ICT and technology for education Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

ICT and technology for education - Thesis Example Several research studies have concluded that the work of teachers is strenuous and time consuming. In order to provide a measure of relief, it is necessary to develop tools that can be used to monitor the activities and progress of their students. At present, there are a few tools that can be employed to obtain the data of students and to monitor their behaviour (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). However, considerable research is required in this area; due to the inability of the existing tools to provide incomplete information. Of late, educators are using internet tools, such as wikis and blogs in their classroom teaching. This has had a tremendous impact on the students, who obtain an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics with other students, across the world. The formality is much less and discussions tend to extend to topics that had not been pre-assigned. Blogging is not traditional writing, and it represents the personal opinions of the author. In most of the online educational blogs, students post according to their own interests. The massive interactions involved in posting on blogs, generates a vast network of interactions (Downes, 2005). This system resembles community practice, as visualised by Wenger. This will definitely have an effect on the personal development of the student. E – Learning is gaining popularity as it is proved to be effective in reflective and collaborative learning. There are some problems inherent in the e-learning process. Moreover, it is also important to d evelop research and practice in the e-learning process, in order to design and develop effective methods and tools to ensure collaborative learning (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). Monitoring online learning activity is an important task Thus, there is a need to develop tools for the purpose of monitoring. In the CSCL environment, tutors perform the monitoring activity. The latter are indispensable in supervising the learning process, and they evaluate the performance and academic progress of students, by means of the monitor process (Persico, Pozzi, & Sarti, 2010, p. 6). As such, the monitoring process helps the student to learn in a directed manner, which in turn makes the learning process flawless. Another area of disseminating information is that of podcasting. Thus, websites like that of McMaster broadcast lectures by engineering professors. Furthermore, information regarding education and careers can be downloaded from the Internet. Publishers prepare the content for e-l earning, and students make use of it. Under these circumstances, e-learning systems resemble a blogging tool. It evolves into a personal learning centre and does not constitute an institutional or corporate application. The ELGG is an e – portfolio application that permits students to create and display their work. Such portfolios make it possible for students to collect, organise, interpret, and discuss information. E – portfolios promote professional development and motivate learners to demonstrate the outcome of their learning (Downes, 2005)E – learning has the capacity to improve or impoverish the educational provision. Computer assisted learning, in the initial stages, was merely

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay Example for Free

Black Death Cause and Effect Essay The Bubonic Plague or the Black Death has been in the history books since the medieval times. This deadly disease has claimed nearly 1. 5 million lives in Europe (Gottfried). The Black Death hit Europe in October of 1347 and quickly spread through most of Europe by the end of 1349 and continued on to Scandinavia and Russia in the 1350s. Not only did the plague effect the European population by killing one-third to two-thirds (Gottfried), it also hurt the social and economic structures of every European society. How it spread The Black Death actually first appeared in the Himalayan region around 1250 AD. There are several theories as to how the disease made its way to Europe. One theory is that since the plague is transmitted from a bite of a flea, that fleas that lived on marmots that were indigenous to the region were the original transporters (Clay,1). The first recorded appearance of the plague in Europe was at Messina, Sicily in October of 1347. It was believed to have arrived on trading ships that came from the Black Sea, past Constantinople and through the Mediterranean (Gottfried). This route was used to bring import items such as silks and porcelain, which were carried overland to the Black Sea from as far away as China (Gottfried). No one know the exact point of origin of the Black Death but what most scholars will agree with is that the disease reach Europe by rodents. The reason given was due to the climatic shifts in the area which caused a shortage of food. The disease ridden rodents’ migration put them in contact with human populations, thus, putting humans in contact with the disease carrying fleas. So many people were impacted because most people lived in very crammed and tight spaces. This also made waste disposal an issue, which caused people to just tip their waste out the window of their home, bringing the rats. Because everyone was so close, the fleas could easily infect hundreds of people in one day, so no one was safe (Gottfried). The people that did manage to escape death was due to the fact that their immune systems being able to withstand the plague (Gottfried). Types of Plague What killed so many wasn’t due to just one type of plague going around; The disease that devastated Europe was caused by three different types of plague: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. All three are bacterial infections caused by Yersinia pestis (Gottfried). The most common form was the bubonic plague. Fleas that lived on the plague-infected rats spread the bubonic plague (Gottfried). After 6 days people who were infected with this strain would develop flu-like symptoms and blood pressure drops, heartbeats faster, and a sudden fever erupts, accompanied by chills, weakness, and headache. Next, a black pus filled bump surrounded by an inflamed red ring shows up at the place that was bitten (Gottfried). The lymph node would begin to swell with pus. When the enlarged lymph nodes would burst they would also emit dark