Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Acquaintance with the mass of opinion reports surviving...

Acquaintance with the mass of opinion reports surviving from the Nazi state, complex and difficult though these sources are, allows little scope for sweeping generalisations about attitudes and behaviour of the German people during the Third Reich. There is too much evidence of daily dissent and even manifestations of limited, opposition and protest – limited in significance, certainly, but noteworthy just the same - to support notions of a society terrorised by a totalitarian state into meek submission and automaton-like obedience and compliance. The opposite generalisation, of a consensus holding to the end, of a society which never seriously deviated from its backing for Hitler and the regime, seems equally flawed. A survey of the†¦show more content†¦This ‘underlying consensus’ existed at the intersection of the social expectations of national ‘salvation’ which accompanied Hitler’s rise to power, and the constantly propagated utopi an vistas of the regime’s long-term goals of a dominant, prosperous and united Germany. The representative figure of this future vision was Hitler, and the expectations placed in ‘heroic’ leadership, and constantly pumped-up by a propaganda machine in overdrive when it came to the manufacture of the Fà ¼hrer cult, meant the personalisation of this consensus in the Leader’s ‘great achievements’. Beneath this veneer of consensus, however, the everyday realities of the Third Reich revealed a society which belied the propaganda image of a united ‘national community’. The ways in which Nazism impinged upon everyday life were divisive rather than unifying. Areas of consent might be discerned; a general consensus cannot. Propaganda slogans about putting the community before the individual, and sacrifice today for prosperity and happiness tomorrow had a hollow ring for the millions low down the social ladder who saw their own working con ditions deteriorate while the rampant corruption and arrogance of power above them were all too evident. The disappointments and disillusionment of daily life could, however, find compensation – though not on a lasting basis – by the affective

Monday, December 16, 2019

Types of Organization Free Essays

string(155) " performance of their company and of its various units, assess the opportunities and threats, and develop strategic directions for the company’s future\." LESSON 2: ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS An introductory topic on Management Information System Organizations are formal social units devoted to the attainment of specific goals. The success of any organizations is premise on the efficient use and management of resources which traditionally comprises human, financial, and material resources. Information is now recognized as a crucial resource of an organization. We will write a custom essay sample on Types of Organization or any similar topic only for you Order Now Examples of organizations are business firms, banks, government agencies, hospitals, educational institutions, insurance companies, airlines, and utilities. Organizations and information systems have a mutual influence on each other. The information needs of an organization affect the design of information systems and an organization must be open itself to the influences of information systems in order to more fully benefit from new technologies. [pic] This complex two-way relationship is mediated by many factors, not the least of which are the decisions made—or not made—by managers. Other factors mediating the relationship are the organizational culture, bureaucracy, politics, business fashion, and pure chance. 1. Organizations and environments Organizations reside in environments from which they draw resources and to which they supply goods and services. Organizations and environments have a reciprocal relationship. †¢ Organizations are open to, and dependent on, the social and physical environment that surrounds them. Without financial and human resources—people willing to work reliably and consistently for a set wage or revenue from customers—organizations could not exist. †¢ Organizations must respond to legislative and other requirements imposed by government, as well as the actions of customers and competitors. On the other hand, organizations can influence their environments. Organizations form alliances with others to influence the political process; they advertise to influence customer acceptance of their products. Information systems are key instruments for environmental scanning, helping managers identify external changes that might require an organizational response. New technologies, new products, and changing public tastes and values (many of which result in new government regulations) put strains on any organization’s culture, politics, and people. | 2. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) Precise rules, procedures, and practices developed by organizations to cope with virtually all expected situations. These standard operating procedures have a great de al to do with the efficiency that modern organizations attain. 3. Organizational Politics People in organizations occupy different positions with different specialties, concerns, and perspectives. As a result, they naturally have divergent viewpoints about how resources, rewards, and punishments should be distributed. These differences matter to both managers and employees, and they result in political struggle, competition, and conflict within every organization. Political resistance is one of the great difficulties of bringing about organizational change—especially the development of new information systems. Virtually all information systems that bring about significant changes in goals, procedures, productivity, and personnel are politically charged and elicit serious political opposition. . Organizational culture Organizational culture describes the psychology, attitudes, experiences, beliefs and values (personal and cultural values) of an organization. It has been defined as â€Å"the specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside t he organization. †¢ It is the set of fundamental assumptions about what products the organization should produce, how and where it should produce them, and for whom they should be produced. It is a powerful unifying force that restrains political conflict and promotes common understanding, agreement on procedures, and common practices †¢ organizational culture is a powerful restraint on change, especially technological change. Most organizations will do almost anything to avoid making changes in basic assumptions. Any technological change that threatens commonly held cultural assumptions usually meets a great deal of resistance. However, there are times when the only sensible way for a firm to move forward is to employ a new technology that directly opposes an existing organizational culture. Types of Organizational Information systems Decision making is often a manager’s most challenging role. Information systems have helped managers communicate and distribute information and provide assistance for management decision making. No single system provides all the information needed by the different organizational levels, functions and business processes. Organizations can be divided into strategic, management, and operational levels. 1. Operational-level systems support operational managers’ needs for current, accurate and easily accessible information primarily used to keep track of the elementary activities and transactions of the organization. Decision making for operational control determines how to carry out the specific tasks set forth by strategic and middle management decisions. 2. Management-level systems are designed to serve the monitoring, controlling, decision-making, and administrative activities of middle managers. Decision making for management control focuses on efficiency and effective use of resources. It requires knowledge of operational decision making and task completion. 3. Strategic- level systems help senior managers with long-range planning needed to meet changes in the external and internal business environment. Strategic decision determines the long-term objectives, resources and policies of the organization. Decisions at every level of the organization can also be classified as unstructured, structured and semi-structured. Unstructured decisions involve judgment, evaluation, and insight into the problem definition. They are novel, important, and nonroutine. †¢ Structured decisions are routine †¢ Semi-structured decisions involve cases where only part of the problem can be answered by an accepted procedure. Modern information systems have been most successful with structured, operational and management control decisions. But now most of the exciting applications are occur ring at the management knowledge and strategic levels where problems are either semi-structured or unstructured. TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION SYSTEM Following are the different types on information systems that support the needs of the organization: Executive information systems (EIS), Decision support systems (DSS), Management Information Systems(MIS), and Transaction Processing Systems (TPS). A. Executive information systems (EIS) provide top management with ready access to a variety of summarized company data against a background of general information on the industry and the economy at large. ESS provides a generalized computing and communications environment for senior managers at the strategic level of the organization. Top management of any organization need to be able to track the performance of their company and of its various units, assess the opportunities and threats, and develop strategic directions for the company’s future. You read "Types of Organization" in category "Essay examples" Executive information systems have these characteristics: 1. EIS provide immediate and easy access to information reflecting the key success factors of the company and of its units. 2. User-seductive† interfaces, such as color graphics and video, allow the EIS user to grasp trends at a glance. Users’ time is at a high premium here. 3. EIS provide access to a variety of databases, both internal and external, through a uniform interface — the fact that the system consults multiple databases should be transparent to the users. 4. Both current status and proj ections should be available from EIS. It is frequently desirable to investigate different projections; in particular, planned projections may be compared with the projections derived from actual results. . An EIS should allow easy tailoring to the prefaces of the particular user or group of users (such as the chief executive’s cabinet or the corporate board). 6. EIS should offer the capability to â€Å"drill down† into the data: it should be possible to see increasingly detailed the summaries. Critical Success factors for achieving a successful EIS 1. A committed and informed executive sponsor. A top level executive, preferably the CEO, should serve as the executive sponsor of the EIS by encouraging its implementation. 2. An operating sponsor. The executive sponsor will most likely be too busy to devote much time to implementation. That task should be given to another top-level executive, such as the executive vice-president. The operating sponsor works with both the user executives and the information specialists to ensure that the work gets done. 3. Appropriate information services staff. Information specialists should be available who understand not only the information technology but also how the executive will use the system. 4. Appropriate information technology. EIS implementers should not get carried away and incorporate unnecessary hardware or software. The system must be kept as simple as possible and should give the executive exactly what him or her wants-nothing more and nothing less. 5. Data Management. It is not sufficient to simply display data or information. The executive should have some idea of how current the data is. This can be accomplished by identifying the day and ideally the time of the day the data was entered. The executive should be able to follow data analysis. . A clear link to business objectives. Most successful EISs are designed to solve specific problems or meet needs that can be addressed with information technology. 7. Management of organizational resistance. When an executive resists the EIS, efforts should be taken to gain support. A good strategy is to identify a single problem that the executive faces and then quickly implement an EIS, using prototyping to address that problem. Care must be taken to select a problem that will enable the EIS to make a good showing. . Management of the spread and evolution of the system. Experience has shown that when upper-level management begins receiving information from the EIS, lower level managers want to receive the same output. Care must be taken to add users only when they can be given the attention they need. B. Management information systems (MIS) – serve the management level of the organization, providing managers with reports and, in some cases, with online access to the organization’s current performance and historical records. Typically, they are oriented almost exclusively to internal, not environmental or external, events. MIS primarily serve the functions of planning, controlling, and decision making at the management level. Generally, they depend on underlying transaction processing systems for their data C. Decision support systems (DSS), is a type of MIS expressly developed to support the decision-making process in non-routine task. DSS assist middle managers with analytical decisions, and able to address semistructured problems drawing on both internal and external sources of data 1. It is an interactive computer-based system intended to help managers retrieve, summarize, analyze decision relevant data and make decisions. 2. DSS facilitate a dialogue between the user, who is considering alternative problem solutions, and the system, with its built-in models and access to the database. 3. DSS are interactive, and in a typical session, the manager using a DSS can evaluate a number of possible â€Å"what if† scenarios by using a model or a simulation of a real life system. Two major categories of DSS 1. Enterprise-wide DSS are linked to large, data warehouse and serve many managers in a company. Enterprise wide DSS can range from fairly simple systems to complex data intensive and analytically sophisticated executive information system. 2. Desk-top DSS such as spreadsheets, accounting and financial models can be implemented in Microsoft Excel. Another DSS tool, simulation, is usually implemented in desktop packages. D. Transaction processing systems (TPS) is the core of IT applications in business since it serves the operational level of the organization by recording the daily transactions required to conduct business. Most mission- critical information systems for both large and small organizations are essentially transaction processing systems for operational data processing that is needed, for example, to register customer orders and to produce invoices and payroll checks. This system keeps track of money paid to employees, generating employee paychecks and other reports. A symbolic representation for a payroll TPS Typical applications of TPS There are five functional categories of TPS: sales/marketing, manufacturing/production, finance/accounting, human resources, and other types of systems specific to a particular industry. Within each of these major functions are subfunctions. For each of these subfunctions (e. g. , sales management) there is a major application system. [pic] The various types of systems in the organization exchange data with one another. TPS are a major source of data for other systems, especially MIS and DSS. ESS is primarily a recipient of data from lower-level systems. Systems from a Functional Perspective There are four major functional areas in an organization: sales and marketing, manufacturing and production, finance and accounting, and human resources. . Sales and Marketing Systems The sales and marketing function is responsible for selling the organization’s product or service. Sales function is concerned with contacting customers, selling the products and services, taking orders, and following up on sales. Marketing is concerned with identifying the customers for the firm’s products or services, determining what customers need or want, planning and developing p roducts and services to meet their needs, and advertising and promoting these products and services. Sales and marketing information systems support these activities and help the firm identify customers for the firm’s products or services, develop products and services to meet customers’ needs, promote these products and services, sell the products and services, and provide ongoing customer support. Examples of Sales and Marketing information systems are Order processing, pricing Analysis and sales Trend Forecasting. 2. Manufacturing and Production Systems The manufacturing and production function is responsible for actually producing the firm’s goods and services. Manufacturing and production systems deal with the planning, development, and maintenance of production facilities; the establishment of production goals; the acquisition, storage, and availability of production materials; and the scheduling of equipment, facilities, materials, and labor required to fashion finished products. Manufacturing and production information systems support these activities, it deal with the planning, development, and production of products and services, and with controlling the flow of production. 3. Finance and Accounting Systems The finance function is responsible for managing the firm’s financial assets, such as cash, stocks, bonds, and other investments, in order to maximize the return on these financial assets. The finance function is also in charge of managing the capitalization of the firm (finding new financial assets in stocks, bonds, or other forms of debt). In order to determine whether the firm is getting the best return on its investments, the finance function must obtain a considerable amount of information from sources external to the firm. The accounting function is responsible for maintaining and managing the firm’s financial records—receipts, disbursements, depreciation, payroll—to account for the flow of funds in a firm. Finance and accounting share related problems—how to keep track of a firm’s financial assets and fund flows. They provide answers to questions such as these: What is the current inventory of financial assets? What records exist for disbursements, receipts, payroll, and other fund flows? Examples of Finance and Accounting Systems : Accounts receivable, Budgeting, Profit Planning. 4. Human Resources Systems The human resources function is responsible for attracting, developing, and maintaining the firm’s workforce. Human resources information systems support activities, such as identifying potential employees, maintaining complete records on existing employees, and creating programs to develop employees’ talents and skills Examples of Human resources information systems: training and development, compensation analysis, and Human Resources Planning. Management Challenges Businesses need different types of information systems to support decision making and work activities for various organizational levels and functions. Well-conceived systems linking the entire enterprise typically require a significant amount of organizational and management change and raise the following management challenges: 1. Integration. Although it is necessary to design different systems serving different levels and functions in the firm, more and more firms are finding advantages in integrating systems. However, integrating systems for different organizational levels and functions to freely exchange information can be technologically difficult and costly. Managers need to determine what level of system integration is required and how much it is worth in dollars. 2. Enlarging the scope of management thinking. Most managers are trained to manage a product line, a division, or an office. They are rarely trained to optimize the performance of the organization as a whole and often are not given the means to do so. But enterprise systems and industrial networks require managers to take a much larger view of their own behavior, including other products, divisions, departments, and even outside business firms. ———————- Objectives : At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to: †¢ Illustrate the relationship between organizations and information systems †¢ Explain the factors mediating the relationship between organizations and information systems †¢ Discuss the different types of information systems in the organization. †¢ Explain how information supports the dif ferent levels of an organization †¢ Give examples of the information systems that are being used to support business functional areas How to cite Types of Organization, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Molecular Gastronomy free essay sample

