Executive Summary: Compensation and Benefits

Executive Summary: The purpose of this paper is to highlight the best practices followed by HRM and to acknowledge the importance of compensation and benefit strategies used in organizations all around the world. Compensation and Benefits are used by different organisations globally to attract, motivate and retain their employees. This paper contains a case studies, summary and analysis of academic journals and books to understand the latest trends in compensation and benefits field.The three primary components which are used in designing a strategic compensation plan are listed. During the course of the paper, it discusses how the compensation and benefit strategies can be tailor-made for the different generations joining the workforce, and how these strategies are used in the organisations. Further, this paper highlights four different case studies giving the reader insight on the different ways compensation and benefits schemes were used by organisations in different scenarios.In this present day circumstances, with employees having access to all kinds of information regarding salaries, wages and benefits of other companies it is extremely important for any organization to have a fair and an attractive compensation system in place. Introduction: Employees are the most valuable assets of any organization. The main purpose of human resource management (HRM) is to manage the development and performance of people employed in an organization.Some of the significant tasks of HRM comprise of attracting and retaining employees with the right skills and abilities, match people to the right positions within an organization and to align employee’s goals and objectives with that of the organizations. All these key tasks are directly or indirectly affected by compensation and benefits plan which the human resource management decides. Compensation and benefits redefines value and success in any workplace.An efficient compensation and benefits strategy is seen as an opportunity by organisations to differentiate themself from their competitors, who may otherwise take away talented workforce. Hence, organisations need to know the evolving needs of the working population to make sure they offer the most competitive package. This paper adopts a general approach which may be relevant to number of different organizations or industries and discusses how the new generation workforce is making an impact and forcing organizations to change their traditional compensation strategies.This paper also examines how companies located in different sectors and countries look at compensation and benefits aspect of human resource management, to attract and retain their highly qualified staff. Finally the paper summarizes and analyses few articles related to HR practices in compensation and benefits, and see if they fit into organizations seeking best practice. Compensation and benefit strategies for current generation workforce: Compensation is a major driver in t he success of any organization and it is also true that it is one of the highest expenses for an organization.Therefore, compensation is always under heavy scrutiny by the top executives of a company. Compensation is not only carefully analysed by the management, but also analysed by employees and prospective employees. If properly executed, effective compensation design can improve organizational effectiveness, support human capital requirements of the organization, and motivate the employees to achieve key corporate strategic and financial goals (Ellig, B. R. 2007). Effective compensation and benefits strategy is no easy task, especially with the large organizations and ever-changing demands of the workforce.To construct the most attractive compensation and benefits package, organizations must now tackle the fundamental landscape change in workforce requirements and demands. Employees born in the 60s and 70s (generation X) have ceded place to a new generation of workers (generatio n Y). A flexible approach to compensation and benefits is now required to satisfy the different priorities of these generations. ‘Planning for the future’ has long been the motto governing Generation X’s approach to their careers and so, traditionally, a generous pension provision compensation plan has been the key to attracting workers.But for Generation Y, priorities have changed. For instance, in a research conducted last year, just 4% of 16-24 year olds were attracted to their employer because of their pension contribution, compared to 17% of 45-54 year olds (HR magazine, March 2011). Certainly, younger workers are increasingly questioning the customs and traditions of the workplace and now those same pension plans which were previously considered as synonymous with security, are now regarded as unstable.In present day environment, employees have become much more educated on the possibilities available to them with sources like online salary calculators, indu stry chat rooms and so on (Schneider, B. , & Paul, K. B. 2011). Employees now know more about current market pay levels, new opportunities and how to successfully negotiate compensation packages. Keeping these changes in mind organizations include many other noncash components to the potential cash components to come up with a fair, competitive and an attractive compensation program (Schneider, B. & Paul, K. B. 2011). Employee benefits are indirect forms of compensation provided by the organizations to their workforce as part of an employment relationship. The competition for quality employees in today's market is tough and employers must do more than just offer a fair salary to compete for the best employees. Employees also look forward for a good benefits package; in fact employees have grown accustomed to generous benefits programs, and join an organization expecting them.Employee benefits exist in organizations all around the world and the levels and range of these benefits vary between countries. Some of the benefits companies offer can be like company accommodation, company provided vehicles, health insurance, retirement benefits, easy loans, travel benefits, workplace flexibility, work-time flexibility and so on. (SHRM, 2011) Compensation and Benefit strate gies used in organisations: As per Kevin O’Connell, there are three primary components in a strategic compensation plan. First, building a solid foundation for the plan to understand the business strategy is required.Where the company is now and where is it heading to in the future, what are its short term and long term goals. This will provide the necessary information needed to construct a solid framework for the design of a compensation plan. Second, understanding organizational capabilities and how the role of compensation plays a key role to achieve organizational goals is critical. This will provide an excellent understanding of what positions are the most critical to a company's future success and the various compensation options available to motivate employees to achieve this success.Third, aligning compensation with human capital management initiatives will help develop a plan that allows the company to successfully recruit and retain employees (O'Connell, K. 2007). We will see how different organizations have overcome significant business challenges by re-evaluating and strategically designing new compensation plans. By striking the right balance between organizational goals and employee needs, compensation plans can play a major strategic role in the success of a business. Jamba Juice case: Jamba juice was founded in 1990. It is a leader in blended-to-order fruit smoothies and fruit juices. Source: http://www. jambajuice. com/) Since its inception, it found employee retention as a major problem. It was located in San Francisco bay area and therefore the employees had more options with other employers situated there. A lot of these employers were technology bas ed and offered more generous financial benefits than the food retailer. To tackle this problem, Jamba Juice introduced a compensation plan, called ‘J. U. I. C. E plan’ which allows the general manager to receive a percentage of store’s cash flow depending on their business’s final performance. It allows manages a share in the profits over a period of three years.When the general managers increase the year-to-year sales, money accrues in a retention account, which is payable only in three year cycles. This retention account not only provides short term retention benefits, but also incentives to stay with Jamba. Also, executives at managerial positions are offered stock options. And, when assistant managers are promoted, their general managers also receive a cash award of $ 1000 for their development efforts. In a highly competitive industry Jamba was able to successfully reduce turnover. (Mello Jeffrey, 2011) The MAERSK way:MAERSK not only rewards absolute performance but also focuses significantly on performance relative to peers, says Alex Penvern, Global Head of Group Compensation, Rewards and Executive HR. This had not always been the case. Less than five years ago, rewards in the company were characterised by confidential bonuses, awarded with very little transparency. One of Penvern’s first challenges when he joined MAERSK in 2008 was to create a scalable, measurable and quantifiable compensation and benefits structure that was understandable and could, over time, be rolled out uniformly across the organisation (Source: http://www. aersk. com/Pages/default. aspx). He spoke to CEO’s of each business within the group and focused on the executive compensation structure that focussed on relative distribution. During these conversations, he discussed range of different performance criteria, happening in annual sessions which were a part of the performance management cycle. The outcome was a relative performance distribu tion of the company’s most successful and less effective performers. â€Å"The company believes that our people are motivated by this constant striving to do even better†, says Penvern. You can never rest on your laurels or spend too long patting yourself on the back, because you know how hard everyone else is running. We want people who thrive in this atmosphere†. This is brought in practice and reinforced by a carefully considered distribution of rewards to the highest performers. Since the introduction of the pay-for-performance scheme, fewer very high performers are securing a significantly larger share of the bonus on offer. The highest performers receive nearly double the bonus opportunity that they did few years back but to earn that bonus they need to keep up or stay ahead of their peers or market.While Penvern does underline the value the company creates by this performance culture, he believes that the transparency of its bonus system is just as importa nt. The lesson is clear. Company has to build employee engagement and drive performance both by having a clear and transparent compensation scheme that links pay and performance and by communicating this consistently in order to reinforce and reinstate the belief that pay and performance are linked (Bonic, Davies, Brood, etall, 2011) Design and Engineering group in Delaware:A small to medium design and engineering group in Delaware, employs engineers and designers, most of them who are in their 30’s. Most of the employees were the primary wage earners in their families and have several dependents. This company pays wages that are slightly lower than those of its competitors, but it offers a fully paid insurance program that includes health, pharmacy, dental and eye care coverage for employees and their dependents. By meeting the employees benefit needs the company enjoys very low employee turnover (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 235). Mississippi garment manufacturer:A garment manufa cturer in Mississippi pays on a piecework basis. Most piecework plans in garments factory in general must guarantee pay equal to at least the legal minimum wage. In this specific company, new employees receive an hourly wage until they have acquired the skills required to meet performance standards. Then the manufacturer pays them on the basis of the number of pieces they produce in an hour. The company has designed its compensation approach to retain good and productive employees i. e. those who are continuous good performers (McConnell, J. 2003 Pg. 232). Conclusion:Compensation whether i the form of salary or benefits is a key element in both attracting and retaining employees. With careful and logical thinking companies should design a program that will significantly contribute to obtaining and retaining the type of employers who perform best for that company. Compensation professionals play a critical role in enabling organizations to execute their business strategy. The example s in this paper demonstrate how organizations have overcome significant business challenges by redesigning their compensation plans as seen in Jamba and MAERSK.We also have seen how a small company like the garment manufacturer in Mississippi use compensation package to retain highly performing people and do away with low performing people. Some companies like the one in Delaware uses non monetary benefits to keep their workforce happy and content. Compensation and benefits have a negative effect on the company if not properly managed. Collapses of big companies like Enron and Global crossing are examples. These are direct results of managerial behaviour aimed at short term profit maximization.That behaviour is in turn a result of the executive pay structure that measure and reward performance based short-term financial results. Managers are under constant pressure to show the expected / desired results the management wants to see in order to continue to be rewarded generously (Stab ile, 2002). Compensation experts need to be at the focal point where strategy, organizational effectiveness and human capital management congregate. They need to have a clear understanding of the business and organizational issues as well as the future direction of the company.Strategic compensation and benefits design is not a sound bite to impress management. It's the process behind compensation plan design that links and binds strategy, organization effectiveness and human capital together. By balancing organizational, employee and business needs with a company's financial and strategic goals it is possible to develop the right compensation strategy to motivate, reward and sustain high levels of performance. By finding this balance, a company can effectively use compensation to execute and achieve desired business results. References: Bonic, Davies, Brood, etall, (2011). Mercer’s 2011 EMEA Compensation and Benefits Conference * Compensation, Retirement and Benefits Trends Report, 2012/2013. (cover story). (2013). Pension Benefits, 22(1), 1-2. * Ellig, B. R. (2007). Fashioning an Employee Benefits Philosophy Statement. Benefits ; Compensation Digest, 44(10), 44-48. * Employee Benefits in the United States–March 2012. (2012). Medical Benefits, 29(23), 4-5. * Heshizer, B. (1994). The Impact of Flexible Benefits Plans on Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment and Turnover Intentions.Benefits Quarterly, 10(4), 84-90. * Lazear, E. P. (1990). Pensions and deferred benefits as strategic compensation. Industrial Relations, 29(2), 263. * MELLO, J. A. (2011). COMPENSATION. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES  (3rd  ed. , pp. 481-515). * McConnell, J. (2003). The Tangible Rewards of Work: Pay and Benefits. Hunting Heads, 223. * O'Connell, K. (2007). The Importance of Strategically Designed Compensation Plans. Benefits & Compensation Digest, 44(9), 20-25. * Poster, C. , & Scannella, J. (2001). Total Rewards in an iDeal World. Benefits Quarterl y, 17(3), 23-28. Rhines, G. M. , & Douglass, W. (2012). Highly Compensated Executives. Journal of Accountancy, 214(4), 50-55. * Schneider, B. , & Paul, K. B. (2011). IN THE COMPANY WE TRUST. HR Magazine, 56(1), 40-43. * SHRM, (2011). 2011 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. EXAMINING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AMONG UNCERTAINITY. * Stabile, S. J. (2002). ENRON, GLOBAL CROSSING, AND BEYOND: IMPLICATIONS FOR WORKERS. St. John's Law Review, 76(4), 815. * Tobias, K. (1991). BENEFITS/COMPENSATION. Journal Of Accountancy, 172(4), 129-132. * Wojcik, J. (2009). Rising to the benefits challenge. Business Insurance, 43(43), 9-12.