colored blood and pus. This is how the name Black Death came to be coined (Vunguyen). A second type of plague was that of pneumonic. This plague could spread with a sneeze and could quickly jump from person to person and though it was less common than the bubonic form, but more deadly. This form was contracted through breathing in a mutated, airborne strain of the bacteria. The infected person would experience fluid building up in the lungs. This very unfortunate circumstance would, in turn, cause suffocation of the infected individual. This particular form of the bacteria would cause death within a short time span, usually two or three days (Boeckl). The third type of plague was speticemic plague. Though it was the least common out of the three, it was the deadliest. Septicemic plague was carried in the blood and was contracted only through blood-to-blood contact. The person infected with this type would develop a high fever but they would not develop many outward symptoms that they had contracted the plague. The individuals who were infected with this final strain of the bacterium were usually dead within 24 hours. Almost all who contracted either the pneumonic or septicemic plague died from the infection (Boeckl). Causes of the Black Death The causes of the Black Death – the flea, the rat, and the bacillus Yersinia pestis– have been labeled the â€Å"unholy trinity† (Boeckl). The flea is able to live in environmental conditions of about 74 ° Fahrenheit and 60% humidity (Ibid). Before the Black Death reached Europe, they were experiencing those same types of weather conditions. The rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis and the human flea, Pulex irritans, are both capable of transmitting plague (Boeckl). Sometimes, an infected flea cannot ingest blood because Yersinia pestis obstructs its digestive tract. The blockage causes a flea to regurgitate into a bitten host rather than ingest the host’s blood, thereby infecting the host with plague (Boeckl). Unable to eat, the famished flea will bite with more frequency, accelerating the spread of plague. A flea can be carrying Yersinia pestis without it blocking the flea’s digestive tract, in which case the flea does not transmit plague when it bites a host. Also, Yersinia pestis can only enter a victim through a bite, as the bacilli cannot pass through intact skin (Gottfried). Social Changes The disease took a major toll on the population of Europe but as it wiped out communities it also caused changes in the social structure of European society. Europe was run by a feudal system (Vunguyen). As death took its toll, people started to question the way of life. When the Black Death swept over Europe and wiped out a third of its population, it also dismantled Feudalism. The feudal system was structured like a pyramid with the King being at the top and having complete control. The King owned everything; he had the power to decide who he would lease the land to. If he did allow a citizen to lease part of his land, before doing so they had to swear to an oath of loyalty (Vunguyen). People who did rent the King’s land were called Baron/Baronesses (Vunguyen). The leased land was called a manor, and the Barons were often called the ‘Lord of the Manor’ (Vunguyen). They were allowed to establish their own system of justice, mint their own money and set their own taxes. The Barons had to serve on the royal council, pay rent and provide the King with Knights for military service when he demanded it in return for the land they had been given (Vunguyen). When the King and his court travelled around the country, the Barons also had to provide lodging and food. The Barons kept as much of their land as they desired, then divided the rest among their Knights (Vunguyen). Knights were given land by the Baron in return for military service when demanded, and to protect the manor. The Knights kept as much of the land as they wished for their own personal use, and distributed the rest of it to serfs – although they weren’t as rich as the Barons, Knights were quite wealthy (). Serfs were given land by Knights in exchange for free labor, food and services whenever it was desired. They had no rights and weren’t allowed to leave the Manor. They had to ask their Lord’s permission before they could marry, and were often mistreated and poor (). The serfs or peasants were a key group in the population so when they started to die off, everything went downhill. The serfs served everyone on the pyramid and now Barons were willing to pay higher wages and offer extra benefits (Vunguyen). All their life they had lived off the serfs’ hard work, and were willing to pay them to stay on the manor to continue slaving for them. When the serfs died, the foundation on which feudalism relied upon was broken. The pyramid of power broke, and everything was a mess. Serfs left to find high wages due to the labor shortages. The land that had usually been the primary source of wealth was now worthless (Vunguyen). Entire estates were deserted as families fell to the plague and died, or fled in a vain attempt to escape its fury, were there for the taking (Vunguyen). As Europe evolved away from relying on land as the main source of prosperity, a rising middle-class claimed more and more wealth and prestige, as the once-noble began to quickly lose both (Vunguyen). The end of Feudalism had started and progressed each day as the plague claimed more lives. As the days went on people wondered, if they needed to change the way they lived or worshipped God. Many found that if they continued to live and worship as they had for centuries, the plague was not being pacified (Clay). This caused many people to abandon the way of life that they were accustomed to and chose a life that contrasted with social norms. A large group of people, desperate to point their fingers at someone, alleged and accused many different ‘groups’ which included ‘witches,’ lepers and Jews (Clay). In central Europe, the flagellants convincingly charged the Jews. On a tragic day in Strasbourg alone, over 8,000 Jews were killed for being the target of vain suspicions (). This quote shows just how the mind of Europeans changed: Many were uncertain about the cause of this great mortality. In some places, they believed that the Jews had poisoned the worlds, and so they killed them. In some other areas, that it was a deformity of the poor, so they chased them out; in others, that it was the nobles, and so they [the