In order to develop a thorough understanding of the science of molecular gastronomy, it needs to be examined not only in the context of the restaurant (as most media commentary do), but also in the other locations in which it is practiced: the scientific laboratory, where it originated, and the home, where it has been taken up recently by amateur ‘foodies’. Expert systems are coming to dominate more areas of the everyday life, such as food and cooking. It shifts from the hands of professional scientific ‘experts’ in the laboratories into another type of ‘expert’, the professional chef in the kitchen, and from there to amateur foodies at home. In each location it is tied to a different goal. In the laboratory, molecular gastronomy is harnessed to the professional scientist’s goal of ‘culinary enlightenment’; in the restaurant, it is tied to the professional chef’s goal of ‘culinary creativity’; and in the home, it is tied to the amateur foodie’s goal of ‘gastronomic education’. . From the laboratory The Scientifics, Kurti and This, integrated science form the industrial food production (food science) into the small-scale culinary realms of the restaurant and home.Therefore they developed molecular gastronomy – originally called ‘molecular and physical gastronomy’ and bringing bringing scientific enlightenment to the kitchen, â€Å"culinary enlightenment†. The main reason for the Kurti and This, is that they feel that people have been cooking the same way already from the Middle Ages, using the same methods. The entire word has been experiencing innovation and therefore also the gastronomy should experience this. It is a foundation for future culinary progress. The main aim of molecular gastronomy is to use scientific experiments to test culinary recipes and to prove them either true or false.This will be the construction of (culinary) facts which is the main work of the scientific laboratory. Molecular gastronomy aims to remove all ‘false’ traditions from cookbooks, leaving only scientifically proven universal culinary truths. Herve This feels like people are hold back by traditions which do not bring any innovation. The founders define dishes as ‘complex disperse systems’ (CDS), and have developed a scientific language called ‘CDS formalism’, which aims to provide a global description of the physical microstructure of a dish by translating its recipe into a scientific formula.This involves deconstructing a dish into its ingredients to examine their properties and determine how culinary transformations occur. This translation of recipes into formulas is called ‘modeling dishes’. In addition, molecular gastronomy has drawn on science to develop new methods of cooking, such as ‘coction’ or ‘cooking without thermal treatment’. Moreover, it looks to the laboratory for new ingredients for home and restaurant cooking, such as the ‘aromatic preparations’ (synthetic molecular solutions) often used by the food industry, which This suggests could enhance natural flavours and enlarge the overall palette of flavours.Herve This concludes that only the universalizing projects of molecular gastronomy, establishing culinary truths and recipe-formulas, are actually ‘pure’ science, because the product of science is knowledge. In contrast, finding new ingredients, methods, tools and dishes is applied science or technology. Cooking, he argues, ‘is a craft, an art and not a science †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Overall, it can be said that science can be used to determine whether traditional recipes were false or true. However, the actual matching and cooking of ingredients is not possible without the gift of taste and creativity. Into the kitchen The culinary knowledge and practice of chefs in the kitchen is transformed into an abstract system of scientific expertise. Nevertheless, the combination of ingredients in order to create unique flavors will not change. However, Food is judged not merely as a technical product but also as an aesthetic, sensory one. The molecular gastronomy chef transforms the everyday knowledge and practice of cooking into an expert abstract system in the pursuit of culinary progress. This expert knowledge also has its own specialist language.A ‘technique’ is a process of cooking or transforming an ingredient, such as boiling or grilling. Adria, chef of El Bulli, his molecular gastronomy looks to scientific equipment and ingredients to develop new techniques such as freeze-drying, siphoning, and spherification. These techniques have led to new ‘concepts’ which are different ways of presenting ingredients in a particular form. Yet science is not the only sphere of expertise that Adria draws on to construct his theory of culinary creativity: he also draws on the expert system of cultural theory, in particular, structuralism.Adria argues that ‘cooking is a language’, and that a dish is a dialogue between the chef and the diner. Unlike the scientists, Adria is concerned with the meanings of dishes. At home Amateurs examine the same activities as their professional counterparts, but as a hobby during their leisure time, not a task during their work time. Nevertheless, they engage in ‘serious leisure’. The goal of amateurs is the acquisition and expression of special skills and knowledge in the activity. Consequently, in gastronomy this involves knowledge and skills related to food.However, with the upcoming trend of molecular gastronomy, the more practical challenges of producing similar dishes at home occur. Many of the necessary scientific ingredients and equipment are not commonly found in the domestic kitchen. It is difficulties as an amateur to find a retailer willing to supply small quantities of culinary chemicals and a hazard of transporting these liquids. Overall, amateurs engage in the same practices of research, experimentation and knowledge production as the professional scientists and chefs in his domestic laboratory.They also practice the ‘science’ of molecular gastronomy. â€Å"Molecular Gastronomy is a form of art† In conclusion, molecular gastronomy has been fascinating different people in different areas in different ways. It has triggered people to look for innovation and recognition. Overall, it brings a new dimension to the techniques of creating unique art works. Scientifics can now validate ages old tradition, chefs can create unique e aesthetic art work and finally amateurs can trigger themselves to learn more about the gastronomy. All by all, every creation is an artwork. However, art is always subjective

