Grammar Translation Method free essay sample

It was also hoped that, through the study of the grammar of the target language, students would become more familiar with the grammar of their native language and that this familiarity would help them speak and write their native language better. Finally, it was thought that foreign language learning would help students grow intellectually; it was recognized that students would probably never use the target language, but the mental exercise of learning it would be beneficial anyway. Grammar Translation dominated European and foreign language teaching from the 1840s to the 1940s, and in modified form it continues to be widely used in some parts of the world today. At its best, as Howatt (1984) points out, it was not necessarily the horror that its critics depicted it as. Its worst excesses were introduced by those who wanted to demonstrate that the study of French or German was no less rigorous than the study of classical languages. We will write a custom essay sample on Grammar Translation Method or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This resulted in the type of Grammar-Translation courses remembered with distaste by thousands of school learners, for whom foreign language learning meant a tedious experience of memorizing endless lists of unusable grammar rules and vocabulary and attempting to produce perfect translations of stilted or literary prose. Although the Grammar-Translation Method often creates frustration for students, it makes few demands on teachers. It is still used in situations where understanding literary texts is the primary focus of foreign language study and there is little need for a speaking knowledge of the language. Contemporary texts for the teaching of foreign languages at college level often reflect Grammar-Translation principles. These texts are frequently the products of people trained in literature rather than in language teaching or applied linguistics. Consequently, though it may be true to say that the Grammar-Translation Method is still widely practiced, it has no advocates. It is a method for which there is no theory. There is no literature that offers a rationale or justification for it or that attempts to relate it to issues in linguistics, psychology, or educational theory [2, p. ]. In the mid and late of 19th century opposition to the Grammar-Translation Method gradually developed in several European countries. This reform movement laid the foundations for the development of new ways of teaching languages and raised controversies that have continued to the present day. Initial Principles of Grammar-Translation Method This has been just a brief introduction to the Grammar-Translati on Method, but it is probably true that this method is not new to many of you. You may have studied a language in this way, or you may be teaching with this method right now. Whether this is true or not, lets have some observations about the Grammar-Translation Method, identifying principle characteristics of that method. ? A fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read its literature. Literary language is superior to spoken language. Students study of the foreign culture is limited to its literature and fine arts. ? An important goal is for students to be able to translate each language into the other. If students can translate from one language into another, they are considered successful language learners. ? The ability to communicate in the target language is not a goal of oreign language instruction. ? The primary skills to be developed are reading and writing. Little attention is given to speaking and listening, and almost none to pronunciation. ? The teacher is the authority in the classroom. It is very important that students get the correct answer. ? It is possible to find native language equivalents for all target lan guage words. ? Learning is facilitated through attention to similarities between the target language and the native language. ? It is important for students to learn about the form of the target language. ? Deductive application of an explicit grammar rule is a useful pedagogical technique. Language learning provides good mental exercise. ? Students should be conscious of the grammatical rules of the target language. ? Wherever possible, verb conjugations and other grammatical paradigms should be committed to memory. Reviewing the Principles The principles of the Grammar-Translation Method are organized below by answering the ten questions. Not all the questions are addressed by the Grammar-Translation Method; we will list all the questions, however, so that a comparison among the methods will be easier to make. 1. What are the goals of teachers who use the Grammar-Translation Method? According to the teachers who use the Grammar-Translation Method, a fundamental purpose of learning a foreign language is to be able to read literature written in the target language. To do this, students need to learn about the grammar rules and vocabulary of the target language. In addition, it is believed that studying a foreign language provides students with good mental exercise which helps develop their minds. 2. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the students? The roles are very traditional. The teacher is the authority in the classroom. The students do as he says so they can learn what he knows. 3. What are some characteristics of the teaching/learning process? Students are taught to translate from one language to another. Often what they translate are readings in the target language about some aspect of the culture of the foreign language community. Students study grammar deductively; that is, they are given the grammar rules and examples, are told to memorize them, and then are asked to apply the rules to other examples. They also learn grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations. They memorize native language equivalents for foreign language vocabulary words. 4. What is the nature of student-teacher interaction? What is the nature of student-student interaction? Most of the interaction in the classroom is from the teacher to the students. There is little student initiation and little student-student interaction. 5. How are the feelings of the students dealt with? There are no principles of the method which relate to this area. 6. How is language viewed? How is culture viewed? Literary language is considered superior to spoken language and is therefore the language students study. Culture is viewed as consisting of literature and the fine arts. 7. What areas of language are emphasized? What language skills are emphasized? Vocabulary and grammar are emphasized. Reading and writing are the primary skills that the students work on. There is much less attention given to speaking and listening. Pronunciation receives little, if any, attention. 8. What is the role of the students native language? The meaning of the target language is made clear by translating it into the students native language. The language that is used in class is mostly the students native language. 9. How is evaluation accomplished? Written tests in which students are asked to translate from their native language to the target language or vice versa are often used. Questions about the foreign culture or questions that ask students to apply grammar rules are also common. 10. How does the teacher respond to student errors? Having the students get the correct answer is considered very important. If students make errors or dont know an answer, the teacher supplies them with the correct answer. Some Considerations about the Initial Techniques of Grammar-Translation Method There are some useful techniques associated with the Grammar-Translation Method. Below is an expanded description of some of these techniques. †¢ Translation of a Literary Passage Students translate a reading passage from the target language into their native language. The reading passage then provides the focus for several classes: vocabulary and grammatical structures in the passage are studied in subsequent lessons. The passage may be excerpted from some work from the target language literature, or a teacher may write a passage carefully designed to include particular grammar rules and vocabulary. The translation may be written or spoken or both. Students should not translate idioms and the like literally, but rather in a way that shows that they understand their meaning. Reading Comprehension Questions Students answer questions in the target language based on their understanding of the reading passage. Often the questions are sequenced so that the first group of questions asks for information contained within the reading passage. In order to answer the second group of questions, students will have to make inferences based on their understanding of the pass age. This means they will have to answer questions about the passage even though the answers are not contained in the passage itself. The third group of questions requires students to relate the passage to their own experience. Antonyms/Synonyms Students are given one set of words and are asked to find antonyms in the reading passage. A similar exercise could be done by asking students to find synonyms for a particular set of words. Or students might be asked to define a set of words based on their understanding of them as they occur in the reading passage. Other exercises that ask students to work with the vocabulary of the passage are also possible (Allen 1983). †¢ Cognates Students are taught to recognize cognates by learning the spelling or sound patterns that correspond between the languages. Students are also asked to memorize words that look like cognates but have meanings in the target language that are different from those in the native language. This technique, of course, would only be useful in languages that share cognates. †¢ Deductive Application of Rule Grammar rules are presented with examples. Exceptions to each rule are also noted. Once students understand a rule, they are asked to apply it to some different examples. †¢ Fill-in-the-blanks Students are given a series of sentences with words missing. They fill in the blanks with new vocabulary items or with items of a particular grammar type, such as prepositions or verbs with different tenses. †¢ Memorization Students are given lists of target language vocabulary words and their native language equivalents and are asked to memorize them. Students are also required to memorize grammatical rules and grammatical paradigms such as verb conjugations. †¢ Use Words in Sentences In order to show that students understand the meaning and use of a new vocabulary item, they make up sentences in which they use the new words. †¢ Composition The teacher gives the students a topic to write about in the target language. The topic is based upon some aspect of the reading passage of the lesson. Sometimes, instead of creating a composition, students are asked to prepare a precis of the reading passage. p. s. It does virtually nothing to enhance a students communicative ability in the language. On the other hand, one can understand why Grammar Translation is so popular. It requires few specialized skills on the part of teachers. Tests of grammar rules and of translations are easy to construct and can be objectively scored.