nobles] hesitated to go out into the world. Finally, it reached the point where guards were posted in cities and towns, and they permitted no one to enter, unless he was well known. And if they found anyone with powders or unguents, they made him swallow them, fearing that these might be poisons (Clay, 2-3)†. Someone who survived the plague wrote â€Å"Everyone appeared to be rich because they had survived and regained value in life. Now, no one knows how to put their life back in order(Clay, 3). No one knew how to put their life back together after the plague hit. When all the chaos died down and order was restored, the society was much different than what it once was. The disease did not discriminate; it killed people from all different social classes. The peasants now saw that everyone was made up of the same flesh, even though who once ruled over them. This epiphany led the serfs see the inequality of the system and they saw it as unfair and unjust (Clay, 3). Because of all the affliction and misery there was much lawbreaking and because most of the law enforcers had also been hit by the plague there was not much that was done about it (Clay, 3). † This quote shows just how their mentality was changing. Lawbreakers could not be stopped especially by the lords and so once peasants realized all ties could be broken, they gained a new level of freedom (Clay, 4). Peasants and lord relationships were not the only thing that changed; individuals in the same social circle were forced to interact with one another differently. As a result of so many deaths, women were now being served by male servants and it did not matter if they were of noble birth or not. Men serving women was something taboo and unheard of before the plague, but the disease made that change. Noble women had to a find a different lifestyle under normal circumstances, these women would have been dishonored and shunned but this was not the case. Economic Effects All the death that fell upon Europe created a major labor shortage. It was a dominos affect, if the plague hit an area or manor in the summer, there wouldn’t be enough serfs to harvest the crops in the fall. If it hit in the winter, there wasn’t enough workers to plant new crops in the spring (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). So inevitably there wasn’t any one left on farm and maintain the land. The one’s who did withstand the plague, moved else-where for better wages (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Not only did it affect the farms, it hurt businesses or building projects. Cathedral that usually were beautiful and performed weekly services were left eerily empty with no priests to conduct services. The barons did not have enough knights and serfs to cater to them and so many manors were abandoned. When someone dies normally, there would be a service and immediately be buried, well that didn’t happen during the Black Death era. No one was left to bury the dead. Citizens, lower and middle classes were scared, they stayed in the homes believing they would be safe. The shelter did not stop the disease from entering and since they were poor they did not get the care and attention they needed and most of them died (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Instead of suffering, many decided to take their own lives and committed suicide in the street; others died in their homes but only found because their neighbors smelled the decaying body. Dead bodies were everywhere on every corner and in every home that wasn’t abandoned (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Most of them were treated in the same manner by the survivors, who were more concerned to get rid of their rotting bodies than moved by charity towards the dead. With the aid of porters, if they could get them, they carried the bodies out of the houses and laid them at the door; where every morning quantities of the dead might be seen. They then were laid on biers or, as these were often lacking, on tables† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Bodies upon bodies were brought to the church every day and almost every hour so it was impossible to give them a proper burial especially since they wanted to bury each person in the family grave, according to the old custom (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). â€Å"Although the cemeteries were full they were forced to dig huge trenches, where they buried the bodies by hundreds. Here they stowed them away like bales in the hold of a ship and covered them with a little earth, until the whole trench was full† (â€Å"The Black Death, 1348†). Cultural Effects The plague not only affected humans it also impacted the arts. In the Medieval period, people had concentrated mainly on the Church, God, and personal salvation. The plague was evident in paintings, sculptures, and architecture, everything was centered on death. The arrival of plague â€Å"harkened in a new darker era of painting. Paintings were overflowing with tortured souls, death, dying, fire and brimstone† (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Thousands of painters, craftsmen, patrons of the arts died during the plague. The disease tore a hole in the heart of the cultural world. The effects of the plague were lasting, bringing a somber darkness to visual art, literature, and music (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Writers and painters imaginations became dark and gloomy. The unknowing survival created a atmosphere of gloom and doom influencing artist to move away from optimistic themes and turn to images of Hell, Satan and the Grim Reaper (â€Å"The Effect of Black Death on Art and Artists in the Medieval Period†). Many painters simply gave up art with the idea that it was hopeless to try and create beauty in a hellish world. The Decameron by Boccaccio, a collection of medieval tales and folklore is the most famous literary work that came from that time period (â€Å"The Black Death†). The collection is set in the Italian countryside where aristocrats, fleeing the Plague as it ravages Florence, are stranded without their usual entertainments. To pass the time, they tell each other stories, from which Boccaccio harvested a rich storehouse of traditional narrative. The Decameron eventually became the foundation for many other Renaissance works, including several of Shakespeares plays (â€Å"The Black Death†). Positive Consequences It’s hard to find positive in so much death but the plague actually