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Texas Women University

Texas Women University was formed with broad objective of appreciating faculty input towards attaining preset university goals. The university also ensures that members from all faculties are treated equally throughout the university especially on the basis of tenure and rank.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Texas Women University specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, all of them are expected to meet set standards of the university largely due to the fact that these standards are used as benchmarks under which tenure and promotions are determined (Karran, 2009). The academic freedom and tenure provided by the university enables creation, discovery and dissemination of knowledge to society. In the process, rights of all members are put into consideration. However, before one is given any promotion or extension of tenure, academic qualifications are put into consideration (Russell, 1993). In addition there are different tenure and standards for appointment of members in different positions. Furthermore, the university requires that every faculty member should meet certain requirements set up by the institution before being considered eligible for tenure. The faculty has also put in place criteria for tenure evaluation which includes a careful review of records, academic qualifications, future potentials as well as the current and posterior needs of the university as a whole. Annual reviews of these tenures are supported by available documentation on members’ achievement. The same should be supported with evaluations from staff and students in addition to existing accounts of scholarly materials, creativity and professional development (Metzger, 1955). The annual reviews further comprise of annual statements which indicate whether a given faculty member can be considered for future appointments based on achievements record.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see i f we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Tenured faculty members enjoy myriad of rights, responsibilities and privileges. Unlike their untenured counterparts, tenured faculty members have the right to decide on who should teach or not teach at all. In addition, they also play key role in designing the syllabus and the learning outcomes of a given course (Cary, 2010). The rights and privileges that faculty members further enjoy include equitable compensation and fringe benefits, getting involved in academic mission and goals of the university, continued employment as either full professor or associate professors until resignation or retirement. These members also enjoy continuous university support on scholarship and teaching opportunities. Furthermore, the tenure offers faculty members the right and freedom to speak, associate and write without any hindrance (Byrne, 2007). Consequently, when a faculty member gets the tenure, he or she cannot be fired without any proof or cause. According to American association of university professors, tenure is a means to certain ends which untenured members cannot enjoy. Hence, tenure protects the academic rights of faculty members by limiting the authority of the university to take action or fire members at will. They are also in a position to enjoy academic freedom whereby they can perform their academic responsibilities without any hindrance from the university or members of the public (Texas Women University, 2011). It is also within the free will of faculty members to air their opinions especially on matters regarding to policies governing education in these institutions. This has been found to be important since each member can independently participate in well being of such institutions without being influenced negatively form external sources. As for nurse educators, academic freedom is of great significance bearing in mind that they are capable of advancing their skills and knowledge within their chosen field of study. In other words, this form of freedom allows them to exercise their nursing potential in the best way possible. References Byrne, P. (1997). Academic Freedom without Tenure? American Association for Higher Education: Working Paper Series.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Texas Women University specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Cary, N. (2010). No University Is an Island: Saving Academic Freedom. New York; New York University Press. Karran, T. (2009). Academic Freedom: A Research Bibliography. New York; New York University Press. Metzger. W, (1955). Academic Freedom in the Age of the University. Columbia: Columbia University Press. Russell, C. (1993). Academic freedom. Oxford: Routledge. Texas Women University (2011). Board of regents: Regent’s policies. Retrieved from file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ADMINI~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/TWU%20%20Board%20of%2 0Regents%20-%20Regents%20Policies%281%29 -1.htm This essay on Texas Women University was written and submitted by user Sonia Sutton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective The WritePass Journal

The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective Introduction and Background The policy to include SEN pupils in mainstream education has failed to address many of the key issues for these pupils and as such fails to be effective Introduction and BackgroundAims, Objectives and MethodologyCurrent Theoretical PositionConclusionsReferencesRelated Introduction and Background The broad policy which involves the inclusion of pupils who are considered to have special educational needs (SEN) within mainstream schooling across England and Wales first originated as part of the Warnock Report, 1978 (DES, 1978). However, over the years, several different codes of practice and governmental guidance documents have established strong policies and even legislation which states that it is essential in mainstream schools to provide a learning environment that is suitable for a diverse range of pupils and abilities, including SEN. In accordance with the Education Act 1996, this requirement is a statutory requirement and therefore mainstream schools are bound to have a facility within them to deal with SEN. Despite this, there remains a seeming lack of understanding when it comes to the best practical ways in which these individuals can be managed within the mainstream environment, with a focus primarily being on ensuring that there are school level policies in place in order to facilitate the needs of these individuals, with a particular focus on behavioural concerns. In reality, however, it is suggested here that the handling of SEN pupils in the mainstream environment needs to be much more individualised, so that it can offer valuable guidance to all teachers, not simply those directly involved in the support of SEN pupils (Harden, 2003). One of the immediate difficulties which arise when undertaking this type of research is that of defining what is meant by special educational needs, in the first place. This definition can have a dramatic impact on how the particular school or educational establishment then goes on to actually include such students. For example, there is an argument to be had that a particularly gifted student would potentially have special educational needs. If the concept of a special needs pupil is simply based on the amount of time that is required from the teacher and is based on requirements which go beyond the â€Å"average† student, these types of questions and the influence that they would have on teaching practices, in general, is potentially huge for the development of the success of the inclusion policies, started back in 1978. Aims, Objectives and Methodology The overall aim of the research is to determine whether or not the specific policy and now legislative requirement placed upon mainstream educational establishments to have an agenda in place to include SEN pupils has been effective or not. In order to achieve this, there are several strands to the research which need to come together through the use of an interpretivist approach, recognising that opinions and activities vary, depending on the surrounding circumstances, but with the ability to draw central themes and ideas such that the original statement can be answered. The actual concept of special educational needs will be looked at in terms of how policy defines these pupils with recognition that this definition will have an impact on the way in which the students are to be supported under the general inclusion of these students within mainstream education. Inclusion is a critical factor in this regard and this is also one of the strands of the research, which requires a larger amount of attention. By stating that the policy aims to include SEN pupils, it is impossible to determine whether the policies are proving successful or not, without considering what precisely is meant by inclusion and whether it is judged, based on educational achievement, or whether it is based on some softer issues such as social inclusion. Taking an interpretivist research approach to this paper, the aim is to establish more specifically whether inclusion in mainstream education can impact on particular individuals with special needs, with the recognition that the impact will naturally vary, depending on the surrounding circumstances and it may also vary from school to school and classroom to classroom. The research question here has expanded the issue of inclusion within mainstream school by taking on an interpretive paradigm as it is thought that, in order to gain a greater understanding of the various factors that may ultimately impact on the practical application of the policies being produced. From an ontological point of view, the research will establish an understanding of the nature of the area of special educational needs and how these pupils could potentially be integrated into mainstream education. The research will, therefore, focus largely on how special educational needs are defined and the practical ways in which the policies deal with the requirement, in order to add value to this research area. The secondary stage of the research takes a more epistemological perspective and looks at the nature of the knowledge that has been established and whether there are fundamental flaws in the approach which has been taken, so as to question whether some of the known factors remain valid. Consideration will also be given as to whether a different form of reality within the area of special educational needs should be established. The area of SEN within mainstream education is, potentially, relatively complex and it is therefore necessary to take a balanced approach between questioning current policies and looking at the foundations behind them and looking towards the future of how these policies could be shifted or applied, in order to achieve the underlying aim of genuine inclusion at every level. Current Theoretical Position The area of educational needs and the treatment of those with special educational needs have gained considerable attention from both academics and professionals, particularly since the government created a formal policy to demand greater inclusion within mainstream education. As noted during the introduction, there is now a statutory requirement on mainstream schools to ensure that they have suitable methods of provision for including SEN pupils within their organisation and this has created a large body of information and research as to how this has been implemented and whether or not it has been effective. As part of the â€Å"general statement on inclusion† in Curriculum 2000 (QCA, 2000), some general principles of inclusion were established which argue that, if these principles of inclusion were suitably pursued, the general policies relating to the effectiveness of SEN inclusion would be achieved. The three areas included: setting suitable learning challenges; responding to the learning needs of individuals who are often very diverse; and thirdly, recognising and putting in place processes to overcome any potential barriers (Wang and Algozzine 2008). Previous research in this area has, however, typically fallen into specific areas, namely the way in which mainstream educational establishments can provide an appropriate response to any behavioural concerns and behavioural issues within their school, as a result of the inclusion of SEN pupils (Harden, 2003). Research has also been relatively extensive when it comes to determining the impact that this additional support can have on participation and inclusion, e.g. the role of the assistant teachers. Finally, there is also a body of research which has looked at the approaches taken at school level to manage a variety of different communities which may be around them. However, whilst this point of view clearly offers valuable information as to how inclusion is achieved, it is argued here that a somewhat limited view has been taken by the existing literature in this area (Dyson et al., 2002). Inclusion in itself needs to be questioned and there is a large volume of research which has looked specifically at whether or not inclusion should automatically be viewed as a positive aspect of these types of social policies. For example, Oliver (1996) argues that inclusion is, in fact, an automatic right for all children with any form of special educational needs, regardless of the extent of the need or the personal reasoning for each individual. Other researchers have taken a different approach and have failed to take on board the underlying assumption that inclusion is a positive aspect, in all cases. For example, Smelter et al. (1994) argues that placing an individual within mainstream education may not always be the best approach for that individual. Therefore, the focus needs to shift towards establishing policies where the underlying aim is to provide the best possible educational environment for each individual. This would automatically mean that some pupils would not neces sarily be focused upon in terms of gaining inclusion within mainstream education, but rather the policy setters would be looking at the broader issues of educating SEN pupils in such a way that they gained the best overall results and this may require a different educational approach to be taken. The perceptions of both teachers and teaching assistants in the area of inclusion of SEN pupils are also a crucial factor and has gained some attention, in recent years. For example, the way in which support provisions are provided is in itself potentially a vitally important research area. According to the SERC Report in 1993, approximately 8,000 SEN pupils were found to be educated in mainstream classes, within primary school education. However, only 50% of these pupils were receiving additional support which was primarily focused on learning and remedial support, rather than social needs. The way in which additional support interacts with the mainstream educational establishment is arguably a crucial aspect of this research. The research, therefore, takes an interpretivist approach which recognises that the effectiveness of inclusion may depend on whether or not the support structure is in place for effectively filling the gaps that would prevent an SEN pupil from struggling with being involved in mainstream education. It also looks at the underlying policies for achieving inclusion in mainstream education, and how these needs should to be accommodated within mainstream education, looking at the practical approaches taken when it comes to providing specific support that is tailored for each individual. Due to statutory requirements, it is taken as a given that inclusion is the ultimate target, yet research in this area has looked primarily at how precisely this should be achieved. INTO (2000). For example, research has looked at how SEN pupils should be accommodated within mainstream education, so that these pupils remain within the mainstream education establishment, but are required to attend special c lasses to assist with their specific area of difficulty. This focus is primarily aimed at establishing the resource needs of teachers who are providing support for special educational needs; however, it also gives a strong indication of how these SEN pupils can be accommodated within mainstream education, but can also have their own needs met through the use of special classes, where appropriate (Norwich and Lewis, 2001). The increasing need to provide teachers and resources to support inclusion in mainstream education is justifiably one of the key areas of literature that has previously been established within the area of special educational needs, as the current situation seems to suggest that the need to achieve inclusion within mainstream education is a given. However, the real difficulty comes when it is necessary to this area is how to implement inclusion in the most appropriate way. It could be argued for example, that inclusion is potentially beneficial, provided it is suitably resourced and supported, so as not to be the detriment of any pupil, whether they are SEN pupils themselves or, indeed, others within their peer group. Conclusions Even a cursory glance at issue of including SEN pupils within mainstream education indicates a much broader range of factors and issues which need to be considered when looking to implement such a policy. Statutory requirements for inclusion are already part of this system within the UK. Therefore, the chosen area of research is to look at how effective these policies have been, while also questioning whether indeed setting policies is the appropriate way of providing the best educational background for all pupils. The research will also look at ways in which these policies should be practically applied and the types of resources that need to be made available in order to support the inclusion of SEN pupils within mainstream education. By taking a rounded view of the issue of SEN pupils within mainstream education and even questioning the foundation of the original policy, a stronger understanding of the various different factors can be had. These finding should help prevent mainstre am schools from becoming too focused on practical issues such as achieving educational results, but also recognising that issues such as social inclusion are likely to be of considerable concern, when it comes to the overall picture of achieving inclusion within mainstream education. References Department of Education and Science (DES) (1978) Special Educational Needs, Report of the Enquiry into the Education of Handicapped Children and Young People (Warnock Report). London: HMSO. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1998) Meeting Special Educational Needs: A Programme of Action. London: DfEE. Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (2001) Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs. London: DfEE. Harden A (2003) Supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream primary schools: a systematic research of recent research evidence of strategy effectiveness (1999–2002). In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education Howes A, Farrell P, Kaplan I, Moss S (2003) The impact of paid adult support on the participation and learning of pupils in mainstream schools. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education. INTO (1997) The Visiting Teacher Service for Special Needs, INTO Report. Norwich B, Lewis A (2001) Mapping a pedagogy for SEN. British Educational Research Journal 27: 313–330. QCA (2000) General Statement for Inclusion in Curriculum 2000. London: QCA. Roaf C, Bines H (1989) Needs, rights and opportunities in special education. In: Roaf C, Bines H (eds) Needs, Rights and Opportunities: Developing Approaches in Special Education. London: Falmer Sebba J, Sachdev, D (1997) What Works in Inclusive Education. Basingstoke: Barnados Wang C, and Algozzine B (2008) Effects of targeted intervention on early literacy skills of at-risk students. Journal of Research in Childhood Education 22: 425-439.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Naram-Sin - The King of the Akkad Dynasty