Sleeping Bags Essays - Camping Equipment, Insulators, Bags, Bedding

Sleeping Bags Essays - Camping Equipment, Insulators, Bags, Bedding Sleeping Bags Choosing a Sleeping Bag Listed below are descriptions of the key characteristics differentiating Sleeping Bags. Price We list the Average Street Price (ASP) for a sleeping bag. Although ASP may be higher than the best retail price you can find, it is a good indication of what you may pay at a typical retailer. When an ASP is not available we list the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price. (MSRP). The price listed is for the standard size sleeping bag. Often there are long (and occaisonally short) versions of the bag as well. The long version typically adds an extra 10 to 20 dollars to the price tag, while the short version is either the same price or a few dollars less. Range: $20 to almost $800. 80% of sleeping bags are between $80 and $450, with a median price of $180. Brand Brand is usually the name of the company that makes the particular sleeping bag, although sometimes companies will produce several brands. Shape Have you ever had the desire to be wrapped up tight just like King Tut? Then look at the mummy shaped sleeping bag, which is specially designed to form fit the body. The mummy is the most popular shape for sleeping bags, with the advantage of being very compact and warm. Still, some people get a little claustrophobic with no room to toss and turn, in which case the semi-rectangular bag is a good choice. It gives you space to store a few things in the bag and move about, without sacrificing the tapered foot area or the mummy-style hood. However remember it is less heat-efficient and a bit heavier than the mummy shape. Rectangular bags are the bulkiest and heaviest of the bags, but they are cheap, roomy, and easy to zip together to form two-person bags. Range: Mummy, Semi-Rectangular, Rectangular Temperature Rating Temperature rating is a hotly debated subject in the outdoor world. It is the indicator of the lowest temperatures (in Fahrenheit) you can use the bag in and still be comfortable. There are no standardized ratings and so each manufacturer provides an estimate. In any case, this number may be different for you personally, according to whether you are a hot or cold sleeper. Use this number as a guideline, but keep in mind your own sleeping habits and choose conservatively according to the coldest weather you think you will encounter when camping. Range: -65 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill Type Do you prefer down or synthetic insulation? This is the big choice that everyone faces when buying a sleeping bag. Down fanatics will tell you there's absolutely no replacement for a sleeping bag filled with the down from a goose. Down bags are generally warmer, lighter, more durable and more compactible than synthetic bags. They mold to your body to fill the voids that steal heat and compress down to a little pouch at the bottom of your backpack. However, down bags are cold when they get wet, don't dry as quickly as synthetic bags, and can only be dry-cleaned. They are also more expensive. Synthetic bags are cheaper, machine washable, and more water resistant (it's even said they're comfortable when wet, although no bag is comfortable if soaked through). They dry quickly, resist mold and are non-allergenic. If you do a lot of camping in rainy conditions, a synthetic might be the way to go. However if money is no option and you want a high quality sleeping bag that will last three times longer than a synthetic bag, take a good look at down. Range: Down or Synthetic. Water Resistant Shell A wet sleeping bag is a miserable experiencecold and clammy to sleep in and sometimes difficult to dry. Some shells are made of a water resistant material that helps keep moisture out (blocking the wind as well). This is great in difficult weather. However, water resistant shells have their negatives as well. They are not as breathable as non-resistant shells, which means that you may be protected from the elements on the outside, but soaking your sleeping bag with sweat from the inside. They are also more expensive than the non-resistant shells, particularly the DryLoft shell, which can add over $100 to the price of the bag. When deciding if a water resistant shell is important to you, consider the weather you plan to be camping in to help you decide if the investment is worth it. Range: Yes or No. Insulated Draft

Selecting and Model and Anticipating Barriers posts Assignment

Selecting and Model and Anticipating Barriers posts - Assignment Example In matters of oral health, â€Å"...perceived severity...and...Perceived benefits† should be the main concepts in promotion of oral hygiene. Perceived severity of oral problems is usually low as oral problems are not perceived as fatal; however, quality of life is significantly lowered e.g. through pain and a problem like halitosis limits social interaction. Dentists thus can be involved in HBM by showing the benefits of prevention and healthy living; especially financial benefits and avoidance of pain (Maurer & Smith, 2009). I agree that â€Å"People know what is good for their health but it is difficult for them to change their behavior.† This might stem from them not knowing the actual steps needed to lead healthier lives in spite of them having insight to the health problems they face. By integrating people in decision-making, they are part of the solution thus likely to adopt change than when they feel the proposed changes are alien to them (Center for Disease Control and

An Empirical Project on The Effect of Variable A on Variable B Research Paper

An Empirical Project on The Effect of Variable A on Variable B - Research Paper Example In this research, the two variables in the investigation is the price of a pair of shoe and its demand in the market. To achieve this, several tools would be in place to determine whether there is indeed a relationship between the price and demand of a commodity. The tool used in this research is the price of elasticity of demand. In calculating the price elasticity of demand, the tool exploits the use of other several factors which have a role in determining demand and price of a commodity. The price of a single type of shoe can influence the demand for that pair in a number of ways. Price is in different stimuli that affect demand. To come up with the right conclusion on the effect of price on demand, certain price factors to be considered include the average price, nominal price, real price, nominal price, price levels and price changes (Landsburg 18). To explore such dimensions of price, it would depend on the data available. The price level refers to the price that is set on a c ommodity in a certain region. To approximate the price level, it is important to use the price index. The nominal value is the value of the commodity in terms of real currency. The real value is a measure of the market purchasing power after some period of time. In determining the estimates for the price elasticity of demand, the following model was in use; wGi= aGi + bGln xi + qGHln pH + †¢ zi + uGi. ... This formula could manipulate the amount of data that would be used to determine the price elasticity of demand for a pair of shoe in the market. An important tool to determine the relationship between price and demand is the study of the price elasticity of demand. The price elasticity of demand is an economic tool that shows the change that exists when there is a change in quantity demanded, on the price of the commodity. In addition, the price elasticity of demand could give a percentage change in the quantity in demand, when the price of the commodity changes by a single percentage. Most of the goods in the market would have a negative price elasticity, thus a negative price elasticity of demand. In many cases, the sign is not that important when analyzing the data. With a price elasticity of demand that is less than one absolute value, the demand is inelastic. This is interpreted as the change that occur at the price have little effect on the quantity that the market would deman d of the good. When the price elasticity of demand is more than one percent, the demand for the commodity is elastic, that is, a slight change in the price of the commodity would result to great change on the good’s quantity demanded (Landsburg 478). The above diagram shows a perfect inelastic price elasticity of demand. (Landsburg 489) The above diagram shows a perfect elasticity. The price elasticity of demand for a pair of shoes would depend on the following factors; if the substitute good is available, the percentage of income, necessity and other factors. As stated above, the price elasticity of demand for a good relates the price of a commodity to its demand. Therefore, when calculating the price elasticity of demand for a pair of shoe

Screening of Sugar Cane Alley and Eve's Bayou Essay

Screening of Sugar Cane Alley and Eve's Bayou - Essay Example It is one of the French films, which were directed by Palcy Euzhan in 1989. It has its setting in Martinique during the 1930s. The film revolves around the story of the mistreatment by the whites as they worked as slaves during the 1930s. The film is mainly based on the semi-autobiographical novel that was compiled by Zobel Joseph (Rue). The cinematography that has been used in the movie consists of tilt-shift photography. The cinematographer applied medium sized lenses to ensure the control of the plane of focus orientation making certain parts of the image appear sharp. This is the reason for the different shapes and lightings of the image in the film. Part of the film also reveals the traditional cinematography with dull brown outlooks. The music in the movie is has slow rhythm and low tone that allows for the clear narration of the movie hence facilitating the comprehension of the viewers. The teacher, Mr. Rock has the most influence on Jose. His influence is academic and racial related (Rue). He accuses him falsely because of plagiarism when he writes an essay explaining the suffering of the slaves in the sugar cane plantations. I identify myself with Jose. He is focused and is forgiving. He actually marches my traits. Formal education is portrayed in the film through the school learning system. Scholarships are other examples or elements found in the formal education. The movie also shows that formal education does not allow for copying of other people’s ideas (plagiarism), therefore, it stresses on creativity and absolute originality. Joe runs away from school after being accused of plagiarism. Informal education is shown on the movie through the teachings of Joe by his grandmother. This form of education does not require class work or education.... Joe runs away from school after being accused of plagiarism. Informal education is shown on the movie through the teachings of Joe by his grandmother. This form of education does not require class work or education. It is not also expensive like formal one hence no scholarships for it. Contrast, in the film, is portrayed through the depiction of class difference in the film. Joe’s grandmother, Tine is one of the extreme poor individuals in this society. There are extremely rich people in the same society, for instance, Leopold’s parents who are landowners. The filmmaker has employed his tactics and experience in ensuring that the entire film is not about the sentiments of Jose’s education, through the inclusion of his grandmother. The way Tine is treated is meant to inform the viewers on the core theme of the film, which is racism, and class disparities during the 1930s American societies. Leopold and his parents have been portrayed as opportunistic individuals. They offer Jose food in return for his labor service in their farm making him miss classes. This, in turn, is a portrayal that the society consists of class disparities and unfairness reins the entire society. The scene with Jose and Medouze is an educative one whereby Jose learns of the past and the experience undergone by his grandparents and ancestors (Rue). Despite being the fact that the movie is based on the novel, there is a distinct between the novel and the movie. The difference is on the settings of the two. The settings are on two different places and time. The movie was produced in the 1960s whereas the book was published earlier than that. Gender issues have been revealed in the movie as one of

