Magnificence. The story about Vicente Essay

The story was all about Vicente, the bus conductor and the tutor of the two children in a village. (paragraph 2) says, The girl at the age of seven and the boy at the age of eight ,simply tells us that there was a seven and eight year old child in the story. At the start of the story we could clearly see how the family and the mother (who is the president of their own village) trusted the conductor that’s why in the first paragraph of the story, it says, â€Å"there was nothing to fear.† Victor was characterized as a gentle and kind. He was a dark little man whose voice is soft and calm in manners. This is the contrast to the characterization of the mother because she is tall and she spoke in a voice of very low, and very heavy. This emphasizes the darkness of Victor and the magnificence of the mother. While I was reading the story I saw the paragraph 6-8 and we can clearly see in this paragraph (that there was something strange or wrong in the motive of Victor for the little girl because he slapped the boy and started to say â€Å"boys don’t kiss boys†.the idea that Victor gives so much favour to the girl by giving her 3 pencils and by doting on her (paragraph 12) got my attention. While (paragraph 18) gives me an instinct to create personal judgment that Victor abuses the childhood of the little girl. The paragraph 23 says, â€Å" his face was all in sweat, and his eyes looked very strange, and he indicated to her that she must not turn around, attend to the homework she was writing.† this paragraph gives me a final conclusion of the whole story that Victor really likes the little girl. At the end of the story in (paragraph 36) the story tells us how the mothers raise their hands against the abuse of males. It implies that a women or a lady ought to be respected even if they are still young at age that’s why in (paragraph 40) the mother says, â€Å"take a bath quickly†. That means to say, to cleanse from all filthiness and stain that she received from Victor, the conductor. In (paragraph 41) the mother soaped her and wiped her gently all over because the story wants to teach us a lesson. That being a woman or as a lady we must preserve our purity and that we must be against from the abuse of males. There are times that we feel that the person is trustworthy but sadly they were not. Trust is gained. While reading the story only three subject  matters revolved in my mind. The trust that we must gain, the dignity/respect that a lady must have and the heroic act or magnificent role of the mother in raising their kids these are the important lesson that we must get from the story. Trust can only be gain by the people who really deserve of it. We may deceive or act like somebody that was not the real of us but once the given trust fall apart it will be very hard to put the trust into its whole. It is an honour for us and a great morality if we act right for through our actions we get also the respect of people. Our purity tells the people that they should respect us. I think the story itself unveils us the importance of having respect/dignity in oneself, and importance of being a mother. One quotations said, â€Å"I love being a mother, I am more aware. I feel things on a deeper l evel. I have a kind of understanding about my body, about being a woman.† –unknown. Mothers protects their child from all abuses that man can give to their child. Wordcount:651

Kitchen Best Analysis Essay

Introduction Kitchen Best Appliance Company must immediately address the ethical, cultural, legal and poor business practices in order for the company to remain in business. If the company continues to turn a blind eye to such behaviors as bribes, nepotism, illegal behavior and reckless endangerment to customer the company will only continue to find itself in a position that leaves it vulnerable to law suits, criminal charges, fines and incarceration of personnel. The case study provides a clear picture of what can happen to company that does not communicate, enforces and support policies and procedures established to have a competitive, compliant, safe and ethical workplace. Analysis The major social, ethical and legal challenges that Kitchen Best and other small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face doing cross border business will be determined below. Social challenges are most easily identified in cultural differences among regions. For instance language barriers can create social challenges as well as differences in cultural beliefs and behaviors. Businesses must be prepared to face language differences by having staff available that can speak and write in languages other than their native tongue. Also the companies must be prepared to investigate and study the cultural differences for the countries that they wish to conduct business with. This is not only to determine if the designated area is a good place to conduct business, but also to acquire the necessary knowledge needed to successfully conduct business. Ethical challenges are even more difficult for companies when dealing with two different sets of ethical standards, which usually are influenced by cultural standards. It is fully possible that in business dealings that a company has opposing ethical standards to operate within the two countries. In some cultures such activities as bribes, kickbacks, and nepotism are  encouraged whereas other countries frown upon such practices. This is where research plays an important role for companies interested in expanding their business globally. Legal challenges just like ethical and social challenges have a major impact of SMEs who conduct cross border business. There are many forms of governments as well as numerous forms of legal systems that vary among countries. While diversity is accepted, diversity can make business interaction difficult as well as legally impossible. An example of legal challenges can be seen in tax regulation, employee pay regulations, employee working condition regulations, safety regulations and environmental impact regulations. If a SME is found in violation of a particular law or regulation it could face extreme penalties as well as sanctions from agencies as the World Trade Organization. Kitchen Best has long since participated in offering entertainment and kickbacks to potential clients and business partners, which upper management has turned a blind eye to. Such actions have led Kitchen Best to be susceptible to legal risks. China, Macao and Hong Kong have active laws against such actions which are punishable by imprisonment and fines. Since Kitchen Best employees participated in such actions, with the knowledge of upper management, in both jurisdictions the company is liable along with the employees. The management and overall governance system of Kitchen Best is below par. While the list of shortcomings is long the company can improve the situation by changing the method in which it operates and creating effective policies. One of the biggest shortcomings of management is the practice of turning a blind eye to corruption and inappropriate business practices. By turning a blind eye to such behaviors and activities management is essentially condoning the employee’s actions. This is obviously a shortcoming that has led Kitchen Best management to knowingly participate in unethical behavior such as bribes and kickbacks. Along with the practice of turning a blind eye to the previous mentioned behaviors and activities management also exhibited a shortcoming by not leading by example. In addition management did not  create, maintain and enforce policies and procedures for employees to follow. This could have prevented the shortcoming of non-governance of competitive practices a nd safety regulations as in the case of Haus de Metro. Kitchen Best must utilize mechanisms such as effective compliance programs, risk assessments, accessible access of for employees to code of conduct and compliance policies and procedures. As well as the mechanisms mentioned above Kitchen Best must also use continual training for all staff including management on policies, procedures and current legislation. Use of weekly meetings and communication tools such as video conferencing will enable the company to improve communication between all facets of the company. Technology overall will enhance the job performance of employees, but can also be used to create checks and balances within the company. For instance a system of web based approval could be used for the payment of invoices that would allow the company to approve of deny any invoices including those for entertainment. With the advancement of technology companies have the ability to be â€Å"big brother† while also enhancing employee performance. Henry Chan can learn a lot from the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (U.S. FCPA) or the U.K. Bribery Act. Chan can see the penalties that have been established for corrupted behavior as well as ways to prevent such actions. Since both are from Western democracies Chan can compare to corruption acts from China. This will enable Chan to view a variety of guidelines that will assist in creating his own policies and procedures for Kitchen Best. Another advantage to Chan is that he will be better prepared for international business and the cultures of in which they exists. The problems at Kitchen Best are related to Horatio Sze and Ma Luk. Through the years the company has made missteps in regards to managing staff. Without checks and balances or enforcements of policies staff had free reign with no consequences. Without direct supervision or accountability the management staff allowed the behavior to occur. The company allowed the inappropriate behavior of Sze and Luk by turning a blind eye to their actions. If the company had taken direct action such as disciplinary actions  or even termination of either employee when their indiscretions became apparent the problems would have been prevented. Top managers are responsible when corruption is afoot, especially when top management has knowledge of the corruption. It is the responsibility of top managers to be aware of what is happening within their business. There is also a necessity for top managers to actively participate in business operations and to investigate any alleged corruptions within the company. In the case of Kitchen Best top management ignored allegations of corruptions. Another responsibility of top management is to take and creative preventative measures against corruption. It is imperative that SMEs practice ethical management locally and internationally. In order for global business to expand along with the actual companies ethical management must be enforced. Ethical management not only assists in creating a fair and competitive business atmosphere, but it also enables progressive business relations with countries. Henry Chan can enhance his role in this regard by participating and enforcing ethical business practices. He can also benefit from exposure to companies similar to Honghua who have transitioned from an unethical management to an ethical management system. When faced with local expectations of â€Å"payoffs† or â€Å"referral money† staff should be advised to approach top management. Staff should consult policies and procedures before taking any action, but in this case the seriousness of the situation requires management’s attention. Once management is notified of the situation the employee should then work with management to determine the best course of actions. It must also be stated that if the company has researched the business atmosphere the expectations of â€Å"payoffs† or â€Å"referral money† should not come as a surprise. Therefore the company can be prepared when the situation arises and will not have to make a snap decision. Guidance can be sought through numerous channels that include literature, educational classes, expert knowledge, legislation and other professionals. All of the resources could provide guide or research on business management  and international business. The internet could also be utilized for information regarding business policies, procedures and desired business behaviors locally and internationally. The World Trade Organization is also a good resources as well as looking at such education facilities as Harvard School of Business. Both previously mentioned offer limitless information via their websites. There are specific steps and methods that Henry Chan can use to help build Kitchen Best’s corporate culture for the long term benefit of the company. As mentioned before the creation, maintaining and implementation of policies and procedures that include compliance program. When creating and updating the policies and procedures of the company Henry Chan should consult legal counsel as well as other professionals who can provide expert knowledge. Henry Chan himself needs to improve his management skills as well as his ability to interact within different cultures. Another step to improve corporate culture is to remove employees that previously participated in unethical behavior. It is imperative that management lead by example and eliminate those who do not wish to contribute to a positive corporate culture. By creating a culture of compliance the company can successfully perform in a positive manner. This can also be accomplished by providing training to employees, continuing to guide employees in the proper way in business processes, having incentives for employees to reward positive acts and disciplinary measures for non-compliance to policies and procedures. Each of the steps mentioned above will resolve the issues of bribery, kickbacks, safety violations and uncompetitive contracting awarding. Not only will the steps above stop the current issues of Kitchen Best, but also establish preventative measures against such behaviors. Conclusion Henry Chan and Kitchen Best can resolve their current business issues and improve the business operations of the company. While the Chan family’s intentions were to create and maintain a company their lackluster attitude towards corruption has made the company liable. With the suggestions provided in this analysis Kitchen Best’s business operations can improve and eliminate the corruption within the company. The scope of improvements necessary for Kitchen Best is vast, which will take a significant amount of  time that will in the end prove worth wild. References DRS: Daniels, J. D., Radebaugh, L. H. & Sullivan, D. P. International business. (14th ed.) U. S. Dept. of Justice (2012, November). A resource guide to the U. S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa/guide.pdf Goo, S. & Loo, G. (2011). Kitchen Best: Ethics when doing cross-boundary business in Southern China (Product No. HKU948-PDF-ENG). Retrieved from http://hbsp.harvard.edu