Naram-Sin - The King of the Akkad Dynasty Naram-Sin (2254-18) was the grandson of Sargon, founder of the Akkad Dynasty [see 1st Empire] that was headquartered in Akkad, a city somewhere in northern Babylonia. While Sargon called himself King of Kish, military leader Naram-Sin was King of the four corners (of the universe) and a living god. This status was an innovation that is recorded in an inscription that says the deification was at the request of the citizens, possibly because of a series of military victories. A victory stele now at the Louvre shows a larger than normal, divinely horned-helmeted Naram-Sin. Naram-Sin expanded the territory of Akkad, improved administration by standardizing accounting, and increased the religious prominence of Akkad by installing several daughters as high priestesses of the important cults in Babylonian cities. His campaigns seem to have been waged mostly in western Iran and northern Syria, where a monument was built at modern Tell Brak made of bricks stamped with Naram-Sins name. Naram-Sins daughter Taram-Agade appears to have been married to a Syrian king for diplomatic reasons. Source: A History of the Near East ca. 3000-323 B.C., by Marc Van De Mieroop. Go to other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | wxyz Also Known As: Naram-Suen Alternate Spellings: NarÄ m-Sà ®n, Naram-Sin

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature Term Paper

Compare and Contrast Popular Culture LIterature - Term Paper Example Does one transcend the mind in that fraction of a second when the decision is made? Perhaps yes! In that eventuality, the decision is bound to be faultless. The source of that decision is made in the brilliant flash of inner light. Gladwell writes, â€Å"The first task of Blink is to convince you of a simple fact: decisions made very quickly can be every bit as good as decisions made cautiously and deliberately† (p.14). The word ‘very quickly’ has the element of divine aura about it, and does not contain the element of haste. The level of spiritual progression of those who are brilliant decision makers is far more than those who are consistently inept. The process of the best decisions is to be experienced by the decision maker and it cannot be explained in words. As with his writing technique, Gladwell supports his each contention with allegories and real-life case studies. He gives the example of a psychologist, a tennis coach and the art wizards who recognize t he fake at a glance. He also admits about the failures of â€Å"blink†. Like an ardent supporter of Popular Culture the author argues â€Å"We live in a world that assumes that the quality of a decision is directly related to the time and effort that went into making it† (p.13). ... 2. Outliers: The Story of Success Though the ardent worshippers of Popular Culture are aware of the importance of chance and circumstances in the life of an individual, they finally vote for an individual who succeeds in life in terms of monetary accomplishments. The society salutes the achiever. Big ideas are hidden in the ordinary life of an individual and what is required is to locate and present them before the public well in time. An individual has to notice the talent within him first, before it is being noticed by others. With the spread of Popular Culture, the importance of behavioral science has increased and Malcolm Gladwell is on the right spot to cash this opportunity. 1990s has been the ideal period for experimentation with his new style in literature. About the book â€Å"Outliers: The Story of Success† Malcolm Gladwell (2011) writes â€Å"This is a book about outliers, about men and women who do things that are out of the ordinary. Over the course of the chapte rs ahead, I’m going to introduce to you to one kind of outlier after another: to geniuses, business tycoons, rock stars, and software programmers† (p.17). He sums up his argument thus: â€Å"Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities-- and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them† (p.267). If one understands this principle in its correct spirit, many of the problems in life will be no more problems, they will be the milestones in the path of success. Success stories are like the champagne to the combustible younger generation who are the admirers of the Popular Culture. Gladwell provides a new perspective about the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Responses To Post Of Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Responses To Post Of Students - Essay Example Even if the questions are well formulated, where D&I fails in an organization, the people who should provide the most relevant information, those minority members most affected by discrimination, would not be expected to candidly divulge their true sentiments or reactions in the survey or interview. There is a compulsion to outwardly conform to the majority expectation in order to keep one's job, although what they feel and think is contrary to what they express. Only when D&I is effective and the underrepresented can feel free to express their honest opinions can such a survey be considered reliable. The situation, therefore, yields a reverse outcome that follows a convoluted logic – that is, where the results show negative comments on D&I effectiveness can it be said that D&I has actually been effective.The post does not say, however, what these baseline measures pertain to – whether it refers to increase in job satisfaction, added productivity, reduced operating cost , and so forth. The selection of appropriate measurements becomes more challenging when one considers that most of these attributes are normally and more significantly influenced by factors other than diversity and inclusion. For instance, increased manpower cost is typically related to rising salaries and wages. Much of the elements in diversity and inclusion efforts defy quantification, because of the difficulty of isolating the impact of specific measures, and the complete absence of a measurable component.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

