business opportunities.As for religion, look at how many cultures within the United States now celebrate Christmas along with or in place of their cultural holidays that occur during the same time period. The movie for the most part points out the differences between a â€Å"modern civilized society† and â€Å"an old world civilization† and how they view life, religion, and politics in totally different ways. However there were also some similarities in the cultures which assist in the processes of communication, in business transactions, and political deali ngs with each other.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 132

Essay Example According to him, a government is not needed and should be regulated when a natural society is large enough as a moral virtue is unnecessary in governing man prone challenges. In comparison to my own ideas enlightenment living, Paine’s idea of government as unavoidable evil is out of place because; people need an authority and a point of reference. Governments and monarchies are rightly places because people need a leader in charge of decision-making, protect and preserve the community. The government represents its citizens in the entire nation and without it citizen would lack a single entity to stand for their feelings. The country’s security is risked without the government that represents the voice of its people. Paine argues that monarchy is not grounded in liberty but prejudice, while people’s constitution is the real freedom form. He challenges people to see the underlying problems of the monarch irrespective of its enduring tradition that is unquestionable, (Paine, Cronauer & Recorded Books, 2005). Paine firmly disagrees with the monarchy and hereditary succession principle and he quotes the bible in many occasions that the basis of monarchy is strongly in opposition of the truth of bible. He terms the Kings government as outright idolatry, an kind of administration that did not emanate from nature or divinity but originated from Heathens that resulted from disorderly gangs and cruelly forced themselves in power against people’s will. He refers to as England’s Monarchy founder as French bastard because he believes that William the Conqueror forced his way to boastful rule against his people’s will, (Paine & University of Virginia, 1993). According to pain the hereditary leaderships of leaders is not a moral virtue guarantee because moral virtue cannot be inherited and future generations will be led by enthroned gracious kings. Hereditary

Inclusion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Inclusion - Essay Example Hence, it is becoming more and more undesirable to restrict the number of educators in a school who possess the capabilities to teach disabled learners to only a small number of special education teachers. Moreover, regular education teachers should be skilled in teaching disabled students of functional literacy abilities such as reading, writing, communicating, and of achieving high educational performance (McLeskey & Waldron 2000). As inclusion acquires greater reputation in education, we will surpass the requirement of alluding to inclusive classrooms as if they were separate and very different from regular classrooms. In the future, every classroom will be obliged to be inclusive, and we will then finally be able to discard the term. First-rate education is a form of education that is excellent for everybody. Children come from various racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds and different economic contexts. And a number of children have disabilities. If the educational system is to be first-rate, it should be founded on the principle that every student has the capability to learn, and it should motivate every student to aim for the best and have high expectations. We cannot let the potential of any student to go into waste if we aim to improve and prosper. Effective inclusion demands the assimilation of an important vision, a research base, and feasible strategies. A lack of important and integrated vision of the objective for educating every child means a loss in educational direction and hence turns out to be subject to political convenience. Without research support, inclusion stays defenceless to arguments that are determined merely by sponsorship and not by distinction (Ballard 1999). Without sensible strategies for execution, inclusion stays to be an ideal that will refuse to be applied in the real world. The inclusion of disabled or special education students in the regular classroom is an

Summary Paper over Getting Real in the Classroom by Ellen Goodman Essay

Summary Paper over Getting Real in the Classroom by Ellen Goodman - Essay Example As Goodman puts it, they offered â€Å"a horror story† of the boys academic fall, presenting various incontestable evidences. Actually, the problem is that boys fall behind girls. This has given ground for discussion of the issue from the prospective of feminism and sexism, brain studies and genetic biology, all of them proving that something is wrong with males in this country. As a result Doug Anglin, a senior from Milton High School in Massachusetts, even filed a lawsuit against sex discrimination in the whole system. Goodman does not agree with Anglin’s claim. The author of this paper supports him with both hands. It is a well known fact that boys face problems in learning, while it is against their nature to sit still listening carefully and following all the teacher’s demands. Females are too timid to violate rules. Males often abandon some subject for the sake of their special individual interests. For instance, some of my male classmates were interested i n electronics and cars, others in politics, history or physics, and those interests were pursued instead of learning the academic program. As the result, when graduating males usually possess knowledge making them specialists in some field and enabling them to earn money, while females can do almost nothing but fulfill teachers’ and academic requirements. Teachers often curse their male students instead of paying special attention to their personalities. Perhaps, the problem is not in students, but in grown-ups teaching them. In respond to all the disturbing studies, Washington carried out a crisis intervention claiming that, in fact, those are not boys who are doing worse, but girls who are doing better. The boys have shown better results recently. The report also informed that girls tend to score higher in reading and writing, while boys are better in math and science. Yet, Goodman finds danger in these facts. Girls close their math gap faster than