The U.S. Policy toward Native Americans in the 19th Century Article

The U.S. Policy toward Native Americans in the 19th Century - Article Example Similarly, President Jackson instigated forced resettlement of Native American tribes from the Southeast to the west of the Mississippi River. He ensured the aggressive enforcement of the Indian Removal Act. On the other hand, in 1953, President Grant declared that if Native Americans were not forced upon Whites, they would be harmless and his most remarkable activities as President include policies for the protection of African Americans and Native Americans in the West. His policies advocated for their education and wellbeing (Danzinger). Indian removal refers to the policy forced by the government of the United States for the relocation of Native American tribes from the east of the Mississippi River to its west. On the other hand, an Indian reservation refers to an area of land administered by Native American Tribes and by the end of the 19th century there were 300 reservations established in the US. Some tribes ignored the relocation orders and forcing them back onto reservations resulted in a number of Native American massacres. The Indian allotment act allowed the President to divide reservations into separate lands for individual members. Its major aims were to civilize Native Americans and to acquire use of Native-American lands for non-Natives (Gunn) Wounded Knee was the last battle of American-Indian wars which occurred on December 29, 1890, near Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, the United States of America where, after the demise of Sitting Bull, General Custer's old regiment rounded up about 350 Sioux. The Native Americans were asked by the soldiers to surrender their weapons. Around 300 Native Americans were murdered and their dead bodies were left to freeze on the ground ("The Wounded Knee Massacre.").