HRM practice in small-medium enterprises (SMEs) Essay Example for Free

HRM practice in small-medium enterprises (SMEs) Essay Introduction The article analyzes the way of HRM practice in small-medium enterprises(SMEs) and the reason why it is important element for SMEs. Over the past years, small-medium enterprises play an increasingly significant role in European economy. It is mainly because European countries including UK have large amount of SMEs but with small scale of big enterprises. However, HRM, as an important part of a company, is utilized in tremendous different ways between large and SMEs firms. SMEs are reluctant to use HRM when considering high cost and time. This situation brings a lot of issues. Unfortunately, very few of the research for HRM in SMEs have been published till now(Domingo Ribeiro Soriano,et all,2011) .For example, according to the US academic journals from 1988 to 1998, more than 207 papers had been written about HR recruiting ,etc. However, just 7 of the articles mentioned about SMEs in Journal of Applied Psychology, Academic of Management Review and Personnel Psychology;. For these reasons,it is important to investigate the study of HRM in SMEs. Negative and positive arguments about HRM practice in SMEs Large amount of Debates about the efficiency of HRM in SMEs are illustrated in the earlier studies. Small business see few advantages of HRM when comparing to the large firms(Akroyd1995,adapted by Cassell.C et all,2002 ).Especially in the training ,Storey and Westhead described that the employees in the SMEs have few chances to get involved in structured training. (1997,adapted by Cassell.C et all, 2002) .After conducting several cases, Holiday also mentioned that training is not utilized well in SMEs(1995,adapted by Cassell.C et all, 2002). Cassell.C, et all(2002)did both interviews and telephone survey to a number of SMEs, and conclude that HRM practices especially selection and training process are transferring to other department in informal ways. They also found that 53% of SMEs that they investigated in recruited their employees via relatives or friend’s recommendation. It means HRM is not very formal in SMEs. In another word, HRM in SMEs are full of different issues. Bu t according to the following  study HRM indeed bring some benefit to companies. In1995 Leicestershire, and Storey (adapted by Cassell.C et all, 2002)did a study which comparing the difference between traditional HRM and new practices among the large and small companies. The result of 15 cases implied that although the initiative of every employee in large companies has more opportunities to be enabled, it is more sustainable process in small-medium firms. In my opinion, SMEs might be developing better when they employ formal HRM practices. For example, during the study of HRM of SMEs,Williamson, Cable, Aldrich, (2002,adapted by Patel, C. P, et all, 2010) found that that SMEs can be more competitive and legitimated with formal HRM activities since it helps firms attract more high quality employees. HRM can also create harmonious group culture, highlighting the relationship between employers and companies. (Cameron Quinn, 1999,adapted by PATEL, C.2010). Data analyze In order to explore whether it is beneficial for companies when they use formal HRM practices, I conclude the research which was done by PATEL, C. P et all(2010).They did a research to discover the relationship between HRM and company productivity. In this study, high group culture means that a strong team works and effective working environment, which is usually created by strong HRM.) That it surveyed 145 firms and 6 industries including different size of firms. The correlation can be described by the following charts.Chart1 suggests: under high group culture, companies increase the use of HRM when market competition increase; Product market competition (chart 1,adapted by PATEL,C.P,andS. CARDON,S.M ) HRM intensity (chart 2, adapted by PATEL, C. P,and S. CARDON,S.M ) Under high group culture, Chart2 indicated that HRM intensity can enhance the labor productivity To sum up, when the market is in the growing competition, HRM can boost the labor productivity. It also implied that the firms should keep the high group culture environment in order to keep the effectiveness of HRM. High group culture is from strong HRM practices. In my opinion from the data analyze, when HRM is utilized in SMEs in formal ways ,it might bring significant benefit to company. As Walsh and  Whites (1981) point out same idea as well. They suggest that same regulation of HRM should be utilized among those companies but small scale in SMEs. Author opinion As far as my consideration, HRM is a very important part for SMEs. The reason can be explained by following aspects. Firstly, Many SMEs firms in UK have informal HRM activities rather than totally absence (Culley et all, 1998, adapted by Cassell.C, et all, 2002).However, the way SMEs conduct these kind of practice reduce its’ actual benefit. For example, if recruiting and training procedure are not completed by the HR, other department need to expense time and cost to implement those processes. Consequently, it divides the cost of HR department into other team. In fact, it increases the cost of companies in long term prospective. Therefore, SMEs may increase benefit if they employ formal HRM practices from long prospective. Secondly,According to the charts (12), HRM has vital influence on labor productivity when fierce competition appears. On one hand, HRM is important element when company goes through high level of competitive market. SMEs must employ HRM if they want to survive in long term .On the other hand, strong group culture which is built by HR department can reinforce HRM to effect labor productivity (PATEL, C. P,and S. CARDON,S.M,2010).As a consequence , HRM should be develop in correct way so that the company can built adequate group culture, thereby enhance the labor productivity especially in competitive market. Thirdly, it is important to look at the economy situation in UK. UK holds a large amount of SMEs with small scale of large company. It suggests that economic contribution of SMEs play important role in the country. From general perspective, when well-establishing and formal HRM is employed by SMEs, it will have big effect on the GDP of UK. As Cassell.C, Nadin.S, Gray.M, Clegg.C concluded in their research in 2002, HRM indeed exist in small business and small multiples. Although the structure of both firms is informal, human resource management brought obvious effective effort to the firm. From this study, we can imply that SMEs will grow stronger if they utilize more formal HRM in long term. Consequently, high level of HRM practice improves the effectiveness of companies. Conclusion My study suggest that HRM practices play very important roles in SMEs not only because it can create group culture and enhance the effectiveness of the group development, but also can protect firms from fierce competition. Moreover, HRM can increase the benefit of companies in long terms. But there is also some problem of HRM practices. Due to a lack of experience and information, majority of SMEs have no energy to take formal HRM. Whether this situation can be solved still need further study in UK. It depends on the companies themselves. Although I argued that SMEs should emphasize HRM practices in long term development, a lot of SMEs pursue short-time benefit and they may not consider HRM benefit. The research about how do the companies increase the use of formal HRM but not reduce the short-term benefit is needed to be discovering in the future. Hence, the different situations decide whether small-medium companies employ formal HRM. Reference Cassell.C, Nadin.S, Gray.M,Clegg.C,(2002):Exploring human resource management practices in small and medium sized enterprises, Personnel Review,Vol.31 No.6,pp:671-692 Domingo Ribeiro Soriano*and Ma. à ngeles Montoro†Sà ¡nchez,(2011)â€Å"Introduction: Contributions of Human Resource Management to the Challenges faced by Small† and Medium†Sized Enterprises in the Global Environment†, Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, Vol.28: P119–121 PATEL, C. P,and S. CARDON,S.M,2010, â€Å"Adopting HRM Practices And Their Effectiveness In Small Firms Facing Product Market Competition†, Human Resource Management, March–April 2010, Vol. 49, No. 2, Pp. 265– 290

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Seamus Heaneys Background and Poetry Essay -- Seamus Heaney Poets Poe

Seamus Heaney's Background and Poetry Seamus Heaney had a Roman Catholic upbringing in a rural area of Northern Ireland. How does his poetry reflect his background? Heaney's poetry is able to reflect his background by his use of language and the technique he expresses his experiences. I will cover his background into three sections: his childhood, the community and his reflections. I will start by looking at his feelings and experiences in the poem 'Death of a Naturalist'. The poet remembers the time when he was a young child. He saw the reality of what frogs were really like in the outdoors compared to what was taught in school. In school, the frogs are described like a typical teacher talking to young pupils. It is very patronising and cosy hiding the fact that they are 'rank', off-putting and sickening in certain ways. For e.g. "the dam gross-bellied frogs were cocked" and " Poised like mud grenades, their blunt heads farting". They are described as being like grenades due to their size, shape, colour and the "scary" croaking noises that the creature makes. It was a new experience for him for he had not heard the noises before," to a coarse croaking that I had not heard before". He did not feel in the right situation and it was like he had never felt like that before. During his experience, he felt insecure, anxious and self-doubting. He puts himself down for he blames himself for the "obscene threats" the frogs were giving him. His use of language is able to quickly adjust the mood from a pleasant school setting to a horrid, smelly and repellent atmosphere. Heaney understood the straightforward and simplistic teachings at school but is bewildered and scared when he approaches the frogs. The po... ... fascinated by her he knows he shouldn't be because she has done wrong. Even though he feels so deeply of this girl he realises how foolish he was by letting them carry on with the punishment; "I who stood dumb". In some cases Heaney is able to use oxymoron in order to describe how society can be a catastrophe at times. He uses the descriptive words "civilized outrage" to show this. He puts two opposite words together to form a different meaning. Hence the word "civilize" and "outrage". Heaney has experienced many tragedies in his life from "Mid Term Break" to "Punishment". He clarifies this using his own expertise of writing to create descriptive poems like these. What must be said about him is how he is talented enough to deliver what is suppose to be delivered, very effectively in order for a reader like me to have such an impact on what is said.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Research report

Group has evolved as important Bloc in the world. As the BRICKS nations have distinguished from other emerging markets by their economic and demographic potential to rank among the world's largest and most influential economies in the 21 SST Century. China and India are the major contributors of the growth not only in the BRICKS group but also In the World. Over the past two decades the trend has been clearly suggesting the rise of the two countries as growth engines.Throughout the article we will try and understand the major factors that undistributed to the growth of the China In comparison to BRIM nations. And also we will analyses the current challenges ahead for both China. Whether China will be able to hold up this momentum In future Is most difficult question to be answered. Even though many World organizations are ranking China as the leading Economic power of world and India among top 3 most developed nations of the world by 2050. GAP of the BRICKS nations is on the rise whe n looked over the past two decades clearly suggests that the GAP growth in absolute terms is on the rise.The chart below has en generated by converting the local Currencies in to Current US Dollars. (Ignoring the Currency changes for easy comparison) GAP Growth rate of China has been on the top throughout the two decades and it has sustained the growth consistently. Let us look at the Factors responsible for the Growth of China Beginning with China the main Factors responsible for the China's Growth are High Productivity of Labor and 2. Investments of both by the Government and Private Sector.The export and manufacturing sectors are key drivers of China's economy. The Workforce of china has been very productive and according to Study done by one f reputed Management Institute it was that China's Labor force was 18% more productive than American labor force. It was also found that there Is still more scope for Improvement in Productivity for Chinese Labor. With Productive labor and n ew skills being imparted by the large number of Universities, more number of people are to Join the current Labor market with advanced skills.There Is more likely chance that the labor will be available at optimum price levels as gone are the days as China was considered for cheap manpower. Investments and the Total savings to GAP of Chinese are highest In the BRIM nations. They are at record levels of around 48%, one of the highest among the world. With this amount of Savings going In to the Investments Is a very good plus to a nation, which Is making China an Investment driven economy.There Is a significant role of Investments in China's economic growth story as foreign Direct Investments started Infrastructure which again helped to raise their output levels further. Over the last decade Chinese Government budget is in the surplus except in 2009, when Chinese government had to provide for Stimulus as western world was in grip of Financial Crisis. The Surplus of Chinese Government budget is helping them to procure advanced Technology, oil assets in African Continent and Sovereign funds.Again China tops the BRICKS nations in growth of Exports. China has transformed itself in to manufacturing hub of the world. Its global export share has skyrocketed from just 1. 9 per cent in 1990 to 11. 5 per cent now, finally reaching parity with its global GAP share. Recent slump in Chinese exports can be seen in chart which is attributed to the weak demand in both US and European countries which are China's major export markets. Weak demand in the western countries is due to slow down of the economies due to recent financial crisis.This can be a temporary trend as once US and European Economies pick up there will be greater demand for Chinese exports. China has maintained competitive edge over the world with its large cheap labor force which was productive, cheap raw materials, low power costs with sophisticated Infrastructure and Technology. But few Analysts predict Chines e competitiveness is no longer due to 1. Rising labor wages, owing to a stunning 66-per-cent increase in wages since 2008. 2. China has kept the Credit rates very low helping easy debt financing for manufacturers and exporters.With rising inflation and bad loans crept in to the system, Chinese government has to act swiftly to clean financial sector. This may have an adverse effect in near term. Conclusion: Though facing with near term challenges China is well poised to take on the challenges in a better way and Chinese growth story will remain intact. Till now China's growth was supported by Exports. Now China transformed itself in to a Factory of the world with large number of workforce adding to already workforce.As per estimates these working class will have 40% of china's population as Middle Class by 2020. This middle class with raising aspirations and spending will spur the demand. In near term China will see a lot of Domestic demand spurred by consumption of this middle class . Till recent times China's Economy which was spurred by Manufacturing and Exports sector will also have Consumption driven economy demanding services and goods. This will contain the current levels of the GAP growth rates. Hence I will definitely buy in to the China's sustained growth story in long term.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Business Essay