Will the XM25 replace the M203 Grenade launchers Essay

Will the XM25 replace the M203 Grenade launchers - Essay Example The military denies the rumors, but perhaps it might be better to consider the criteria of reliability, durability and affordability of both systems to prove that the XM-25 grenade launcher will not replace the M203. The reliable old M203 Grenade Launcher has proven itself in just about every corner of the world. Over twenty countries friendly to the United States employ the M203, or a variant thereof. Manufactured by Colt, the M203 has seen combat with the US from the humid jungles of Viet Nam right on through to the present day in the Middle Eastern deserts, along with its newer counterpart, the M203A1 (for the M4). The launcher has proven extremely reliable in all manners of weather conditions and weigh in at light 3 pounds. On the other hand, the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System shows its reliability in its characteristics. It is currently being manufactured by German arms giant Heckler and Koch, in partnership with the US based Alliant Tech Systems (ATK). The weapo n does indeed resemble something futuristic and at fourteen pounds with rounds it is much heavier than the M203. Yet the modern advances of the launcher are incredible. For one thing it has an interchangeable magazine that holds up to four rounds, so single shot is no longer an obstacle. For another, instead of the old-fashioned quadrant sights on previous grenade launchers, the XM25 is fitted with a thermal sight device resembling a scope, with night capabilities. The M203 has showed its durability since it replaced the M79, which was a stand-alone weapon and the grenade launcher was its singular purpose. Recognizing that the grenadier was vulnerable during a firefight, the US Army developed the M203. Its â€Å"over and under† style fit under the standard M16 rifle (and later under the newer M4), therefore giving the soldier the ability to fire grenades at a range of up to 350 meters and still having the small arms capability and reassurance offered by the M16. The grenadier ’s rate of fire for the launcher was hampered only by his own ability to load the weapon, as it fires one round at the time. Its large bore makes cleaning relatively easy and the unit armorer can do most maintenance on the weapon, including disassembly and removal. Eight different forty millimeter grenade types have been developed for the launcher. 1 However it is what the sights are fitted into that makes the XM25 so durable and has the Army gushing as to its valuable assistance in the GWOT. The Target Acquisition Fire Control System (TAFCS) allows the operator to send the round down range with radio controlled precision. For example, grenadier can take out an enemy firing from inside a window, adjusting the range so that the grenade can go through the frame, explode, and still maintain the integrity of the building. The XM25 uses a 25 millimeter grenade system that even includes a thermobaric grenade specific for use in caves, particularly useful in Afghanistan and the laun cher is accurate at ranges of up to 700 meters. Finally, the cost of the M203 is very affordable in comparison to the XM-25. The M203 is only $1800.00 dollars. If combat tests work out with the division, the Army plans to buy 12,500 units of the XM25 in 2012, one for each squad. At over $30 thousand a copy the XM25 is expensive, as are the rounds at $25 apiece. The cost almost doubles from one to the other. This alone is a serious increase in budget cost, and can be a huge dilemma for the economy. Even after all the aforementioned, the XM25 will not replace the M203. Although the 101st grenadiers are so impressed with it they often carry no extra weaponry. Indeed, both weapons will

The company of wolves by angela carter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The company of wolves by angela carter - Essay Example Their desperate reactions at the most unexpected time overpower them when not warranted in a particular situation. This goes to prove the fragile manner in which their heads and hearts react and the heavy load of atrocities inflicted on the black race stands integrated into the gene of the people of that race. For example, Dina’s erratic disposition during orientation games when she asserts that if she ever gets an opportunity to be an inanimate object, she would like to be a revolver and wipe out all mankind. That utterance fetches her ‘reward’ of a year’s worth of psychiatric counseling. In another instance, brownies are involved in hostility in a restroom between troops of black against white Girl Scouts over a supposed racial affront. Ironically, the black troop notices that the white girls were in fact, late learners, and the sarcasm is doubled when the black girls have no reservations at calling the white girls â€Å"retarded† while challenging over the term â€Å"nigger†. These incidents indicate the undercurrent of strong misunderstanding between the white and black race, and even the educated generation is unable to transcend this mental barrier of deep mistrust. The combustible younger generation of African Americans will cut loose from the mainstream discipline of the society and engulf the societal fabric like an avalanche causing enormous damage which may take time to heal and such incidents will remain as the permanent blots in the books on racial history of America. As such ZZ Packer (2004) is right in observing that â€Å"When you’ve been made to feel bad for so long, you jump at the chance to do it to others.†(p.27) But Dina’s problem is not related to only black versus white issue. Hers is a multi-dimensional diagnosis and she suffers more than one personality deficiencies and struggles with an identity crisis. She suffers from problems that are her own doings. She does not engage

Poverty and Child Abuse Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty and Child Abuse - Term Paper Example The poverty problem is a dilemma which gives rise to child sexual abuse since the families are not concerned about child protection. The way children are maltreated, misuse, and neglect have many times escorted them to the vulnerability of child abuse. However in the United States, child abuse is not a new issue, since children have been the subject of various types of abuse for decades, therefore concern for abused children now demands action from private citizens as well as the government. Despite the existence and active participation of child welfare programs, child abuse is a common problem confronted by the United States. One reason for the widespread of this quandary is the fact that economic resources and political structure varies according to the social determinants for people who live in urban and rural regions (Kenney et al, 2001, p. xv). Child abuse some decades ago was seen as a problem of physical battering and the deliberate intention to harm the child, mainly by parents. It was in the 1970s that the meaning of the term child abuse expanded to include not only physical harm of the child, but also sexual or emotional maltreatment by parents or caretakers since abuse does not have to be deliberate infliction, but can also take the form of omission to act resulting in neglect of the child's needs. The main concern pertains to what our communities consider as child abuse, for example in many community cases in the professional consensus in the United States it was a concern as to what constitutes abuse or neglect of a child. When analyzed on the basis of community research it was found that all agreed to consider a child with fractured bones from repeated beatings as 'abused', while a child who is not given the minimum amount of food, clothing, or attention necessary for survival or a young child left unfed in a room as neglected. There were various class perspectives on maltreatment which exist between the extreme cases of child abuse and neglect, however there is a wide range of situations on which there is often disagreement about what constitutes emotional or physical abuse. These vary according to class as poor class more moderately defines what is entailed in sexual or physical abuse. Child abuse possesses three main types and has been so deeply embedded in our society that most of us are not even aware of how it disrupts our social determinants of living standards. Traditional child rearing practices and inappropriate child maltreatment with lack of monetary, organizational and informational resources addresses the problem with greater cause. Verbal Child abuse Based on cruelty or unjustified punishment, verbal abuse entails direct enforcement of exposure to punishment or permitting of a child to suffer resulting in an unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering. Often called as emotional or psychological child abuse is the most common found in almost every class. Families usually neglect such mental or emotional suffering of their children and do not intend to report or view it as a serious issue, verbal abuse is not considered to be reported, but may be reported. Many families consider it

While conceptually sound, the practical realities are such that Essay

While conceptually sound, the practical realities are such that ecotourism remains a fundamentally flawed product. Discuss - Essay Example s a means of novelty to satisfy the hunger of hunger of the tourists with a view to growing awareness of the drastic environmental changes caused by global warming. But if the concept of ecotourism is compared with the ecotourism in reality, it appears, to a great extent, to be the manipulation of the consumerism of the industrial society to trap the foreign currency at home and abroad. Indeed it was initiated with the increasing concern about the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and ecology. But in order to mitigate the pressure of the scholars and the environmentalists regarding the harmful impacts of tourism on the environment, the concept of tourism ironically includes its ecological apparel that is supposed to grow the awareness of the tourists about the environmental change. Since then the concept of ecotourism is facing the dilemma of its true outline in reality, as in this regard Anja Touhino and Anne Hynoenen (2001: 1) say, â€Å"The tourism industry still feels that these definitions are unclear and that they confuse both consumers and tourism entrepreneurs. Terms related to ecotourism are often used without adequate definition and thus cause confusion, even in research† (Touhino & Hynoenen, 2001: 1). Various scholars have defined tourism in different ways. But all these definitions are stitched together with a common thread that appears to be approach of these definitions to nature and environment. The concept of ecotourism evolved in order to mitigate the negative impact mass tourism on Environment. Therefore the evolution of the concept of ecotourism is closely related to the definition of mass tourism and tourism in general. In this regard Fennel (2003: 30) says, â€Å"Ecotourism has grown as a consequence of the dissatisfaction with conventional forms of tourism†. For Fennell (2003: 16), â€Å"ecotourism is distinct from mass tourism and various other forms of AT [alternative tourism]†. In the beginning the most accepted definitions of