Continous Comprehensive Evaluation Essay

It has been a couple of years now that the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) scheme has been in existence but the nitty-gritty of it continues to raise questions among CBSE schools across the country. On Saturday afternoon around 250 principals and teachers from 140 schools across the state gathered in Nagpur to attend a daylong seminar on CCE. Organized by the Nagpur Sahodaya Schools Complex, the seminar was conducted by senior educationist Priyadarshini Kelkar from Vadodara who tried to address concerns about CCE. â€Å"CCE is similar to treating a medical patient,† said Kelkar who is also the principal of New Era School in Vadodara. If my medical reports confirm I have high blood pressure and my doctor reads it but simply sends me home then it is not right. The correct method is to prescribe me some medicine and review my health after a week or fortnight. And this is exactly what CCE intends to do,† she said. Kelkar explained that CCE’s focus is on assessing a student, providing remedial feedback and following up at regular intervals. â€Å"With CCE the aim is to evaluate all areas of development and review the progress at regular intervals,† she said. Building up to her detailed talk on assessments in CCE, Kelkar talked about the need for CCE. Education in the 21st century requires a different approach. Teachers need to be dynamic learners themselves if they have to be the catalyst for change. We as teachers have to accept that students have different learning styles and different intelligence types,† said Kelkar. She hinted that part of the resistance to CCE from teachers is due the ‘resistance to change’ factor. â€Å"Nobody likes change and hence we question it. I cook a certain dish perfectly and when my husband wants me to experiment with the ingredients I refuse. My logic is that what I am cooking is perfect so what is the need to change. In a sense I am a conformist too just like numerous others, but we have to understand that change is necessary. If we don’t change then we will become obsolete and this will be a disaster for our country in the 21st century,† said Kelkar. Assessment plays a major role in CCE as it helps understand how the student is faring. â€Å"CBSE encourages the use of multidisciplinary projects so that students are able to express themselves better. We have to make students learn to think creatively and be inventive, hence questions must be open-ended,† she said. But many things are easier said than done, and the bane of CCE has been the increased paperwork it has brought upon teachers. Kelkar agreed by saying teachers are ‘submerged in paperwork’. She said, â€Å"It is common to see project works piling up in the staffroom and it is quite a task for teachers as they teach more than one section. Evaluating each one and entering data in more than one place increases the workload. One solution is for managements to provide their teachers with laptops or palmtops so that they can enter the data immediately. â€Å"

Mighty Ducks: Movie Critique

Movie Critique: The Mighty Ducks – 1 Introduction The first â€Å"The Mighty Ducks† movie raises numerous aspects of sociology in sport that will be analyzed in this paper. The two aspects of sociology in sport that were prevalent in the Mighty Ducks movie were: ethics and gender. This movie provides an example of a character who begins the story as a morally bankrupt individual with a â€Å"win at all cost† attitude. Through his experience coaching a young hockey team, Bombay learns the true meaning of sport and transforms into ethically and morally sound individual.The first installment of the Mighty Ducks trilogy also presents an interesting case of a female skater who fulfills the stereotype that girls should figure skate and boys should play hockey. However, the mere inclusion of a girl on a boys hockey team also served to challenge the stereotype at a time when women’s hockey was not nearly as accepted as it is today. The Mighty Ducks Movie provides a study into an ethical transformation, and provides examples of both conforming and challenging gender stereotypes, while providing an engaging story in which appeals to members of society young and old alike.Ethics: In the sporting world, athletes, coaches, managers, and fans face times when they must make ethical decisions. The moral values and character of the individual may be challenged during many different circumstances. Sometimes this will occur spontaneously within ones subconscious, other occasions it is thought out over a period of time. The Mighty Duck movie poses several situations in which the character’s ethics are in question. Early in the movie, Coach Bombay is sentenced to community service in which he must coach a pewee hockey team.This suggests the idea that sport alone has the capacity to teach morality and that it can eliminate deviance. This thinking leans predominantly on the positive aspects of sport, however in doing so, the movie neglected to quest ion the morality of the â€Å"win at all cost† mentality Bombay demonstrated in the courtroom and during his earlier playing days. Fortunately, in real life, organized hockey associations in Canada would avoid selecting a head coach who has the power to influence and mould young minds in the manner shown in the movie.If a convicted drunk driver were to be ordered to serve community service, he or she would already have demonstrated a lack of judgement and ethical standards required to coach minor hockey. â€Å"The leadership style of a coach and the strategies they employ in decision-making in the sport setting may have a direct and lasting impact youth† (Kowalski et al. , 2007). Ethically, coaches must be held to a higher set of standards than average members of society. It is the standards put in place by sport organizations that is intended to ensure that all coaches meet or exceed the ethical requirements expected of them by society.Realistically, theses standards may not always be attainable, particularly in a situation shown in the movie in which financial hardships serves to limit the resources the team has available. However, the Mighty Ducks movie does raise the question of ethical standards for coaches. Early in the movie, there is a scene in which Bombay recalls his own experience in hockey during a championship game in which he was needed to score on a penalty shot. His old coach stated to him â€Å"If you don’t make this shot you’re not only letting me down you’re letting the team down† (Walt Disney Pictures).This had a profoundly negative impact on the ethical development of Bombay at a young age lead him to the selfish, egotistical, and unethical person the viewer sees at the beginning of the film. Once Coach Bombay was assigned a youth hockey team of his own, he demonstrated this same lack of ethics by ordering a player to fake taking a high stick in order to draw a penalty and stated â€Å"If weâ€⠄¢re going to cheat we have to make the fall look real† (Walt Disney Pictures). While this demonstration of low ethical values demonstrated Bombay’s disregard for the rules, as a coach, these values could easily could have transferred to his players.However, the reality of the game of hockey is that actions such as these are a regular occurrence. Fortunately, through education, clinics, standards and regulations, efforts are continually being made to teach coaches how their actions impact their pupils. As the Coaching Association of Canada states â€Å"when you become a coach, you will help others reach beyond themselves, to reach higher, both in sport and in life. † Fortunately, Coach Bombay develops and grows, both as a person and a coach.Through the guidance of an old mentor, influence of young ethically sound players, and personal growth, Coach Bombay comes to realize that there is more purpose in live than can be gained by winning a hockey game. The lessons and values he gained during his experience with the hockey team in his season of growth, allow Bombay to learn the important requirements of being a coach and a moral person which include: â€Å"encouraging teamwork, commitment, fair play, sportspersonship, and balancing obligations to individual team members and to the team as a whole† (Russell, 2011, 87).Coach Bombay demonstrates these requirements by showing change in his coaching philosophy in the Championship game. Instead of trying to â€Å"win the game at all cost†, Bombay stated â€Å"we may win, we may not†¦ but that doesn’t matter, what matters is that we are here†¦ go have fun† (Walt Disney Pictures). While competitive teams seen in the NHL and the Olympics likely would not take this approach, it is an appropriate coaching philosophy when dealing with 12-13 year old children. Gender: The Mighty Ducks movie makes several references to gender roles and even goes so far as to challenge t he accepted norms.First, the movie initially supported the stereotype that girls figure skate, and boys play hockey. However, when Coach Bombay asked a figure skater named Tammy to join the Ducks because of her excellent skating ability, the male team members initially balked at the idea of having a girl on the team. During the movie, Tammy only had a couple of opportunities to shine, but in each instance it was only to use her figure skating talents for performing a triple axel to get around an opposing player.Instead the makers of this movie should have taken the figure skates off, put the player in hockey skates, then provided scenes where she could use her agility to skate and stickhandle around the opposition. Apart from the dramatic effect of the figure skating jumps during the game, the writers and producers did not go so far as to break down the perceptions within society that boys should play hockey, and girls should figure skate. The girl player still perpetuates the femal e role, as she is a figure skater that was recruited for her grace and agility, not encouraged to transform into hockey player.The vast majority of players in the movie on both the Ducks, and the other teams were boys. This would have reflected what society would have perceived as being very normal at the time this movie was filmed in 1992. While women have participated in hockey since the late 19th century, hockey has predominantly been considered to be a â€Å"man’s game. † However, as Women’s Hockey did not play its first world championship until 1990, and was not introduced to the Olympics until the Japan 1998 Games (McMahon, 2010), it is significant that the writers and producers chose to include a girl on the Ducks hockey team.During the early 90’s, there were significantly fewer girls playing the game, and the few that did were often discriminated against or shunned. This breaking of barrier and perceived stereotypes in a movie targeted towards chi ldren may have influenced these viewers by showing them a girl that is accepted and can contribute to the success of the team. This awareness has also shown women of all ages that they can participate in sports and that it benefits their health and social skills to participate in sports and on a team environment such as is found in hockey.However, the movie does not directly address the issues and challenges faced by women striving to succeed in a male dominated sport. Choicely and Donnelly state that â€Å"strong women challenge the prevailing gender ideology that underlies the norms, legal definitions, and opportunity structures that frame the conditions under which men and women form identities, live their lives, and relate to each other† (226). Conclusion: Through coaching the Ducks, Coach Bombay developed moral and ethical changes and learned to look beyond himself in order to see the greater good.He transitioned from a â€Å"win at all cost† coach, to a teacher w ho guides his players to be better people. In the end of the story, the message was to enjoy the moment and learn from the journey. The ethical journey displayed in this movie highlights the moral values society often witnesses in sport, ending with ideals and values people expect to see in an ideal world. The movie also highlights gender stereotypes, both conforming to the perception that girls should figure skate and boys should play hockey, and breaking stereotypes of what society at the time considered to be the norms by having girl on the team. By directing this movie at children and young adolescents, the message of the positive ethical transformation, and the breaking of gender stereotypes, provide an entertaining and educational journey which has the potential to affect real change in society. References Coaching Association of Canada. (2012). Coaching 101 Retrieved April 6, 2012, from http://www. coach. ca/coaching-101-s1341 Coakley, J. , & Donnelly, P. (2009).Sports in Soc iety:Issues and controversies: McGraw-Hill Ryerson. Kowalski, C. L. , Edginton, C. R. , Lankford, S. V. , Waldron, J. J. , Roberts-Dobie, S. , & Nielsen, L. (2007). Coaching efficacy and volunteer youth soccer coaches. Asian Journal of Exercise & Sports Science, 4(1), 9-13. McMahon, D. (2010). Girls Play to Win Hockey. Chicago: Norwood House Press. Russell, J. S. (2011). The Ethics of Sports Coaching: Routledge. Walt Disney Pictures. (Stephen Herek) (1992). The Mighty Ducks.