helped in a few ways. First being manpower, because of the shortages, manpower had so much more value. Peasants weren’t readily available in large numbers so the ones still alive found themselves in high demand (â€Å"The Black Death†). The ones who had all the power, kings and dukes, now found themselves bargaining with laborers over working conditions, and also the lower class were able to demand better pay for their services (â€Å"The Black Death†). Also, serfdom was terminated, so those peasants that were slaves and tied to the land were no longer obligated to farm and serve. And one other positive result of the bubonic plague was the development of medicine as a science in the West. Islamic doctors had advocating general cleanliness and the value of studying anatomy but Western healers prior to the black death were still using practices like the theory of humors (â€Å"The Black Death†). But when Plague wiped out nearly all the doctors of Europe, because the doctors had to attend to the dying and because of this were exposed at a higher rate to the more virulent pneumonic form of Plague. With so many doctors dying, it created a change in both personnel and precept (â€Å"The Black Death†). Strangely, western medicine owes much to plague. Conclusion The Black Death started in 1347 and continued for a full five years, this devastating plague spread throughout Europe, leaving more than twenty million people dead. The consequences to Europe were profound. Besides immeasurable death, traditional medieval society broke, the economies were fractured, and art and literature took a turn from light to dark. Though it spread throughout Europe, the Black Death was world-shattering and shows how even the smallest of things, the microbial world, can at times steer the course of human civilization.

Strategic Alliances: Reasons and Types

Strategic Alliances: Reasons and Types Introduction Strategic alliances and why are they formed Strategic alliances can be seen as one of the fastest growing trends for business today; Alliances are sweeping through nearly every industry and are becoming an essential driver for their super growth. A strategic alliance, by definition, is a form of affiliation that involves a mutual sharing of resources for the benefit of all of the strategic partners. â€Å"Mutuality† is key (Beavers 2001). The business consideration is whether both alliance partners need each other. Strategic alliances range in size and scope from informal business relationships based on simple contracts to joint venture agreements, some times where corporations are set up to manage the alliance. According to Vyas et al (1995) strategic alliances are cropping up across the global arena mainly due to the maturation of several trends of the 1980s, such as: intensified foreign competition, shortened product life cycles, soaring cost of capital, including the cost of research and development, and ever-growin g demand for new technologies. However, strategic alliances can be tricky. Partnerships foster mutual benefits, but the alliances exist only as long as they are advantageous to both parties. Research indicates that a high proportion of strategic alliances fail (Forbes 2002; Lorange and Roos 1991; Day 1995). This essay explores concept of strategic alliances drawing from Mintzberg et als schools of strategy and then critically identifies the main factors that determine the design and delivery of effective co-operative strategies. It does so by using the case study that pertains to Avebe and Noveon Alliance. Why? For many multinational firms, strategic alliances have become increasingly important tools for ensuring speed and flexibility in carrying out multinational strategies. A typical example is SEVEL (Societa Europea Veicoli Leggeri), the 1978 strategic alliance between Fiat and Peugeot for the production of a new light van named Ducato. Both parties were short on resources and saved time and energy by combining their RD and manufacturing efforts (Lorange and Roos 1991). Strategic alliances can be effective ways to diffuse new technologies rapidly, to enter a new market, to bypass governmental restrictions expeditiously, and/or to learn quickly from the leading firms in a given field Mintzberg et als Schools of Strategy Strategic alliance is an agreement between two or more individuals, or entities, or organisations to cooperate in a specific business activity, so that each benefit from the strength of other and gains competitive advantage. The formulation of strategic alliance has been seen as a response to the globalisation and increasing uncertainty and complexity in the business environment. Strategic alliances involve the sharing of knowledge and expertise between the partners as well as in reducing the risk and costs in areas like relationship with the supplier and the development of new products and technologies. Strategic alliances usually make sense when the parties involved have complimentary strengths. Its unlike full-scale acquisition, an alliance does not give a firm total control over its partners. Avebe and Noveon Alliance Case Study. Avebe, a Dutch company, established in 1919 as a joint sales organisation for the greater part of the Dutch independent potato starch industry. Through research and development, joint ventures and acquisition in Netherlands, Europe and Worldwide, Avebe now plays a major role in the global sales, marketing, production and development of potato starch and starch specialities used in food, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, textile, paper and adhesives. Avebes specialities are used by the textile industry for obtaining good weaving efficiency, to obtain smooth fabrics, and for sharp and durable printing of fabrics. Noveon, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with regional centers in Belgium and Hong-Kong, is a leading global producer and marketer of technology advanced speciality chemicals for a broad range consumer and industrial application. Noveon was recognised as leading producer of polymers. It was also acknowledged as the largest producer acrylic acid for synthetic polymer. Reason for cooperation Avebe Avebe was outstanding in printing thickeners but not yet in reactive dye printing market. It was not possible for Avebe to enter into this market as it was purely a starch based industry. Only a combination of starch and synthetic polymer could help them enter this market. For this Avebe had two options- Noveon