Abalytical Toxicology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Abalytical Toxicology - Essay Example This still remains a great challenge for analytical chemists and may rely on identification of different target compounds. In the case of precursor drug administration, the parent compounds are usually detectable only for a short time, before being fully metabolised or decomposed. For this reason parent compounds can rarely be used for differentiating. Specific metabolites are usually detectable for a much longer time. Their use as target compounds for differentiating has found little application however, since all metabolites are not extracted together with MA and AM and are additionally fully converted to AM or MA after a certain time post administration. Enantiomeric profiles for methamphetamine and/or amphetamine, metabolically formed from precursors have been described for some medicaments and have been used successfully for differentiating between illicit intake and intake of precursors. Thus a reliable method for the quantitative determination of AM/MA enantiomers is essential for differentiation (Kraemer and Mauer, 2002; Musshof, 2000). A great number of research efforts have focussed on the separation of AM/MA enantiomers particularly from urine or blood matrices. These have been extensively reviewed (e.g. Kraemer and Mauer, 1998; Musshof, 2000). The majority of the methods employed involved enantiomer separation by chromatography, either by HPLC or GC on chiral stationary phases,with or without prior derivatisation with achiral reagents, or by GC on achiral stationary phases, after derivatisation with chiral reagents to the corresponding diastereomers. Detection was commonly by MS to ensure high selectivity and sensitivity. In terms of sample treatment for analyte extraction and concentration, conventional liquid-liquid extraction protocols (Kraemer and Mauer, 1998), solid phase extraction (SPE) on cartridges (Peters et al., 2002) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME - Nagasawa et al., 1996) have been commonly applied. The proposed methods varied in terms of sensitivity, reliability, sample preparation times and analysis times and adaptability to high throughput format. The current trend in the determination of MA/AM enantiomers is towards the substitution of chiral GC/MS protocols by runs on achiral columns of MA/AM diastereomers. This is because MA/AM diastereomerisation has been shown in several cases to improve resolution, to shorten the retention times of analytes and to enhance the response of the detector, i.e. to improve sensitivity (Kraemer and Mauer, 1998; Peters et al., 2002). Furthermore achiral columns are commonly less expensive compared to chiral columns. Different chiral derivatisation reagents have been applied successfully in MA/AM diastereomerisation (Kraemer and Mauer, 1998; Musshof et al., 2002; Peters et al., 2002; Wang, 2005). Recent advances in the field involve a fast SPME-based approach, where absorption and derivatisation are accomplished in a single step by adding the derivatising chiral reagent directly into the urine sample matrix (Wang, 2005) and the application of automated headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction (SP DE) coupled with GC/MS, for the determination of amphetamines and synthetic designer drugs in hair samples (Musshof et al., 2002). The later technique is an innovative GC/MS approach to the enantiomeric determination of amphetamines and will be discussed further. Headspace SPDE constitutes an alternative extraction and concentration method for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds contained in liquid or gaseous samples. Headspace SPDE is a further development of headspace SPME. In fact, SPDE was developed

Int'l Quality Management System - TQM Project Research Paper

Int'l Quality Management System - TQM Project - Research Paper Example The head office and factory is situated in Arabian Desert, some kilometers away from Dubai International Airport. Its other branches are found in China, Sudan, Bangladesh, Iran and India. The company offers a complete solution with it diversification into tile adhesives and related products in a joint-venture with Laticrete International, Inc. USA, a joint-venture with German-based Kludi to manufacture a range to taps, faucets and accessories for sanitary ware products. RAK ceramics started its operation in Saudi Arabia because of the area’s largest market due to high living standards and a rising economy with brand-conscious people (Ryan,2000). The major shareholder of this company is its founder, Sheikh Saud Alquasimi, who is also the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. i) The company faces tough competition from national and regional players in most of the countries. Some of the competitors are Kajaria Ceramics, H&R Johnson India, Asian Granito India, Nitco Tiles and Somany Ceramics. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a philosophy of an organization in which it focuses on the core activities of the organization and ensures that the customer’s needs are satisfied. The key components of an organization are the quality and the reduction of waste. The organization implements the Total Quality management by starting at the top levels of the organization. This requires that the top management of the organization do not only embrace the concepts of TQM but also ensure satisfaction of the organizations customers (Charantimath,2011). The organization can ensure that the customers receive satisfaction through promoting the customer needs first. It is thus imperative that the organization implement the Total Quality Management for it to achieve its objectives. The implementation of the TQM is very significant in the organization in that after its implementation, the