Stakeholder management in tourism and hospitality

Stakeholder management in tourism and hospitality 2. Structure of the tourism and hospitality industry and role of stakeholders: (Burcu Ozgur, 2008) The stakeholders’ needs and demands are understood and responded to by organizations, based on the concept of stakeholder management. According to (Svendsen, 1998), the main role of stakeholder management is to protect the organization from the damaging impacts of the activities of the stakeholder. Some techniques like consultation, issue analysis, strategic communications, and formal contracts or agreements should be utilized by the organization. (Huber, Scharioth, Pallas, 2004), explained that organizations strive to gain the trust of the main stakeholders, who have a greater influence on them and with whom they have constructive interactions. For any organization, financial success is important and they will use any tools at the expense of the environment, members of staff, and/or local communities. This careless attitude will result in losses and damages in relationships with the stakeholders. The two significant variables for the decision on stakeholders by an organization are a) their possibility of threatening an organization and, b) their possibility of cooperating with an organization. The two relationship variables are cooperative potential and competitive threat. These two relationship variables reflect the capacity of stakeholders’ for cooperation and threat in a specific matter facing the organization. (Lim, Ahn, Lee, 2005), stated that companies can adopt four possible categories for stakeholder management: a) reactive, b) defensive, c) accommodative, and d) proactive. Depending on the stakeholder’s potential for threat and cooperation, companies decide their postures and strategies for stakeholder management such as a) leading, b) collaborating, c) involving, d) defending, e) educating, and f) monitoring. (Clarkson Centre for Business Ethics, 1999), developed a list of the essential principles of stakeholder management. The first principle highlights the requirement of identifying stakeholders’ legitimate interests, which will be used in decision making processes by an organization. The second principle refers to the need for communication between the organization and its stakeholders. The engagement with the stakeholder is required to reduce conflicts. The third principle reflects the idea that there could be differences with the involvement of stakeholders in the organization. While the organization may have official relationships with few of stakeholders, other stakeholders are approached in unofficial ways either through direct contact, press release or advertising. The fourth principle underlines the significance of balancing risks and rewards among various stakeholders impartially and observes the need of distributing benefits to all parties. The fifth principle highlights the need for cooperation with public and/or private entities with the sole objective to reduce risks related to corporate practices. The sixth principle relates the aspect of respecting human rights which are threatened by the present and future activities in an organization. The last principle brings the attention of managers to identify their own difference of interests to normalize stakeholder relationships in order to increase credibility of organization. 3. Strategic Stakeholder Management: Tourism’s Perspective One of the important generators of revenue is the Tourism sector which is also a job generating sector and serves as a medium of development. Tourism sector has gained great importance as it generates economic development and prosperity even in places which would not be used as an economic source. The industry’s coordinated actions; highly fragmented and diverse structure makes it special and successful. The tourism sector could be contemplated as a system. As (Mill Alastair, 2002) mentioned, there are many reasons to view tourism as a system. Some of them are: Interdependency in tourism i.e., all organizations in this sector are interrelated parts and work together to achieve common goals. Dynamic and constantly changing characteristics i.e. it be affected by outer influences such as political uncertainty, war, international relations, terrorism, technological developments, epidemics, and changes in demographic conditions. Complex sector with different types of activities and organizations. Intense competitiveness of tourism i.e. all kinds of tourism organizations have to vie with each other globally. Need for responsiveness. Tourism is a sector where many elements which are independent and any change in one element can cause changes in other parts. Therefore, it’s important to maintain harmony of all parts. The stakeholder management practices should be utilized to create the harmony and forge strong relationships between the tourism organizations and their stakeholders. 4. Environmental trends in the global tourism industry: (Dwyer, Deborah, Nina, Carolina, Noel, 2008) Tourism is closely connected to the environment. The two main reasons for determining the viability and attractiveness of an area as a tourist destination is the natural environment and climate conditions (Dwyer Kim, 2003). The developments for tourism are based on features such as gaining easy access for visitors to natural or manmade environments. The concerns of stakeholders of tourism which include researchers has always centered on the ways tourism development may offer opportunities for managing environmentally sensitive areas and the conservation of unique environments. (United Nations Environment Programme ((UNEP), 2002), reported that the focus is on tourism where it can help in reducing environmental pollution and usage of resources. The main environmental trends include change of climate, depletion of natural resources and loss of biodiversity: Change of Climate: The increase in release of concentrations of greenhouse gases influences the change of climate and global warming. Climate change is a global occurrence and its major effects are felt at the local and regional scale. Effects of climate change and warming trends include: rise in sea-level, changes to ocean currents, melting of glacial and polar ice, losing of snow cover, high heat index and high diurnal temperatures, and changes to precipitation patterns (IPCC, 2007). Climate changes are influential in determining the destinations preferred by tourists and also on the profitability of the industry through increase in costs of energy use. Policies to lessen emission of greenhouse gas will invariably affect the operator costs and destination competitiveness particularly for longer destinations (Dwyer Forsyth, 2008). Depletion of natural resource: The increasing paucity of natural resources required to steer industrial development will give rise to a number of effects. The factors affecting the availability of natural resources like food production, water and energy, are increase in population and economic development. The result of ‘peaking’ in oil production, commonly known as ‘Peak Oil’, will increase the expenses of fossil fuel based energy sources. ‘Peak Oil’ refers to the maximum rate, i.e. ‘peak’ of production of world oil to a point beyond which it goes to permanent decline. The decline in production of oil along with increase in demand will result in increase of fuel costs. Consequently, the new ‘carbon economy’ is set to push the want for energy efficiency and investment in renewable forms of energy. In future, half of the world’s population will face shortage of water due to scarcity of water resources. The arable land and native bush land will diminish extensive agriculture and broad-scale land clearing due to demands for higher food production. Loss of bio diversity: (United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2003), reported that the main danger to loss of species biodiversity is habitat loss. Loss of biodiversity is expected to substantially affect those destinations that highlight nature based or eco tourism. Analyzing Marketing Opportunities Challenges: The Macro-environment (Amy, Eliza, Cynthia, 2009) The major macro-environmental forces recognize and discuss the affect the ability of hospitality industry to market its offerings. All organizations in the hospitality industry function in a constantly changing macro-environment, and thus giving prospect for marketers to conduct business or pose threats to the companies. The environmental changes have to be monitored closed before marketing strategies are considered by companies. The hospitality marketers must analyze and observe the six major forces (demographic, economic, political/legal, social/cultural, technological and natural/ecological), as shown below: Figure 1: Macro-Environmental Forces Table 1: Macro-environmental Forces 5. Market research Importance of Psychographic Research (Yvette Felix, 2004) (Wells, 1975), defined Psychographic research as â€Å"quantitative research intended to place consumers on psychological dimensions.† According to (Gladwell, 1990), this type of research â€Å"analyzes consumer’s attitudes, perceptions, needs, interests, opinions, activities, and daily lifestyle.† (Shih, 1986), recognized that â€Å"Psychographics is very meaningful and relevant† and (Abbey, 1979) stated that â€Å"it’s very important means to provide additional information beyond the demographic characteristics.† Abbey suggested that psychographic variables produce major differences between the groups of consumers, and these differences were bigger than the differences produced by the demographic profiles. (Mayo, 1975), stated that psychographics are useful than demographics in explaining consumers because they differentiate better between them (Ryel Grasse, 1991). The market segmentation has found a valuable means in Psychographics. (Gladwell, 1990), observed that psychographic characteristics of tourists have to be examined thoroughly by marketer if their destinations need to be marketed successfully to tourist. Psychographic variables are helpful in recognizing various types of tourists, distinguishing their segments and differentiating between the segments (Schewe Calantone, 1978). Psychographic measures provide complete profiles of tourists and give the marketers a clear picture of the tourists they are attracting. Psychographics cannot be independent even though psychographics has a comparative advantage over demographics, (Schewe Calantone, 1978). In order to understand a consumer market better, marketers should use psychographic data along with other criteria such as demographic, geographic, or behaviorist. Psychographic data needs to be incorporated in its research studies of the tourism and hospitality industry to benefit from the k nowledge of its customers. The data was collected through a qualitative research method. Qualitative methods offer varied empirical processes intended to describe and interpret the experiences of participants in a context specific setting. Data was collected from 30 representatives via semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Local residents, governmental, non-governmental and academic stakeholders were considered in order to acquire the opinion locally, regionally and nationally regarding the implementing sustainable tourism development. The concept of sustainable tourism development became important due to fact that local residents are involved in tourism planning and decision-making. (Jackson, 2000). A sampling strategy was arrived at to ensure residents participating were ambassadors of a cross-section of the community. The sampled residents included those who resided in the tourism/non-tourism zone and were directly/indirectly involved with and/or affected by tourism activities. Many of the interviewed residents and who were involved in the industry were engaged as local guides or owners of home stay lodging and resorts, or souvenir and food catering shops. In-depth interviews saw participation of 20 local residents. Convenience sampling constituted a technique of non probability that attempts to get a sample of convenient elements which is less expensive and less time-consuming when compared with other sampling techniques (Malhotra, 2004). Governmental institutions had an essential part in sustainable tourism development initiatives. Therefore, they participated in the study and to aid in establishing a swell of other respondents. This was considered the most appropriate method, as the researcher was not well informed about the formal or informal ‘network connections’ locally (Jennings, 2001). The researcher chose a few respondents involved decision making for the destination i.e. Town Council, Sub-District Administration Organization. Other relevant stakeholders interviewed were the local tourist office, a non-governmental organization and academics. Totally 10 governmental respondents were interviewed. Interview questions related to the sustainable tourism development concept and stakeholders were developed. These questions were directed to five local residents in August 2012. The interviews led to alterations in: (1) interview time and how respondents were approached, and (2) the interview questions usi ng simpler and non-technical terminology. Then, in-depth interviews were conducted in September 2012. In order to gain further insights and data, the questions were open ended. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and organized based on the interview questions.

The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland †An Activist’s Perspective. :: Politics Political

The Diffusion and Adaptation of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland – An Activist’s Perspective Acknowledgements – This paper and its presentation was made possible by funding from the European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, Measure 4.1, from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, Stormont, Belfast. The author would also like to acknowledge the assistance of his Northern Ireland based and international colleagues, and the patience beyond reason of his family, Kim, Raffy and Evie. ‘For years I would not let the dark gods of politics and religion possess me. Unlike many of my age and background, I had made that mythic leap and crossed the Jordan. My Protestant working-class background and all its shibboleths would not contain me. I chose to ask questions and not accept ready made answers. We discover our own answers if we have the will to do so; and if we are not afraid of the confrontation with ourselves that such a journey might entail. †¦Those who ‘cross the Jordan’ and seek out truth through a different experience from the one they are born to, ... theirs is the greatest struggle. To move from one cultural ethos into another, as I did, and emerge embracing them both demands more of a man than any armed struggle. For here is the real conflict by which we move into manhood and maturity. For unless we know how to embrace the other we are not men and our nationhood is wilful and adolescent. Those who struggle through turbulent Jordan waters have gone beyond the glib definitions of politics or religion. The rest remain standing on either bank firing guns at one another. I had had enough of gun-fire, the rhetoric of hate and redundant ideologies.’ Brian Keenan – An Evil Cradling (p16) Introduction In telling the story of Public Achievement in Northern Ireland, I want to employ 3 interweaving narratives – personal, organisational and societal. The organisational spans the period from May 1998 to the present (November 2003), as does much of the societal - though I will touch on some historical and more recent events and developments to illustrate this story. I approach the subject as a participant, a practitioner and one who has invested large chunks of my life in pursuit of more humane, democratic and life-enhancing ways of living in what has been a brutal and stunting place.