and Alloid Colloids (under ICI Corporation, England). Combination of Avebes and Noveons products in laboratory test showed excellent printing thickness for reactive printing dye market. The final selection was based on four considerations, namely- Noveon had the same synthetic polymer as that of ICI in dry form and Avebe was expert in dry blending. Dry blends resulted in more efficiency both in space and cost compared to liquid one. Noveons synthetic was proved the best when combined with Avebe than any other. Noveon had excellent market expertise in the US, which Avebe lacked. Combination of Avebe and Noveons expertise expected around 25% of the new market to either company. Reasons for cooperation Noveon Noveons alliance with Avebe started by an accident. Noveon acquired QSI in South Carolina in 1994. QSI used to purchase natural starches from Avebe for its operation. This was the start of their joint venture. Synthetic polymer Noveon had was fairly expensive; while Avebes natural starch was relatively cheap. They expected that blending of these two would result in better quality at reasonable price. Noveon expected that the price of synthetic and natural thickener blends would increase in US and Europe, due to the demand for high quality products. Combination of synthetic and natural thickeners could reduce the cost of dye stuff and chemicals. The saving was estimated to be around $ 1 million per year. Noveon selected Avebe for their technology. Far East and Europe preferred Avebe as their best choice. Initial agreement The agreement was signed by both the companies on 24th March 1995. After two year, to anticipate competition, both the companies formulated a marketing agreement for their joint product. The agreement was as follows- Division of the world market. As per this agreement, Noveon agreed market their product in America and the Caribbean. Avebe agreed to market its product in Europe, Asia- pacific and Russia. China and India was open for both. Restriction on sale of each others product. As per this agreement Avebe was forbidden to sell Noveons product and Noveon agreed not to sell Avebes products to any other company without a prior consent of other. 3) Information exchange/ training. Both Avebe and Noveon agreed for a meeting once in six months to exchange development, manufacturing and technical service information relating to their joint venture. Reasons for alliance 1) Alliances assist the firms learning and diversification into new areas of activities. Alliances help to extend a firms competitive advantage in several ways. A firm enters into strategic alliance because this can potentially provide benefits that are not possible through either internal development or external acquisition. This helps the company to acquire benefit by reducing the cost rather than taking it all by itself. An alliance stand as an intermediate to help the allies enter into new industry and markets. 2) Alliance provide useful platform to test their products in new markets. Alliances help in extending and renewing their sources of competitive advantage while expanding globally. This helps the new companies to enter into new market with little market knowledge. By this these companies learn how to compete in the global market. Working together helps in overcoming the economic obstacles too. 3)  Design School of strategic management- Henry Mintzberg This prescriptive school of Mintzberg see strategy formulation as a process of conception which is responsible for the development of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the organisation (SWOT). In this school the strengths and weaknesses are of the company are mapped along with the opportunities and threat in the market place. This is implemented in order to formulate clear and unique strategies in a deliberate process. In this the internal environment is matched to the external environment. This school mainly helps in reducing ambiguity and is mainly used in stable environments. It supports strong and visionary leadership. The main drawback of the design school is that it is weak in a fast moving environment and there are risks of resistance. It also has many variables and is inherently complex and also inflexible. Types of strategic alliances Strategic alliances can be classified into three main types: Shared- supply alliance Shared- supply alliance bring together companies which join forces to achieve economies of scale on a given component or on an individual stage in the production process. The shared elements are further incorporated in products that are further incorporated in products that remain specific to each other and that competes directly in the market. This type of alliance is formed when the minimum efficient size at a particular stage in the production process is much greater than for the entire product, and when neither of the partner produce large enough to achieve the critical size. Shared- supply alliance are usually formed between partners of comparable size. This alliance primarily involves research and development (RD) and manufacturing activities. Coordination of research activities between the partners makes it possible to optimize the use or resources. These alliances are usually formed by firms operating in the same zone. In this case of shared supply alliance the assets and ski lls that the partner companies bring to the joint project are similar in nature and their goal is to benefit from increased economies of scale. Quasi- concentration alliance This alliance brings together companies that develop, produce and market a joint product. There is no open competition in quasi- concentration alliance. Quasi- concentration alliances are primarily characterized by transactions between the consortium of allies and the market. Transactions between the companies are also carried out within the alliance. This alliance covers all the main functions involved in carrying out an activity, that is, research and development, manufacturing, and marketing. Marketing and sales are either split between the partners on the basis of geographic presence or carried out jointly. Complementary alliance. Complimentary alliances bring together companies which contribute assets and skills of different natures to bring up a combined project. Here one manufactures the product, which is marketed by others distribution channels. There is no competition within the allies. This type of an alliance is mainly formed by only two parties.