Geophysical Modelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Geophysical Modelling - Essay Example Firstly, we may declare the thermal conductivity of the soil layers as constant value (2nd assumption). Indeed, if heat transfer is plane and steady, and if is not large (in our case ), one can make a reasonably accurate approximation using a constant average value of (Lienhard &Lienhard 2003, p. 51). Then, we may declare the density and the specific heat of the soil layers as constants and (3rd assumption). It is necessary to note that such assumption is somewhat groundless, especially for the cases of strictly inhomogeneous soils. However, only after this we may introduce a constant diffusion coefficient () of the soil (Bird et al. 2002, p. 268). Finally, we may declare that the rate of internal energy conversion is negligibly small (4th assumption). In fact, such assumption is declaration of absence of the heat generation or consumption within the soil. Again we note that this assumption can be groundless for the inhomogeneous soils with stone inclusions, fluid- or air-filled interstices with internal convective flows. Moreover, the heat transfer in such porous and composite media is very difficult to analyze (Bird et al. 2002, p. 281-283). for the steady boundary conditions and ; is the thickness of the soil upon the rock background. Solution (5) is easy to derive analytically (Haberman 1983, p. 13-14), so we will use it for checking our numerical model by approximation at . Heat transfer model parameters The simplified problem (4) is stated by following values: m, m2s-1. Boundary conditions are: , (1st case), and (2nd case). Initial values are stated by equation . Model discretization is stated by number of soil layers , their thicknesses m, and the timestep (in seconds) which we can modify (240s, or 550s). Model geometry is shown at the figure 1. In our model zero-level () is located at the surface of the rock background because the soil thickness is rather unstable parameter. Indeed, thickness of the real soil cover is a function and for the small areas only. Therefore, we will use more "stable" rock surface to count out -values of the soil layers. Model dynamics (i.e. heat conduction process) is described by (4) which is transformed in a form of difference equation ; (6) here, denotes ; , ; , . The work equation (6) is derived from (4) by FTCS scheme, when forward differentiation was used for and centered differentiation was used for (Boyce & DiPrima 2001, p. 419f). Figure 1 - Model geometry Solutions 1. Let us transform the FTCS scheme (6) into an explicit form: . (7) For the bottom soil layer () we have (8) because of . For the layer near the soil surface () we have (9) because of . 2. To create a Matlab script for solving equation (4) in the explicit FTCS form (7), we can use both initial script and examples of (Mathews & Fink 1999, p. 526-536). Work model code is in

Discussion Topic on Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Topic on Technology - Essay Example Over the years, state legislators, district leaders and school administrators face difficulties in ensuring the students use technology in a proper manner. The need to put restrictions on the use of technology by underage children is necessary because of the adult nature of some of the content made easily available by the different types of technology (Cheves, 2012). Lewis refers to the use of the internet. Many sectors especially the education sector continues to improve because of the internet. The internet makes information available to everyone using it providing people physically separated with the opportunity to communicate with ease. Despite this, many students continue to fall prey to the unrestricted streaming of adult content through the internet. Cyber bullying is also an emerging trend affecting young children of which sometimes proves fatal, whereby, children end up committing suicide (Week, 2011). In conclusion, technology use has both endless advantages and disadvantages to the education system. Besides the internet, other forms of technology continue to benefit the education sector, for example, cell phones, televisions among other things. In addition, just like the internet, they also present challenges to the education sector. Despite this, technology still plays an integral part in the education sector (Week, 2011). Cheves, D. A. (2012, May 10). Should High-Stakes Tests Drive the Curriculum? A Perspective from Michigan. Retrieved from National Council of Teachers of Mathematics:

Critically discuss the view that the Cournot, Bertrand and Stackelberg Essay

Critically discuss the view that the Cournot, Bertrand and Stackelberg models of oligopoly are fundamentally flawed and are unable to explain recent events in the markets and industries - Essay Example It is a common practice for firms in an oligopoly market to collude in setting up prices with an intention of mitigating the risks that arises in the particular market. However, most of the alliances formed are outlawed in most countries given that they short-change customers because of the less competition that they have unlike in other markets such a perfect competition environment (Vives, 1999). Models developed by three scholars try to explain the concept of an oligopoly market. The Cournot, Bertrand and Stacklerg models are used to explain the theory of oligopoly. The Game theory is widely applied by three models to analyse the market critically under consideration (GineviÄ ius and Krivka, 2008). In a Cournot oligopoly, business entities compete on the basis of production levels. They determine the volume of products they are supposed to produce separately within a specified period. The main assumption made in a Cournot oligopoly is that the core business activity of a business entity is profit maximization. It assumes that the decision of determining the volume level is independent. Furthermore, it is assumed that all players in the market are aware of the cost function and the number of players that exist in the market. However, the cost function may vary from one organization to another (Giocoli, 2003). Some of the implication of the assumptions made in Cournot model is that the production level in the market is likely to be less compared to that of other markets such as the perfect competition market (Kopel and Là ¶ffler, 2008). Additionally, the prices in a Cournot oligopoly are lower compared to those of other markets. Conversely, given the nature of the market, formation of firms are likely to form cartels. Consequently, the model can be transformed to become similar to that of a monopoly market (Day et al., 2002). Cournot models assume firms