Role of Media on African Americans Essay Example for Free

Role of Media on African Americans Essay There has always been a lot of discussion about the perception of African Americans in the media and how it affects their self-identity. It is easy to find examples of bias in portraying African Americans in the media. So what exactly is it that the media does to bring out these stereotypes, biases, and images that tend to stick with a lot of African Americans? The goal of this paper is to explore the different perceptions African Americans have gone through, how it has given them a sense of double consciousness on life, where the media image of African Americans that has stuck with them for so long can, and will go from here. According to the United States Census Bureau (2001), 12. 3% of all people reporting as one race reported they were â€Å"Black or African American†. This ethnic identity is now the second biggest minority group in the United States. It also refers to a group of people that has been in the United States for as long as it has existed. However, through the persecution of slavery, the austerity of segregation, and the continuing underlying prejudice, African Americans are still searching for their true identity. Look more:  the issues concerning identity theft essay Just as children that were adopted tend to long for a true identity most of their lives, so are the circumstances of the African American. Stolen from their homeland and forced into slavery in a new country, African Americans were basically victims of identity theft. Although a lot of progress has been made in the way of an American identity for African Americans, a true identity has not yet been found. According to W. E. B DuBois (1903) â€Å"The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self† (p.68). Many African Americans feel the same as W. E. B. Du Bois when he says, â€Å"After the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world – a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. † He also states, â€Å"One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro, two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled arrives; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. † A quick look at American history makes it easy to understand where this split identity stems from because Du Bois claims that African Americans were always forced to see things through â€Å"white† eyes only and not have a vision of their own. In an effort to rephrase Du Bois’ comment above, the terminology of â€Å"twoness† is really him trying to define double consciousness as a few different things: 1 the power that white stereotypes have on African American’s lives and also having that internal conflict between labeling themselves as African and American simultaneously. 2 it is a sense of awareness of one’s self along with the awareness of how others may perceive one. This in turn leads to conforming based on level of power, which is basically what occurred. PBS’ African American World Timeline (2004) says that there is a large history of not granting African Americans an identity. Before 1787, of course, African Americans were slaves and only thought of as property. In 1787 the U. S. Constitution was approved. It allowed for the continuation of the slave trade for another 20 years and claimed that a slave counted as three-fifths of a man for representation by the government. In 1865 some progress was gained when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, outlawing slavery and creating a Freedmen’s Bureau to help out former slaves. Also in 1865 Union General, William Sherman issued a field order setting up 40-acre plots of land in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida for African Americans to settle. But, in 1866, some all-white legislatures in the former Confederate states passed what were known as, â€Å"Black Codes† harshly cutting the freedom of African Americans and practically re-enslaving them. Since that time there has been some progression and also some difficulty for African Americans. Based on the history of the United States’ treatment of African Americans, it is easy to understand how they could struggle for their true identity. James Jones (1991) might say it best when he states, â€Å"Black personality is in part an adaptation to the political contours of racism. The conflict between the freedoms and rights of United States citizens is connected to the denial of freedom and rights that is the history of the African American presence in this country. If we view personality as the resultant of coping pattern and socialization directives, then black personality is, in part, the cumulative representation of the effects of racism over four centuries. It reflects over time, the effects of the form and structure racism takes, and comes to signal the nature of race relations at any point in time (p. 305). † This would lead to accepting of the fact that African Americans do, of course, have an identity, but a lot of the time it is dependent on the identity of White race at that time. Alain Locke (1925) explains the upward moving and upbeat side of African American identity: â€Å"In the last decade something beyond the watch and guard of statistics has happened in the life of the American Negro and the three norms who have traditionally presided over the Negro problem have a changeling in their laps. The Sociologist, The Philanthropist, the Race-leader are not unaware of the New Negro but they are at a loss to account for him. He simply cannot be swathed in their formulae. For the younger generation is vibrant with a new psychology; the new spirit is awake in the masses, and under the very eyes of the professional observers is transforming what has been a perennial problem into the progressive phases of contemporary Negro life. Could such a metamorphosis have taken place as suddenly as it has appeared to? The answer is no, not because the New Negro is not here, but because the Old Negro had long become more of a myth than a man. The Old Negro, we must remember, was a creature of moral debate and historical controversy. His has been a stock figure perpetuated as a historical fiction partly in innocent sentimentalism, partly in deliberate reactions. The Negro himself has contributed his share to this through a sort of protective social mimicry forced upon him by the adverse circumstances of dependence. So for generations in the mind of America, the Negro has been more of a formula than a human being a something to be argued about, condemned or defended, to be kept down, or in his place, or helped up, to be worried with or worried over, harassed or patronized, a social bogey or a social burden. The thinking Negro even has been induced to share this same general attitude, to focus his attention on controversial issues, to see himself, in the distorted perspective of a social problem. His shadow, so to speak, has been more real to him than his personality. Through having had to appeal from the unjust stereotypes of his oppressors and Traducers to those of his liberators, friends and benefactors he has subscribed to the traditional positions from which his case has been viewed. Little true social or self-understanding has or could come from such a situation†¦ †¦Until recently, lacking self-understanding, we have been almost as much of a problem to ourselves as we still are to others. But the decade that found us with a problem has left us with only a task. The multitude perhaps feels as yet only a strange relief and a new vague urge, but the thinking few know that in the reaction the vital inner grip of prejudice has been broken. It does not follow that if the Negro were better known he would be better liked or better treated. But mutual understanding is basic for any subsequent cooperation and adjustment. The effort toward this will at least have the effect of remedying in large part what has been the most unsatisfactory feature of our present stage of race relationships in America, namely the fact that the more intelligent and representative elements of the two race groups have at so many points got quite out of vital touch with one another (p. 631). † Even in the premier times of African American identity there were still questions to be answered. Now those questions lead to progressive thinking like Locke’s, â€Å"middle of the road† thinking and â€Å"extremist† thinking. An example of the term â€Å"middle-of-the-road† thinking can be seen in a post by Malcolm Frierson (2004) to a discussion board using the topic of what label to give African Americans. He says: â€Å"It is the right of the individual to be self-defining. Black is a color, not a term for a race of people in this millennium. The word was made beautiful and strong in the 60s and beyond for obvious reasons. That effort was admirable and effective, but now fairly done. It is time to move forward. † The term African American linguistically puts the race on more comfortable ground. It doesn’t seem right or fair to look at four men and call one Italian, one Native American, one Chinese, and the other black. â€Å"Whites† dont seem to have this concern obviously because they sit at the top of this name issue. The whole system was constructed to glorify the â€Å"whites† (the imperialists) and belittle the â€Å"blacks (the subjects). † Also, many whites and blacks together, beg for an end to this issue because they claim, were all Americans. But if we are actually honest with each other, nobody while in contemporary American society, when asked for their race or ethnicity, will never be able to simply label them self as simply â€Å"American. † There will always have to be a distinguishing label put upon everyone. Why is it that blacks have to go through this labeling issue more than any other American subgroup? Asian Americans, Italian Americans, and Filipino Americans often become Asians, Italians, and simply Filipino without ridicule or persecution (Asians further become Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, and others). A possible answer to this would be that we all identify with our most dominant ancestral line or native country – German, Spanish, Portuguese, Jamaican, what have you. It should come before the understood American part. But again, we should respect an individuals rights to be self-defining. One black problem could be that a lot of people really havent been to Africa and are in a sense kind of ashamed about or tend to disregard that fact possibly feeling a sense of ignorance in that area. The term African should be proudly used along with the term American just as other foreign groups use their places of origin along with their American status. Unfortunately this viewpoint is just a common middle-ground between the two poles. The other pole is a belief best supported by the All African People’s Revolutionary Party. They say, â€Å"African People born and living in over 113 countries around the world are [one group of] people, with one identity, one history, one culture, one nation and one destiny. We have one common enemy. We suffer from disunity, disorganization and ideological confusion. And we have only one scientific and correct solution, Pan-Africanism: the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism. They feel that African people that have been born or are living outside of Africa are intentionally kept from the knowledge of Africa and her achievements through European capitalism. They also feel that people inside of Africa are tricked into living in separate countries because of the â€Å"divide and rule† tactic used by Europeans which basically means it forces large concentrations of power (people) into smaller units of power to constrain them from gaining more power as the larger unit. It is this pole that receives the most voice in the media and also probably this pole which leads to the bias media outlets against African Americans. Perhaps the earliest example of media bias against African Americans, whether intentional or not, came from 19th Century naturalists that divided mankind into Caucasians, Mongolians, Malayans, Ethiopians and (native) American races. The Caucasians were defined as wise, the Mongolians crafty, and the Ethiopians/negro unintelligent. This bias is blunt and disrespectful, but possibly not hateful in intent back in the day. Today our media comes from less than ten gigantic media conglomerates in the United States. Salim Muwakkil (1999) mentions that, â€Å"Virtually all of our information, our cultural narratives, and our global images derive from institutions whose major goal is to pay handsome dividends to stockholders (p. 2). † Which in other words the media doesn’t really care what they say even if it sounds hateful. If it sells and gets publicity, it’s a hit. He also points out that black-owned media operations are becoming increasingly rare as much larger corporations continue to buy out more places and more property. Muwakkil’s fear is that the mainstream will continue to alter the image of African Americans without challenge to the point that their â€Å"anti-black† tendencies will be encouraged and sustained. Muwakkil makes a very strong point when he states the Kerner Commission’s findings: â€Å"The Kerner Commission (formally known as the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders), which was charged with finding the reasons for the long-hot-summer rebellions, had concluded that the United States was headed dangerously toward ‘two societies, one black, and one white, separate and unequal. ’ It blamed the urban unrest on persistent racial discrimination and a historical legacy of disadvantage, but it also singled out the nations news media for censure. The media treated African Americans as invisible, the commission concluded, and failed to communicate to white audiences a feeling for the difficulties and frustrations of being a Negro in the United States (p. 1). † In the book, The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki (2000) point out some surprising statistics from studies done on American television. While Black actors are now more frequently appearing in films, its a debatable question as to how well theyre being represented. In the top movies of 1996 representation of African American Females and Caucasian females was drastically different where statistics from differences in using profanity, to physical violence were very often a difference of 70% or more between the 2 races with African Americans being in the higher percentage of the two for those certain areas. Television ads now show, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance pertaining to African Americans. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the majority of television ads, but as opposed to Whites, they rarely even touch each other, expressing a slight message assuming that Black skin would be taboo. A ranking of racial preference is implanted within the casting of commercials. Network news also tends to place a â€Å"ghetto† label or more urban image on African Americans. Increasingly, African Americans appear mostly in crime, sports and entertainment stories. Rarely are Blacks shown making an important contribution to the serious business of the nation. The exception of blacks rarely being shown in a positive fashion contributing to the nation would be President Obama, which will hopefully turn the stage for this image stereotype. Unfortunately however, that negative image is not the only blunt indication of a media stereotype. It is noticed by a lot of different people that African American athletes tend to receive a bad representation by the media, pointing out that when they get into any level of trouble, it is reported significantly more and also perceived in a much different way than when White athletes behave in the same manner or worse. It also is sometimes apparent that sportscasters tend to point out solely the athletic abilities of African American athletes in contrast to their tendency to point out the intelligence and savvy of White athletes. It is a known stereotype for quarterbacks on football teams for example, people perceive this position to demand a much more mental capacity and take a much more conscious effort as opposed to other positions on the team. Therefore the stereotype has often been viewed as teams primarily consisting of white quarterbacks. This tends to lead people to believe that black athletes achieve greatness by some coincidence or by simply their natural physical makeup instead of just assuming they are talented and hard working. There are several more examples of media bias against African Americans and there are far too many to speak on individually. Ultimately the point that is trying to be made is that there is a high level of publicity and strong case for media bias against African Americans. Any actor or famous person for that matter will almost always tell you that no publicity means bad publicity. It is logical then, to see the media (whether its biased or not) as a great tool for providing a voice to the African American community. It is also logical to say that a more biased media representation gives African Americans more publicity as Americans simply love bad press because â€Å"dirt† on other people sells, and the media has never cared about ones feelings if it means for them to make money. Ultimately, where I see this issue going from here has everything to do with President Obama. With the world-wide publicity he received for his changing of history for our country, I really feel this will open up many doors into the media for African Americans to have their voice, and create and defend a sense of identity that is much more positive than any other that has been labeled upon them. Obama is the best thing that has happened to African American media and just them as humans because he is what America needs to not only fix the economic and other issues in this country but most importantly bring the people of different colors together even closer than ever before to becoming one country where everyone is separate in color, but equal in representation and voice. Works Cited Du Bois, W. E. B. The Souls of Black Folk. Chicago: A. C. McClurg Co. ; [Cambridge]:University Press John Wilson and Son, Cambridge, U. S. A., 1903; Bartleby. com,1999. P. 68. Entman, R. M. and Andrew R.. (2000). The Black Image in the White Mind: Media andRace in America. University of Chicago Press. Frierson, M. (2004) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 10, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Fudjud, D. (2003) Black, black, or African American? Feedback Poynter OnlineRetrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. poynter. org/article_feedback/article_feedback_list. asp? id=51320 Jones, J. (1991). The Politics of Personality: Being Black in America. In ReginaldJones (ed. ) Black Psychology 3rd Edition, 305-318. Locke, A. (1925) Enter the New Negro. A hypermedia edition of the March 1925 SurveyGraphic Harlem Number Retrieved May 12, 2009 fromhttp://etext. lib. virginia. edu/harlem/LocEnteF. html Muwakkil, S. (1999). Corporate Media, Alternative Press, and African Americans Media Alliance, Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://mediaalliance2. live. radicaldesigns. org/article. php? id=535 PBS. (2002) African American World Timeline. Retrieved May 11, 2009 fromhttp://www. pbs. org/wnet/aaworld/timeline/early_01. html U. S. Census Bureau (2001) Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin. Census 2000Website Retrieved May 11, 2009 from http://factfinder. census. gov/servlet/ThematicMapFramesetServlet? _bm=y-geo_id=01000US-tm_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_M00628-ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_G00_-_MapEvent=displayBy-_dBy=040. Woods, K. M. (1995) An Essay on a Wickedly Powerful Word Poynter Online RetrievedMay 11, 2009 from http://www. poynter. org/content/content_view. asp? id=5603.