Renewable And Non Renewable Energy Sources

Renewable And Non Renewable Energy Sources The world provides everything to human. The resources make people live better and better. There are many forms of resources; different resources have completely different functions and effects to people. People should protect them because some of them are not renewable. I will introduce the different types of resources, they are renewable or non-renewable and a lot of things about environment in this research. More and more industries are building up in the world. The pollutions are more serious than before. People cannot live without nice environment, so we should get some solutions for those pollutions. If people do not stop making pollutions, the consequences will be horrible and bad to human. Because everything is connected, no one can escape from it. World is our home, we should understand it, respect it and love it. Resources can be separated to be renewable and non-renewable. Or resources can be separated to be those five kinds: mineral resources, energy resources, land resources, water resources and biological resources. Mineral resources: All of minerals are non-renewable resource. Minerals include all materials extracted from the earth. Mineral resources include: Metallic minerals: iron, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, tin and so onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Non-metallic minerals like limestone, sandstone, sand, clay and so onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ South Africas wealth has been built on the countrys vast resources nearly 90% of the platinum metals on Earth, 80% of the manganese, 73% of the chrome, 45% of the vanadium and 41% of the gold. Energy resources in the world: Coal-Non-renewable. Oil and gas-Non-renewable. Coal, oil and gas are called fossil fuels because they have been formed from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals. Thats why they are non-renewable. Except those three kinds of energy resources, most of other energy resources are renewable resources. Name of Energy Resources Non-renewable or Renewable Wind power Renewable Wave power Renewable Solar power Renewable Nuclear power Non-renewable Tidal power Renewable Hydroelectric power Renewable Geothermal power Renewable Bio mass Renewable Pumped storage Renewable Land resources-Renewable Water resources-Renewable Biological resources-Renewable Sustainability of energy resources: Definition: Sustainable energy is about using energy cleverly and using energy generated from pure sources and clean technologies. Using sustainable energy is benefit for humans present and future. Being efficient with our energy will reduce energy bills, reduce the amount of energy we need to produce in the first place and decrease pollutions. In fact, sustainable energy is not just about using renewable energy; perhaps it is about using energy wisely and introducing energy efficiency measures. Energy demand A number of factors are clearly. The worlds population will continue to grow for several decades at least. Energy demand increases faster and faster, and the proportion supplied by electricity will also grow faster still. The main question is how people generate that electricity? According to surveys, these days, 64% comes from fossil fuels, 16% from nuclear fission and 19% from hydro, with very little from other renewable in worldwide. Sources of energy Renewable energy like wind and solar are appropriate first consideration in sustainable development, because apart from constructing the plant, there is no destroy of mineral resources and no direct air or water pollutions. But these free sources cannot be the only option. Renewable sources other than hydro notably wind and solar, are diffuse and unreliable by nature of their occurrence. Except for renewable resources, another most important thing is what resources have most abundant and less polluting. The criteria for any acceptable energy supply will continue to be cost and safety, as well as environmental considerations. Energy resources There is abundant coal in many parts of the world, but with the constraints imposed by concern about global warming, it is likely that these will increasingly their large-scale use for electricity production will be scaled down. Current proposals for clean coal technologies may change this outlook. The main technology involves using the coal to make hydrogen from water by a two-stage gasification process, then burying the carbon dioxide and burning the hydrogen. Elements of the technology are proven but the challenge is to bring the cost of this down sufficiently to compete with nuclear power. Natural gas is also reasonably abundant but is so valuable for direct use after being reticulated to the point where heat is required, and as a chemical feedstock, that its large-scale use for power generation makes little sense and is arguably unsustainable. Fuel for nuclear power is abundant, and if well-proven but currently uneconomic fast breeder technology is used, or thorium becomes a nuclear fuel, the supply is almost limitless. The Hydrogen problems Hydrogen is expected to come into great demand as a transport fuel which does not contribute to global warming. It may be used in fuel cells to produce electricity or directly in internal combustion motors. Fuel cells are at an early stage of technological development and still require substantial, research and development input, although they will be an important technology in the future. Hydrogen may be provided by steam reforming of natural gas by thermonuclear processes, or by electrolysis of water. Advantages and disadvantages of energy resources: Name of energy resources Advantages Fossil fuels Very large amounts of electricity, fairly cheaply. Gas-fired power stations are very efficient. The power station can be built almost anywhere. Wind power Wind is free, wind farms need no fuel. Wave power The energy is free no fuel needed, no waste produced. Not expensive to operate and maintain. Solar power Solar energy is free and no pollutions. Nuclear power Nuclear power costs about the same as coal, so its not expensive to make. Produces small wastes. Nuclear power is reliable. Tidal power Once youve built it, tidal power is free. It produces no greenhouse gases or other waste. It produces electricity reliably. Not expensive to maintain. Hydroelectric power Once the dam is built, the energy is virtually free. No waste or pollution produced. Much more reliable than wind, solar or wave power. Geothermal power Geothermal energy does not produce any pollution, and does not contribute to the greenhouse effect. Once youve built a geothermal power station, the energy is almost free. Bio mass It makes sense to use waste materials where we can. The fuel tends to be cheap. Less demand on the fossil fuels. Pumped storage Little effect on the landscape. No pollution or waste Conclusion: Most of those energy resources have below advantages: No pollution. No waste. Cheap some of them free. Build up stations easily. Power is reliable. Name of energy resources Disadvantages Fossil fuels Burning any fossil fuel produces carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect, warming the Earth. Pollution. Wind power The wind is not always predictable. Suitable areas for wind-expensive. Can kill birds. Wave power Depends on the waves sometimes youll get loads Solar power Doesnt work at night. Very expensive to build solar power stations. Can be unreliable. Nuclear power Although not much waste is produced, it is very, very dangerous. Tidal power A barrage across an estuary is very expensive to build, and affects a very wide area. Only provides power for around 10 hours each day, when the tide is actually moving in or out. There are few suitable sites for tidal barrages Hydroelectric power The dams are very expensive to build. Building a large dam will flood a very large area upstream, causing problems for animals that used to live there. Water quality and quantity downstream can be affected, which can have an impact on plant life. Geothermal power The big problem is that there are not many places where you can build a geothermal power station. You need hot rocks of a suitable type, at a depth where we can drill down to them. Bio mass Collecting or growing the fuel in sufficient quantities can be difficult. We burn the biofuel, so it makes greenhouse gases just like fossil fuels do. Some waste materials are not available all year round. Pumped storage Expensive to build. Once its used, you cant use it again until youve pumped the water back up. Conclusion: Most of those energy resources have below disadvantages: Build up stations is expensive. Danger. Not easily to get power. Sometimes, bad weather will affect it. Pollution. Problems with resources: The major resources problems around the world: Natural resources are being degraded. The oil, the water, the old growth forests are all limited resources. They must be conserved for the most important future uses. Oil is necessary for the operation of all sorts of machinery, yet it is not being conserved but recklessly pumped out of the earth and sold to the highest bidder. Forest resources. In the early history, the earth is approximately 2/3 of the land is covered by forests. The area of forest nearly 76 million hectares. Now, world only has 36 hectares of forests because deforestation and forest clearing. The fresh water shortage. Human consumption of freshwater is increasing rapidly; it causes serious shortage of water resources. The freshwater resources on the earth are limited, and distribution is not balanced. Water shortages became very important problem to restrict many countries economy development especially the agricultural production. Drinkable water is increasing rare; indeed, it is sold in stores for the same price of colas. But underground water is needed for crops, and the underwater reserves are running out. Here, national and international management are required. Plowland decreases. Due to the population growth and the non-agricultural population increases, the land is almost zero. Meanwhile, many area face soil erosion and desertification of land degradation. Every year millions of hectares of arable land about loss. Desertification. The reasons are overgrazing, deforestation denudation and drought. Problem with resources in South Africa: The South African mining industry has been consistently churning out some of the worlds foremost natural resources, including precious metals such as gold and platinum. The world leader in platinum production, South Africa is suffering from an energy shortage. Two major shortages of resources are water and electricity in South Africa. Solutions: Firstly, citizens should save water and electricity. Secondly, South Africa government sets up more stations and use high developed technologies to use energy resources produce water and electricity. Finally, if SA does not have high technologies, it needs to buy them from other countries or scientists should start to make plans. Effect of mining on the environment: Mining has strong power to destructive to the environment. It is one of the main reason which causes of deforestation. In order to mine, people clear and burn trees and vegetations. The ground becomes completely bare, large scale mining operations use huge number of bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the soil. In order to cluster the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide and mercury. These chemicals go through tailings and are often discharged into rivers, streams, bays, and oceans. These pollutions contaminate all living organisms within the body of water and ultimately the people who depend on the fish for their main sources of protein and their economic livelihood. Small scale mining is equally devastating to the environment, if not more. There are two types of small scale mining ¼Ã…’land dredging and river dredging: Land dredging involves miners using a generator to dig a large hole in the ground. They use a high pressure hose to expose the gold-bearing layer of sand and clay. The gold bearing slurry is pumped into a sluice box, which collects gold particles, while mine tailings flow into either an abandoned mining pit or adjacent forest. When the mining pits fill with water from the tailings, they become stagnant water pools. These pools create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other water-born insects. Malaria and other water-born diseases increase significantly whenever open pools of water are nearby. River dredging involves moving along a river on a platform or boat. The miners use a hydrolic suction hose and suction the gravel and mud as they move along the river. The gravel, mud, and rocks go through the tailings (pipes) and any gold fragments are collected on felt mats. The remaining gravel, mud, and rocks go back into the river, but in a different location than where it was originally suctioned. This creates problems for the river. The displaced gravel and mud disrupt the natural flow of the river. Fish and other living organisms often die and fishermen can no longer navigate in the obstructed rivers. Think about the fact that producing a single gold ring generates 20 tons of mine waste. Disadvantages of mining: It destroys forest and wetlands. It may mean that you have to cut down lots of trees just to get to the spot that has all the gold or