What were the political, strategic, and economic implications of the Essay

What were the political, strategic, and economic implications of the U.S. winning the Spanish-American War - Essay Example One political implication is that â€Å"when the balance of power in an international system is shifting, war becomes more likely when leaders’ domestic political outcomes depend on a favorable national outcome in the international system†.2 Note that the Americans, due to yellow journalism, had felt perturbed due to the atrocities that reportedly happened from the Spanish Occupation in Cuba. In return, the state leaders were seized to follow the demands of their voting public to avoid defeat in elections even though they wished for more peaceful settlement. Moreover, winning a war implies better chances in winning the masses’ heart. This move was a form of the traditional politics of forming public image and pleasing the public. Because of the Cuban War of Independence from Spain, the economy of the United States led to a downturn due to its heavy involvement in the Cuban economy. As the Cubans were freed, â€Å"the rise of the United States as a world power derived from its gains in the world economy. The U.S. share of world manufacturing production climbed...making it by far the supreme industrial nation.† 3 Winning the war against Spain may imply that the US had a hidden desire to either set Cuba free to improve the health of their economy or to emerge as a dominant world power to manipulate economic conditions for national benefits. American’s derived the main strategy of attacking Spain’s other colonies through naval bombing. â€Å"Although the war was ostensibly over Cuba, U.S. forces attacked Spain’s other colonies. This might be excused as strategically necessary — had not the United States subsequently absorbed these  ­territories† 4 In July, after Santiago had fallen and Spain had already sued for peace, U.S. forces invaded the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico. In the Pacific, a U.S. cruiser began shelling Guam and then seized

The Trial Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Trial - Research Paper Example Population distribution In the 20th century both the number and distribution of Bornean orangutan has reduced tremendously to over 50% because of human activities that include unsustainable illegal logging, clearance of forests to provide land for agricultural purposes, hunting and mining. Large percentage of orangutans are currently found in Kalimantan because of the area has extensive forests still in existence. (Munn,63-65) Impact of humans activities on ecosystem Loss and degradation of orangutan Habitat The loss of habitat is the main threat to the survival of orangutan. For example, in Kalimantan, a large area of the forest has been cleared to create land for mega rice projects that have tremendously destroyed orangutan habitat. The situation is further worsened by the fact that even habitat in protected areas are vanishing at a high rate because of unclear delineation of the boundaries making it difficult to patrol. (Munn,59-62) Collateral damage a) Spread of fire b)hunting an d c) human-animal conflict. Hunting In south East Asia orangutans are hunted for meat and surplus hunt sold on pet market especially in most interior areas of Borneo. These because they can not run faster like other animals and therefore they are easily targeted by hunters even form a distance. This has resulted in the decline of the number of orangutan. This has been the main cause of low density of orangutans in the low hill forests especially areas around pawan river in the western Kalimantan) and katingan and basito river (central Kalimantan). The scale of hunting is increased because of forest fires which drive them away out of the forests where they are easily captured either for meat or sale in the pet markets. Furthermore, hunting is aggravated by destruction of forests either for timber or to create land for agricultural purposes. The forest is a source for food for orangutan and their destruction forces orangutan to venture out of the forests into the surrounding agricultu ral land destroying food crops and also acting as pests. Local people respond intolerantly to these apes by either shooting or poisoning them and taking the young orangutan which are either sold or slaughtered for meat.(Knott, 429-57) Conflict with human Orangutans are also killed when they move into farming land to destroy food crops. This happens when climatic conditions are adverse and the food available in the forest is less and hardly accessible. In addition, when the habitat of orangutan is destroyed either by fire or clearance of the forest where they dwell, they are forced to move to open field to look for food in agricultural farms where they are killed as to they are also regarded as pests The orangutans’ loss can also be attributed to Climate change. A great drought that preceded El Nino in 1998 had a negative impact on the survival of orangutan has it led to the great fire that destroyed a large portion of the forest cover in Sothern Asia. In the process, thousand s of orangutan was killed and it’s approximated that, over30% of orangutan in Borneo were destroyed by great forest fires in the last decade. Economic and political stability also played great role in the reduction of orangutan in south East Asia. Financial crisis and violent demonstration that led to the resignation of Suharto culminated into mass anarchy and political instability that increased both logging and poaching. In addition,

Asian Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asian Philosophy - Essay Example Even though his writing is not to a certain extent vibrant and colorful that of Zhuangzi, his approach is much well-designed and powerful, sometimes bursting into poetry that influentially expresses his infatuation for the Confucian way of life (ibid). A great part of Xunzi’s attempt is committed to passionately defending Confucianism against different challenges. For instance, he fervently expresses disapproval of Mozi’s denouncement of ritual and music and claims forcefully that these cultural types are completely indispensable. He also rejects Laozi and Zhuangzi for supporting that people accept the perspective of Heaven and leave out traditional virtues in favor of submitting to the natural torrent of things (Ivanhoe, 2001). For Xunzi, the hazards to Confucianism originate not merely external to the tradition, but as well as from within it, in the appearance of Mengzi’s principle that human nature is good. In Xunzi’s judgment, such an argument weakens the power of ritual as a practical guideline to behavior, ruins the essentiality of acquiring knowledge, and merely flies in front of the facts. Xunzi makes the contradictory assertion that human nature is bad, but this should not be interpreted as claiming that people in nature take pleasure in evil deeds (ibid). Rather, his emphasis is that people lack any innate path to right behavior and conduct, and that without the outside control of ritual they will resort into bad behavior and be reduced to a disordered, impoverished condition strongly suggestive of the state of nature portrayed by Thomas Hobbes (Ivanhoe, 2001). On the other hand, Mengzi contends that humans have a nature, which they should go after. Indeed, he contradicts Xunzi’s philosophy for suggesting that ethical nurturing must integrate transgressing one’s nature. Nevertheless, Mengzi argues against the idea that there are developing righteous predispositions in

Cis170 Essay Example for Free

Cis170 Essay using System. Collections. Generic; using System. Linq; using System. Text; namespace Lab5A { class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { string[] playerName = new string[100]; int[] playerScore = new int[100]; int c = 0; c=InputData(ref playerName, ref playerScore); double avg= CalculateAverageScore(ref playerScore,c); Console. WriteLine(Name Score); DisplayPlayerData(ref playerName, ref playerScore, c); Console. WriteLine(); Console. WriteLine(Average Score: + avg + ); Console. WriteLine(Players Who Scored Below Average); Console. WriteLine(Name Score); DisplayBelowAverage(avg, ref playerName, ref playerScore,c); } static int InputData(ref string[] player, ref int[] score) { int addName = 0,counter=0; do { Console. Write(Enter Players Name (Q to quit): ); player[counter] = Console. ReadLine(); if (player[counter] == q || player[counter] == Q) { addName = 1; } else { Console. Write(Enter score for {0}: , player[counter]); score[counter] = Convert. ToInt32(Console. ReadLine()); counter++; } } while (addName ! = 1); eturn counter; } static void DisplayPlayerData(ref string[] playerName, ref int[] playerScore,int counter) { for (int i = 0; i lt; counter; i++) { Console. WriteLine({0} {1}, playerName[i], playerScore[i]); } } static double CalculateAverageScore(ref int[] playerScore,int counter) { int total = 0, avg = 0; for (int i = 0; i lt; counter; ++i) { total += Convert. ToInt32(playerScore[i]); } if (playerScore. Length gt; 0) avg = total / counter; return avg; } static void DisplayBelowAverage(double avg, ref string[] playerName, ref int[] playerScore,int counter) { or (int i = 0; i lt; counter; i++) { if (playerScore[i] lt; avg) { Console. WriteLine({0} {1}, playerName[i], playerScore[i]); } } Console. ReadLine(); } } } Part B: using System; using System. Collections. Generic; using System. Linq; using System. Text; using System. Collections; namespace Week_5_iLab_Part_B { class Program { static void Main(string[] args) { string response = y; ArrayList LastNameAL = new ArrayList(); //Console. Write(Enter a last name: ); //LastNameAL. Add(Console. ReadLine()); //Console. Write(Keep Going? (Y/N) ); //response = Console. ReadLine(); while (response == y) { Console. Write(Enter a last name: ); LastNameAL. Add(Console. ReadLine()); Console. Write(Keep Going? (y/n) ); response = Console. ReadLine(); } Console. WriteLine(LastNameAL. Count + last names entered. ); Console. WriteLine(Last names in ascending order. ); LastNameAL. Sort(); foreach (string s in LastNameAL) { Console. WriteLine(s); } Console. WriteLine(Last names in descending order. ); LastNameAL. Reverse(); foreach (string s in LastNameAL) { Console. WriteLine(s); } Console. ReadLine(); } } }