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay

Ernest Hemingway is the ideal of an American legend, rugged, no-nonsense, with personal adventures rivaled only by those in his groundbreaking fiction.   His sparse newspaper style created a literary furor and his success came early and grew until the day he died.   In addition to his canonical novels, Hemingway was also adept at short fiction, including one only six-words long.   Besides, his male bravado, he also managed to capture the alienating effects of modern life in his fiction.   The modern themes of abortion, feminism, and alienation are expressed simply and eloquently in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† In the short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† Hemingway explores modern alienation in a tense discussion between a couple waiting for a train.   Two Americans in Spain, the man is trying to pressure the woman into some operation, though it is never revealed what this operation is.   Throughout the tense, yet sparse conversation, the man insists she have the operation, yet the woman resists.   It becomes increasingly clear that the operation they discuss may be an abortion, and the tension between the two symbolizes something uniquely modern.   Though abortions have been performed for centuries, it remained taboo until the twentieth century. Hemingway, though never specifically citing abortion as the subject in the story, displays the alienating effect it has on relationships and couples:   â€Å"‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.’   The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on. ‘I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in’† (Hemingway).   The man refuses to completely acknowledge the significance of the situation, perhaps suggesting either his refusal or dismissal of Jig’s role as a woman worthy of making her own decision. According to critic Paul Lankin, â€Å"as the man persists in opposing the continuance of Jig’s maternity, he grossly oversimplifies the issue, even to the point of self-contradiction, calling abortion first ‘an awfully simple operation’ and then ‘not really an operation at all’† (234).   His dismissive attitude speaks of a former socially acceptable condescension by men towards women during a time when women were often treated as second class citizens.   This frank discussion between the man and the woman seems only possible in modern literature and seems unimaginable during Victorian times. The tension between the man and the girl is palpable in the short story.   Though they are travelers, imbibing alcohol and waiting for the train to their next destination, the conversation is filled with underlying themes of male dominance and female perseverance.   The man continuously belittles the girl’s feelings towards the pregnancy, and his argument includes many attempts at downplaying the importance.   The man persistently tries to convince her, even though he seems to feign sincerity in much of his words: â€Å"‘Well,’ the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to.   I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to.   But I know it’s perfectly simple’† (Hemingway).    The girl does her best to contend with the man, believing that if she listens to him the relationship will be back to normal.   She hides her worry with levity, including her comment about the hills looking like white elephants.   It becomes apparent that more than fear over the procedure, the girl is coming to the realization that her relationship with the man is not what she thought it was: â€Å"the girl clings to a dream of family and togetherness until the last minute, and finally decides to give it all up as the requisite price of staying with the man-not knowing, as the reader does, from the many hints provided by Hemingway, that the man is likely to leave her, even if she goes through with the abortion† (Hashmi 3). Her final declaration that she is fine is the affirmation that a man cannot dictate her womanhood and her life decisions.   In the end, she becomes the one with the strength and wisdom, understanding that the relationship is forever changed.   The newfound disconnect between the man and the girl will be permanent after this episode, exemplifying the theme of alienation brought by many modern decisions. Though the man believes that the only way to preserve the comfortable relationship is to maintain the status quo, even if it means aborting their baby, the woman disagrees.   The American tries to make himself sound perfectly reasonable and rational, but as the dialogue continues, it becomes clear that he is both selfish and hypocritical (â€Å"Overview: Hills Like White Elephants†). The couple’s disagreement, about something as monumental as creating human life, is a clear sign that they have little that bonds them other than their superficiality.   The girl even comments in the beginning of the story how, â€Å"That’s all we do, isn’t it – look at things and try new drinks?’† The man responds, â€Å"I guess so† (Hemingway).   Later, when the man claims that everything will be the same after the abortion and the baby is the only thing that made them unhappy, it seems like a statement lacking all truth. The very fact that keeping or aborting a baby is a choice, is a uniquely modern issue.   The reality of having to even consider it completely destroys their carefree lifestyle as travelers in Europe, and underlines their existences as solitary beings alienated from each other.   Ironically, the man claims that he only wants her and no one else, but his statements seem insincere. The girl realizes their alienation from each other and the happiness they once knew with the â€Å"claim that Europe ‘isn’t ours anymore,’ which expresses her knowledge that such an innocent return to a secularized American-in-Europe experience of time is impossible† (Grant 3).   Europe is not theirs to share, seemingly as if enjoyment is also no longer theirs to share.   The complexity of their modern dilemma illustrates the true distance between them. Hemingway’s story is one that could only be written during modern times.   Though not many years removed from the Victorian Age, the themes of abortion, feminine independence, and modern alienation have continued to echo throughout the literature of modernity.   While short and devoid of lengthy descriptions, the dialogue and significant themes give â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† a lasting power that only continues to grow as time goes by. Works Cited: Grant, David. â€Å"Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ and the tradition of the American in Europe.† Studies in Short Fiction. Summer, 1998. 25 July 2008. . Hashmi, Nilofer. â€Å"‘Hills Like White Elephants’: The Jilting Of Jig.† The Hemingway Review.   Fall 2003. 25 July 2008. . Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The Heath Anthology of American Literature.   Lauter, Paul.   3rd Ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† Short Stories for Students, Vol. 6. The Gale Group, 1999. Lankin, Paul. â€Å"Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants.† The Explicator. Summer 2005; v63.