iron ore. Underground coal mining can require the removal of almost an entire layer of material deep under the surface. When the timber supports collapse, this can lead to subsidence. The subsidence can mean damage to natural areas. It can even cause cracks in river beds, leading to loss of river flow. Some mining involves the inadvertent dispersal of heavy metals, such as lead, into the atmosphere. This can have serious health effects, including mental retardation in children. Asbestos mining causes the dispersal of asbestos into the environment. This will cause deaths among local residents and workers, often several decades later. Fortunately, the mining and use of asbestos are banned in most parts of the world. Industry and its exploitation of the resources: Gold: Gold is one of the most important roles in South Africas economy. A number of different techniques can be used to mine gold. The three most common methods in South Africa are panning, open cast and shaft mining. Panning Panning for gold is a manual technique that is used to sort gold from other sediments. Wide, shallow pans are filled with sand and gravel from river beds that may contain gold. Water is added and the pans are shaken. Open cast mining This is a form of surface mining. Surface layers of rock and sediments are removed so that the deeper gold rich layers can be reached. This type of mining is not suitable if the gold is buried very deep below the surface. Shaft mining South Africas thin but extensive gold reefs slope at an angle underneath the ground, and this means that some deposits are very deep and often difficult to reach. Shaft mining is needed to reach the gold ore. After the initial drilling, blasting and equipping of a mine shaft, tunnels are built leading outwards from the main shaft so that the gold reef can be reached. Iron: Iron is one of the most abundant metals on Earth. It is extracted from iron ore and is almost never found in its elemental form. Iron ores are usually rich in iron oxide minerals and may vary in colour from dark grey to rusty red. Iron mining and iron ore processing: One of the more common methods of mining for iron ore is open cast mining. Open cast mining is used when the iron ore is found near the surface. Once the ore has been removed, it needs to be crushed into fine particles before it can be processed further. As mentioned earlier, iron is commonly found in the form of iron oxides. To create pure iron, the ore must be smelted to remove the oxygen. Definition Smelting Smelting is a method used to extract a metal from its ore and then purify it. Smelting usually involves heating the ore and also adding a reducing agent (e.g. carbon) so that the metal can be freed from its ore. The bonds between iron and oxygen are very strong, and therefore it is important to use an element that will form stronger bonds with oxygen that the iron. A blast furnace is a huge steel container many metres high and lined with heat-resistant material. STEP 1: Production of carbon monoxide. STEP 2: Reduction of iron oxides takes place in a number of stages to produce iron. STEP 3: Fluxing: The flux is used to melt impurities in the ore. Phosphate: A phosphate is a salt of phosphoric acid. Phosphorus is seldom found in its pure elemental form, and phosphate therefore refers to a rock or ore that contains phosphate ions. Mining phosphates: Phosphate is found in beds in sedimentary rock, and has to be quarried to access the ore. A quarry is a type of open pit mine that is used to extract ore. In South Africa, the main phosphate producer is at the Palaborwa alkaline igneous complex, which produces about 3 million tons of ore per year. The ore is crushed into a powder and is then treated with sulfuric acid to form a superphosphate, which is then used as a fertilizer. In the equation below, the phosphate mineral is calcium phosphate. Coal: Coal is what is known as a fossil fuel. How coal is removed from the ground? Coal can be removed from the crust in a number of different ways. The most common methods used are strip mining, open cast mining and underground mining. Strip mining Strip mining is a form of surface mining that is used when the coal reserves are very shallow. The overburden (overlying sediment) is removed so that the coal seams can be reached. These sediments are replaced once the mining is finished, and in many cases, attempts are made to rehabilitate the area. Open cast mining Open cast mining is also a form of surface mining, but here the coal deposits are too deep to be reached using strip mining. One of the environmental impacts of open cast mining is that the overburden is dumped somewhere else away from the mine, and this leaves a huge pit in the ground. Underground mining Undergound mining is normally used when the coal seams are much deeper, usually at a depth greater than 40 m. As with shaft mining for gold, the problem with underground mining is that it is very dangerous, and there is a very real chance that the ground could collapse during the mining if it is not support. Pollution due to industry: Pollutants produces and the environment impact on the lithosphere and atmosphere include nitrogen cycle and the carbon cycle. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/AlfedPalmersmokestacks.jpg/260px-AlfedPalmersmokestacks.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution Major primary pollutants produced by industries include: Sulfur oxides Nitrogen oxides (NOx) especially nitrogen dioxide are emitted from high temperature combustion. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Carbon dioxide (CO2) a greenhouse gas emitted from combustion but is also a gas vital to living organisms. It is a natural gas in the atmosphere. Many of the largest polluters come from the chemical, pesticide, oil refining, petrochemical, metal smelting, iron and steel, and food processing industries. All are major users of energy that produce large amounts of waste products and pollution. Other industries have less potential impact but are still considered highly problematic when it comes to pollution. These industries include the textile, leather tanning, paint, plastics, pharmaceutical, and paper and pulp industries. Industries that are often outside the traditional manufacturing sector-but nevertheless contribute to environmental degradation-include the construction industry. Atmosphere: Air pollution is produced by industry. The plan sets overall national fixed emissions caps for industrial pollutants causing smog and acid rain. Air pollution can result in poor air quality, both in cities and the countryside. Some air pollutants make people sick, causing breathing problems and increasing the likelihood of cancer. Others are harmful to plants, animals, and the ecosystems in which they live. Some air pollutants return to Earth in the form of acid rain, which corrodes statues and buildings, damages crops and forests, and makes lakes and streams unsuitable for fish and other plant and animal life. Man-made air pollution is also changing the Earths atmosphere so that it lets in more harmful radiation from the Sun. Meanwhile, people release more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, preventing heat from escaping back into space and leading to a rise in global average temperatures. Global warming will raise sea levels and change climates all over the world. Some places will become hotter and drier, others wetter. The incidence of severe storms and flooding is likely to increase. Global warming will also affect food supply and increase the spread of tropical disease. Lithosphere: The lithosphere is the solid shell of a rocky planet called earth. That means the crust and the upper part of the mantle which is joined to the crust (see picture on the right). Under the lithosphere there is the asthenosphere, the weaker, hotter, and deeper part of the upper mantle. Nitrogen cycle: Four processes participate in the cycling of nitrogen through the biosphere: nitrogen fixation, decay, nitrification and denitrification Nitrogen Fixation The nitrogen molecule (N2) is quite inert. To break it apart so that its atoms can combine with other atoms requires the input of substantial amounts of energy. Decay The proteins made by plants enter and pass through food webs just as carbohydrates do. Nitrification Ammonia can be taken up directly by plants usually through their roots. However, most of the ammonia produced by decay is converted into nitrates. This is accomplished in two steps: Bacteria of the genus Nitrosomonas oxidize NH3 to nitrites (NO2à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢). Bacteria of the genus Nitrobacter oxidize the nitrites to nitrates (NO3à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢). Both soil and the ocean contain archaeal microbes, assigned to the Crenarchaeota, that convert ammonia to nitrites. Denitrification The three processes above remove nitrogen from the atmosphere and pass it through ecosystems. And denitrification reduces nitrates to nitrogen gas, thus replenishing the atmosphere. Carbon cycle Carbon exists in the nonliving environment as: Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in water, carbonate rocks. Carbon enters the biotic world through the action of autotrophs like plants and algae, that use the energy of light to convert carbon dioxide to organic matter. Links to photosynthesis and to a small extent, chemoautotroph bacteria and archaea that do the same but use the energy derived from an oxidation of molecules in their substrate. Carbon returns to the atmosphere and water by respiration, burning and decay. Greenhouse effect Greenhouse effect is always be treated as negative terms. The negative concerns are related to the possible impacts of an enhanced greenhouse effect. This is covered in more detail in the Global Climate Change section of this Web site. It is important to remember that without the greenhouse effect, life on earth as we know it would not be possible. While the earths temperature is dependent on greenhouse-like action of the atmosphere, the amount of heating and cooling are influenced by several factors is like greenhouses are affected by some factors. In the atmospheric greenhouse effect, the type of surface that sunlight first encounters is the most important factor. Grasslands, forests, ocean surfaces, deserts, and cities all absorb, reflect, and radiate radiation differently. Sunlight falling on a white glacier surface strongly reflects back into space, resulting in minimal heating of the surface and lower atmosphere. Sunlight falling on a dark desert soil is strongly absorbed, on the other hand, and contributes to significant heating of the surface and lower atmosphere. Cloud cover also affects greenhouse warming by both reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the earths surface and by reducing the amount of radiation energy emitted into space. The consequences of pollution around the world and South Africa: All of land pollution, air pollution and water pollution can affect wildlife, plants, and humans in a number of ways, such as: Lead to birth defects. Cause various kinds of cancers. People cannot eat fish and any animals. People cannot breathe. People cannot live anymore. The consequences like people build up industries, industries make pollution, and people cannot live because of pollutions. Solutions: People should be educated and made aware about the harmful effects of littering Items used for domestic purposes ought to be reused or recycled. Personal litter should be disposed properly. Organic waste matter should be disposed in areas that are far away from residential places. Inorganic matter such as paper, plastic, glass and metals should be reclaimed and then recycled. Decreases amount of industries. Save water. Plant trees and flowersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Conclusion and recommendation: Through this research, I think that humans activities effect environment a lot. People cannot live without good environment, everything is connected to human. People should respect environment and set a good relationship with it. According to this research, people will get some knowledge of resources such as the kind of energy resources, are whether renewable or non-renewable and how to exploit mineral resources. People will realize how much hurt they have made to environment. This research is worth to do and read; it teaches and tells people the truth of the world. Bibliography and Acknowledgements: http://www.bing.com/search?q=consequence+of+pollutionsrc=IE-SearchBox http://www.baidu.com/s?wd=%E7%A9%BA%E6%B0%94%E6%B1%A1%E6%9F%93%E7%89%A9ie=UTF-8oe=UTF-8bar=13tn=baofengyingyin_cb http://www.travel-university.org/general/geography/mineral-resources/ http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/index.htm http://tongfuzb.blog.163.com/blog/static/301218772007112422653429/ http://www.invest.net.cn/country/news/news_index.asp?id=85 http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/sectors/energy.htm http://people.bath.ac.uk/hssam/sauner/mainresults.html http://www.bing.com/search?q=effect+of+mining+on+the+environmentsrc=IE-SearchBox http://www.bing.com/search?q=industry+and+its+exploitation+of+the+resourcessrc=IE-SearchBox http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Atmosphere/Older/Pollution.html http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_effect_does_mining_have_on_the_environment