Training for improving service quality at Honda Essay Example for Free

Training for improving service quality at Honda Essay This case is about Honda American Motor Company which tries to improve quality due to blended learning approach. They split it in three different phase. 1. Phase one: The first phase takes place online. For two to three weeks, learners access a series of online modules that introduce the logical processes for effective problem solving and decision making. Learner progress is essentially self-paced, but since the content is driven from a Web server, the instructor can follow the progress of each learner and provide on-going encouragement and support. During phase one, learners are also asked to identify situations to which they intend to apply the techniques so they can focus on these situations when they attend the workshop. This powerful combination of initial learning and preparation for applying the concepts to real-life issues ensures the following phase will not only be efficient but also build deep understanding and significant motivation to use the ideas on the job after training. 2. Phase two: The second phase takes place at the workshop. Guided by the instructor, learners spend two days deepening their understanding of the concepts, discussing best practices and additional techniques for problem solving and decision making, and practicing on detailed case scenarios. Since skill transfer and results occur most rapidly when starting with the learner’s on-the-job issues, a significant portion of the session is spent working on the problems, decisions and plans identified in phase one. Simultaneously, learners receive coaching and feedback from the instructor and one another. Learners leave the session ready to fully apply the concepts and with a plan in hand to move successfully from the workshop to consistent use of the concepts back on the job. 3. Phase three: The final phase takes place back online. In the three weeks following the session, learners resolve the on-the-job issues they began to work on during the workshop. They document for instructor review, feedback and approval the specific techniques they used to resolve the issues. During phase three, learners have access to a host of online support tools and information. They can contact the instructor with questions at any time. The goal of this phase is to ensure use of the learned concepts and build  confidence. Advantages of Honda’s blended learning approach Quality of individual output is improved. Employees have the same way of thinking and working - Makes it easier to work with manager and all the co-workers. Deep understanding and strong motivation from the employees Personalized support Reduce their time away from the job Take advantages of expanding technology capabilities and infrastructure Assure tangible transfer of skills Format which best support the overall emphasis on growth and quality Questions After the presentation of our case some questions have been asked by the students of the class. We have discussed about them and tried to bring some explanations. There were different kinds of questions. The first kind was about the learning model itself. The main questions were the followings: 1. How can you measure the quality improvements? Overall and in figures? 2. Is the learning time too short? 3. Can you find in the library some video clips? 4. Is it not to theoretical this learning system? For the first one we think that it is really difficult to measure in term of figure this kind of program. Indeed it is not a small part of Honda’s employees that are training but the whole company. In addition it is not a program for the short term but for the long term. The global quality of Hondo production will increase due to the learning program that means that the customers will be more satisfy. In the long run they will come back to the company to buy their next car. It will take years to quantify the real impact on the turnover. However it is possible to conduct some survey to the customer to know if they think that the quality has improved. The company  can also check if the time to make a car decrease or if there are less failure with the production. For the second one we do not think that the learning time is too short. 6 weeks is enough for this time of training. Moreover it is not because you have done it one time that you cannot do it anymore in the future. With a short training you can be focused on the main point and do not lose time on secondary information that the employee will never use. For the third one we do not know if it is already available on the intranet of Honda. But it can be a really good idea if it does not exist yet. People prefer to watch somebody explaining something (and see how it is working) than only read it in a book. The last one if one of the most important question for this kind of program where you mix theoretical and manual learning. Where is the border between too much of one or the other? At the first view it seems that two days of practice is not enough. However when the employee start is manual formation he has already learned lots of information. So the trainer will not lose lots of time to explain easy and obvious things but can be directly focus on the main important information that the trainee must learn. The second kind of question was more about the employees and their interaction with the learning program. The following questions have been asked to us: 1. How can you motivate the employees, with which kinds of incentives? 2. What about the learners who are not ready after phase 2? 3. What are the interactions among the employees? By participating into an important process in order to improve the quality of their company, the worker feels involved and useful. Indeed, its not sufficient for the most part. Regarding to the low wages that the workers can perceived, a money incentive can be a real motivation to make them want to learn. Moreover, they can motivate them by establishing in the company policy, a rule that explain that if the worker is efficient and provides good work quickly, he can whether be promoted or get bonus in the end of each month. The answer of the second question is quite simple. Indeed, the instructors  can easily evaluate the learners by watching him doing the job. If the learner applies the method perfectly, the instructor will give him the permission to go to the next phase. Otherwise, according to his level of difficulties, the instructor will send him either in the first phase or remake the second phase. Employees interact each other every time (within the company, lunch breaks), but also on the intranet through forums or instant messages. Thus, they can talk easily about working problems, or for instance, share tips and solutions about technical problems. Every single solution is directly saved into the database. Lot of communication channels allows workers to interact easily each other. How does Honda doing compare to its competitors? First of all it is a really complex process to compare sales and figures with quality management. As we learned during the lecture there is no guaranteed effect between sales of products, Stock price progress and quality. Therefore it is even challenging for Managers to analyze the effects of quality improvements. In ours point of view there is one obvious point how to compare it. The annual recalls of Cars. Toyota US 2013 (Toyota US, 2014 Reuters, 2014) Cars Sold: 182’152 Cars Recall â€Å"Nearly 19 million vehicles globally from late 2009 to early 2011 due to unintended acceleration claims.† Honda US 2013 (IBT, 2014 Reuters, 2014) Cars Sold: 135’255 Cars Recall â€Å"Between 2008 and 2011, Honda was forced to recall about 2.8 million vehicles after finding a defect with driver-side airbags supplied by Takata.†  « Honda (2.8 million), Hyundai-Kia (2.2 million) and Ford Motor Co. (1.2 million) rounded out the top five in terms of vehicles recalled in 2013.  » Conclusion To conclude, this system of training in three phases has many advantages. It permits to all employees to feel involved in it because it is not only a theoretical learning system, to have a personalized support and a control at each phase permit to really evaluate their progression. Furthermore this system of training allows them to reduce their time away from their job. We have analysed some questions about this system such as the measurement of the quality improvement because we can’t really quantify the real impact on the turnover now. The project is on the long term and it will take some few years to measure the satisfaction of the customer, if they will buy another car of this brand or not. The other questions were about employees and their interaction with the program. The money is not the only motivation for employees; they are also motivated by the self-satisfaction (increase their knowledge, promotion, or belong to a company of quality). This program permits the skills transfer also, to discuss of problems on the intranet (forums) Despite some â€Å"issues† such as measuring the efficiency right now of this system or the non-guarantee of effect between sales of product, stock price progress and quality; Honda is the company with the lowest annual recalls of cars. Bibliography IBT http://www.ibtimes.com/here-are-december-2013-big-eight-us-auto-sales-numbers-gm-ford-chrysler-toyota-honda-nissan-1525492, 16.04.2014 Reuters http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/11/us-toyota-recall-idUSBRE93A04D20130411, 16.04.2014 Toyota US http://toyotanews.pressroom.toyota.com/releases/tms+march+2014+sales+chart.htm, 16.04.2014