Conflict in a Dangerous Spring :: essays research papers

In the novel Dangerous Spring, by Margot Benary-Isbert, conflict is a reoccurring theme between many characters and events that provides the driving force for actions in the story. The story takes place during the final days of World War II. Although this point in time provides the basis for the conflict, there are many other situations where conflict is shown. The main character, Karen Lorenz, experiences the most of this trouble. Conflict is the theme that is shown best in this story, because there are many situations that build up. We then see the resolution of each situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins in spring on Easter Monday, April 2nd, of 1945. Karin Lorenz and her family live in the small town of Erfurt in Germany. The Lorenz family hears news that the Allied invasion is expected to be storming through into surrounding areas of Erfurt. Conflict is immediately shown here in that there is war taking place between Germany and the Allies. The advance of the Allies causes Karen to attempt to convince her family to escape to Eberstein, where Pastor Helmut Lobelius, Karen’s boyfriend, lives. Helmut had invited the family numerous times, but Karen’s father was against the idea because he is a doctor and needs to tend to his increasing number of patients. Karen’s parents also believe they are in safety because they deem that there is not much fighting left to do. This shows conflict in that Karen’s parents do not believe in her ideas. They think she is just an impractical girl with a silly idea, and they believe that eve rything will be fine with time. Word is then heard that Erfurt is in the path of the Allies and that the town is to be invaded soon. Karen finally persuades her parents they need to escape Erfurt while there is still time. At the close of the novel, the war resolves to an end. The Lorenz family returns home to a war-damaged Erfurt. Another resolution is that Karen grows more mature and her parents learn to listen to her more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karen’s brother, Till, is a very strong supporter of Hitler at the beginning of the novel. He was involved in the Hitler Youth Movement, called the H.J. Till was carefree, daring, and brave at the beginning. Till must leave the H.J. when the family leaves for Eberstein. While Till’s family is staying at Helmut’s, Till meets a girl who offers him work at her father’s farm.

Karl Marx Essay

Karl Marx who was christened ‘the father of modern communism’ was a well renowned philosopher whose ideologies in the political, economy as well as social perspectives were very significant. To Marx, the issue of inequality in society was a major concern and a central point in his ideologies. He blamed the inequality in society on the economic production. (Healey J 2006). He placed more emphasis on the means of production which simply implied the tools or materials used in order to ensure that goods and services were produced and distributed. To Marx, the means of production could vary depending on the prevailing economic system. In cases of agricultural societies, land would be an important means of production while for the industrial society the machinery and equipment, factories as well as the transportation system were the means of production. Marx further noted that societies were dominated by capitalistic tendencies in spite of them being agricultural or industrial. To him there are two major social classes who are in continued struggle or conflict over the means of production. The two major classes are the bourgeoisie who not only own but also control the factors of production and it is also the ruling class. (Healey J 2006). The other class comprises of the proletariat or the working class. Marx believed that conflicts between the two distinct classes were eminent or rather inevitable. The resultant effect was that the proletariat class would over throw the bourgeoisie and an equitable society would be attained. In the new society exploitation and coercion would be a thing of the past. The new society would be a class less society and inequality would be erased and social change would be attained. Marx presented a conflicting society that was characterised by continued class struggle. (Healey J 2006) Healey in ‘Race, Ethnicity, Gender and class’, noted that Max Weber a German sociologist was a major critic of Marx ideologies. He argued that Marx ideology of inequality in society was a very narrow one. To Weber, the inequality problem in society was complex and not as simple as Marx presented it. He was quite categorical that inequalities in society could not be wholly blamed on economic forces. In this regard he noted the cases where people may belong to the elite class in society but lack wealth attached to it or vice versa. Some people may have the wealth but lack the self esteem. (Healey J, 2006) Marx and Weber agreed on the issue of inequalities in society. Weber expounded on Marx ideologies and he in fact adopted other stratification mechanisms regarding inequalities with ownership and control of factors of production which was similar to Karl Marx’s class ideology. Secondly, he brought about the idea of ‘prestige’ where the amount of honour or self esteem given to people by others was highlighted. To Weber, factors like class, family lineage as well as physical appearance affected the amount of prestige or honour to be placed on people by others. The third stratification according to Weber was power or the ability to influence or control others. A person’s stand in political organisation determined how powerful they were in the society. To Weber, the three groups had similar characteristics in the sense that wealthy, prestigious were likely to be more