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was born on May 8th, 1753 to Cristobal Hidalgo y Costilla and Ana Maria Gallaga near Penjamo, Guanajuato. He was considered a Criollo or Mexican of Spanish descent that had been born in the New World. He was a very intelligent man who knew several languages, read French literature and wrote texts in Aztec. In 1773 Hidalgo y Castillo received his bachelor’s degree in theology from the Colegia San Nicolas in Valltolid. He was ordained in 1778 and became the priest for the village of Dolores, Guanajuato in 1803. Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was an unusual priest. Contrary to Church doctrine, Hidalgo y Costilla was known to gamble, dance, challenge the papacy of Rome and keep a mistress. He was also known to speak out against the king of Spain. In 1803, when Hidalgo y Costilla was the priest of Dolores, his house was a well known gathering place. It was the equality in the house that drew people, with poor Indians and castes socializing with Spanish and criollos.  Ã‚   Current events and literary topics were frequently debated, but Hidalgo's orientation grew more scientific as time passed. He was not so interested in literary cultural enlightenment, and was more concerned with the development of social consciousness and economic awareness.   (Hamill 82) Hidalgo y Costilla was very interested in developing Dolores’s ability to be economically self sufficient. Colonists were prohibited from producing many different types of commodities and this made its difficult, if not impossible, for the colonists to become self supporting. Two of these were wine and silkworms, both of which Hidalgo y Costilla encouraged. With the French seizure of Spain in 1808, the imposition of Joseph Bonaparte on the throne, and the creation of the Cà ¡diz junta, Mexico exploded into crisis. The instability revealed acute  social divisions within Mexico. The upper classes sought to establish an autonomous government that would represent their interests, and the lower classes struggled against the dominance of the local elites.†Ã‚   (Kirkwood 75) There were many groups and each had their own list of grievances but they did have a few issues in common. One major criticism was Spain’s inability to govern Mexico properly. Another was the social identity change going on with the Mexicans. They were becoming proud of themselves as a people and changing the attitude that anything European was possibly superior. In 1810, the audiencia in Mexico City took power from Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont. The audiencia was not any better at maintaing stability than any of the others and fearful of weak government leadership, semi-secret groups began meeting to discuss the nations future. To avoid detection, they disguised themselves as debate clubs or literary discussion groups. One such group was the Literary and Social Club of Querà ©taro, of which Father Hidalgo y Costilla was a member. â€Å"Noted as a defender of the downtrodden, well read, and with a capacity to forcibly express his ideas, he emerged as an important participant in the literary club in Querà ©taro.† (Kirkwood 79) It was due to these qualities and the encouragement he had shown the people regarding the creation of their own industries that Hidalgo y Costilla had become the leader of a revolution. Tired of the oppression of Spanish rule, he began planning for Mexico to gain its independence. â€Å"By 1810 Hidalgo's main energies were devoted to conspiring for an uprising that he hoped would lead to Mexican independence. The center of the conspiracy was the city of Querà ©taro, some fifty miles southeast of Dolores on the road to Mexico City. His fellow conspirators, also  criollos, planned to organize an insurrection and seize power from the peninsulares and their al lies. Initially, as a ruse, they would declare their fealty to King Ferdinand VII, but their clear final purpose was independence† (Smith 12,13) The government got word of the uprising and start arresting people who were suspected of participating. Hidalgo y Costilla was informed that this was happening and decided to take action. Racing to the church, he used the bells to call all the parishioners to him and proceeded to make a stirring speech against bad government known as the Grito de Dolores (Shout from Dolores). This speech described the situation and feeling in Mexico so aptly that it is considered the beginning moment of Mexico’s independence and made Hidalgo y Costilla a historical icon. Inspired by the Grito de Dolores, an army of 700 followed Hidalgo y Costilla on a march towards Guanajuato, by the time they were nearly there, the army had grown to almost 20,000 men. Despite his stirring speeches and large crowd of followers, Hidalgo y Costilla soon found he was in charge of an unruly mob rather than a trained army. They overtook the granary at Guanajuato and defeated the royalist soldiers but soon after Hidalgo y Costilla’s mob began destroying property, burning and pillaging and killing landowners and their families. â€Å"These excesses redoubled the resolve of the viceroy in Mexico City to put down the rebellion. Hidalgo and his military commanders were excommunicated, and royalist forces were raised to march north and engage Hidalgo's troops   (Smith 13) It was at this point that Hidalgo y Costilla made his biggest military mistake. He did not realize the forces guarding Mexico City were weak and unprepared. If he had marched on Mexico City and taken it, the war for independence would have been over at that point. Instead he and his mob headed to Queretaro, but when they were defeated, they retreated back to Guanajuato. Hidalgo y Costilla and his army tried to escape to the United States when a large, well trained royalist army appeared outside of Guanajuato, but they were captured before they could cross the border. Hidalgo was arrested, charged and found guilt of heresy and treason. He was also excommunicated by an ecclesiastical court. Now he was no longer considered a priest and was a traitor to the Spanish. â€Å"On the morning of July 30, 1811, the day after his degradation from th   priesthood, Hidalgo went before a firing squad in the courtyard of the former Jesuit College which had been his prison since April.† (Hamill 216) Despite the charges and his execution, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla remains a hero to the people of Mexico. In Dolores, the Casa de Don Miguel Hidalgo, where he lived from 1804 to 1810, is full of furniture and document exhibits from that time. The Museo de la Independencia, or Independence Museum, has been converted from the old prison into a historical arts center. A larger than life bronze statue of Miguel Hidalgo graces the center of the park and all around Dolores are opportunities to purchase Talavera, a type of porcelain introduced by Father Hidalgo. Matamoros, Mexico boasts a main square featuring monuments to Hidalgo and others who lost their lives in the Mexican War of Independence. More tributes and monuments are found throughout Mexico, Texas and surrounding areas. Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla may not have been a war savvy general but his genuine concern for the plight of his people and his encouragement to fight for an independent Mexico has truly made him the â€Å"Father of Mexican Independence.† Works Cited Anderson, Geri. Dolores Hidalgo: Mexico’s Cradle of Independence. 2007. 7 Mar. 2007 Hamill, Hugh M. The Hidalgo Revolt: Prelude to Mexican Independence. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press, 1966. Questia. 5 Mar. 2007 . Kirkwood, Burton. The History of Mexico. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. Questia. 5 Mar. 2007 . Smith, Clint E. Inevitable Partnership:   Understanding Mexico-U.S. Relations. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2000. Questia. 6 Mar. 2007 .                                             