Study On Southwest Airlines Management Essay

Study On Southwest Airlines Management Essay The past few decades the airline industry has experienced major setbacks. They went through governmental deregulations in the 1980s where many of the airlines had to file for bankruptcy or close down because they were not making a profit. The ones who survived these series of crises out of deeply in debt, strapped by union regulations, and facing an industry that was highly competitive. Then when the World Trade Center was hit by terrorist late in 2001 these airline companies faced a country that was leery of air travel and as a result these companies often had to fly their planes with empty seats. On top of that these airlines had to incur additional costs due to the rising cost of fuel. The airlines that had survived these earlier disasters finally succumbed to the economic pressures that they were facing. Again, they were forced to either file bankruptcy or merge into other companies. During all of these trials and tribulations when many of these organizations were failing, one carrier grew and prospered throughout this entire period -[this airline is] Southwest Airlines. (Buller, 2006). Company Description Southwest Airlines was founded in the 1960s and since its beginning Southwest has always been the underdog, fighting for its survival. It was approved to fly on February 20, 1968 from the Texas Aeronautics Commission. But it had many legal and political battles to fight over the next few years in order to continue doing business. Braniff, Trans Texas, and Continental fought to keep Southwest Airlines out of the market. Eventually Southwest had to go to the Texas Supreme Court and then to the United States Supreme Court in order to get the approval to continue to operate. Herb Kelleher, who was a law student graduate from New York University and also Southwests CEO, led the fight most of the way and it was through his efforts that Southwest came out of their early legal battles, victorious. From these early battles to the major airline that is now days, Southwests growth can be divided up into three different phases. The first, named Proud Texan phase, took place from 1971 to 1978. It was during this period that Southwest expanded its services within the state of Texas. Since it did not cross state lines the company was not subjected to many of the federal regulations that other airlines had to face, thus saving the company time and money. The second phase is called the Interstate Expansion and it took place from 1978 to 1986. It was during this phase that Southwest Airlines started flying into other states. By the end of the Interstate Expansion Southwest was flying into 14 different airports. Southwest opened into these markets after the deregulation which allowed them to operate on interstate bases without being overburden by the government. The third phase is the National Achievement phase which took pace from 1987 to 1997. During this phase Southwest gained much of its success and notoriety. It was during this phase where Southwest airlines had most of its growth. By looking at the past we can discover important insights about the companys culture and philosophy. In Southwests case after looking at its different stages of growth we can see that the company is careful about how fast it expands. Many airlines have expanded to fast, lost control, and going under. Southwest decided to take a more conservative approach, go-slow, a philosophy which comes from Herb Kelleher. The company has a policy that even if a city offers money to the company they can not enter that market. Rather, the only way Southwest will enter a market is if conditions are favorable to the company, including, but not limited to weather and economic conditions. The way Southwest handles their growth brings up two important points about the company. The first is that the company does not want the growth of their organization to get out of hand. They have watched other companies in the past and have learned from their mistakes This efficient growth strategy is evidenced by the fact that the top 100 most profitable markets for airlines account for 75 percent of Southwests profits. The second is that Southwest airline is an ethical company. They refuse to take bribes from cities and communities that want their business. Both of these points come from Southwest cultures and can be traced to back to Herb Kelleher and management techniques. The CEO Herb Kelleher is a man who must be looked at in order to understand Southwest Airlines. It was Kellehers vision that made Southwest Airlines what it is today and much of the companys fun oriented culture comes directly from him. He took the company from scratch and built it into a major airline company. Kelleher is friendly, participative, deeply involved, and caring approach is revered throughout the organization. He can be described as being both a charismatic and a transformational leader. For Kellehers aura inspires the people of Southwest Airlines and to transcend their own self-interest. (Robbins, 2007). Herb Kelleher has been described time and time again as having charisma. Even though it is hard to put a definition on charisma, Kelleher does fit into Robert Houses four characteristics of a charismatic leader. First, Kelleher has a vision and he articulates that vision of high quality customer service in the mission statement at Southwest airline. Second, he takes personal risks in order to achieve that vision. He showed that he was willing to take personal risk and incur high costs when he was fighting the legal battles at the inception of Southwest Airlines. Third, he is sensitive to his followers needs. Herb Kelleher seems to really care about his employees and their well being. This permeates throughout the whole organization and most of his employees understand his level of empathy for them. Finally, he displays unconventional behavior. This can be seen by looking at Southwest airlines, it seems to do everything unconventional but it has the success to back it up. Herb Kelleher can also be described as a transformational leader. By listening to the stories from Southwest employees a person will soon learn that the culture at Southwest is truly different and that this difference is credited to Herb Kelleher. One of the stories that resonates throughout the company is how one of the Southwest agents babysat a passengers dog for two weeks so that the customer could take a flight on which pets were not allowed. (Buller, 2006). It is this kind of service that can be seen throughout the whole organization. Southwests employees often ask themselves if this is something Herb Kelleher would do? Mission and Objectives Southwest Airlines mission focuses on their employees and customer service. Southwests mission is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit. (Buller, 2006). Since Southwest is a no frills airline they gain and keep customers by offering exceptional customer service which is provided through the employees, the cornerstone of the company. Southwest Airline proclaims that We are a company of people, not planes. That is what distinguishes us from other companies.(Buller, 2006). Other companies may have nicer airplanes but they only provide good service to first class ticket holders. Southwest treats all of their customers as if they were all riding first class. Having a mission statement focused on customer service makes Southwests relationship to its customers unique. This is what allows Southwest Airline to dominate the discount airline market. The objective at Southwest are simple; to provide basic services in an efficient effective manner. Southwests flights are safe, low-price transportation with great customer service. Southwest offers some of the industries lowest fares and have one of the industries highest safety ratings. Another main objective of Southwest is to provide arrivals and departures that are consistent and on time. This has been a large problem for many airlines. But because Southwests average turn around time of 15 to 20 minutes helps ensure on-time flights. As long as Southwest continues to achieve its objectives, they will continue to excel in the airline industry. Southwest Strategies The strategy portion of Southwests business begins with its workforce which is carefully selected and trained to reflect the image of the company. It starts with a careful hiring process. Applicants to Southwest are put through a strenuous selection process because the company is focused on obtaining people with the right attitudes for their company. This is because the belief at Southwest is that they can teach skills but they can not teach attitude. Some of the attributes the company is looking for in employees include: positive attitude, positive self image, internal locus of control and highly conscientious. Once the right people are selected for the jobs, the training begins. Kelleher pushes the importance of maintaining a cohesive culture and training is an excellent way of assuring that this is achieved. A major way that employees learn to adhere to the culture of Southwest is through Southwest University which is a training facility where employees learn what it means to be part of the Southwest family. In addition to strenuous hiring and training processes Southwest Airlines invests heavily in treating its employees well. In an industry notorious for labor disputes and bad union relations Southwest Airlines is a rare exception. The majority of their employees, 85 percent, are non-unionized. When the company does have to deal with unions the negotiations are generally friendly. Much of this success comes from a practice of profit sharing with its employees. In this case, profit sharing can be beneficial because it encourages employees to be personally vested in the company and it allows for room for salary negotiations. Southwest also offers excellent medical and dental benefits which are very important in the era of rising health costs. Good salaries, health care programs and profit sharing are tools the company uses to retain the valuable employees it worked so hard to obtain. All of the benefits of working for Southwest directly feed into its corporate culture, which is one of Southwests key strategies. Part of the reason Southwest is so successful is because they strive to make it fun to fly with them. To accomplish this the company created an atmosphere that is fun to work in. This means diminishing the influence of bureaucratic restrictions so the employees feel like the management is working with them, to bring excellent customer service. Southwest creates their desired culture by using: a flat structure, teams, good labor relations and profit sharing to modify employee behavior to be that of a free flowing team versus a bureaucratic dictatorship. Another important way that Southwest works to reinforce its corporate culture is through company mailings. LUV Lines is the company news letter and it contains detailed information about the performance of Southwest as well as other competitors. This is a good tool for flattening the organizational structure because well informed employees are more likely to make the correct decisions. The newsletters helps make sure the employees know where their company stands in relation to the competition which encourages the feeling of ownership that is necessary to create involved employees. Southwest also has an entire book devoted to creating, positively outrageous service. This is crucial because one of the main goals of a cooperative culture is to bring about an environment in which its customers are properly cared for. Structure Largely due to the fact that the planes must operate safely and efficiently, Southwest Airlines structure is like most airlines, formal and centralized. But where Southwest differs is on their loose tight design.(Buller, 2006). They give their employee informal job descriptions concerning customer service. While there is very high standardization regarding operations, it is low with respect to customer service.(Buller, 2006). Southwest empowers its employees to do what is necessary to please their customers. So Southwest follows both the mechanistic model and organic model. On its upper levels, such as the corporate office and the flight crew, the mechanistic model is used. On the companies lower level where safety and time is not as high of a priority, the organic model is used. This gives the employees leeway to try new things on the customer service level while maintaining safety. Human Resource Management Southwests human resource departments mission statement is: recognizing that our people are the competitive advantage, we deliver the resources and services to prepare our people to be winners, to support the growth and profitability of the company, while preserving the values and special culture of Southwest Airlines. (Buller, 2006). Structurally, Southwest places more focus on their human resource department, The People Department than do its competitors. This is a major advantage for Southwest Airlines. Since Southwest Airlines has a reputation for being a great place to work, many people apply to work there. This allows Southwest airlines to be selective in its hiring process and to look for the best fit for both the employees and the company. Southwest rejects about 100,000 applicants a year while maintaining a lower turnover rate than their competition. Having this low turnover rate show that Southwest airline does a good job in their selections and their employees that they do hire have a good fit for their organization. Culture and Control Southwests culture is its most unique attribute. The company focuses on a team-oriented culture and is not distracted by work rules and regulations that most competitors are consumed by. Southwest foregoes the functional structure of its competitors in favor of a more positive equalitarian culture to create a positive equally based culture. This approach contributes significantly to Southwest having the lowest employee turnover rate in the industry and the highest level of consumer satisfaction. Conclusion As was noted above Southwest Airlines has had success while their competitors have gone under. A majority of this success can be credited to Herb Kelleher and the culture that he has created. However, Herb Kelleher is getting close to retiring and he has no clear successor to take his place. It will be interesting to watch and see who Southwest picks as Herb Kellehers successor. This will be an important crossroads in Southwests future as a new CEO can change Southwests whole culture and the direction that the company is going. Only time will tell if the unique culture and organization that Kelleher has created will survive this uncertain future.