powerful when compared to the poor people in the society. (Healey J, 2006). Both Marx and Weber agreed that the development of capitalism was as a result of accumulated capital. However, they differed on how the accumulation was ensured. Marx was convinced that ‘owners of the means of production or the ‘bourgeois acquired immense capital through expropriation and exploitation of the working class or the proletariat. On the other hand Weber perceived a society where the accumulation of capital was attributed to the dedication, self denial and hard work of the capitalists. As Etzioni – Halevy in ‘Social change’ noted, Weber viewed ‘social change in society as caused not only by the economic factors but also by values and ideas’ (Etzioni – Halery E). Notably, Weber did not underestimate the role of or importance of economic factors in as far as social change in society was concerned. Some of Weber’s viewpoints earned him no fame as they just blended what Marx had earlier presented. The main distinction pertaining his ideologies was his emphasis on the fact that the ‘advent of modern capitalism could not be wholly blamed on the economic factors’. (Etzioni-Halevy J, 1981). To him, values had a very significant role to play and to this regard had to be considered with the same intensity that was attached to economic factors. Important values cited by Weber included achievement – oriented values which worked to motivate the entrepreneurs to work devotedly while negating from consumption to embrace investment. He perceived a society where entrepreneurs would instead of consuming their profits re-invest to earn more profits. (Etzioni-Halery J, 1981) To Marx, social change would be realised when the two conflicting classes were no more or when the working class overthrew the ruling class over the means of production. Weber rejected this view point on the argument that social change was a complex aspect which was affected by the class groupings as well as the varying or diverse status. (Allan K, 2005) The working class according to Marx earned a living by selling their labour to the owners of the means of production or capitalists. There was an eminent exploitation between the two classes in the society. Marx coined the term ‘pauperization’ to mean the process through which the rich became richer as the poor grew poorer. The exploitation was due to the fact that the wages paid to the working class by the capitalists was not equitable to the work or output they produced. Apart from receiving poor pay, the working class in poor conditions that negatively affected their mental as well as physical well being. (Giddens A and Griffiths, 2006). Weber backed Marx idea that the society was characterised by conflicts for power as well as resources. On how the society was structured Weber negated from Marx ideology that economic factors alone had a role to play in its determination. In contrast he noted that other important aspects like status as well as party had a role in class differences. According to Weber they could emerge from other aspects rather than economic forces. He noted that economic differences could arise from other resources rather than property for instance skills, qualifications or credentials. Taylor G and Spencer S, 2004). Weber argued that capitalism was not necessarily the critical factor triggering alienation and deprivation of the working class. Consequently, elimination of the private ownership would not suffice in resolving the inequality issue in the society. Weber blamed the alienation to ‘the omnipotent structures of the bureaucratic rule’ (Hamilton P, 1991). Weber rejected socialism as a way of resolving the problems associated or linked in capitalism.

Home Management Essay

The ability to work at Home Management people can now perform their work at home. For those who devote more time for their works, they can extend their working hours by performing their office works at the comfort of their own home. As long as there is an internet connection, and as long as the access at home is allowed, anyone authorize person can really become more productive. Problems associated with Online Intranet However, there are problems associated with internet-based intranet like: security, down-time, and internet connection failure. The issue with security as mentioned earlier is controlled by a firewall. Access to information is limited according to the type of authorization that will be given to an authorize user. Like an information system, users might be assigned as an administrator, and a plain or limited user. Those files which are confidential might be accessible only using the administrator accounts. As long as the username and passwords remain secured, the access to the site remains 99% secured. Down-time errors mostly associated with server breakdowns and system failures can be addressed by an effective maintenance schedules. Most IT people assign a once a month down-time period scheduled for system maintenance which takes mostly an average of 1 to 3 hours. This is not bad at all compared to the amount of effective working time of the system. Internet connection failure is mostly associated with weather condition and occurrence of disaster which does not occur at all times. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) had already developed secured connection lines to mitigate these problems. Conclusion Internet based intranet is very beneficial in information sharing, and communication lines for all branches of FYC. It is an effective cost cutting technique, effective reduction of volumes of papers produced in transactions. It helps achieve consistency in information sharing, faster and reliable information retrieval, and offers flexibility in performing all forms of top level management tasks for management people.