Average ACT Scores What They Mean For You

Average ACT Scores What They Mean For You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The average ACT score for US students is a 21. The middle 50% of students score between a 16 and a 24. The following chart breaks down the nationwide average by section: English Math Reading Science 20.3 20.9 21.3 20.8 However, when you’re thinking about college admissions the nationwide average isn’t important: what really matters is the average score of the students you’re being compared with. If you’re a high achieving student applying to very selective schools you’ll need a score much higher than the national average. If, on the other hand, you’re applying to certain state schools, a 20 is a totally acceptable score. Really, the National Average Doesn't Matter If you're worrying about your ACT scores, it's probably because you want to use them to apply to college. But the national average includes every student who takes the ACT (a grand total of 59% of students who graduatedin 2015), including many who don't intend to go to college butare required to take the test as part of a statewide assessment program. When you’re applying to college or for scholarships you aren’t competing against all of these students, you’re only competing against the other students applying for that school or scholarship. The key isto have an average or higher score compared to the students you’re competing against- the national average is thus pretty much meaningless for your purposes. Let's talk about some numbers that might be more helpful in terms of setting a goal for yourself. How to Compare Yourself to Your Peers If you're still curious about how you compare to other students in a general sense, you might want to check outhow your ACTscores compare to those of other students like you, i.e. those with similar grades and backgrounds. Generally speaking, the easiest way to understand where you fall in this range is to find out the average ACT score at your high school. If you're a high-achievingstudent looking at competitive colleges, you mayalso want to consider how you stack up with other honor students. Keep in mind, though, that when it comes to college applications, these numbers are only marginally more meaningful than the national average. Average ACT Score for Your High School If you want to knowthe average ACT score at your high school, just google â€Å"[your school] ACT scores.† This approachwill be most effective if you attend a public school in a state with mandated ACT testing, though many private schools list these scores on their websites. If the SAT is generally more common where you live, you can try looking for the average SAT score and then converting it to an ACT score. Average ACT Score for Honor Students Students with high GPAs also tend to have high ACT scores. For students in the top â…“ of their class, the average ACT score is 27. For those in the top 1/10, it’s 30. These numbers shouldn’t stress you out, however, since as we’ll go over below, what’s really important is how you compare to the other students applying to the same school as you. The Key Number: the Average ACTScore for Your Ideal College As I explained above, the value of an ACT score lies in whether it can get you into the school of your dreams, not in how it compares to other student's scores. Thus, you'llneed to look up the average ACT scores for admitted students at the schools you want to apply to, in order to determine your score goal. Most schools list a range of ACT scores (the 25th-75th percentile) rather than a single number. You can look this info up by googling "[college name] ACT scores" or"[college name] ACT scores Prepscholar."Then use this worksheet to calculate your exact target score based on all the schools you’re interested in. Keep in mind that there's a considerablerange inwhat kind of scores colleges expect: the most selective schools generally have average ACT scores between 32 and 35, somewhat selective schools have average ACT scores in the mid to high twenties, and less selective schools have average ACT scores in the high teens and low twenties. You don't need to panic just because you don't have a 36. What's Next? If you haven't reached your score goal just yet, givesome of our freeACTprep resources a try. Start with the 5 general strategies you must know and then break yourprep down by section with our ultimate guides to reading, English, science, and math (coming soon). Or perhaps you'd fare better with the SAT? Usethese guides to decide whether you might prefer to focus on the other test, whether its current incarnation or the redesigned version that arrives March 2016:the ACT vs. the current SAT and the ACT vs. the new SAT. What ifyou're already scoring well on the ACT, but are struggling with a low GPA?Try these suggestions for how to work around your low grades. Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Alex Heimbach About the Author Alex is an experienced tutor and writer. Over the past five years, she has worked with almost a hundred students and written about pop culture for a wide range of publications. She graduated with honors from University of Chicago, receiving a BA in English and Anthropology, and then went on to earn an MA at NYU in Cultural Reporting and Criticism. In high school, she was a National Merit Scholar, took 12 AP tests and scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and ACT. 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TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017

TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017 What is a Tok Essay TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge. The TOK essay was conceptualized by the International Baccalaureate. The essay is to be between 1200 and 1600 total words, and is written on one of the topics that the IB has established. These are also known as titles. If you are in an International Baccalaureate program at your school, achieving a good grade on the TOK essay is imperative if you wish to graduate with this endorsement on your diploma. The paragraphs that follow will help you to select the best title, master the TOK essay format, do your research, take notes and create an working outline, and even guide you to some useful writing samples. We hope these guidelines will help to answer any questions you have, and that you will be able to formulate a plan for success. You know that IB students have advantages that include being highly sought after by colleges and universities and having a greater chance at becoming successful during and after the college years. By mastering the TOK essay format, you will truly be helping yourself. TOK Essay Title Selection Unlike other essays, you cannot simply choose from an unlimited number of topics. Your essay must be selected from one of the prescribed titles created by the International Baccalaureate Organization for 2017. Then, your essay must meet additional criteria. Specifically, it must be related to one of the eight areas of knowledge that have been defined by the IB. Selecting TOK Essay Titles: Areas of Knowledge Here are the eight areas of knowledge that a student in an IB program must master: History Mathematics The Arts Ethics Religious Knowledge Systems Human Science Indigenous Knowledge Systems Natural Science Choosing TOK Essay Titles 2017: Understanding The Questions Each year, a new set of questions are created for students to cover in their essays. These can be easily found online as the IB makes these public. What’s more important is to understand exactly what you need to do when writing about these topics. These aren’t the same as your standard custom writings. Understanding The Purpose of TOK Essay Topics Let’s Take a Look at Some TOK Essay Topics From Previous Years Here are some sample essay topics that are loosely based on some of the titles established for 2017. We’ll discuss exactly what information is being sought in each of these examples. Remember that each essay should in some way establish your understanding of knowledge and the learning process itself. This gives your instructor the opportunity to conduct a thorough assessment of your critical thinking skills. 1.Explore The Human Nature of Pattern Seeking a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: There’s a lot that could be explored here with regard to perception and expectations. Science and religious knowledge systems could be two potentially interesting areas to dig into further. b.What to Cover: The dangers of relying on perception instead of examination. The ways in which pattern seeking impacts our ability to obtain new knowledge and to vet information we receive. 2.Explore Knowledge Traditions And Various Methods of Correcting Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Ethics and natural science are definitely two areas where tradition and developing means of correcting the knowledge that informs or is informed by traditions. b.What to Cover: Traditions are difficult for people to let go of, especially when they are associated with religion or culture. How do you encourage corrective action without insulting traditions. 3.Write About Facts And Theories And How They Relate a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Human or natural science combined with indigenous or religious knowledge systems really seem to fit here. However, History would be an excellent addition to this. b.What to Cover: Theories are ideally based in fact, however many people using correlation rather than causation to draw conclusions. The result is faulty theories. Then there is the problem with poorly vetted facts. Explain how outdated or incorrect information impacts the development of theories. 4.What Happens When Subject Matter Experts Don’t Agree With Each Other? a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: With this topic, any of the areas of knowledge could be excellent for potential exploration. b.What to Cover: When building their own knowledge, people turn to experts. How do they discern what to believe when the experts themselves disagree on important matters? Can external influences change the way that experts view or spin the truth? Climate change would be a great topic to use as an example for this question. 5.Looking at Historic Events With The Benefit of Hindsight a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: History, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Religious Knowledge Systems, and Ethics are all very good topics for an essay on this subject. b.What to Cover: It’s easy to judge the actions and behaviors of citizens, religious leaders, and political leaders when we have the benefit of historical perspective. However, by doing so we can prevent ourselves from gaining full insight into the way that situations impact   human behavior. Maybe explore how to write historical text in a more sympathetic way. 6.Write About The Knowledge And The Difficulty of Producing Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Because this is such a broad question, once again all areas of knowledge could be subject to exploration here. b.What to Cover: The idea here is that the harder you have to work to obtain knowledge the more you will value it. Do you agree or disagree? You might address the topic of privilege here. How to Know Which TOK Essay Topics Are Best For You So, how do you pick the right topic? Look at each extended example above. As an IB student, you are familiar with all of the areas of knowledge. You might also consider looking at an exemplar online for each question that you are considering. Just google tipstok essay example, and you will likely find something. Mostly, you should pick a question that speaks to you, and apply the areas of knowledge that you can best show your academic and personal development. Planning Your Essay First and foremost, study the rubric that your teacher provides for you. This will be an amazing guide. Unfortunately, it is not complete. You may have to follow up and get more information on the standards for marking your essay. Here are the criteria by which your essay will be assessed. You must show that you have developed the ability to think critically. Focus on demonstrating self-awareness, and consider multiple perspectives on the issues you are addressing. Use concrete examples. The structure that you use is very important. It must have a logical flow. References must be cited. Factual accuracy is of utmost importance. Don’t make a declaration on any page without backing it up. Show the mastery that you have developed with regard to the knowledge issues. Your format is important. However, it is even more important that you demonstrate an adequate depth of knowledge and insight. Starting Your Essay As you begin writing your introduction, keep in mind that you have a limit of 1200 to 1600 words. Your thesis and introductory paragraph will really drive the length of your essay. If your focus is too narrow, you will struggle to meet the word count that you need. If your focus is too broad, you will go over the limit. You should probably spend at least 50 percent of your essay writing on creating your thesis statement. It is truly the foundation of what you are going to present to your instructor. Be sure that it is very well thought out, and that you can back up your thesis with plenty of evidence as well. Tips For Success Here are some tips that can help you to succeed: While you need to backup your statements of fact with sources, remember that this is a reflective essay. Here, you can share your thoughts and opinions. Don’t be afraid to use examples that are meaningful to you. Remember that MLA is the preferred citation format. Remember that The Phrase ‘How do You Know’ Should be Your Guide Run your essay through a text to speech translator. That will show you how it reads. Essay and punctuation are still important. Self Care During The Essay Writing Process You have worked very hard, and accomplished a lot to get to this point. The theory of knowledge essay is very important. You will need to put in many   hours of hard work. This will be intense, so remember to take good care of yourself. Don’t make the essay the center of your life. Enjoy your friends and keep other academic priorities in mind. Find a physical activity. Walking is amazing. Eat healthy foods and get enough rest. Ask for TOK Essay help when you need it. Connect with students who have already written their TOK essay. Conclusion You can do this! All you have to do is consider which question is best for you, follow the instructions, and know the standards that will be used to evaluate your writing. Take good care of yourself, and you are certain to do well.    Author: Amanda Sparks   huffingtonpost.ca/amanda-sparks/

Quotes From the Film Boondock Saints

Quotes From the Film 'Boondock Saints' Two Irish brothers, Murphy and Connor, feel that theyve been authorized by God to clean up the underworld. Predictably a lot of blood, gore, and swear words follow. Each Boondock Saints quote given below is representative of the colorful dialogue that abounds in the film. Connor Well, a penny saved is worth two in the bush, isnt it? Connor You look like Mush-mouth from Fat Albert. Il Duce The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as is needed? Monsignor And I am reminded, on this holy day, of the sad story of Kitty Genovese. As you all may remember, a long time ago, almost thirty years ago, this poor soul cried out for help time and time again, but no person answered her calls. Though many saw, no one so much as called the police. They all just watched as Kitty was being stabbed to death in broad daylight. They watched as her assailant walked away. Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. Murphy Were sorta like 7-Eleven. Were not always doing business, but were always open. Murphy Do not kill. Do not rape. Do not steal. These are principles which every man of every faith can embrace. Murphy [to a Russian gangster] So youre Chekov, huh? Well, this heres McCoy. Find a Spock, we got us an away team. Paul Smecker First of all, Id like to thank whichever one of you donut-munching, barrel-assed, pud-pulling sissies leaked this to the press. Thats all we need now: some sensational story in the papers making these guys out to be superheroes, triumphing over evil. Paul Smecker So Duffy, have any theories to go with that tie? Paul Smecker You know, you Irish cops are perking up. Thats two sound theories in one day, neither of which deal with abnormally-sized men. Kind of makes me feel like Riverdancing. Rocco Ill catch you on the flip side. Yakavetta The 90s are killing me. I shouldnt have done that. Youre not supposed to tell a guy youre gonna kill him no more.

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture Research Paper

Rites of Passage for Mesai and Nubian culture - Research Paper Example In the Maasai culture, ceremonies are used as a way of expressing their culture and self-determination. All the ceremonies form a part of their lives because they are rites of passage. The younger Maasai boys and girls get very anxious to reach the right age and qualify to go through these rites of passage. The pre-circumcision ceremony referred to as Enkipaata is the first boy’s initiation. It is arranged by the fathers of the new age-set group. The ceremony is carried out only when the senior warriors have been settled. Boys aged between 14-16 years later move all around their land in a period of about five months giving information that they will be forming their new age-set. The boys going through initiation are offered a house which has been built in their respect. The Maasai prophet, known as Oloiboni, is responsible for choosing the location of the houses where all the boys of the whole community will be initiated. During this process, the chief of the boys, known as Olopolosi, is chosen, although this position is considered by the community as unfortunate. This is because the chief of the boys is the person supposed to carry all the sins committed by members of his age-group. The boys to be initiated are supposed to sleep in the forest, and at dawn they run towards the homestead and go in with a raider’s attitude. They dance throughout the day of the ceremony dressed in loose clothes. It is after this ceremony that the boys are ready for circumcision. The circumcision ceremony is the most important rite of passage in the Maasai community, for men and women. It is the process that develops young girls and boys from childhood to adulthood. However, due to upcoming challenges of civilization and the 21st century, circumcision for Maasai women has been fading over the years. Once a Maasai boy has been circumcised, they become warriors. After becoming warriors, they fully take the responsibility