A. 1. As I began my journey as a new business owner of a computer company I needed to define my company’s goals, decide which direction I wanted to take the company to and create a mission statement that will best represent my company. Since the company was new I needed to come up with something catchy and promising that would invite potential clients to find out more about the products we offer. Since there were more participants in this game and from my professional experience I learned that staying on the same path and making advancements is more beneficial than trying to change directions every time. In this case I remained focused on the same two groups for the remaining 3 rounds. Instead of changing and adding more products every quarters like most of the other participants I kept my two models (one for each group) and made necessary corrections and modifications based on the market needs. I verified the requirements of each group, the priorities and the price range each client is willing to pay. Since there are no specific techniques used in this part of the business analysis I used my own judgment in making sure that I create the best product with the items that are most important to the potential client group. As stated above I initially created two products (one for each group) and after the first round they both passed 70% but in the scientific group it was not chosen as one of the best. In the second round I was given an option of reviewing products of my competitors and the only difference was the larger monitor and an upgraded keyboard. I added those options to my products and in the next round both products did very well. I had to make sure that in the nest round I keep up with the new upgrades and add them to my products to make sure that I keep up with the new technology. Even after making the upgrades the prices did not change a lot and the two groups still chose my product as one of their choices and my products were receiving 100% in both categories. Out of all the categories my market performance would produce larger results if I was not afraid in estimating more clients and produce more computers in both categories. Every quarter I ended up loosing clients and sales due to shortage in inventory. My market performance, marketing effectiveness and human resource management remained slightly low even though I was very close to my competitors. As far as my salary package I paid my employees the most but I only contributed 2% of their salary versus 5% that everyone else was contributing. I believe that salary is more important than the retirement contribution. I upgraded health benefits but kept the contribution the same. 2.I would not change the targeted markets I have selected because my decision was a success. I wanted to make sure that my company will have balance between high paying clients and not as much demand and those where the profits are not as high but the demand is much higher. My analogy was right on target because with the Mercedes I was making higher profit but the number of machines was not as high as the market for general public where the profit was significantly lower. After being chosen by both markets as a preferred factory I had to make sure that I am keeping up with current technology and by adding extra features the price difference is not too high so that I would loose my lower profit clients. With that business idea I was able to survive my competition and climb up to the top. 3.When it comes to the sales locations I selected I believe that I have done enough research to make a good decision. Since I have chosen Mercedes for scientific computers and general public I wanted to make sure that I cover United States since Mercedes mainly operated in the US and their main headwaters are in Germany. Therefore I chose NY as one of the first offices along with France in Europe. My next choice was Tokyo since they have the most advanced technology and I can use that as my selling point to generate more business. My last choice was South America even though the expenses were not as high but it is less demanding since the poverty is significantly high. As expected, choosing my locations in this order was a success. 4.Marketing research could definitely be improved since I was not as successful as I was hoping to be. Most of my business was coming from direct sales and not as much from other advertising. I did not want to invest large amounts of money on the popular magazines since the fee was very high and I was concentrating on more common papers such as Science Magazines and business papers. Maybe I should have been more adventurous and invest in more popular magazines but I was afraid that I would suffer financially. Also I was not able to come up with a very catchy advertising line to attract potential clients and was scoring somewhat low on the advertising review. B.One of the most important decisions I made was to invest in international markets. Since Mercedes is from Germany and its factories are in the US I felt as investing in a European market would be a good idea simply because I come from Europe and I know that Mercedes is in demand as well as there are a lot of companies in need of a highly developed machine that can make their discoveries and creations a lot easier. I was a little hesitant about opening offices in Tokyo since their technology is very advanced and cost is very high. But because of that I decided to stand with competition face to face and use this to my advantage. By creating same quality machines for a little lesser cost I was able to survive and beat most of my competition. South America had smaller expenses but the demand was not very high considering the high number of less fortunate individuals. If investing in the international markets required large funds I would concentrate on the US market and possibly South America. Unless I discovered high turnaround and my investment would not affect my company’s future I would consider this option. Throughout my entire game I was very cautious and I was afraid of heavy investment simply because my funds were very limited and I did not want to jeopardize my company over greed and quick wealth. After reviewing my financial reports I was able to determine if additional investment is possible and how my this would effect the company overall. Heavy investment would depend on how the financial statements looked, careful review of the international markets and position of the company in the global market. If the company would not be as successful at the end of the 4th quarter as I wanted it to be I would most likely find another route to expand my borders.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Stonewall Jackson

One of the most famous generals of the American Civil was Thomas Jonathan Jackson who served under Confederate General Robert E. Lee. During the First Battle of Bull Run, or Manassas, Jackson’s brigade faced overwhelming odds. General Barnard E. Bee, seeing Jackson’s line holding firm, said, â€Å"There is Jackson standing like a stone wall.† Hence from then on he was called Stonewall by his troops. Jackson was one out of many great generals during the Civil War, but he himself set the rest aside. He is perhaps the greatest of all of the generals during the Civil War. He was always known to be a military man and during the Civil War he brought out his skills and was declared a military genius by both the North and the South. His tactics were amazing and how he put great thought and detail into his strategic battles. Jackson’s young live wasn’t very pleasant by today’s standards. As a young boy he was an orphan, but Jackson rose above what he was expected of and became much higher than anyone could have ever dreamed he’d be. As a young man Jackson attended the U.S. Military’s academy at West Point. He was a bright student he finished in the top 60% of his class and for his situation that was quite an accomplishment. Jackson’s year of graduation was greeted by the Mexican War and he was sent off to action as a fresh officer just out of West Point. He would accomplish the rank of a Major by the time the war ended. Jackson had fought in a many battles in the Mexican war, but it seemed that almost all of them had little to no impact on the war. His first major battle that impacted a war was the Battle of Bull Run. His strategy was as a stern as a mule and Jackson held that hill with him and his five Virginia regiments. Then in the spring of 1862 a campaign was held that also helped to enhance Jackson’s fame. The campaign was held at the Shenandoah Valley in which Jackson helped to keep a moral high amongst the Sou... Free Essays on Stonewall Jackson Free Essays on Stonewall Jackson If you ask the average American student â€Å"who was Stonewall Jackson? The vast majority would answer â€Å"a famous Civil War solider.† Thomas Jackson is famous in the South for being one of the most famous and influential leaders of the Southern Confederate Army during The War Between the States. Thomas Jackson was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, on January 21, 1824. His father, Johnathon ,was a very distinguished lawyer. He was the third to be born of four children. His youngest sister, Elizabeth, was born in 1819, Warren, 1821, and Laura Ann, 1826. Of these family members, one could assume that the deaths of his sister, at age six, followed by his father, at thirty-six, were psychologically significant in his life, and perhaps they contributed greatly to his overwhelmingly precautious decisions and â€Å"odd† behavior throughout his life. This is more clearly suggested by witnesses and friends who labeled him as a hypochondriac because of his unusual posture. His posture was, at least, described by him as unnatural and he would always sit up straight because he didn’t want to bend his internal organs or â€Å"innards† as he would call them. When he first enrolled at West Point he was very shy, keeping to his self initially along with having a pers onality that was hard to label. In early childhood, he developed both an interest in the principles of Christianity and became inspired through military history. Jackson rose through the ranks to become General in a serious of assignments, which started, in May of 1863, and ended in May 10, 1863. The most famous accomplishment was seen in his defeat of Grant's Union Army under Freemont in the winter with his 1st Brigade and 2nd Corps division of the Shenandoah Valley. This campaign was to hold the Northern Virginia Line which was so successful, that it granted him the title of [L.T.] General. "Stonewall" Jackson that we know of today. Jackson’s sense of loyalty and obligation ... Free Essays on Stonewall Jackson One of the most famous generals of the American Civil was Thomas Jonathan Jackson who served under Confederate General Robert E. Lee. During the First Battle of Bull Run, or Manassas, Jackson’s brigade faced overwhelming odds. General Barnard E. Bee, seeing Jackson’s line holding firm, said, â€Å"There is Jackson standing like a stone wall.† Hence from then on he was called Stonewall by his troops. Jackson was one out of many great generals during the Civil War, but he himself set the rest aside. He is perhaps the greatest of all of the generals during the Civil War. He was always known to be a military man and during the Civil War he brought out his skills and was declared a military genius by both the North and the South. His tactics were amazing and how he put great thought and detail into his strategic battles. Jackson’s young live wasn’t very pleasant by today’s standards. As a young boy he was an orphan, but Jackson rose above what he was expected of and became much higher than anyone could have ever dreamed he’d be. As a young man Jackson attended the U.S. Military’s academy at West Point. He was a bright student he finished in the top 60% of his class and for his situation that was quite an accomplishment. Jackson’s year of graduation was greeted by the Mexican War and he was sent off to action as a fresh officer just out of West Point. He would accomplish the rank of a Major by the time the war ended. Jackson had fought in a many battles in the Mexican war, but it seemed that almost all of them had little to no impact on the war. His first major battle that impacted a war was the Battle of Bull Run. His strategy was as a stern as a mule and Jackson held that hill with him and his five Virginia regiments. Then in the spring of 1862 a campaign was held that also helped to enhance Jackson’s fame. The campaign was held at the Shenandoah Valley in which Jackson helped to keep a moral high amongst the Sou...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Essay Writing Advice Structure It Up!