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buy custom My Concentrating Skill essay How I Can Improve My Concentrating Skill This assignment is for my research paper class in which I will propose a solution for my current problem; how I can improve my concentrating skill so that I can be more creative and use my time more effectively. I will also carry out an interview with a counselor whose opinion I will seek on how I can improve my concentration skills. I have been having a serious problem as a student in this school; my class concentration is at its lowest ebb. Instead of doing my college assignments, I have been spending most of my energies in some other stuff that are not quiet important to me like education is. And therefore I have decided to write this essay on how I can improve my concentrating skill so that I can be more creative and use my time more effectively. My concentration problem has affected me to such an extent that I had to go to the library and search for relevant materials to assist me regain my class concentration back to normal. My first search landed me in the university of Cambridge student and staff counseling services website. The site has several ways in which persons like me can be assisted. According to the site, concentration is defined as the ability to direct ones thinking in whatever direction one would intend. They recognize that all of us have the ability to concentrate some of the time but at other times our thoughts are scattered leaving our mind to race from one thing to another. To deal with such times, they advice that we need to learn and practice concentration skills and strategies, in order to concentrate therefore we have to learn a skill and as with this skill needs repeated practice day after day until we achieve enough improvement such that we feel we are able to concentrate when we need to (University of Cambridge). Our ability to concentrate depends on a number of things including but not limited to commitment, enthusiasm for the task ahead, skill at doing the task, our environment, our physical state and our emotional and physiological state. If we are able to improve on the above concentration skills, then we are able to achieve our goals. The obvious step is that improving ones concentration improves memory and to concentrate means to focus on the particular subject intensely. Thus by focusing, I will be able to easily memorize new facts easily or be able to recall previously memorized information (University of Cambridge). According to one doctor Pasale Miechelon, concentration and memory are two mental skills that are directly related. She attributes this to the fact that memory complaints have nothing with the ability to remember things but a failure to properly focus on the task at hand. Many of our actions are performed automatically but focusing our attention is effortful. She gives a one to one step on how to improve concentration (University of Cambridge). Improving concentration methods include: Focusing on the task at hand. When in class I have realized that I should just focus on what am being taught, I should ask questions and be attentive. When am reading a book, I should try to memorize what I have just read to a friend or even a teacher. I should generally avoid and try to eliminate any distractions. I now realize that I should tune off anything else except the subject matter in class. Although I may have fees problems, I should focus on what am being taught at that time and worry about fee problems later. I should try to avoid double tasking. I know that currently am volunteering at a local hospital, am taking three classes and having a part time job at a local restraint and as such I should try to balance my time so that I do not exhaust myself on the job. I have learned that when one tries to do several things at once, they have to divide their attention and as a result concentrate less on each individual task. The doctor also advices the use of meditation. Studies have shown that meditation can be a good brain tool that affects concentration skills. Therefore, if I use meditation the right way, I believe that my concentration will considerably improve (Dr. Michelon, Pascale). On the backdrop of improving my concentration, I also realize that I have to take initiatives to improve my memory. Dr. Michelon gives the following tips on how we can improve our memory; The first point is to pay attention and concentrate. I also realize that I should relate to the information am learning. According to the doctor, the more personal the information becomes, the easier it is to remember it. Thus I should develop a habit of asking myself how it makes me feel. I should also ask myself where else I have heard what the teacher is teaching us and where it can be applied. I should further ask myself whether there is something in my personal life that is related to the piece of information I am being taught. I should also train my brain too repeat information; come back to it more than once. Studies have shown that repeated information is easier to recall. Lastly but not least, I should elaborate on the information and think about it. According to the doctor, things that are concrete and have a clear meaning are easier to remember than vogue and abstract stuff. Therefore, I should try to attach meaning to the information am trying to memorize that will help me to recall the information easier on a later time. The brain as a result will have more cues to look for (Dr. Michelon, Pascale). I also had an interview with a counselor who was really helpful in helping me improve my concentration. This is the one on one conversation with the counselor. Question: where can I begin if I want to improve my concentration? Answer: start building into your daily schedule habits that lead to increased brain power. Question: what are some of the daily schedules are you talking about? Answer: some of these daily schedules include meditation. Mindful meditation for even 10 minutes a day greatly improves concentration. Proper and sufficient sleep ensures that the brain is mentally focused. The food we take should also contain brain enhancement supplements and other vitamins for memory. Engaging in brain games ensures that certain skills are more reinforced in the brain as well as improving ability to concentrate. Question: how can I use my environment to help enhance my concentration? Answer: the environment in addition to building the above described habits, it is also to adjust the environment you are in to improve your concentration when studying. Remove distractions like turning off your phone ringer. Do not study while the television is on or while the radio is playing. Another simple instruction is to create a study spot. This is because the brain loves routine and if you create a space where you use it to study. Question: how can I measure my progress? Answer: it is important that you ensure what you have read about concentration and what you have been told are put into practice and that they are working. If you feel less distracted while studying and that the mind does not wander while you on your books then there is positive changes. Also, if there is improvement in class marks then definitely the change is positive. Buy custom My Concentrating Skill essay