The Importance Of Performance Assessment Education Essay

The Importance Of Performance Assessment Education Essay Introduction Assessment had undergone a major shift from that as a measure of students performance in pencil and paper test to assessing a broader area that does not only include students knowledge and understanding but also essential skills. These skills for instance, communication, problem solving, investigation and even thinking skills are few of the intended abilities that are required for teachers to instil in their teaching. These are also one of the aims of the Ministry of Education in the new education system, SPN 21. In Brunei itself, the secondary schools have begun to implement such task in their curriculum. Brunei Common Assessment Task or better known as BCAT has started in the year 2011. Students are assessed base on their performance on the task by using rubric which comprised of three assessed dimensions. The first dimension is knowledge and understanding while the second dimension includes thinking skill, problem solving and investigation skill and the last one is communication skill. The Importance of Performance Assessment Performance assessment, also known as alternative or authentic assessment, is a form of testing that requires students to perform a task rather than select an answer from a ready-made list. It is designed to provide a more complete picture of student achievement in a particular area (Sweet, 1993). In other words, students are assessed through observing their performances and examining the products they have produced throughout the lesson. The purpose of performance assessment is to evaluate the actual process of doing an object of learning. Students are expected to be able to apply knowledge learnt in class to solve problems in the task. Apart from that, students may need to use their thinking skill in order to complete the task. Teachers as evaluators will be able to judge the quality of their students abilities, witness their students progress and facilitate them to a higher level of conceptual and procedural knowledge (Slater, n.d.) during which the task is conducted. Tasks that are meaningful may enhance students interest towards mathematics learning as they could make sense of what they learnt while performing (Ng, Koh, Kelly Yue, 2009). With further understanding on the tasks, students will be able to apply mathematical concepts learnt in real life context (Goldman Hasselbring, 1997; Lim, Tan Wei Lin, 2011). Not only that by giving performance assessment tasks students are well guided on their level of achievement as they get immediate feedback based from the rubric assessed by their teachers. Self and peer assessment are also encouraged in order to acknowledge their level of competencies in that particular topic. The importance of performance task does not focus on the students only. Teachers also benefit from implementing such tasks in their teaching. Different topics could be integrated into one performance task, thus teachers need not to give up certain topics or favourite activities in their classroom and time would be managed efficiently. This kind of integration along with traditional testing would give a comprehensive picture of students performance. The aforementioned was suggested by Hibbard, Wagenen, Lewbebel et al. (1996) whereby traditional testing should be simultaneously working with the performance task in order to produce a better way to deliver the curriculum (Figure 1). http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/images/publications/books/hibbard1996_fig1.gif Figure 1. Students literacy. Students Difficulty in Learning and Understanding on Fractions The topic being assessed was on fractions in real life. Fraction is considered one of the most difficult topics encountered by students. Many studies had reported of its difficulties where students struggled in understanding the concept on fractions. Suffolk and Clements (2003) studied students in Form 1 and Form 2 from 27 secondary schools in Brunei had found out that many students were experiencing serious difficulties with elementary fractions tasks. Another study by Zurina (2003) involving Form 4 (N-Level) students discovered that students had very poor knowledge and understanding of fractions and decimals. The major contributing factors were that teacher spent large amount of time on preparing students for high-stake examination, therefore the traditional drill and practice method was mostly employed by teachers. She further commented that teaching and assessment methods were not generating towards the desired quality of the students. Description of the Task The task comprised of six questions with the first four related to each other. The next two questions are the application problems which are quite similar to the first four (refer to Appendix A). Question 1 until 4 assesses the students knowledge and understanding of their concept on fractions. These include the interpretation of fraction and understanding the key word which is remaining and remainder. Meanwhile Question 5 and 6 are the application of operation in fraction to solve problems, through which the thinking skills, problem solving and investigation, and communication skills are assessed (refer to Appendix B for rubrics). Each dimension were given a score from 1 to 5 depending on the different criteria as stated in Appendix B. Lesson plan for carrying out the task was designed prior the class (refer to Appendix C). Class Observation The task was conducted on the 27th September 2012 in an all girls school in Brunei Darussalam. It was intended for Year 7 students and the topic being assessed was on Fraction in Real Life. There were 22 students involved in this study with an average mathematical ability. The duration of the study followed the mathematics period which was 50 minutes. The session started with a brief review on the topic specifically on the four operations of fractions. After 5 minutes, the task sheets were distributed to the students including the rubrics. Students were given an explanation of what they should do for the task and what was expected according to the rubric. Students were asked to work together in a pair and the use of calculators was allowed. Teachers involved were making rounds while giving help when necessary to the students throughout the lesson. During the lesson, most of the students were working on their task with few of the students did not communicate with their partners. It could be observed that few students were struggling in understanding the first question. These students managed to shade the boxes with their colour pencils. However, they did not label their shadings as they were instructed in the question. Furthermore, students were found having difficulty to proceed to the next question. Since the second question was asking the students to shade three-eighths of the remainder, few students had shaded three boxes on their diagram. More problems arose as they moved on to the next question where students were found to shade ten boxes rather than four, which was the actual answer. As for the fourth question, since they got it wrong from the second and the third question, their final solution was also incorrect. Questions 5 and 6 were the application problems. Students need to understand the problems and think before they could proceed. The first part of the question was an easy and straight forward question which a lot of the students managed to answer. Whereas the second part of Question 5 was difficult for students to solve even though it was a similar problem to those in Questions 1 to 4. Question 6 was the least answered by the students during the lesson. Results and Discussions Table 1 Mean Scores for Each Dimensions Knowledge and Understanding Thinking Skills, Problem Solving and Investigations Communication Skills 3.59 1.77 1.68 From the analysis of the rubrics, it was found that the mean score for each dimension were as shown in Table 1 above. Based from the results, most students were able to show correct fraction diagrams in Question 1, 2 and 3. This showed that the students had basic knowledge on fractions but little on understanding the problem. Meanwhile, students only managed to apply a strategy and obtain incomplete solutions to both application problems which indicated that they were unable to reach the standard intended for their level. This further affected their communication skills by which they were unable to illustrate and reason their solutions. From the observations, teachers found out that there was a slight improvement throughout the lesson for knowledge and understanding dimension only. This was because the students spent more time trying out Questions 2 and 3 compared to the rest of the questions, a reason why Question 6 was the least answered. This was also the reason why the teachers involved were unable to rate the students on the other two dimensions during the lesson conducted.. Analysing at each question, all the students had no problem with attempting Question 1. However, students were having difficulty in finding the right number of squares to be shaded in Question 2 and 3. This was mainly due to the misunderstanding of the word remaining in the question. Students were using the original number of squares to find the number of squares to be shaded in Questions 2 and 3. This led to their inability to find the correct response for Question 4. With regards to Questions 5 and 6, students were also having similar problem of understanding the word remaining and remainder as posted in the previous questions. This brought an impact towards the overall performance of the students for these two application questions. Few tried the questions but were unsuccessful in getting the correct answers, others left it unattempted. Reflection and Conclusion From the above discussion, it could be concluded that overall the lesson ran smoothly and only the first objective was achieved as indicated from the mean scores of the rubric. Students were found to be quite engaged in the activity. Students thinking could be observed through their working and when they asked questions clarifying their difficulties. However less communication with their partner could be observed during the lesson. Low students interaction resulted in different scores achieved by few groups. Apart from that, students were seen more focused on finishing the first task rather than the application problems. Perhaps, this is because the first activity targeted on the basic understanding on fractions in real life and students assumed that the questions were easy since diagrams were provided. Feedback from the students was asked towards the end of the lesson where commonly they claimed that the tasks were overly difficult. This kind of response had shown that the students who participated in this task were not exposed to this kind of assessment approach. It was also found from the above analysis that there were few limitations on the task. Firstly, difficulty in rating students scores was encountered. This is because few of them had left their task unanswered and the rubric designed had specified one mark for no attempt in the third dimension, the communication skill. This had shown that the rubric itself was lacking of fairness. This should be modified in the future if one would implement the task in their class. Secondly, a proper classroom observation checklist which assesses other attributes apart from what the rubrics had specified should have been developed. At least, from this checklist, a wider perspective such as students interaction with their peers and also with the teachers involved could be further evaluated. Finally, as discussed before, the tasks only concentrate on a key word remaining which is a confusing concept to the students. This can be modified by adding different concept rather than focusing on just one.

Wind Energy Essay -- Power Renewable Resource Global Warming

Wind Energy â€Å"Take care, your worship; those things over there are not giants but windmills.† -Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes I. Abstract: Wind energy has many pros and cons, and thus is subject to much scrutiny as a viable energy source. A fundamental qualification for wind power is the ability to support the vast industries and the enterprises of the 6.3 billion people that inhabit this planet. In addition, wind power must be able to meet the needs of the Earth’s population in a renewable, reliable, and responsible manner. In the following paper, wind energy will be evaluated based on its energy/cost efficiency, possible environmental ramifications, its practicality and the various countries already implementing it, the logistics of installing and maintaining the turbines, and finally any possible improvements that loom in the future. II. Historical Background: Since the dawn of time, man has relied upon wind to run his creations, most notably windmills and boats. In fact, the first wind-driven machines were implemented in Persia as early as 200 B.C. However, in the last decade, wind power has come to the forefront in the race to unearth alternate energy sources. America and the world as a whole have relied upon non-renewable sources of energy for decades. In previous years, the search for renewable energy had been relegated to the backburner, lying dormant as the oil market boomed. However, the use of fossil fuels has been embroiled in many environmental issues, not to mention political and economical ones. However, rising oil prices and the questionable security of America’s oil sources has led to a new clarion call for clean, efficient energy. Proponents of wind power argue that it is clean, resp... ...onic, tulip encircled windmills of Holland with new, ultra-modern designs. The thatched roofs and the wooden frames have been replaced with steel that is strong yet still light. Indeed, if Don Quixote attempted to charge these windmills, he would be in for quite a surprise. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/docs/documents/1214/wind-velocity-diagram.png CALCULATIONS The basic equation P = 0.5Av3 details the maximum power produced by wind blowing through a certain cross sectional area (A) where v=velocity, Ï =density of air, and P=Power. P = 1/2 Ï  A v3 P = power (W) Ï  = density of air (kg/m3) (At sea level and at 20  °C, air has a density of approximately 1.2 kg/m3). A = cross sectional area (m2) v = wind velocity (m/s) NOTE: Density of air is directly proportional to density and altitude. Thus as temperature and altitude decrease, air density decreases as well.

Alexander The Great Essay -- essays research papers

Alexander the Great is, arguably, the most famous secular figure in history. His magnetism in life was rivaled only by his magnetism in death, and the story of his career has evoked vastly different interpretations in his age and ours. Young romantic hero or megalomaniac villain? Alexander III of Macedon conquered all who stood before him, but usually in order to free the lower class. He did more to spread the Hellenistic culture than anyone before or after him. My credibility comes from much studying of his lifestyle, and analysis of many contradicting biographies. With this speech, I hope to display to you most of his feats and battles, as well as the vast quantity of folklore that surrounds his life. Alexander, was born on or around July 20, 356 BCE, in Pella. The exact date may have been created after the fact to match the date of the burning of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. His parents were Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, who descended from Gods according to myth. At 13, Aristotle was hired to tutor Alexander. Under Aristotle, Alexander learned philosophy, ethics, politics, and healing. The two later became estranged, due to their difference of opinion on the status of foreginers; Aristotle saw them as barbarians, while Alexander sought to merge Macedonians and foreigners. Tale of Bucephalus: At 14 Alexander surprised all including his father by mounting an untamable horse named Bucephalus. Alexander would later name a city after the site where his horse died in battle. 340 BC: Philip II traveled to Byzantium to battle rebels, leaving 16yr old Alexander in charge as Prince Regent. While away, the Maedi, a north Macedonia tribe, revolted. Alexander traveled there, put down the revolt, captured the city and renamed it Alexandropolis. At the age of 19, Philip II was assassinated. Alexander was a boy king. Cities like Athens and Thebes had pledged allegiance to Philip II, but were not sure if they wanted to do the same for a 19 year old boy. On top of that, barbarians to the north threatened to invade. Alexander drove the barbarians north of the Danube, then focused on Thebes. He marched to the city, and offered them one final chance to obey him. They refused, and he went on to march into the city and kill nearly everyone. Athens later decided to align with Alexander. 334 BC: Alexander travels to Asia Minor. He begins freeing ... ... they took the long way home, with random stops for Alexander to either conquer or debate Indian philosophers. At one of these stops, a fierce tribe, the Malli, wounded him in the ribcage severely. In 324 B.C.E., Alexander furthered his mission to assimilate Macedonian and Persian cultures when he arranged thousands of marriages between the Greek soldiers and Persian women in Susa. Alexander himself took a second wife, Stateira, one of Darius' daughters. The next year, Alexander traveled with his men to Babylon despite numerous threatening omens. The omens were so frequent and ominous that Alexander feared that he had fallen out of favor with the gods. He died of a fever on June 10, 323 BC. Though Alexander died suddenly, and at the age of 33, he left behind a tremendous legacy. Alexander spread the Hellenistic culture far and wide, providing the backbone for culture in the western hemisphere as we know it today. He paved the way for Christianity as well. From the fulfillment of the Gordian knot legend, to the dignified way he conquered countries, Alexander the Great ensured his place in history as one of, if not the greatest ruler of all time.