Argumentive Essay Essay

I believe that a child should complete a parent’s life. On the other hand I don’t believe that it is biblically right for homosexual couples to be able to adopt a child and raise that child. In the bible God created man and woman for a purpose. This purpose was to be able to reproduce the population and for one man to be in love and with one woman. I do not believe that in a homosexuality house hold that a child would be raised properly and normally like most children are able to be raised. I feel putting children in that environment is suggesting that homosexuality is okay and it truly isn’t when in terms of the bible. This sin was so important to God that he directly approached the subject in the bible saying it is a sin and that a man should be with a woman and a woman should be with a man. Being a huge supporter of the Christian faith because I am apart of that faith, I believe that being a homosexual is dishonorable and truly upsets God. On the other hand I am aware that not every heterosexual home in the world is a stable and a suitable home to raise a child in. In many homes in this world there are children that are beaten, raped, hungry, and also very poorly supported. In those terms and in those cases I do believe that it may be acceptable for a child that are in those conditions to be placed in a home where they will be loved and supported and be loved. I do also agree that a homosexual couple is very capable of loving and providing and taking care of a child. If the child is being beaten and unloved and raped and other extreme conditions I would be supportive and feel that it was okay for a child to be adopted into a homosexual home. I also feel that it is hard for the children that are being adopted to be able to accept what is going on and being able to know what is natural and taboo. Same-sex couples raising children must stand ready to prove to the world they are a family, just one that happens to have two mothers or two fathers. For example I would like to share this one homosexual couple’s tory. This constant burden of proof is especially difficult for families like the Muzingos, who live in a state that doesn’t allow them to establish legal ties to each other. Michelle Muzingo was in the delivery room when her wife, Katrina, gave birth to each of their three children, who are now 7, 4 and 1. She cut their umbilical cords and was the first to hold the children, who call her â€Å"mommy. † Yet because they live in Ohio, a state that does not allow gay couples to adopt, she is unable to make that title official. We are always scanning the circle around us to see what we need to put in place to protect ourselves,† said Katrina, 37. A report released earlier this week illustrates just how vulnerable these couples and their children are, both legally and financially. After all, 30 states do not have laws that allow same-sex parents to either adopt, while six states restrict them or impose outright bans. Even families who live in states that recognize their relationships can run into trouble if they travel or move. And if something were to happen to a parent who was unable to adopt or otherwise establish legal ties, the child might be denied certain federal benefits something that children of most heterosexual parents receive automatically. When having a child normally, with one man getting one woman that is married pregnant, it can be an extremely rocky road. Also I believe that not every home is perfect and there are many problems within each family. But I just think that too many complications can come from homosexual couples adopting a child.