Miguels Hourly Performance Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Miguels Hourly Performance Evaluation - Essay Example Voluntarily takes the first initiative in identifying and addressing potential and existing issues, opportunities, and obstacles (The University of British Colombia , 2011). Creatively identify and determine resources, technical needs and support team and initiates planning for potentially significant contingency plan and outcomes by integrating future and conflicting scenarios with opportunities. Focuses on a great consistency to the customers serve both internal and external ensuring high quality products and services by proper aligning and allocating resources to meet the objective of customer satisfaction and product utility. Develops strategies and plan that meet the technology and, or the architecture requirements of the organization. As an IT expert, I use scheduling software incorporate such plans and strategies to the business vision, goals, strategies, priorities, industry trends, emerging technology, and economic viability which help me and the department effectively plan for activities and have ultimately saved the organization time and money (Maurer & Robert, 2012). My business experience helps me run my work activities in a cost efficient manner by proactively conducting work progress and department reviews to reprioritize resources and apply corrective action that respond to business strategy, budget and initiatives against established objectives, and milestone to enhance high level of efficiency and effectiveness. Engages the right group of individuals within and beyond organization boundaries, by matching individual skills and capabilities to buy-in support and problem definition methods of resolution and accountability. Solicits and generates the approval of senior leadership prior to defining acute issues and solution to indistinct, multifaceted teething troubles of high risk, which can span across and beyond the enterprise. Consistently fosters collaboration

Industrial Law Assignment ( Contract Law ) Essay

Industrial Law Assignment ( Contract Law ) - Essay Example The Company A has accepted the contract with Company B with all the clauses. Company B, in effect offered to provide the equipment by a particular date. It agreed to do so for a particular amount, which is the consideration. Company B accepted the offer and communicated to Company A that they would complete the order. The letter issued by Company B stated that it was â€Å"accepting the order subject to our standard terms of business.† Clause 10 of the standard terms of business of Company B in effect stated that Company B would be liable to any defect in the equipment only if claim to that effect is lodged within seven days of supply of the equipment. The standard terms of Company B also provided that it would not be liable for any loss caused due to delay in supply of equipment. The Contract Manager of Company A communicated to Company B the details of the equipment it needed, and by implication agreed to the standard terms of business of Company B in their entirety. The first three terms were acted upon. The equipment was supplied to Company A well within time. Company B was paid for the same. The other two terms are not applicable to the problem at hand. Company A did not communicate to Company B the defect within time, and the liability of Company B as regards the defects ended on 8th July 2009. So the complaint communicated to Company B by letter Dt. 15th July 2009 can not be legally enforceable. The contract entered in to by the parties was fully acted upon, and no clause of the contract would be open for interpretation other than what was given to it in express terms. The contract was of the executed consideration type and ended in fulfillment when the Company B was paid by the Company B. Though the Contract Manager of Company A was unaware about the particular Clause 10 which ended the liability of Company B on expiry of period of seven days of the supply, it does not in any way alter the lack of the contractual obligation on

The American Identity Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The American Identity Crisis - Essay Example On the other hand, there were those who felt that American colonists had come to the New World to leave the world of monarchy and authoritarian decree behind, to found a home for democracy and for personal equality and freedom. The current debate in public opinion has to do with the American war in Iraq. There are many who believe that the United States, once an example for freedom and liberty, is acting like a colonial, or even an imperial power in its handling of Iraq. Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the country has sunk into a brutal civil war, which neither the American military nor the Iraqi military can contain. These thinkers assert that, since there is no clear exit strategy for the American military, that President Bush has given his military forces an impossible task of restoring full order before returning home. Instead of leaving the troops there indefinitely, these people argue, preparations should begin immediately for troop withdrawals, since there is no clear rationale for their continued presence in the country. On the other side of the argument are those who believe that the American military has a duty to establish that order before it leaves, and that to leave any earlier would g ive terrorists a foothold in the Middle East and would leave a power vacuum that could end up being very dangerous to American interests. Paine, of course, was on the side of military action against the British government. He used highly incendiary language in his pamphlets: in The Crisis, he wrote that "[t]yranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." He explicitly compares the fight for American independence from Great Britain to a religious battle between forces of good and evil. He scorned the sensibilities of the Tory loyalists, who, in his opinion, were selling out their children's futures for their own short-term comfort: he quotes the Tory tavern owner who said, "Well! Give me peace in my day!" while playing with his young son. Paine argues that his concern should be more the future, and that he should think, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace." Paine's argument was that a swift military action against the British would serve to lance the boil of American servitude that wo uld only continue to fester under the pressure of further British acts of taxation and other forms of official oppression. Paine's rhetoric is no tamer in his larger pamphlet known as Common Sense. He wrote, "Now is the seed-time of Continental union, faith and honour. The least fracture now will be like a name engraved with the point of a pin on the tender rind of a young oak; the wound would enlarge with the tree, and posterity read in it full grown characters." In other words, Paine felt his time period to be a crucial one in the direction of the fledgling colonies: they would either continue under British imperial rule, as would such areas as India and South Africa, or they could break free from their colonial ties and become a flagship for liberty in the New World. He uses the metaphor of writing on the tree to show how long-lasting the lessons of that historical moment would be. And just how permanent

Russia Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Russia Revolution - Essay Example The traditional Monarchy had increasingly become so weak and continuously got defeated in several wars. The empire became vulnerable which culminated to severe reactionary. Nicholas had total control over the activities and army (Beckwith 67). Nicholas II refused calls to incorporate people in his leadership and hence masses poked holes and became discontented with his leadership that raised several questions. He took much time with family interest and became obsessed to retain his privileges and naively believed being a God-chosen leader. Nicholas was forced to dissolve the Duma and joined the war front which made him loose his position as this became more detrimental to him. The Nicholas II had long seen his grandfather’s assassination as well and witnessed his father’s responding to the assassination amidst brutal oppression of the people. The attempts by Nicholas to imitate the further approaches to the resistance did not augur well with already dissatisfied masses. The people vowed to oust Nicholas II following the ever emerging rebellious movements. Nicholas make several incident by incident concessions following the increased unrest caused by the imposition of oppressions. These concessions culminated into the inception of the first ever constitution and Russian Parliament. The concession persisted, and Nicholas II grip of power weakened hence opening the door for his ousting in January 1917. The successive wars weakened the emperor such as The Crimean war that lasted between 1854 and 1856. Another war was The Russo-Turkish that was occurred during 1877-78. Another severe war was Russo-Japanese War that lasted between 1904 and 1905, as well as The World War I of 1914-18. These wars spent tax revenue and manpower. The country suffered due to war defeats with only Turkish win. This weakened the nation and fueled the discontent amongst the