Free College Essays - Character Analysis of Othello :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Character Analysis of Othello In the play Othello, the character of Othello has certain traits which make him seem naive and unsophisticated compared to many other people. This is why Iago, to get his just rewards uses him as a scapegoat. Iago told Roderigo, " O,sir, content you. I follow him [Othello] to serve my turn upon him "(I, i lines 38-9). Iago is saying, he only follows Othello to a point, and upon reaching it he will not follow him any longer. Iago has opened my eyes to see the real meaning of deceit. No matter what, Iago will try to take advantage of Othello any time and he will be easily lead to believe the lies of Iago. The Moor, as many Venetians call him, is of strong character. He is very proud and in control of every move throughout the play. The control is not only of power but of the sense of his being who he is, a great warrior. In Act I, Othello has a scuffle with Brabantio, who has come to kill him, but before anything could happen Othello said, "Hold your hands, both of you of my inclining and the rest. Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it without a prompter" (I, ii, lines 80-3). The power shown here is quite astounding. The nature of Othello's character is of a dark man. A dark man, not only because he is black, but also because his whole person is very mysterious. He is mysterious in that he believes there is magic brewing everywhere. With this dark side he is also very outgoing, and not very bright. He isn't observant and the schemes of Iago work well on him. Though he doesn't reflect too much on his past, except occasional ventures of wars fought, he does let his emotions run his life. For all the dangers and encounters he has been involved in, this man is still naive of the corruptness of other individuals. Othello has a trusting nature in which he gives it all. He put all his trust in Iago during times of war and during Othello's marriage to Desdemona. This wasn't very bright of Othello, even if he wasn't

The Numbing of the American Mind: Culture as Anesthetic Essay -- Thoma

ENLIGHTENED SURRENDER How many essays have been written about American culture? How many books dedicated to the intense scrutiny of every aspect of our modern society? Countless thoughts, countless theories—many of them lost in the very chaos that the authors spent 300 pages explaining. There are always solutions, which their creators seem entirely convinced will solve this mess, but the truth is that these ideas are often impractical and unrealistic. But no one writes an entire book complaining without offering us something at the conclusion. Sociologists parade around with their own superfluous speculations, conflicting and contradictory, but this must be better than unresolved pessimism, right? Thomas de Zengotita doesn’t seem to think so. In his essay, â€Å"The Numbing of the American Mind: Culture as Anesthetic,† he discusses the perceptual overload of Americans and the differing and indistinguishable levels of reality in which we exist. He claims that most people don’t know and can’t recognize what is real what is not. There are so many different kinds of reality—he lists sixteen out of many—and they have all become so intertwined into our lives that they bleed together. As a result of these discrepancies, we can no longer appreciate the differences between what is important and what isn’t. Using modern examples like the events of September 11th and the media’s response to them, de Zengotita explains how we’ve become numb to things â€Å"so enormous, so horrific, so stark, that [we believe] the great blob of virtuality that is our public culture would be unable to absorb it† (342). It is a typical review of American society— pessimistic and daunting—though his sarcastic humor and nonchalant attitude are... ...ous diagnosis of a serious condition. Would we rather not know about it because it happens to be incurable? This goes much deeper than subject matter, or political bias, the usual folder. It determines the way we frame everything . . . the attitude we bring to living in this world of surfaces. (de Zengotita 350) No amount of truth can ever bring about change on the grand scale, but the way you chose to function within it will define the difference between prisoner and progressive. In expressing a helplessness to do nothing, de Zengotita has accomplished more than all the theories in the world. â€Å"It was to have been the end of irony, remember?† (de Zengotita 340) Works Cited Zengotita, Thomas de. â€Å"The Numbing of American Minds: Culture as Anesthetic.† 2002. The Text Wrestling Book. Eds. Donna LeCourt, et al. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt, 2005. 340-351.

Rainbow Six :: essays research papers

I Recommend Rainbow Six Author:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tom Clancy Number Of pages:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  740 Characters:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Clark an ex Navy Seal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alistair Stanley executive commander of Rainbow Six   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Domingo Chavez, the captain of team two Clark is the commander and in charge of starting a new European anti-terrorist group called Rainbow Six. Rainbow Six is split into two teams; team one and team two. These teams are the best there is. They are based in Hereford, England, but any European country can call on them at any time. They run three miles in twenty minutes, every mourning at six am. Only one team is on-call at a time. The team that is not on call will be doing live fire practices. In the first six months of being operational they are called on three times. The first incident happens in a Swiss bank where terrorists taken control. They also have a hostage. Team two successfully takes them out, with only one hostage killed (he had already been killed before they got there). The first mission helps to organize them and fix a few holes in there planning. The second mission is in Germany; an international trader is taken hostage in his mansion. This mission goes too well, thanks to the snipers. No hostage deaths, bu t all the terrorists are killed. The last mission is they are called upon is in Spain, where a team of terrorists take an amusement park and thirty children. They demand their leader, a man named Jackal be released from prison (he was the guy who took the Swiss bank). So to take them down they use a program to disable their cellular phones, their way of communicating, they kill the terrorists one by one till there all dead. Only one child is killed by the terrorists. In the meantime while this is happening, an American hires the ex-KGB agent Popov, now freelance. Popov is hired to get people to do the job in Switzerland, the bank taking, and the taking of the International trader in Germany. The person that has hired him is the Boss, owner of a multi-national pharmaceutical company that has deals with extremely deadly viruses. The Boss is extremely wealthily. Popov is living in New York he is flying back and fourth from Europe to organize these things. Popov in an attempt to figure out who is thwarting the operations watches the surveillance tapes and notices the same man smoking a cigar after each take down.