Abnormal Psychology Assignment

The textbook also explains four mechanisms that help people deal with adversity and foster a good mental health and defines good mental health as the presence of cognitive, social and emotional functioning. Early Childhood From the individual level, the textbook gives several examples of risk factors. Was lucky enough to not have any behavioral, socio-emotional, cognitive or biological risk factors that were present in the earlier years Of my life that I am aware of. However, my younger brother was diagnosed with a learning disability.Although it didn't affect me directly, some of my friends teased my brother and in turn, affected the way thought about myself in relation to my family. In the family domain, I was raised in a dual-parent household. The textbook states that a single parent household is a risk factor. My parents rarely fought and they have a loving relationship to this day. I would like to say that this is a protective factor. Having the support of both of my parents rea lly fostered my self-esteem and my sense of well-being. This became very evident in middle school when I struggled with my friendships.My parents were always there to support me. When I was very young, my parents were unemployed for a few years. As a protective factor to offset the employment and no income, my parents were able to monitor me and I excelled in my academics for most of my childhood. My parents immigrated to Canada one year before I was born. They were fearful of what would happen when China was given back control of Hong Kong in 1 997, which is where my parents are from. Therefore, they came to Canada to avoid the politics and start a new life for themselves.Coming to a democratic country was a big change for them as well as any children they were going to have. I have grown up without the same pressures and rules that may have been imposed if my parents had stayed in Hong Kong. My self-esteem may have been hindered drastically and may have been more afraid to speak o ut on certain matters because of the way the government is run. The fact that politics is no longer a worry in my early childhood significantly reduced the amount of stress I would've felt had been living my parents' home city.The textbook mentions democracy as an example of a protective factor in the socio- political level. The school system in Hong Kong is also much more stressing on a child even from an early age. Everyone is very competitive in Hong Kong and I'm not sure that would have enjoyed growing up in that type of environment as the pressures to succeed would have been a lot to handle. Was able to develop in a relatively low-stress environment until high school. Mid-childhood Throughout elementary school, I had many friends, which created a great environment for me to develop the skills that were necessary to my social functioning.A presence of social, cognitive and emotional functioning are factors that are part of the definition of mental health. As I moved to middle sc hool, maintained a small group of friends who were positive role models or me. Through the later years however, I was unable to connect with my peers. Some of them had different interests and some even went as far to abuse substances. This particular risk factor is delinquent peers. I never partook in these interests because never needed to turn to substance abuse to get through school and I wasn't interested in the same things as everyone else was.I enjoyed learning and the middle school I attended fostered my cognitive functioning. Because I didn't follow the norm, another risk factor was present in my life; peer rejection. Towards the end of middle school, I ad few friends whom I could trust and was quite shy. I was bullied because of my ethnicity and also because of the fact that I came from a less wealthy background than my peers. This in turn affected my self-esteem and is a large factor in a person's mental health. Although my self-esteem around my peers was not great, I was quite confident in my cognitive and academic abilities. As given many opportunities for personal growth such as being put into a special advanced math program. This helped me lessen the impact of risk factors that I encountered in the peer and school domain. Community articulation also played a huge part in why my self-esteem was still positive. Was involved with extra-curricular outside of school, which allowed me to distance myself away from the risk factors I encountered at school. I had another group of friends could depend on for being positive role models and to foster positive peer relationships.My parents continued to monitor me because they understood that I was going through a tough time with friends in middle school. Because of these factors, they asked me if I wanted to attend the high school in my neighborhood. By moving schools, this allowed me to completely start over and virtually eliminate the risk factors that came with attending this middle school. Early adolescen ce During high school, I was able to step out of my comfort zone and develop resilience to many risk factors because I had found new friends who fostered a positive school climate and positive peer relations.My friends in high school actually cared about school and would encourage me to do my best. They also got me involved in many extra-curricular at school. We connected on many different levels and I was able to enjoy life more without having the terrors that had in middle school and improve upon my social connections. The ability to enjoy life and social connections are two positive mental health components that are defined by the Canadian population Health Initiative (pig. 473).Towards the end of high school, my grandmother was diagnosed with mild depression after my grandfather committed suicide. Both of them were struggling with a mental illness. My entire family was unaware of the mental health condition that my grandfather was in after he was diagnosed with cancer. This put huge stress on my mothers mental lath as well as my own as care dearly for both my grandmother and my grandfather. Currently, grandmothers mental illness is another risk factor that is present in my life. My grandmother is incapable of taking care of herself due to her severe arthritis.My mother took on the administrative work to get her moved to a care facility but our entire family puts a lot of time and energy to see her. This has put stress on everyone including myself. She does not show many signs of improvement and still struggles With mild depression. Current When came to university, I moved out of my parents' home and into a accidence. My apartment mates were my peers at the time. They were delinquent peers and I mostly kept to myself at home. I like to keep things quite neat and the state of our apartment was too much for me to handle.My apartment mates would come home late at night, which would often disrupt my sleep due to the high noise level. To offset the amount Of str ess I experienced, I turned to community involvement. Got involved with Foot Patrol, Winter Carnival and the Chinese Student Association. This allowed me to distance myself from the risk factor because I would be spending less time t home. All the extra curricular involvement enhanced my self-esteem and self-efficacy and had the opportunity to develop myself as a person and grow.The friends met through community involvement had great future aspirations and would always encourage me to plan for my future. This is another protective factor. At the time, I was still unsure of what stream of business wanted to focus on. The uncertainty was a major stress factor in my life but I recently decided to pursue marketing. Next 5 Years will have student loans to pay off which is a significant stress. Also face he task to find a place of my own because I will be moving out.I'll have to move to a different neighborhood and make new connections with the people around me as well as the peers that h ope to meet when start working at a full-time job. My parents have started saving for their retirement and that puts enormous stress on my mental health because they will no longer be able to support me. This is a huge change as for most of my life as I was used to being cared for financially. To offset these stress, I will continue to participate as an active member in the community. This will help o strengthen my relationships with my peers and continue to provide me opportunities for growth.Community participation is a very important part of my life and I hope it will continue to be. It develops a person's cognitive, social and emotional functionality, which in turn leads back to a positive mental health. The personal growth that I've seen in myself gives me a positive outlook on my mental health and life in general. In order to offset the stress that will encounter, I will maintain my current friendships and attempt to create new ones. Will also maintain the strong family legisl ations have developed over the past few years.