A Reexamination of the War in Kosovo Essay

The Clinton Administration, along with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), was not completely effective in both identifying the concrete objectives relating to the Kosovo conflict and applying the military resources that were available to resolve that conflict. There are many reasons for this behind this inefficiency. First, there was the general reluctance to get involved in the conflict, for more or less political reasons. Second, there was the constant infighting and territorial battles being waged within the military structure. Third, there was the heavy need to manage media perception, which was perhaps absent in past wars. Lastly, there was the weakness of the military capability itself, most especially in terms of fighting a war under different weather conditions. The Four Factors The first factor that hampered the efficient execution of the war in Kosovo was the general reluctance of American leaders, both civilian and military, to get involved in the first place. There was a widespread feeling that it was not the time for America to be intervening actively in the affairs of a relatively small and unimportant state in Eastern Europe. After all, what was there to be gained by implementing interventionist policies there? Back then, as now, the focus of many political and military planners was Israel and the Middle East, the hotbed of the world; perpetually in crisis. But there was at least a solid rationale for that preoccupation – the Middle East was by far the largest supplier of oil in the world, and stability there was important to the energy supply and thus the overall growth of the U. S. economy. But what was to be gained in Kosovo, especially since much risk was to be undertaken in terms of the country’s resources, as well as its prestige? American had failed to intervene in Rwanda and had been forced to a humiliating retreat in Somalia, and those bitter memories were still fresh in the minds of most Americans. In the Rwandan genocide, America drew heavy criticism from its allies and the world at large for its inaction; in Somalia, America drew derision for its decision to pull out prematurely. Both the political and military establishments suffered from these events, and they understandably wanted to avoid a similar occurrence from happening again. Getting involved in war in which there seemed so little to gain was anathema to many leaders at the time. The constant infighting within the American military and within NATO was the second factor that hampered the Kosovo operations. General Clark detailed many examples of his daily battles with his civilian superiors, as well as his peers from within the military establishment. These incidents, quite obviously, detracted from the efficiency of the operations themselves. For instance, the example of how the some senior staff generals with political access prevented the effective use of Apache helicopters provides a sickening image of how generals on the ground can be obstructed by those who wield political power. The constant fear that other conflicts might erupt in the Persian Gulf and the Korean Peninsula was also an albatross that hung heavily over the collective necks of those involved in the Kosovo war. Allowing these fears to detract from the efficient prosecution of the war could have led to disaster under certain circumstances. The lack of cooperation was not limited to within the American military itself, but in NATO as well. Commanders of other nations were known to disobey Clark’s commands if these orders were interpreted as not being conducive to their respective strategic national interests. Yet, in a way, this was the least of Clark’s problems, for the other allied nations played a lesser role in the conflict in comparison with the U. S. , with the possible exception of Great Britain. It was the problems caused by infighting within the army, as well as disagreements with Washington, that made General Clark’s tenure as SACEUR truly difficult. This perhaps can be attributed to the reality that political objectives and military objectives are rarely one and the same, and the fact that military leaders at the highest levels are rarely apolitical. The greater role played by the media in American wars was also in full-display during the Kosovo conflict. Ever since the Vietnam War, the U. S. had shown a marked distaste for any number of war casualties (This had driven its research into unmanned and â€Å"smart† technologies. ) So much so, in fact, that the enemies of America had long viewed this is as the primary weakness of the nation’s military power. Indeed, this weakness has provided the most basic strategy of terrorist organizations today. They know for a fact that in terms of raw military strength, they are inferior to the United States. Thus, if they ever come under direct attack by the U. S. , their chances of victory are slim. But if they can inflict just enough casualties (usually through guerilla tactics) and have it broadcast over the broadcast media in dramatic fashion, then public opinion might force U. S. forces to withdraw, as was the case in Vietnam. It was under this same hope that Saddam Hussein stood defiant against the United States in the last Iraq War. Lastly, there was the weakness within the military itself, especially in terms of being an all-terrain, all-weather capable fighting force. Many instances within the book and numerous statements made by General Clark point to the fact that the U. S. military is by no means an effective, â€Å"all-weather conditions† army. In fact, it seems as if the attainment of this goal is still a long way off, as has perhaps been underscored more recently by some of the maintenance problems encountered in Iraq. Also, high levels of weapon technology have brought with them their own special set of problems, which could not have been foreseen but nevertheless need to be addressed as soon as possible. These include, among others, the gathering and timely application of intelligence in order to use these weapons to their maximum effect. A lack of cross-understanding between the various military units also contributes to military weakness. In his concluding remarks in Waging Modern War, General Clark says this: In Kosovo my commanders and I found that we lacked the detailed prompt information to campaign effectively against the Serb ground forces. Most of the technologies we had been promoting since the Gulf War were still immature, unable to deal with the vagaries of weather, vegetation, and urban areas, or the limitations of bandwidth and airspace. The discrete service programs didn’t always fit together technically†¦The officers who operated the programs were not qualified to work across service lines and did not understand the full range of national capabilities. I worried about the nature of Joint skills even among senior officers. Of course, notwithstanding these four factors, the war was brought to a successful conclusion – â€Å"successful† meaning that the combat operations against the forces of Slobodan Milosevic proved effective enough to topple the regime of that ruler, and thereby remove the impetus to the racial killings in that region. However, whether or not America achieved its true aims in the Balkans is more open to question, if indeed the Clinton Administration had a clear vision of what those aims were in the first place. The costs of that conflict, both tangible and intangible, must also be analyzed in order to avoid similar mistakes in the future. An Analysis of the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Suitability of the Military Action in Kosovo The concept of feasibility closely ties in to the question â€Å"Can it be done? † With the benefit of hindsight, we might say with complete assurance that yes, the military action undertaken in Kosovo was feasible. However, even without this particular benefit, the question of feasibility still would have been answered in the affirmative. There was perhaps no other military force in the world that could have undertaken the mission in Kosovo, and done so with success. Even before the campaign began, it was almost a forgone conclusion that American forces would prevail. It was only a matter of time, and though unforeseen setbacks would occur along the way, no one truly doubted the ultimate result. Addressing the question of acceptability is a little more complex, but may also be answered in the affirmative. At the time of the conflict, world opinion was crying out for America to do something about the killings under Milosevic. In many ways, the various nations comprising NATO and the U. N. pushed the U. S. into action. Internationally then, military action in Kosovo was acceptable – some might even say it was warranted, due to the role of the U. S. as the global policeman. The war was costly – what war isn’t? – but it gained for the U. S. a level of prestige and credibility that it very much needed after some decidedly embarrassing political problems. The effectiveness of the air campaign and General Clark’s own philosophy of waging war (which de-emphasizes the use of ground troops) resulted in fewer casualties than might otherwise have been expected. This in itself was a potent testimony to American power and a reaffirmation of the high reputation already earned by the American military in the 1991 Gulf War. If the goal in Kosovo was to stop the genocidal killings and bring Slobodan Milosevic to justice, then we can honestly say that military action was suitable. Some pundits may argue that diplomacy would have been a better choice, but they must be reminded that diplomatic methods were tried before any full-scale operations were conducted – and diplomacy failed. With a hard-boiled tyrant such as Milosevic, who deliberately released wave upon wave of racial hate upon his own country, diplomacy could not possibly have a great effect. Even if diplomatic channels could have been used to stop the killings – and this is doubtful – they would have taken far too long to mobilize and would have probably ended up with little to show for it. Conclusion Despite many problems that were unforeseen (and perhaps unavoidable), the military action in Kosovo ended up attaining its major objectives. Still, the operation could have gone better, and more smoothly. In the future, if similar circumstances should come up, both political and military planners would do well to review the lessons learned in this conflict. First, a good amount of political will should be present, and directed at a clear set of pre-defined goals. Second, bickering and infighting within the military should be checked, reduced, and if possible eliminated. Third, all leaders involved in a conflict should be aware of how to manage media perceptions, especially in terms of obtaining continuing public support. Lastly, the capability of the military to wage war under all conditions should be improved and made the top priority of defense spending. When these four factors are improved to their various degrees, then the prosecution of future wars will decidedly become more efficient and effective.

Decision Making Model Essay

These different decision making models are approaches the problem of consumer decision making differently. The Engel-Kollat-Blackwell model is essentially a conscious problem solving and learning model of consumer behaviour. This model has a good description of active information seeking and evaluation processes of consumer. The information processed in this model is the stimulus. The consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s decision processes act upon this stimulus in order to determine a response to it. These models attempt to explain each stage and show interrelated between the stages of consumer buyer behaviour from the stimulus, through the purchase to post purchase behaviour. The Howard-Sheth model (1969) is a learning model designed to explain the brand choice of an individual faced with several choice alternatives. This model is an attempt to explain rational brand choice behaviour within the constraints of limited individual capacities and incomplete information. This model can divided roughly into four fundamental parts- (1) stimulus input variables, (2) exogenous variables, (3) sequential output variables, and (4) the  ¡Ã‚ §internal state of buyer. ¡Ã‚ ¨ However, the limitation of this model is that it has little practical value for marketing practitioners. The two major advantages of the Howard-Sheth model are following: (i) It has been partially tested empirically, thus establishing some credibility for the model (ii) The model is also a dynamic model Overall the Engel-Blackwell-Miniard model provides more comprehensive and accurate comparison with Howard-Sheth model. The two models are similar in as much as they both propose a rational consumer, but one who is prepared to satisfies where appropriate. The environmental influences of the Engel-Blackwell-Miniard model compare directly to the exogenous variables as outlined in the explanation of Howard-Sheth model. Another famous consumer behaviour model is Nicosia model (1966). Francesco Nicosia was one of the first consumer behaviour modelers to shift focus from the act of purchase itself to the more complex decision process that consumers engage in about products and services. This model is characterized as a communications model that begins with a firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s communication to the consumer via advertising and culminates with consumer feedback to the firm.  This model contains four major components or fields: (1) the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s attributes and outputs or communications and the consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s psychological attributes, (2) the consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s search for and evaluation of the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s output and other available alternatives, (3) the consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s motivated act of purchase, and (4) the consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s storage or use of the product. Francesco Nicosia assumes that the consumer is seeking to fulfilled specific goals and that initially there is no history between the consumer and the firm, so no positive or negative predispositions toward the firm exist in the consumer ¡Ã‚ ¦s mind. There are some limitations in Nicosia model which include an inadequate understanding of the influence and interrelationships among the consumer attributes represented by Subfield and the questionable assumption that no prior consumer knowledge or experience with the product exists.