Issues Surrounding Water Resources in England

The intent of this paper is to sketch the issues i.e. ( environmental, economic and societal issues ) environing H2O resources. This will briefly explicate what H2O resources are and will foreground the force per unit area towards the building industry in the South East of England. Adding on to this will be how the lodging development has a negative consequence to environment and land usage, which will be advised through how sustainable development and building aid to decide these issue and over these jobs now and the in the hereafter. Initially, H2O is seen as a resource that comes in an limitless supply, it gets used by farming and other industries, every bit good as the population in the south E of England. There are three chief beginnings: reservoirs, rivers and belowground aquifers. The chief job is there an increasing demand for H2O supply as every twelvemonth ; around 18 billion dozenss of H2O is taken from these beginnings in England and merely 6 billion is put back into H2O supply. Electricity coevals uses 9 billion metric tons, industry uses 2.1 billion metric tons, farming utilizations 0.2 billion metric tons, and the other utilizations such as fish agriculture history for the remainder ( Benn, 2008 ) . Water resources is an of all time increasing demand within the South East of England and has few development force per unit areas to run into these factors such as the increasing population, economic activity, low rainfall and impact of clime alteration ( Environment Agency,2005 ) . All of these factors r elate to the building industry as you will necessitate adequate H2O to run into the lifting demand for the new lodging and domestic building ( Every and Foley, 2005 ) . Furthermore, the population of England and Wales is projected to turn by approximately 5 % over the following 20 old ages. New lodging development will turn even more rapidly, with 80 % of demand being for single-person homes ( Environment Agency,2005 ) , and that has looping consequence back to climate alteration, doing drouths by abstractions from rivers and boreholes to run into the demands of many more families utilizing much more H2O, go forthing H2O tabular arraies and rivers being structurally depleted and wetlands degraded. The wildlife is dependent on them has been forced into tighter corridors, with some populations ( Warren, 2007 ) . Another job highlighted by an environment protection run is that the H2O systems have an increased sum of emphasis because more houses are being built obviously and that is going excessively much for the systems in topographic point to take attention of. The H2O systems are environing them with difficult tally off surfaces such as private roads, roads and roofs. The Government lodging marks continually add more emphasis ( Warren, 2007 ) . These actions are supported and maintained in the models for H2O supply and edifice ordinances that are considered good pattern by right minded persons. However, this is non the right thing as the degree of emphasis on H2O systems on the South East is excessively high so the lone manner to battle this is with utilizing new inducements and methods to cut down the emphasis and this pull offing H2O as an available, renewable resource. In the following portion, this essay will concentrate on the constructs how sustainable development relates to H2O resources. Sustainable development is a critical tool that manages the measure and quality of H2O resources in a preserved and healthy mode ( Flint,2004 ) . Besides, sustainable development is how South East England conserves H2O and how the H2O boards can better their substructure to be more efficient with waste. This will be work outing and cut downing the use of H2O and managing through The Government, OFWAT, Environment Agency, and The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEFRA ) is responsible for all facets of H2O policy in England and Wales. The Environment Agency, the Office of Water Services and the Drinking Water Inspectorate have their model set out by them from the DEFRA ( DEFRA,2004 ) . Water companies are meant to hold a H2O resources direction program which indicates how the H2O company preserves stableness between the supply and demand for H2O over the following decennary or so ( Environment Agency, 2005 ) . Companies such as Defra have to stay by these ordinances so that they are justifiable and they do non be much money. Inherently, the supply-demand concatenation compares the available size of the H2O supply to a forecast demand for a H2O resource zone. By utilizing the H2O resources direction programs that company’s usage, The Environment Agency can work with them to be after and foretell declarations to battle any shortages in the supply. The H2O resources direction program that has been put in topographic point has really improved the supply and demand balance for the whole of the South East of England. This basically means that there is less countries with deficient H2O to run into monolithic demands in a dry twelvemonth. Besides, the betterment could besides be down to H2O companies implementing smaller supply strategies such as upgrading boreholes ( Environment Agency, 2005 ) . Another issue that sustainable development improves H2O resources is through forestalling and cut downing escape. Water companies have helped decreased the degrees of escape in the South East of England, it was recorded that in 1999/2000 the sum degrees reported where 522 million liters per twenty-four hours whereas late it’s been reduced to 507 million liters per twenty-four hours in 2008/2009 ( Environment Agency, 2005 ) . However, in retrospect even though it has been reduced by an sum, it still doesn’t seem like a big decrease has been made, hence, one manner it can be reduced even more is if The Office for Water Services ( Ofwat ) could implement leakage marks ( Every and Foley, 2005 ) . Water companies should hold to be enforced a punishment if they fail to run into certain escape marks that are set up to cut down waste. Another method of how sustainable development improves pull offing the demand for H2O would be through H2O metering, since it assist promotes more efficient usage of H2O. It is reported that houses within England, merely 30 % have a H2O metre installed ( Benn,2008 ) . Water metres encourage the client to salvage money while salvaging H2O ; this in bend ends up being an effectual H2O salvaging step, since H2O ingestion for families is reduced by 10 % when a metre is installed. Additionally, another construct that overcomes and finds solutions to H2O resource direction is sustainable building. Sustainable Construction in relation to H2O resources is how designers can plan edifices to cut down H2O use. What things can be installed to cut down the sum of H2O? Sustainable Construction is fundamentally how can architects design edifices to assist cut down H2O use and to assist cut down H2O use and types of devices that can be installed to cut down the sum of H2O used. Problems with the south E of England is that it’s invariably in a high demand for H2O supply, therefore going the driest parts of the UK, this in bend has affected Domestic Water Consumption to increase by 70 % ( Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, 2009 ) . Besides, sustainable building helps cut down the strain on the H2O industry by utilizing H2O efficiency steps that can be implemented into new edifices and old. Water salvaging devices such as affaire d'honneur flower /low flush lavatories can cut down the flower volume by a twosome of liters of H2O ( HM Government, 2008 ) . Another step would be holding arid urinals alternatively since standard urinals use around 6-10 liters of H2O to blush, this can besides be followed up with self-closing lights-outs that are inexpensive and easy to put in every bit good as the fact that self-closing lights-outs automatically close the H2O flow in order to salvage H2O ( HM Government, 2008 ) . Another step that is really efficient is rainwater reaping, this involves the aggregation of H2O that would hold most likely been wasted by traveling down the drain or being lost through warming. A H2O butt is implemented so that it can roll up rainwater from any pipe in the garden. Much larger systems can roll up rainwater and filter it from the roof or big countries environing the belongings ( Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, 2009 ) . However, this H2O isn’t for devouring but more to provide lavatories and rinsing machines. Water butts are chiefly for domestic families whereas big systems are used for schools and offices. Besides, rescued H2O is another cardinal characteristic of sustainable building. Reclaimed H2O is H2O which has already been used. There are 2 types of rescued H2O and they are gray H2O recycling and black H2O recycling. Grey H2O recycling consists of H2O that has been used in baths and wash basins which can be sterilized on site and used for intents such as lavatory flushing and irrigating the garden ; this nevertheless is non suited imbibing H2O. The other signifier of rescued H2O is black H2O recycling, that is used for lavatory flushing and rinsing up, this can be reused though an intricate system that breaks down the solids and purifies the H2O to be reused. This besides isn’t suited imbibing H2O and has high care costs for domestic families ; this would accommodate better for big belongingss or sites. In Conclusion, In order to react to the environmental force per unit areas confronting the South East, in a manner that doesn’t merely work out one job by doing another, means that society has to alter, and alteration in ways that move it towards integrated, sustainable development. Environmental issues cut across both economic and societal concerns and this must be embraced if we are to successfully turn to and present sustainable solutions. Word count: 1,551 Mentions Political campaign to Protect Rural England, ( 2007 ) .A Water Resource Strategy for the South East of England. Kent: CPRE Kent, pp.5-39. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( DEPRA ) , ( 2004 ) .Making infinite for H2O. London: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pp.7-39. Environment Agency, ( 2010 ) .State of the Environment – South East England. Bristol: Environment Agency, pp.20-34. Every, L. and Foley, J. ( 2005 ) .Pull offing Water Resources and Flood Risk in the South East. 1st erectile dysfunction. [ ebook ] London: The Institute for Public Policy Research, pp.1-27. Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ippr.org/assets/media/ecomm/files/SE H2O 1.pdf [ Accessed 29 Nov. 2014 ] . Flint, W. ( 2004 ) . The Sustainable Development of Water Resources.Water Resources Update, ( 127 ) , pp.48-59. HM Government, ( 2014 ) .Future Water The Government’s H2O scheme for England. Norwich: TSO ( The Stationery Office ) , pp.7-80. Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Local Development Framework, ( 2009 ) .Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Local Development Framework. Hymen: Planning and Development Unit, pp.22-24.