Sim 336 Essays

Sim 336 Essays Sim 336 Essay Sim 336 Essay Figure 1: Porter’s Five Forces Applying the Porter’s Five Forces model to the industry is not an easy task provided that FedEx Corporation provides various shipping services. In FedEx, these two sectors are represented by FedEx Express and FedEx Ground. FedEx Express is the world’s largest express transportation company. FedEx Ground, on the other hand, is the North America’s second largest provider of small-package ground delivery service, following the lead of United Parcel Service (UPS). 1. Risk of new entry by potential competitors The barriers to entry are very high. One of the reasons there is a high entry barriers is the high fixed cost associated with the establishing the international transportation network. This includes hubs, ground transportation vehicles, air fleet, etc. Additionally, existing companies can take advantage of the absolute cost advantage achieved by large volume of shipment and economies of scale. 2. Extent of rivalry between established firms Established players in shipping service industry complete rigorously for a market share, as demonstrated by the constant battle between FedEx and UPS, the company who responses first to the constantly changing environment wins. Established companies have to strive continuous improvement in quality, lowering price, and innovation. There is very low switching cost for consumers in this industry making rivalry even more intense. In addition, intense rivalry is also due to the fact that maintaining; the infrastructure of an express delivery company presents an exit barrier due to high fixed costs. 3. Bargaining power of buyers The bargaining power of large buyers in shipping service industry is high. Cost associated with switching from one shipping service to another is very low. Therefore, buyers can turn to a shipping provider that offer faster service, lower price, or service innovation with ease. This is especially true for large corporations, like IBM, which ships in large volumes and can bargain quantity discounts. 4. Bargaining power of suppliers The supplier power within this industry is fairly low. Large shipping service provider can affect prices of supplies, like packaging materials. This is because they buy in large quantities and can turn to different suppliers easily. 5. Threat of substitute products There are not many substitutes to shipping. In this day and age where many businesses have strong online presence and a small physical presence, it would be difficult to find a substitute in delivering their products. Shipping services are very much similar to a commodity, in that it is not easily replaced with another service or even a similar service. [pic] Figure 2: Porter’s Five Forces model ? FedEx Corporation. [pic] Figure 3: Porter’s Value Chain techniques. The value chain for FedEx Express can be seen as starting with the pick-up of the packages. FedEx employees gather the packages from various locations such as drop boxes, businesses and residences. Value is created for the customers by making package pick-ups possible just about anywhere or anytime. FedEx has a money back guarantee for those people, whose packages do not arrive on time, therefore creating value by assuring timely delivery of the packages. After the packages are initially picked up, they must then be transported to a hub. The hub is a central location where packages are sorted according to their destinations. The packages will likely pass through many hands before reaching their final destination. The packages stay at the hub until they are picked up and shipped either by truck or plane. The package delivery is probably the greatest value creation activity for FedEx Express. The drivers of the planes and trucks must perform their activities efficiently to increase the perceived value of the service. The drivers must absolutely no matter what, get the packages to their destinations on time, and they do a good job in doing so. By meeting and exceeding the customers’ expectations value is increased with each positive result. The final primary activity is customer service. This function is to provide after sales service and support, however, FedEx provides customer service during the use of the service by letting customers track their package while it’s in route. This creates extreme value for customers because they are able to check the status of their package at any given moment for an increased sense of security. b) The visionary behind the business Since 1973 FedEx had won over 194 awards for operational excellence. Fundamental to success of FedEx business was the vision of its founder. Fred Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, invented the xpress distribution industry in March 1973. The success of FedEx’s distribution business in those early days rested on Smith’s commitment to his belief that the opportunities open to a company that would provide reliable overnight delivery of time-sensitive documents and packages were excellent. In 1980s, FedEx gave away more than 100,000 sets of PCs loaded with FedEx sof tware, designed to link and log customers into FedEx’s ordering and tracking systems. In 1994, FedEx became the first big transportation company to launch a Website that included tracking and tracing capabilities. By applying IT to business, FedEx leapfrogged the rest of the industry. Smith was the visionary who forced his company and offer companies to think outside of the proverbial one. The core of FedEx’s corporate strategy was to†use IT to help customers take advantage of international markets† (1). By 1998, FedEx was a US$10 billion company spending US$1 billion annually on IT developments plus millions more on capital expenditure. It had an IT workforce of 5000 people. Building the Transportation and logistics infrastructure FedEx was quoted as being the inventor of customer logistics management (2). As early as 1974, FedEx started logistics operations with the Parts Bank. FedEx built a small warehouse on the end of its sorting facilities at Memphis. This was FedEx’s first attempt at multiple-client warehousing. As of January 2000 FedEx served 210 countries (making up more than 90 per cent of the world’s GDP), operated 34,000 drop-off locations and managed over 10 million square feet of warehouse space worldwide. It had a fleet of 648 aircraft and more than 60,000 vehicles, with a staff of nearly 200,000. It was the world’s largest overnight package carrier, with about 30 percent of the market share. Building the Virtual information infrastructure Even as early as 1979, a centralised computer system-Customer, Operations, Service, Master On-line System (COSMOS)-kept track of all packages handled by the Company. This computer network relayed data on package movement, pickup, invoicing and delivery to a central database at Memphis headquarters. In 1984, FedEx started to launch a series of technological systems, the PowerShip programme, aimed at improving efficiency and control, which provided the most active customers (over 100,000) with proprietary on-line services. In 1998, FedEx decided to overhaul its internal IT infrastructure under Project GRID (Global Resources for Information Distribution). In 1999, FedEx signed an agreement with Netscape to adopt Netscape software as the primary technology for accessing its corporate intranet sites. FedEx Marketplace launches on fedex. com, providing easy access to online merchants that offer fast, reliable FedEx express shipping. c) Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages |Disadvantages | | | | |- The cost of infrastructure of express delivery companies are a |- Maintaining the infrastructure of an express delivery company is an | |barrier of entry to new comers |exit barrier because of high fixed costs | |- FedEx leadership in global express delivery As long as the nature|- Capitol is acquired through the volume of sales, so the high fixed | |of our socioeconomic environment exists, there will always be a need |costs can hurt when times are slow | |for express delivery |- Due to the nature of the indu stry, it is nearly impossible to become | |- E-commerce is creating an increased need for express delivery |the clear industry leader | |- Globalization offers opportunities for expansion |- The nature of the industry shows very low returns on invested capitol | | | | | |- The E-tailing industry demands ower shipping rates and charges to | | |pull customers from the retailing industries | | |- Major competitors: UPS, the airborne DHL | Figure 4: Opportunities and threats – FedEx Corporation Question 2 a) [pic] Figure 5: Whittington’s Generic Perspective on Strategy (2000). In his â€Å"What is Strategy And Does It Matter? â€Å"(Thomson Learning, 2000), Richard Whittington identifies four main approaches: The Classical approach the oldest and still the most influential relies on the rational planning method dominant in the textbooks. The Evolutionary approach draws on the fatalistic metaphor of biological evolution, but substitutes the discipline of the market fo r the law of the jungle. The Processualist approach emphasizes the sticky imperfect nature of all human life, pragmatically accommodating strategy to the fallible processes of both organizations and markets. The Systemic approach relativistic, regarding the ends and means of strategy as inescapably linked to the cultures and powers of the local systems in which it takes place. Whittington (3) argues that these approaches differ in terms of the outcomes of strategy and the processes by which they are constructed. In terms of outcomes, the Classical and Evolutionary approaches view the maximization of profit as the outcome of strategy, whereas the other two approaches allow for additional outcomes other than profit. In terms of process, the pairings are different with Classical and Systemic approaches agreeing that strategy may be deliberate while Evolutionary and Processualist theorists see strategy as emerging from processes governed by chance, confusion and conservatism. ? The Classical school of thought Classical approaches strategists would include Ansoff (1968) and Porter (1980). The underlying idea of the classical school is that the ultimate goal of business is return on investment (ROI). This end can be achieved through rational planning. It relies on notions of organizations operating as machines using idea of cause as visualize by Morgan (1997) This view of the firm echoes back to Taylorism. One can perceive the firm being broken down into different perceived constituent parts so that they can be studied using a scientific approach (Taylor, 1947). ? The Evolutionary school of thought Evolutionists include Hannan and Freeman (1977, 1989), and Willianson (1984) do not accept the notion of rational planning. They believe that market forces will ensure profit maximization and survival of fittest. The idea here is that organizations are merely fighting for their own survival. Darwin’s theories of natural selection offer an organic metaphor as an alternative to the machine metaphor of classical thinking. Evolutionists do not suggest in implementing managerial strategy. They favor the environmental fit, as markets rather than managers determine the most appropriate strategy. b) Base on figure 5, FedEx Corporation’s strategy will be seen as horizontal integration and vertical integration: Classical school of thought Horizontal integration is a way of trying to increase the profitability of a company by reducing costs, increasing the value of a product offering, managing industry rivalry’s, or increasing the bargaining power of a company. These economic benefits are usually the rewards of company mergers and acquisitions in an industry. Horizontal integration is predominately characterized by similar companies merging together or acquisitions sought by the industry leaders. FedEx has carried out horizontal integration for many years, from as early as the mid 1980’s with their acquisition of the Flying Tiger air fleet to one of their most recent acquisitions of American Freightways in 2001. The FedEx acquisition of American Freightways was the most recent effort of significant size toward horizontal integration. FedEx completed its purchase of American Freightways in February 2001 for $ 1. 2 billion. Since FedEx had already acquired Viking freight in the late 1990’s, Viking freight and American Freightways, both independent operating companies under the FedEx corp. umbrella, will now be known as FedEx Freight. â€Å"To address geographical issues, American Freightways will be known as FedEx Freight East while Viking Freight will be called FedEx Freight West. † (CMP Media) With a singular brand name, Frederick W. Smith, FedEx Corp. s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said, FedEx will boost its sales and marketing capabilities in the growing LTL (less-than-truckload) market. (Scripps Howard Inc. ) While American Freightways and Viking have excellent reputations in their market segments, by joining their sister FedEx companies to compete collectively with the transportation industrys most diverse portfolio of shipping services, FedEx may gain a competitive advantage in the less-than-truckload shipping market. Evolutionary school of thought On the vertical side of integrating the strategy of attack by FedEx is very aggressive. Due to the enormous amount of infrastructure FedEx has, like cargo planes, delivery trucks, and holding hubs, they have a strong competitive position in the shipping services industry. FedEx seems to have tapered integration because although they control most of the distribution channels for their services, they still buy from independent suppliers in addition to company owned suppliers. Most of the independent suppliers provide maintenance services to FedEx, like aircraft maintenance and repair, facilities maintenance, and ground vehicle support equipment; however, some independent suppliers also provide some packaging supplies as well. Most of the vertical integration carried out by FedEx looks to be in the downstream direction, therefore, FedEx has great control over the distribution channels, but it lacks in some upstream activities, such as raw materials and some component part manufacturing. However, with FedEx being largely a services industry it would be very difficult to see if the upstream vertical integration would pay off considering the bureaucratic costs, as well as all of the other implementation costs. It is obvious at this point that FedEx neither has the capability or the need to begin manufacturing their own truck or airplanes. While FedEx has moved in a very aggressive manner to build up its international infrastructure of planes, shipping hubs, and services we thought of a couple of industries and directions that FedEx could follow to further expand. We will examine this according to opportunities presented by looking at the entire FedEx Corporation as a portfolio of competencies. Currently FedEx has its own large fleet of aircraft, extremely efficient storage and packaging capabilities, and tracking functions. This allows FedEx to follow through with its guarantee to customers that their packages will get where they need to go in the time promised. FedEx has a strong commitment to its customers and is constantly working on being able to meet a variety of needs through technology. FedEx also has a competency in technology and innovation. They have a global mindset are presently seeking to grab a global market share. This wouldn’t be possible without a constant push to improve upon and develop new technologies to improve their service. Question 3 [pic] Figure 6: Stacey’s integrated model of decision-making and control (1996). The rational loop The rational loop of discover-choose-act is the classical starting point of strategic management of Stacey, though the strategic manager takes an international approach. The ‘discoveries’ about the organization in relation in its environment generate the necessity to ‘choose’ from many possible courses of action. When choice is decided, the decision-makers ‘act’, and in the effects of their actions, new discoveries are made about state of the organization in its environment, and so on. The rational loop is essentially ‘unitary’: Is bounded by â€Å"rationality†. The choices and actions are those which can be supported by logical argument and evidence, and reference to the state goals, norms and values of the organization. Dissenting views are ‘irrational’, and need not be considered. The overt politics loop The ration loop can be subverted when the time comes to choose between courses of action, all of which are feasible and acceptable in organization terms. People may exert their power individually to influence events, or groups might form. These could be coalitions of like-minded people; or people who, although they do not share the same interests, are willing to act together at least in the short term to oppose others. The political process is ‘overt’, in that it is part of the inevitable bargaining for resources that takes place in any organization that aims to achieve its goals through different functional activities, because the arguments, in public at least, are based on differing ‘rational’ perceptions of the organization in its environment. Strong groups with strong leaders can, however, use their power to impose their preferred ‘rationality’ and so choose the way forward for the organization. The culture and cognition loop ‘The culture and cognition loop’ sustains the unitary organization in its ‘shared mental models’. AS long as everyone subscribes to the organizational culture, and the world does not produce any major surprises, then what is ‘discovered’ over time is likely to fit in with the agreed ‘rationality’ of the organization. If, however, changes in the environment or the effects of earlier organizational actions produce consequences that are very far from those expected, then the stability of the culture is shaken. It is equally disturbed when individuals, possibly from a different profession or maybe newly appointed, challenge the culture or approach issues with different models of how the world works. In this way contradictions and conflict are introduced, and the unitary organization begins to fragment into pluralism. The covert politics loop The new and threatening situation provokes anxiety, and responses are made to that in a way that is largely unconscious. The differences between individuals give rise to different ‘coping’ mechanisms. Some people deal with the fear of failure and the challenge that arises from change by retreating into the ways that they know best (basic assumption behavior) and refusing to deal with the new ‘reality’. If these individuals form a group, then it is possible to see the potential within the organization for ignoring contradiction, and to some extent eliminating the conflict by forcing out those elements that are believed to be the source of it. Stacey (4) has talked of ‘organizational defense routines’ in ‘the covert politics loop’, where people covertly (that is, without being able to admit to the basic fear which is driving their actions) form alliances and take action to make themselves feel safe again. The types of action taken will be explained rationally, but they are the result of unconscious mental processes. References 1. Garten, 1998. 2. Bruner, R. F and Bulkley, D. , â€Å"The Battle for Value: Federal Express Corporation versus United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (Abridged)†, University Darden School Foundation, 1995. 3. Whittington, R. (2000) What is Strategy and does it matter? Thompson Learning. 4. Stacey, R. D (1996) Strategic Management and Organizational Dynamics, Second edition, Pitman, London. Words Counted: 3000 words. 1