Reaction Paper on Game Theory Essay

Game Theory is undeniably new to me. Its concept is just so brilliant that it made me rethink how I ought to see a business’ road to success. In the past, my key idea of winning in the industry was by toppling down competitors, and rising as the sole survivor in the war. Plainly, it’s a winner-take-all perspective. The real target was to capture the entire market then. After reading the theory and the cases suitably alluded to, realizations came to me that I’m way too far from the wisdom good strategists possess. Way too far from making it to the corporate executives’ seat. Way too far from a business’ lifelong success. For Filipinos, it’s always been a â€Å"here-and-now† match. Typically overlooked are the impacts of strategies in the long run, and how competitors and other players in the game would tend to respond. Game theory offers the notion of coopetition — cooperative and competitive ways to change the game. The primary insight of game theory is focusing on others — namely allocentrism. It further states that the game of business is all about value: creating it and capturing it. Many are the so-called mental traps that must be killed in order that one be set for the game or set to change it. We often think that it’s hard and it’s beyond our competencies to dare change the game, and that we should do just what others do — only in a differently-tailored fashion. We go with the flow and no new routes are shaped to arrive at a better position and standing for us and the other players as well. Just like the Zero-Sum View, we tend to see winning only at the loss of another. Because of these delusions, the scales in our eyes gets even thicker and we finally end up blinded from seeing the bigger picture, the whole game. To be able to use game theory as a tool in strategizing, I recognized that it cannot be used without sufficient knowledge in economics. Given a particular action, the players that get affected and would react are to be properly determined. The cause and effect relationship among them must also be linked as it should be. Rational reasoning and forecasting entails academic competence on the subject to enable you to see the domino effect of your decision to others and back to your company. The business game is really like chess. Sometimes you have to give in or even sacrifice some of your aces to obtain a greater advantage or to make a draw at the very end. At times, you must delay a couple of moves to maintain advantage or stay equal with the opponent just like what Nintendo did. Being egocentric must be done away with and altered to focusing on others to facilitate a win-win situation for both parties. An opponent may retaliate or be unwilling to cooperate in the future if one’s strategy always seeks out the highest payoffs at the cost of the other player. That’s the mindset of Kiwi that kept it alive in the game. Also, you must raise your own added value or lower that of others and consider that the role of every player in the game is not fixed. In spite of its applicable purposes, game theory cannot be said to be the perfect treasure map. There will always be creases that would simply be left out unpressed. Be flexible and ready for changes.

Feminism During the 50’s Essay

The book Revolutionary Road, written by Richard Yates, tells the reader a story about the life of Frank and April Wheeler. The Wheelers are a married couple with children who live in a 1950’s suburb. This essay shows the reader how characters in the book do not conform to typical gender roles during this time period and how these gender roles are switched between men and women. The story gives us a lot of insight in to gender roles during the 1950’s. However, Frank and April Wheeler do not abide to the typical gender roles of men and women during this time period in American society. The idea of this analysis is to show the reader how Feminism and Masculinity are tested in Revolutionary Road. Richard Yates switches gender roles in this novel and does a good job of showing us a different perspective from what was most common during the 1950’s. Revolutionary Road is about Frank and April Wheeler who live in a suburb called Revolutionary Estates with their two children Jennifer and Michael. They are viewed by their neighbors as your ideal husband and wife. They have a nosy real estate agent named Mrs. Giving’s who randomly shows up throughout the story and has a deranged son named John who ends up having some conflict with the Wheelers. Mrs. Giving’s also has a husband named Howard who seems not to care what she has to say most of the time because she is always gossiping or talking too much. There is also a couple, Milly and Shep Campbell who are family friends of the Wheelers and often hang out and drink together. Frank ends up having an affair with Maureen, a woman who works at Knox with him. He ends up feeling guilty about it because April does something special for him. She stops the argument they are in and has a surprise birthday plan for him and tells him about her plans of moving their family to Europe. Plans fail however when April realizes she is pregnant and Frank is satisfied that they won’t have to move. April ends up having an affair with Shep Campbell who is in love with her secretly. The story ends up with April killing herself attempting to do her own abortion from home. Frank lives on in distraught and agony. Richard Yates uses Feminism in the story to show the reader how Frank fits in with typical feminine role of this time and April fits in with the  typical masculine role. Frank is constantly emasculated throughout the story by April. When they realize April is pregnant, she wants to have an abortion. Frank is upset but he can’t do much about it because he doesn’t have any say in what she does. He tries to say, â€Å"Listen. Listen to me. You do this – you do this and I swear to God I’ll –† and she cuts him off and says, â€Å"Oh, you’ll what? You’ll leave me? What’s that supposed to be – a threat or a promise?† (Yates 52) testing his masculinity once again. April is not the typical woman of the 50’s and that’s why conflicting gender roles play such an important theme in this novel. Frank thrives off of the need to prove himself to April. He wants her to believe he is in control of every situat ion and is the man of the house. He tries to put off this image to April that he is a real man and leads their household. Frank has a lot of conflict throughout the book because of his constant need to prove his manhood and prove his masculinity to April. Richard Yates uses Frank Wheeler to show us just how this novel conflicts the typical gender roles during the 1950’s. Yates says about Frank, â€Å"Wasn’t it true, then, that everything in his life from that point on had been a succession of things he hadn’t really wanted to do? Taking a dull job to prove he could be as responsible as any other man†¦ Having another child to prove that the first one hadn’t been a mistake†¦ Proving, proving; and for no other reason than that he was married to a woman who put him forever on the defensive† (Yates 51). Yates shows the reader the true tenacity of Frank’s need to prove himself to April day after day. Having a job, having a family, and doing everything to provide for your family were all things men were expected to do during that time in America. Frank has an obsession with needing April to believe he is in control and fully providing for her and their children. He feels she will leave him or step up and provide for them herself is he cannot do it. Frank is trying to prove he is the man and holds the masculine gender role over April. April says in one scene to Frank, â€Å"Me. Me. Me. Oh, you poor, self-deluded – Look at you, Look at you, and tell me how by any stretch of imagination you can call yourself a man† ( Yates 28) which really test Franks masculinity. He is without a doubt upset about April’s actions and words. By receiving her approval, he feels his masculinity and feels he has accomplished what is important. Throughout the  story however, we see that Frank never truly gets the approval from April he is looking for. Yates intends for Frank to be weaker and less masculine than April. This is how Richard Yates uses conflicting gender roles in his characters. April is a very independent woman and she will take care of what she feels is necessary. She doesn’t look to Frank for guidance and leadership. The narrator points this out when April is mowing the lawn and Frank is watching her wishing he was doing it. The narrator states that Frank had â€Å"planned as soon as he’d had some coffee to go out there and take the lawnmower away from April, by force if it was necessary, so the he could restore as much balance to the morning as possible. But he was still in his bathrobe† (Yates 40). Frank cannot stand the fact that April is mowing the yard and not letting him do it. Yates gives us a description of April in the yard, he says, â€Å"It was April herself, stolidly pushing and hauling the old machine, wearing a man’s shirt and a pair of loss, flapping slacks† (Yates 35) This description of April really gives the reader a simple understanding that April doesn’t need Frank to mow the yard because she is capable and willing to do it herself. These are the things that really bother Frank because he wants a woman who needs him to do everything for her. That’s what Frank feels he is supposed to do; he wants to be the sole provider and â€Å"alpha† of his household. Another way we see Frank being emasculated is when April plans the move to Europe. She tells Frank about the plans to move at his surprise birthday get together, he had just got home from having an affair with Maureen from his office. The narrator gives us a good understanding of Frank’s inability to take control. He ends up agreeing with the plans even though he is not fully sure and confident that is what he wants. Frank says, â€Å"Darling? We are really going to do it, aren’t we? I mean it hasn’t just been a lot of talk or anything, has it?† (Yates 116) and they agree the move to Europe is a sure thing. Then they fall asleep and the chapter ends with April saying I love you to Frank. Frank is finally feeling a sense of assurance at this point because things are getting better between him and April. He is finally feeling that sense of satisfaction he thrives for. He and April are getting  along and things â€Å"seem† to be good. However, April ends up letting Frank in on some startling news. She is pregnant and when Frank finds out he is actually happy about the news because he has had a promotion offered to him at work and knows that having a baby will keep them from moving. When April realizes Frank is satisfied with not moving she threatens to abort the baby herself after Frank finds her abortion tools and she test Franks masculinity again by saying, â€Å"And what are you going to do? Do you think you’re going to stop me?† (Yates 209) when he questions her on what she is going to do with the tools. Frank has no control over any situations throughout this book. Especially in this situation because April has had her mind set on moving and she was not going to take no for an answer. She eventually kills herself trying to proceed in doing an abortion herself at their home. April had control of the situation the whole time. Furthermore, â€Å"Revolutionary Road† gives the reader a wide and detailed interpretation of very unusual gender roles for the 1950’s. The author’s use of feminism helps him to show how Frank is a man who feeds of his wife for satisfaction. Everything Frank does is mainly to get the approval and acceptance of his wife April. Feminism also helps us to take a look at how April Wheeler is portrayed. She is a very independent woman and for this time period that is very rare. Women typically depended on men and did not step up as leaders and sole providers of their family. However, April is much different. She wants Frank to know that she can take care of herself and her family without the help of a man. She is portrayed as being much more masculine and superior than her husband. She is in control of their relationship and she is in control of Frank’s life. Everything Frank does is based on what April thinks and getting her to notice and her to approve is what makes him feel like a man. Richard Yates did an amazing job in â€Å"Revolutionary Road† by showing the reader the conflicting gender roles of April and Frank Wheeler. Works Cited Yates, Richard. Revolutionary Road. 2nd. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 2000. Print.