Health and Safety Project Essay

This work-based project forms an important part of your training. The aim of this project is to familiarise yourself with your working environment and the Health and Safety issues that arise in your placement. On completion you should: Understand the structure your organisation’s; and your role in it Understand the importance of Health and Safety at work Understand the legal requirements of Health and Safety at work Know your organization’s health, hygiene and accident procedures To complete this assignment you may need to make notes in before filling in the information. Take your time and carefully answer every question as fully as possible; the more you write the more criteria you will meet. If you need any help please speak to your workplace supervisor, your colleagues, your College tutor or your Training Co-ordinator. Describe your placement, e.g. busy town/country, client group (age, culture, special needs): The site that Oakland’s is situated on was once the site of the old Parcroft Juniors School, which was torn down and rebuilt with the merger of the Westfield Infant’s. The newly reformed school was named after the old oak tree, which still stands on the grounds of the school and has done for 300 years. So it was only fitting that the school was named Oakland’s, and when you talk to past pupils who attended Parcroft, they always fondly remember playing marbles or chase under the oak trees branches. Oakland’s Primary School is based within the busy town of Yeovil and is situated between Preston Grove, Linden Road and Summerleaze Park. It is a modern High Tec school with all the modern facilities you would expect. The school was built on one level giving easy access to all able bodied and  unable bodied pupils alike to attend the school. The building is quiet self efficient and generates its own electric with solar panels, has under floor heating to heat the school throughout and even the lights run on sensors to turn on and off when you enter and exit a room. Each classroom is fitted with large touch screen boards, which the teachers can run from their laptops giving them a huge range of access to a wide range of teaching resources, enhancing the pupils learning to the up most and keeping them interactive with their learning. Roughly 420 pupils attend the school, ranging from the ages of 4 years up to 11 years old. The school uniform is a purple jumper with the school emblem of an Oak Tree, white sweatshirts, grey trousers or skirts and black shoes. Each of the 14 classes within the school has been named after an animal, giving each class its own identity, including a mascot. There is also four teams throughout the school, which is used within each classroom and the children are encourage to win team points for their team so that at the end of the school year their team can win the team cup. This helps with the pupils taking pride in their achievements and to try hard to earn a point. There are many facilities within the school and on the surrounding grounds of the school, these include: The I.C.T suite where the children learn how to use computers, from word processing to using the internet safely. The school hall which is used for weekly assemblies, indoor sports activities, and even the Christmas nativity plays. The music room which is full of many different musical instruments, letting the pupils express themselves and learn about music. The fully equipped cookery room were the pupils learn about healthy eating and different foods from around the world. This is also where the breakfast club is held every morning. Then there is Forest school which is held in a purpose built log cabin surrounded by trees and a wildlife garden. This is where pupils go for environmental studies, to learn about insects, plants, animals and the environment. The Outdoor facilities include several outside learning areas that are used throughout the day depending on weather. There are also extensive fields, several play areas and two activity play areas. Oakland’s Primary also offers a large range of activities and clubs after school, which range from performance arts, music, sports, computer clubs and gardening clubs. There is also a holiday care  scheme which offers families affordable, childcare. Within Oakland’s there is also an Autism Base which is known as Peacocks Class. This based within it’s own sector of the school’s main building and is solely run by the council and has its own staff. The base consists of two teaching areas, two sensory rooms, a kitchen, a toilet and its own outside area. Non-Statutory requirements (in your workplace) What is the ratio of adults to children? In Foundation and Key Stage One the ratio of adults to children is 1 to 10 In Key Stage Two the ratio of adults to children is 1 to 15 Are the ratios different in any other room at work; if yes please give details? Yes in the Autism base the ratio of adult to children is different. Statutory requirements What are the statutory requirements regarding adult: child ratios? The EYFS states that the adult to child ratio within classes with children over the age of three should be 1 Adult to 13 Children. But must be a qualified teacher, or hold a relevant level 6 qualification. It also states that there should also be at least one other member of staff within the classroom that holds a level 3 qualification. However if the teacher is absent from the classroom then the ratio requirements change and it is recommended that it should be 1 Adult to 8 Children. But must hold a level qualification and the other staff within the classroom should hold a level 2 qualification. On school trips the ratios change again dependent on the type of trip. Also these can change when dependant on certain circumstances and other factors, which could Include if any of the pupils have special educational needs or medical needs. It can also be altered depending on the experience and competence of the staff attending the trip, including the number of first aiders going along. It is recommended that the ratios should follow: 1:6 for years 1 to 3, 1:10 for years 4 to 6, and 1: 15 / 20 for years 7 upwards. Why are these necessary? To make sure that the children are being educated and taken care of correctly and are under the supervision of qualified staff members. What are the statutory requirements regarding space? Class sizes: Schools must make sure that children aged between 5 years and 7 years aren’t taught in classes of more than 30 pupils. There is no legal limit for pupils aged 8 years and over. Why is this necessary? So that schools do not have oversized classes, as then the children do not get the attention they need to learn. Organisation and Structure of the Workplace Every organisation or business has its own basic structure of management. Each manager is responsible for those in their department. The structure can be set out like a pyramid. Responsibilities may differ. Please identify all staff roles and responsibilities; highlighting your own: Governors They school governors are responsible for working with the school to ensure that it delivers a good quality education. Head Teacher Has overall responsibility for the school, its staff, its pupils and the education they receive. Deputy Head Teacher Plays a major role in managing the school, particularly in the absence of the head teacher. Is also responsible for a curriculum area and specific areas of the school management, delegated to them by the Head Teacher. Inclusion Leader The special educational needs coordinator is responsible for day to day provisions for pupils with special educational needs. NQT Mentor They are responsible for the Newly Qualified Teachers, and are there to give support and guidance when needed. Foundation Stage Leader Responsible for children in foundation stage, leading the foundation team of teachers and teaching assistants. KS1 Leader To manage Key Stage 1 team of teachers and teaching assistants. KS2 Leader To manage Key Stage 2 team of teachers and teaching assistants. Phase Leaders Responsible for co-ordinating and motivating staff and children in their allocated phase to ensure high levels of achievement. Teachers Are responsible to plan, prepare and lessons to meet the needs of all their pupils in their care. Setting and marking work and recording pupil’s development as necessary. But also within Oakland’s each teacher is responsible for an area of the curriculum, such as; A curriculum coordinator for Numeracy, which makes them responsible for the leadership and management of the subject. Teaching Assistants To assist the classroom teacher to prepare for lessons such as resources that are required, or to put out equipment at the start of the lesson. To support the teacher in the day to day running of the classroom from up keeping data files, cataloguing resources, maintaining inventories, and photocopying. Undertaking learning activities with a small group of children, who may need extra support. Lunchtime Supervisors They look after the children during lunchtime breaks, so that most of the staff members are able to take their breaks. They take the children who have school dinners to the schools canteen, they also look after the pupils who bring pack lunch. Within one of their classroom or outside weather permitting. They are also first aid trained and look after the children whilst playing outside. Administration Staff There is a wide range of job roles within this department of the school, ranging from: First point of contact for the school either by telephone, email or face to face. Diary management for the Head teacher or departmental leaders Issue visitor passes where necessary and maintain signing in and out books Maintain data bases and filing systems Prepare correspondence and collect fees To contact parent/guardians for specific reasons when requested by staff and to request for collection of sick children on behalf of the staff. And many more jobs besides Site Staff Maintain the school, deal with cleaning, maintenance of equipment and the school building. Catering Staff Cater for the pupils and staff that eat within the canteen, with healthy food within their budget. Volunteers Helping within the school, with assisting the classroom teacher with tasks such as listening to pupils read, taking part on school trips and helping out at school fairs. List the things you have agreed with your employer that you are prohibited from doing: Entering the Autism base, Administering first aid to a pupil this must be done by a qualified first aider. What breaks are you entitled to? When working a full day within the school – from 8.45am to 3pm I am entitled to an hour for lunch. Though on occasions I may be required to cover a lunchtime supervisor duty, which then I will be allocated an hour within the afternoon. This is the same for break times, we are entitled to take the break ourselves or we may be asked to supervise. If you are unhappy with a health & safety issues what would you do? I would have to report this to the site service manager or to the deputy head teacher Risk Assessments Has your placement got a risk assessment policy? Yes – Every school and workplace must have a risk assessment policy. Where is it kept? Within the Administration Office Who has access to it? The HSE, The Governors, The Head Teacher, staff members and parents How often are they reviewed and why is this necessary? It is reviewed on a yearly basis unless any changes have to be implemented within the school. Then the risk assessment will be reviewed as a part of the process. Such as recently the school has had some staff members trained in manual lifting and so the risk assessment has to be updated for this new procedure within the school. Give an example of a risk assessment you have done and why? When reading with the foundation children one to one they have a tendency to swing on their chair. This has risks of the chair flipping backwards and the child following which in turn could cause harm to themselves. So I have had to ask them to sit properly and not to swing on their chair. Identify and list below 4 possible risks/hazards that might occur within your work placement and state how you would prevent each one?, explain how they will be monitored and reviewed 1. Pupils trapping fingers in the internal fire doors. The fire doors are extremely heavy to open to exit the classrooms or to enter the bathroom, especially for the less able bodied and the smaller children within foundation. These doors are on hinges and close back on themselves when opened. Are very heavy as they are designed to protect against fire. However I have witnessed children struggling with these doors. When trying to open these doors by themselves they tend to place one hand on the door frame as they use the other hand to open the door. If they where to lose grip of the door it would swing back and the likely hood of trapping their fingers is a high risk. The less able bodies students struggle even more so and they normally have a buddy within their classroom to open these doors for them. Which in turn takes away their independence, and they normally have a fear of getting stuck in the toilet or in room as they are unable to open these doors by themselves. I would look into adapting the doors by placing an electronic button system. Where the smaller children and the less able bodied children will be able to press a button and the door will automatically open for them. As it is impossible to loosen the hinges on the door as they will no longer work as intended. If this is not possible when a child needs to exit a room then an adult should always be present to assist. Preventing any accidents from happening, or a fear of getting stuck. 2. Tripping over chair leg in classroom When children are moving around the classroom it is often an possibility that they could trip over a chair leg. Either from the chair not being placed under a table properly or whilst another child is swinging on their chair. This could be very hazardous as they could fall and hit a side of a table or land badly on the ground. Add no swinging on your chair and to tuck away chairs properly when not being used onto the classroom rules. I would remind any of the children I see not tucking their chair away to do so, and at the end of class make a check that all chairs are tucked away correctly. I would also do the same with children swinging on their chair; I would ask them not to, and remind them of the class room rules. 3. Slipping on wet floors in the toilets Before break times and lunch times the children are all asked to go to the toilets and wash their hands. The children have a tendency to drip a large amount of water across the floor when walking over to the hand dryer. Which when you have approximately 30 children at once using the toilets the water can accumulate into a puddle of water, which becomes a slipping hazard. Allowing only ten children to use the toilets at a time to wash their hands. So that a teaching assistant could maintain the floor with a mop preventing puddles forming, then let the next ten children in once the teaching assistant has vacated. Another option could be before allowing the children  out of the class to use the toilet the teacher could remind them to shake the excess water off their hands over the sink before drying their hands. However the procedure they have set in the foundation classes works well where they set up two washing up bowls set within the classroom on tables. The children wash their hands under adult supervision and then dry their hands on towels. Makes it less children rushing through the toilets just to wash their hands. 4. Getting caught up and Tripping over Play bibs Within foundation the children are allowed out to play within the soft play area during lessons, but only in a group of five. To keep the group to only five children at a time there are five play bibs supplied which they have to wear whilst outside. However when a child wants to come back inside they have to take off the play bib, which then leaves a bib spare for another child to go out. It works in principle, and keeps the group to only five children at a time. However the children do not maintain putting the bibs back within the box after they are finished and they tend to just throw the play bibs down on the ground. This then becomes a tripping hazard and another child or member of staff could get their feet caught up within the bib and fall over, causing an injury. A box placed outside seems to be over looked by the children, so I would suggest placing a coat hook within the classroom, at their level by the door that they exit and enter to play outside. Then reaffirm that the play bibs must be hung up when not being used and remind the children when they drop the bib to hang it up or no play for them for the rest of the day. Offsite Safety What risk assessments do you need to complete before going of site/ on an outing? Oakland’s Primary employs an external Risk Assessment company, to carry out the risk assessments on behave of the school. They attend the site of the visit and make an assessment of the risks that may apply and forward the report back to the Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher. The report will be compiled of recommendations based on factors of the trip, and any control measures and contingencies that need to be set in place relating to the risks that could occur. From the report the school will then set in place the criteria based around the risks, such as: The age / competence / fitness / usual standard of behaviour of the pupils Any special educational / medical needs of the pupils Adult to Child ratios The competence / experience / qualifications of the adults Modes of transport, journey routes and location of the visit The correct attire that may need to be required depended on weather conditions and location of visit. Any emergency procedures When there is a less able bodied pupil attending the trip, the leading teacher will take a visit to the site themselves to evaluate the location and the facilities. This is so they can make sure that no child will miss out. They also take a visit to plan activities accordingly and to talk to any personnel that may work within the location of the visit, and to set out a timetable of the activities. Are the adult: child ratio’s different? Yes the ratios are different, and these depend on the location of the visit. What are your roles and responsibilities? I have done quite a few school trips, some have been to support my son during a school visit and have travelled either via the school mini bus or and in one instance myself and my son travelled by our own means of transport. When arriving at school we are given the activities schedule and what groups we will be in and the names of the children under our care. We check that all the children have brought everything they need, if not the school does try to provide anything that a child has forgotten or does not own, such a wellingtons, spare clothes etc. We run through the plan before leaving the classroom. On the mini bus I would support my son, during the journey and help the other two teaching assistants within the mini bus to keep the rest of the children entertained. We normally share out books, maths tasks or we will start some singing. Once we have arrived at the location I am put in charge of a small group of 4 to 5 children which includes my son and I follow one of the leading teachers during the activities. The last school trip to kingcombe meadows we went hunting within the meadows for wild flowers with a check list, we also caught bugs within nets and did some fishing in the river. I had a small group of 5 children under my care and I helped them with their activities, encouraging them to figure out what bug the found or flower. I have also helped with a foundation school outing, this was up to the post box outside of the school gate and up the road to post their letters home, as part of their Post Office activities in class. I handed out high-viz vests to every child before we left and was put in charge of three children as we walked in a line up and back to the post box.