How Salt Melts Ice and Snow

How Salt Melts Ice and Snow If you live in an area with a cold and icy winter, you have probably experienced salt on sidewalks and roads. This is because salt is used to melt the ice and snow and keep it from refreezing. Salt is also used to make homemade ice cream. In both cases, the salt works by lowering the melting or freezing point of water. The effect is termed freezing point depression. How Freezing Point Depression Works When you add salt to water, you introduce dissolved foreign particles into the water. The freezing point of water becomes lower as more particles are added until the point where the salt stops dissolving. For a solution of table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) in water, this temperature is -21 C (-6 F) under controlled lab conditions. In the real world, on a real sidewalk, sodium chloride can melt ice only down to about -9 C (15 F). Colligative Properties Freezing point depression is a colligative property of water. A colligative property is one which depends on the number of particles in a substance. All liquid solvents with dissolved particles (solutes) demonstrate colligative properties. Other colligative properties include boiling point elevation, vapor pressure lowering, and osmotic pressure. More Particles Mean More Melting Power Sodium chloride isnt the only salt used for de-icing, nor is it necessarily the best choice. Sodium chloride dissolves into two types of particles: one sodium ion and one chloride ion per sodium chloride molecule. A compound that yields more ions into a water solution would lower the freezing point of water more than salt. For example, calcium chloride (CaCl2) dissolves into three ions (one of calcium and two of chloride) and lowers the freezing point of water more than sodium chloride. Salts Used to Melt Ice Here are some common de-icing compounds, as well as their chemical formulas, temperature range, advantages, and disadvantages: Name Formula Lowest Practical Temp Pros Cons Ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4 -7 C(20 F) Fertilizer Damages concrete Calcium chloride CaCl2 -29 C(-20 F) Melts ice faster than sodium chloride Attracts moisture, surfaces slippery below -18Â °C (0Â °F) Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) Calcium carbonate CaCO3, magnesium carbonate MgCO3, and acetic acid CH3COOH -9 C(15 F) Safest for concrete vegetation Works better to prevent re-icing than as ice remover Magnesium chloride MgCl2 -15 C(5 F) Melts ice faster than sodium chloride Attracts moisture Potassium acetate CH3COOK -9 C(15 F) Biodegradable Corrosive Potassium chloride KCl -7 C(20 F) Fertilizer Damages concrete Sodium chloride (rock salt, halite) NaCl -9 C(15 F) Keeps sidewalks dry Corrosive, damages concrete vegetation Urea NH2CONH2 -7 C(20 F) Fertilizer Agricultural grade is corrosive Factors That Affect Which Salt to Choose While some salts are more effective at melting ice than others, that doesnt necessarily make them the best choice for a certain application. Sodium chloride is used for ice cream makers because its inexpensive, readily available, and non-toxic. Yet, sodium chloride (NaCl) is avoided for salting roads and sidewalks because the sodium can accumulate and upset the electrolyte balance in plants and wildlife, plus it can corrode automobiles. Magnesium chloride melts ice more quickly than sodium chloride, but it attracts moisture, which can lead to slick conditions. Selecting a salt to melt ice depends on its cost, availability, environmental impact, toxicity, and reactivity, in addition to its optimal temperature.

Mousetrap by Agatha Christie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mousetrap by Agatha Christie - Essay Example When the culprit is caught, everyone is shocked and relieved. The play comes to an end with the Ralstons exchanging anniversary gifts. There are eight inhabitants of Monkswell Manor. There are Mollie and Giles Ralston who are the hosts. Christopher Wren is the most suspicious one since he behaves in a peculiar manner. Mrs Boyle is an old woman who is never pleased by anything and only talks to complain about something or the other. Her presence is not appreciated by anybody and she is later killed in the hotel. Mr Paravicini is a foreigner. Major Metcalf has retired from army and later we find out is a policeman in disguise. Miss Casewell is an odd woman who seems to have had a difficult childhood. She turns out to be the sister of the escaped murderer. The last guest is Detective Sergeant Trotter who is not actually a man of law but one defying it. He is, in fact, the killer and Miss Casewell’s brother. Later in the play we find out that Trottor - also called Georgie - is the man behind the murders. His awful childhood led him to first killing Mrs Lyon who did not take care of him or his siblings, resulting in the death of one of them. Then he strangles Mrs Boyle since she sent them under Mrs Lyon’s responsibility. He tries to kill Mrs Mollie Ralston whose help he had asked for but not received. He is not successful in his attempt but it is clear that despite the time passed, Georgie still carried the grudge with him. It affected him mentally till he took matters in his own hands to take revenge, planning deaths of the people who he thought did him wrong. Agatha Christie has a great way with words but speaking them out loud makes quite a difference too. Mrs Boyle always gives off the air of a woman unimpressed with the world. Mollie has these naive comments to say. Miss Casewell slips up at times, giving off the look of someone always occupied with something else. All the characters have a certain way of

The Law of Restitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Law of Restitution - Essay Example This implies that the focus of restitution is on the defendant rather than the claimant. There have been scholarly debates on the threshold for a case to be considered as falling under the law of restitution. This is because previously, cases of unjust enrichment have been treated as falling under the law of quasi contract. However, according Meyers (2009), there are four elements that place a case outside the law of tort and contract. The first aspect is that a benefit is received by a party B and the benefit may be in form of money or services. The benefit is received at the expense of party A. Then it should be ascertained that there is an unjust factor that requires that the benefit be reversed. Finally, if B cannot point to any relevant defence, the case is considered to warrant restitution. Restitutionary remedies fall into two categories. Personal restitutionary remedies restore to the claimant the value of the benefit that the defendant had received. This means that the defen dant is liable for the benefit itself. For instance if a defendant received one million pounds from the claimant, then under restitution, the defendant is liable to pay a sum of one million pounds back to the claimant. The restitution remedy creates a creditor –debtor relationship between the claimant and the defendant. The second category of restitutionary remedies is that of proprietary remedy. ... The claimants interest to the property ranks above the other creditors of the defendant and hence the claimant is likely to recover the property if the defendant becomes insolvent ( Garry, 2008). Restitution is considered to be mauti-causal. The first category of restitution is the restitution for unjust enrichment. This involves reversing of gains by a defendant obtained in an unjust way. The second category on restitution is known as restitution for wrong doing. For example, when a defendant commits a tort against the claimant, the remedial assessment is done in reference to the defendant’s gain and not necessarily in reference to the claimant’s loss. The claimant has the proprietary right to a property, whether it existed previously or made to exist by operation of law ( Howard and Cameron, 2008). This paper aims to outline the legal principles that relate to the laws of restitution. It also aims to analyze existing case laws on restitution and ascertain the scope an d implications of this law. The paper outlines the recent developments in application of the law of restitution and the future trends. It is necessary to appreciate the impact of laws on the citizens and the relationship between common law and related statutes is also considered in depth. Restitution is considered as a universal phenomenon and therefore it is necessary for analyzing the application and implementation of the laws of restitution across various jurisdictions. The paper also aims to show the essence of restitution law in the dispensation of justice. 2. Grounds of Restitution 2.1. Unjust Factors An action for restitution does not require any loss to be suffered by the claimant. The major focus in restitution cases is the benefit that the defendant received. Therefore, it is arguable in