Essay Writing Advice Structure It Up! Essay Writing Advice: Structure It Up! If you are looking for essay writing advice, look no further. Writing an essay requires that you include the basic elements of a five paragraph essay. Even if your writing task is a bit more involved, the same elements must be included. Introduction When you are writing your introduction you want to pay attention to the exact word choice you have. This is your first and, in some cases, your last opportunity to leave a positive impression on your reader. This is not only where you talk about your subject for the first time, but where you also explain to the reader how you are going to talk about your subject. You should be putting a higher level of energy into your introductory area, totaling about 20% of your overall writing efforts. And if you do this you will be rewarded positively. Body Paragraphs The second step is a body paragraph where you need to present your 1st strongest argument or your best illustration or example. Much like the previous section of your writing assignment, the first sentence needs to have a hook which naturally transitions from the hook located at the end of the previous paragraph. The subject of this paragraph or the main idea needs to be presented in the topic sentence immediately after. You want to make sure that you relate the main idea here to your thesis statement much the same as you did in the previous section. And finally, once you have done this you need to include your transitional hook in order to help the reader move along once again to the 2nd body paragraph. The 2nd body paragraph is where your weaker argument is located and it should be followed after the transitional hook with your topic sentence. Once again the evidence and support that you present need to relate back to your thesis statement. Never assume that the reader will know what you intend to say or will be able to pick up on what you are hinting at. Instead, make sure that you state your purpose explicitly. Once this is done you need to end. With a transitional hook which signals that your final point has been made and that they will now reach the end of your document. Conclusion The conclusion is the end of your writing but it does not serve as an afterthought. The final paragraph is the final opportunity you have to restate your case and it needs to be very rigid in its format. You want to try and paradoxically think of the conclusion as the second introduction because it will contain many of its features. You want each sentence to be well-crafted and you want to make sure you have an effective concluding transition after which you restate your thesis. Remember, the best essay writing advice revolves around laying out each component of the traditional writing tasks, including introductions, body texts, and conclusions. These make up the basic structure of your work. By incorporating all of these components, you can enjoy a well put together essay.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Which of the current management challenges,globalization,managing Assignment

Which of the current management challenges,globalization,managing adiverse workforse, technological innovation and ethics are likely to have the greast impact on Googles future operation - Assignment Example For instance, managing a diverse workforce and adhering to ethical and moral codes of conduct would continue to impact the organization’s future operations; therefore, management must be adept in apprising themselves of current and future trends affecting these areas. However, there are more relevant issues affecting technological applications where Google could be affected; such as security issues, breaching privacy and confidentiality concerns and protection of personal and organizational domain from hackers, cyber terrorism, and other forms of intrusion. As such, Google’s future operation would depend on how their organization could significantly assist in the improvement and solution of cybercrime, for instance, or other concerns affecting future technological applications. By reinventing themselves and by assuming a proactive stance in scanning the external global environment for opportunities and addressing eminent threats, Google should be able to sustain market dominance and leadership in

Thursday, October 31, 2019

ASSIGNMENT 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ASSIGNMENT 4 - Essay Example The region above 75 miles of height is considered as highland. As kerala receives plenty of sunlight, it belongs to the hot climatic zone of the earth. Because of the nearness to sea most of the places have a humid condition. But some places in the eastern part of the state experiences moderate hot and cold weather conditions. The temperature will be low in thise places which are more than 1000m altitude. Therefore, these area are suitable for the cultivation of garden crops like cardamom, coffee and tea. The midland of kerala is a chain of hills and fields in between. The rain water which falls on hills is stored in the fields. A part of this forms the ground water. The remaining flows as streamlets. Kerala is one of the most loved tropical paradises, which boasts some of the richest biodiversity in the world. The climate here is more humid wetter. This part contains wet green forest and most complex and species rich vegetation. The rivers on Kerala have their origin in the ranges o f western Ghats , these rivers quickly drain to the Lakshwadweep sea. Owing to this, the rivers which are flooded during the rainy season become more channels with a lean flow of water during the rainy season. Only a small portion of water form the rainfall is stored in the soil. The major portion of water reaches the sea abruptly. Biodiversity4 The Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri hills is a mountain chain , different types of vegetation : scrub jungles and grasslands at low altitudes, dry and moist deciduous forests, grasslands and shoals, and the precious tropical evergreen and semi evergreen forests. Complex topography, high rainfall and relative inaccessibility have helped the region retain its biodiversity. Of the 15,000 flowering plant species in India, there are an estimated 4,780 species in the Western Ghats region. There is also a great diversity of traditional crop plants and an equal diversity of animal life. A large number of amphibians, freshwater fishes and in vertebrate groups are endemic to Western Ghats . Man-Made causes for degradation of Environment in Kerala Deforestation DEFORESTATION has many ecological, social and economic consequences, one of which is the loss of biological diversity .The destruction of territory is the most effective form of removal of any particular form of life from the face of earth. Menon and Bava2 have estimated the rate of deforestation in the Western Ghats to be .057% annually during the Period 1920 -1990.The food chain depends on depends upon the vegetation. Forests are an integral part of the vegetation. A vast area of forest has been cut dawn in the name of industrialization And rapid urbanization. Moreover the rural mass depends on the wood from the forest to keep their kitchen fires alive. The recent unstable rain fall in the area is the result of the loss of forest cover. The reduction of annual rain fall in the area is also another observed disaster the region now faces. Large scale deforestation in to Western Ghats and introduction of plantation crops in the high land replacing the natural vegetation reduced the storage capacity of soil and resulted in surface soil erosion in watersheds and sedimentation in rivers. This has affected summer flow in river s and some perennial rivers and rivulets have become seasonal in the last few decades due to large scale land cover changes. Sand Quarrying and River Bank Agriculture Excessive instream san d-and

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Hygiene Hypothesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Hygiene Hypothesis - Essay Example Accordingly, it is important to note that the immune system develops from repeated attempts to keep off disease from the low level of pathogens found in a normal environment; as such, when the germs invade the body in life threatening amounts, the immune system successfully wards them off. The need for this exposure in developed nations some decades back saw to larger families than today. This is because parents believed that the elder child would expose the younger one(s) to pathogens, hence harden their immunity (Ascherio &Munge, 2007). It has also been observed that children who are taken to baby care institutions are less susceptible to allergies and immune diseases. The research has indicated that, children who had earlier been exposed to measles or hepatitis A are also quite resistant to allergies. Autoimmune diseases are those that the body should be able to naturally protect itself from, as per the hygiene hypothesis. Such include acute lymphoblastic leukemia affecting young people in the developed world. This is a region where young children are less likely to be exposed, and thereby develop the needed immunity. Unconfirmed evidence also links the hypothesis indirectly to autism, suggesting that an immune disease causes it (Lang, et al. 2010). However, extensive research shows that the hypothesis is of more significance to allergies than to immune diseases (Christensen, 2010). Some of the common allergens, i.e. substances that cause allergic attacks, include pollen, dust, hay, household chemicals, synthetic material, pet fur, some foods and some food preservatives. When these come into contact with the body of the allergic person, his/ her system activates the white blood cells in response to the foreign negative stimulus. (These cells normally help us to fight disease-causing microorganisms). Once released,

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Multivariate Multilevel Modeling

Multivariate Multilevel Modeling Literature Review This chapter tying up the various similar studies related to modeling responses multivariately in a multilevel frame work. As a start, this chapter begins by laying out the recent history of univariate techniques for analyzing categorical data in a multilevel context. Then it gradually presents the literature available on fitting multivariate multilevel models for categorical and continuous data. More over this chapter reviews the evidence for imputing missing values for partially observed multivariate multilevel data sets. The Nature of Multivariate Multilevel models A multivariate multilevel model can be considered as a collection of multiple dependent variables in a hierarchical nature. Though the multivariate analysis increases the complexity in a multilevel context, it is an essential tool which facilitates to carry out a single test of the joint effects of some explanatory variables on several dependent variables (Snijders Bosker (2000). These models have the power of increasing the construct validity of the analysis for complex concepts in the real world. Consider a study on school effectiveness which can be measured on three different output variables math achievement, reading proficiency and well-being at school. These data are collected on students those who are clustered within schools by implying a hierarchical nature. Although it is certainly possible to handle three outcomes separately, it is unable to show the overall picture about school effectiveness. Therefore multivariate analysis would be more preferable in these types of scen arios since it has the capability of decreasing the type 1 error and increasing the statistical power (Maeyer, Rymenans, Petegem and Bergh) (Draft). Hierarchical natures of multivariate models are not like as the univariate response models. Let us focus on above example; it implies a two level multivariate model. But in reality it has three levels. In this case, the measurements are the level 1 units, the students the level 2 units and the schools the level three units. Importance of Multivariate Multilevel Modeling Multivariate multilevel data structures may itself present a greater complexity as it leads to focus the multilevel effects together with the multivariate context. Therefore the traditional statistical techniques would fail to face these kinds of areas since it can decrease the statistical efficiency by producing overestimated standard errors. On the other hand violation of independence assumption may cause to under estimate the standard errors of regression coefficients. Therefore multivariate multilevel approaches play an important role to get rid of these kinds of situations by allowing variation at different levels to be estimated. Furthermore Goldstein (1999) has shown that clustering provides accurate standard errors, confidence intervals and significance tests. Some amount of articles have been published on multilevel modeling based on a single response context. Multivariate multilevel concept comes into the field of statistics during the past few years. When people want to identify the effect of set of explanatory variables on a set of dependent variables and by considering these effects separately on response variables, then if it shows a considerable difference among those effects then it can be handled only by means of a multivariate analysis (Snijders Bosker, 2000). Software for Multivariate Multilevel Modeling In the past decades, due to the unavailability of the software for fitting multivariate multilevel data some researchers tend to use manual methods such as EM Algorithm (Kang et al., 1991). As a result of developing the technical environment, the software such as STATA, SAS and S plus are emerged in to the Statistical field by providing facilitates to handle the multilevel data. But none of those packages have a capability of fitting multivariate multilevel data. However there is evidence in the literature that nonlinear multivariate multilevel model can be fitted using packages such as GLLAMM (Rabe-Hesketh, Pickles and Skrondal, 2001) and aML (Lillard and Panis, 2000). But it was not flexible to handle this software. Therefore MlwiN software which has become the under development since late 1980’s was modified at the University of Bristol in UK in order to fulfill that requirement. However, the use of MlwiN for fitting multivariate multilevel models has been challenged by Goldstein, Carpenter and Browne (2014) who concluded that MlwiN was useful if only when fitting the model without imputing for the missing values. However REALCOM software was then came into the field of Statistics and provided the flexibility to impute the missing values in the MLwiN environment. MLwiN is a modified version of DOS MLn program which uses a command driven interface. MLwiN provides flexibility to fitting very large and complex models using both frequentist and Bayesian estimation along with the missing value imputation in a user friendly interface. Some particular advanced features which are not available in the other packages are included in this software. Univariate Multilevel Modeling vs. Multivariate Multilevel Modeling In general, data are often collected on multiple correlated outcomes. One major theoretical issue that has dominated the field for many years is modeling the association between risk factors and each outcome in a separate model. It may cause to statistically inefficient since it ignores outcome correlations and common predictor effects (Oman, Kamal and Ambler) (unpublished) Therefore most of the researches tend to include all related outcomes in a single regression model within a multivariate outcome framework rather than univariate. Recently investigators have examined the comparison between Univariate and Multivariate outcomes and they have proven that Multivariate models would be preferable than several univariate models. According to the Griffiths, Brown and Smith (2004), they conducted a study to compare univariate and multivariate multilevel models for repeated measures of use of antenatal care in Uttar Pradesh, India. In here, they examined many factors which may have a relationship to the mother’s decision to use ante-natal care services for a particular pregnancy. For that they compared Univariate multilevel logistic regression model vs. Multivariate multilevel logistic regression model. However as a result of fitting univariate models, model assumptions became violated and couldn’t get stable parameter estimates. Therefore they preferred the multivariate context rather than the univariate context after performing the analysis. Generalized Cochran Mantel Haenzel Tests for Checking Association of Multilevel Categorical Data. The history of arising the concepts related to Generalized Cochran Mantel Haenzel was streaming to the late 1950’s. Cochran (1958), one of a great Statistician has firstly introduced a test to identify the independence of multiple 2 Ãâ€" 2 tables by extending the general chi-square test for independence of a single 2-way table. In here, the each table consists of one or two additional variables for higher levels to detect the multilevel nature. The test statistic is based on the row totals of each table. The assumption behind is that the cell counts have binomial distribution. As an extension to Cochran’s work, Mantel and Haenzel (1959) extended the Cochran’s test statistic for both row and column totals by assuming the cell counts of each table follows a hypergeommetric distribution. Since Cochran Mantel Hanzel (CMH) statistic has a major limitation on binary data, Landis et al (1978) generalized this test into handle more than two levels. However there is a major drawback of the Generalized Cochran Mantel Haenzel (GCMH) test. This test was unable to handle clustered correlated categorical data. Liang (1985) was proposed a test statistic for get rid of this problem. However that test statistic itself had major problems and it was fail to use. As development of the statistics field, a need for a test statistic capable of handling correlated data and variables with higher levels arouse. Zhang and Boos (1995) coming in to the field and introduced three test statistics TEL TP and TU as a solution to the above problems. However among these three test statistics TP and TU are preferred to TEL since these two use the individual subjects as the primary sampling units while TEL use the strata as the primary sampling unit (De Silva and Sooriyarachchi, 2012). Furthermore, by a simulation study TP shows better performance than TE by maintaining its error values even when the strata are small and it uses the pooled estimators for variance. Therefore it provides a guideline to select TP as the most suitable statistic to perform this study. De Silva and Sooriyarachchi (2012) developed a R program to carry out this test. Missing Value Imputation in Multivariate Multilevel Framework The problem of having missing values is often arising in real world datasets. However it contains little or no information about the missing data mechanism (MDM). Therefore modeling incomplete data is a very difficult task and may provide bias results. Therefore this major problem address to a need of a proper mechanism to check the missingness. As a solution to that, Rubin (1976) presented three possible ways of arising misingness. These are classified as Missing At Random (MAR), Missing Completely At Random (MCAR) and Missing Not At Random (MNAR). According to the Sterne et. Al (2009), missing value imputation is necessary under the assumption of missing at random. However, it can also be done under the case missing complete at random. On nowadays most statistical packages have the capability of identifying the type of missingness. After identifying the type of missingness, the missing value imputation comes into the field and it requires a statistical package to perform this. Since the missing value imputation in a hierarchical nature is little bit more advanced and it cannot be done using usual statistical packages such as SPSS, SAS and R etc. Therefore Carpenter et. al (2009), developed the REALCOM software to perform this task. However latter version of REALCOM was not deal with multilevel data in a multivariate context. Therefore the macros related to perform this task was recently developed by the Bristol University team in order to facilitate under this case. Estimation Procedure The estimation procedures for multilevel modeling are starting late 1980’s. However For parameter estimation using Maximum Likelihood Method, an iterative procedure called EM algorithm was used by early statisticians (Raudenbush, Rowan and Kang, 1991). Later on the program HLM was developed to perform this algorithm. The most operational procedures for estimating multivariate multilevel models in the presence of Normal responses are Iterative Generalized Least Squares (IGLS), Reweighted IGLS (RIGLS) and Marginal Quasi Likelihood (MQL) while for discrete responses are MQL and Penalized Quasi Likelihood (PQL). According to Rasbash, Steele, Browne and Goldstein (2004) all of these methods are implemented in MLwiN along with including first order or second order Taylor Series expansions. However since these methods are likelihood based frequentist methods they tend to overestimate the precision. Therefore more recently the methods which are implemented in a Bayesian framework using Marcov Chain Monte Carlo methods (Brooks, 1998) also used for parameter estimation which allows capability to use informative prior distributions. These MCMC estimates executed in MLwiN provides consistent estimates though they require a large number of simulations to control of having highly correlated chains. Previous researches conducted using Univariate and Multivariate Multilevel Models Univariate multilevel logit models Before take a look at to the literature on multivariate multilevel analysis, the literature of univariate multilevel analysis is also be necessary to concerned since this thesis is based on some univariate multilevel models prior to fit multivariate multilevel models. In the past decades, many social Scientists used to apply multilevel models for binay data. Therefore it is very important to review how they have implemented their work with less technology. As a aim of that, Guo and Zhao (2000) was able to do a review of the methodologies, hypothesis testing and hierarchical nature of the data involve of past literature. Also they conducted two examples for justify their results. First of all they made a comparison between estimates obtained from MQL and PQL methods which was implemented by MLn and the GLIMMIX method implemented by SAS by using examples. They have shown that the differences in PQL 1 and PQL 2 are small when fitting binary logistic models. Furthermore, they have shown that PQL- 1 and PQL-2 and GLIMMIX are probable to be satisfactory for most of the past studies undertaken in social sciences. Noortgate, Boeck and Meulders (2003) uses multilevel binary logit models for the purpose of analyzing Item Response Theory (IRT) models. For that they carried out an assessment of the nine achievement targets for reading comprehension of students in primary schools in Belgium. They performed a multilevel analyses using the cross-classified logistic multilevel models and used the GLIMMIX macro from SAS, as well as the MLwiN software. However they found that there were some convergence problems arisen by using PQL methods in MLwiN. Therefore they used SAS to carryout analysis. Furthermore they have shown that the cross-classification multilevel logistic model is a very flexible to handle IRT data and the parameters can still be estimated even with the presence of unbalanced data. Multivariate Multilevel Models In the past two decades a very few of researches have sought to fit the multivariate multilevel models to the real world scenarios. Among those also all most all the researches trying to focus basically in educational sectors as well as socio economic sectors. None of them were able to focus these into the medical scenarios. However lack of multivariate multilevel analysis which presents in the field of health and medical sciences this chapter consists of the literatures of multivariate multilevel models in other fields. According to the previous studies of education, Xin Ma (2001) examined the association between the academic achievements and the background of students in Canada by considering three levels of interest. For that the three level Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) was developed in order to achieve his goals. This work allows him to draw the conclusions that both students and schools were differentially successful in different subject areas and it was more obvious among students than among schools. However the success of this study is based on some strong assumptions about the priors of student’s cognitive skills. Exclusive of the field of education Raudenbush, Johnson and Sampson (2003) carried out a study in Chicago to determine the criminal behavior at person level as well as at neighborhood level with respect to some personal characteristics. For this purpose they use a Rasch model with random effects by assuming conditional independence along with the additives. Moreover, Yang, Goldstein, Browne and Woodhouse (2002) developed a multivariate multilevel analysis of analyzing examination results via a series of models of increasing complexity. They used examination results of two mathematics examinations in England in 1997 and analyzed them at individual and institutional level with respect to some students features. By starting from a simpler model of multivariate normality without considering the institutional random effects, they gradually increased the complexity of the model by adding institutional levels together with the multivariate responses. When closely looked at, there work shows that the choice of subject is strongly associated with the performance. Along with this growth of applications of multivariate multilevel models, researches may tend to apply those in to the other fields such as Forestry etc. Hall and Clutter (2004) presented a study regarding modeling the growth and yield in forestry based on the slash pine in U.S.A. In their work, they developed a methodology to fit nonlinear mixed effect model in a multivariate multilevel frame work in order to identify the effects of the several plot-level timber quantity characteristics for the yield of timber volume. In addition to that they also developed a methodology to produce predictions and prediction intervals from those models. Then by using their developments they have predicted timber growth and yield at the plot individual and population level. Grilli and Rampichini (2003) carried out a study to model ordinal response variables according to the students rating data which were obtained from a survey of course quality carried out by the University of Florence in 2000-2001 academic years. For that they developed an alternative specification to the multivariate multilevel probit ordinal response models by relying on the fact that responses may be viewed as an additional dummy bottom level variable. However they not yet assess the efficiency of that method since they were not implemented it using standard software. When considering the evidences of the recent applications of these models the literature shows that Goldstein and Kounali (2009) recently conducted a study on child hood growth with respect to the collection of growth measurements and adult characteristics. For that they extended the latent normal model for multilevel data with mixed response types to the ordinal categorical responses with having multiple categories for covariates. Since data consists of counts they gradually developed the model by starting a model with assuming a Poison distribution. However since the data are not follow exactly a Poisson distribution they treated the counts as an ordered categories to get rid of that problem. Frank, Cerda and Rendon (2007) did a study to identify whether the residential location have an impact to the health risk behaviors of Latino immigrants as they are increasing substantially in every year. For that they used a Multivariate Multilevel Rasch model for the data obtained by Los Angelis family and neighborhood survey based on two indices of health risk behaviors along with their use of drugs and participation for risk based activities. They starting this attempt by modeling the behavior of adolescents as a function of the characteristics related to both individual and neighborhood .According to the study they found that there is an association between increased health risk behaviors with the above country average levels of Latinos and poverty particularly for those who born in U.S.A. Another application of multivariate multilevel models was carried out Subramanian, Kim and Kawachi (2005) in U.S.A. Their main aim was to identify the individual and community level factors for the health and happiness of individuals. For that they performed a multivariate multilevel regression analysis on the data obtained by a survey which was held on 2000. Their findings reflect that those who have poor health and unhappiness have a high relationship with the individual level covariates By looking at the available literature, it can be seen that there are some amount of studies conducted on education and social sciences in other countries but none of the studies conducted regarding health and medical sciences. Therefore it is essential to perform a study by analyzing the mortality rates of some killing diseases which are spread in worldwide to understand risk factors and patterns associated with these diseases in order to provide better insights about the disease to the public as well as to the responsibly policy makers.