The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin Dissertation

The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin - Dissertation Example The study "The Fashion Industry and the Role of the Media in Shapin" concerns the fashion and media and analyzes the Changing Perception of a Woman’s Physical Image. After World War I, with the popularity of fashion magazines, print media, television and the internet, the popular media has presented the perceived ‘ideal’ image of a woman. This mostly unrealistic perception, being pushed on to the people, has had a negative effect on the women’s own perception of their physical image often putting health on a lower priority or even contradicting healthy routines in favor of attaining such physical attire. The complicated perceptions of one’s own physical image make one concerned about this aspect. Research on this self perception has found discontent among women showing their body dissatisfaction and at a higher rate than males. Such false projections, which have nothing to do with a real drive to get a better appearance, put individuals at a risk of disturbance and discontent. The idealized thinness and prejudiced height, hair and weight projected by the media as being ‘attractive’ influences the masses and makes women match those descriptions which is not only destruction of originality but also dangerous for health the way it gets commercialized, rather littered, and then picked by the adolescents. The wrong message of ‘standards for acceptability’ that the models from fashion industry and the media send do not actually define the beauty; in fact, the repeated pushing of such image on the women.... ? that the models from fashion industry and the media send do not actually define the beauty (Dittmar & Howard, 2004; Thompson & Stice, 2001); in fact, the repeated pushing of such image on the women population puts a conflict between the actual standards and the depicted standard making a woman choose to be unhealthy in order to achieve that standard (Dittmar & Howard, 2004, p. 478). This has been found in previous research to have direct proportion to the time of exposure to such commercial propaganda (Schooler et al. 2004). Many times, the sole purpose of such depictions and portrayal is to create an artificial need of the products, which are not actually needed, and then to sell them to that audience. 2.0 Purpose of research The purpose of this research is to evaluate the change in perception of a woman’s physical image in the eyes of the population in general and in the eyes of woman herself. Researching on why and how these perceptions have changed over this period of ti me, which can safely be regarded as an era of contemporary change in this respect, can provide us with useful results that actually provide some insight on how the fashion and show business industry has driven this. Addressing everlasting concern over weight and appearance in a non issue approach can help minimize the prejudice on being slimmer from as young as 6 years old (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002). The dissatisfaction, which is one of the major issues in a woman’s teenage due to perception of one’s own physical image (Schwitzer, Bergholz, Dore, & Salimi, 1998; Stice & Whitenton, 2002), is a topic that needs special attention to guard young girls from further worsening their health situation in fear of weight gain (Striegel-Moore & Franko, 2002; Field et al., 1999). What you think of

Russia Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Russia Revolution - Essay Example The traditional Monarchy had increasingly become so weak and continuously got defeated in several wars. The empire became vulnerable which culminated to severe reactionary. Nicholas had total control over the activities and army (Beckwith 67). Nicholas II refused calls to incorporate people in his leadership and hence masses poked holes and became discontented with his leadership that raised several questions. He took much time with family interest and became obsessed to retain his privileges and naively believed being a God-chosen leader. Nicholas was forced to dissolve the Duma and joined the war front which made him loose his position as this became more detrimental to him. The Nicholas II had long seen his grandfather’s assassination as well and witnessed his father’s responding to the assassination amidst brutal oppression of the people. The attempts by Nicholas to imitate the further approaches to the resistance did not augur well with already dissatisfied masses. The people vowed to oust Nicholas II following the ever emerging rebellious movements. Nicholas make several incident by incident concessions following the increased unrest caused by the imposition of oppressions. These concessions culminated into the inception of the first ever constitution and Russian Parliament. The concession persisted, and Nicholas II grip of power weakened hence opening the door for his ousting in January 1917. The successive wars weakened the emperor such as The Crimean war that lasted between 1854 and 1856. Another war was The Russo-Turkish that was occurred during 1877-78. Another severe war was Russo-Japanese War that lasted between 1904 and 1905, as well as The World War I of 1914-18. These wars spent tax revenue and manpower. The country suffered due to war defeats with only Turkish win. This weakened the nation and fueled the discontent amongst the

The topic can be revised by the writer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The topic can be revised by the writer - Essay Example Using the four-quadrant model, I was able to categorize my major activities as: urgent and important (quadrant one), not urgent and important (quadrant two), urgent and not important (quadrant three), and not urgent and not important (quadrant four). I tracked down eight activities through the week that consumed at least one and a half hours every session. Using the four quadrant model, the activities can be classified as; The classification was enabled by calculating the amount of time that each grid consumed. Quadrants 1,2,3,4 consumed two hours, three hours, one and a half hours, and two hours respectively. The grid revealed to me that I spent more time on online chatting than I thought. I was surprised by the amount of time I devoted to activities that were of self-interest. The music practice was urgent and important for a forthcoming schools’ music festival. I noticed that I attached little value to the practice as compared to the other members, regardless of its short timeframe. An activity is important if it comprises of long-term strategies and personal development. Important activities are those that contribute to health and wellness. Music practice, studying, and exercising were the most important activities for the past week. I am passionate about those activities since they stimulate personal development. Music, studying, and exercising form my hobbies list in my rà ©sumà ©. They are activities that propel my long-term goals of personal development; and success. There are two factors that dictate whether an activity is urgent. Firstly, the activity has to have a deadline. Secondly, there must be an authority that requires the activity completed within its timeframe. Music practice and reading and writing journals were activities supervised and coordinated by the director of music and health chairman respectively. The activities were time pressured and required adequate concentration to get the work

Business Analysis of Honeywell International

Business Analysis of Honeywell International Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 global diversified technology and manufacturing leader with revenues to the tune of $30.9 billion. The company has four strategic business units, namely Aerospace, Access and Control Solutions (ACS), Transportation Systems, and Specialty Materials. Honeywell employs about 123,000 employees in more than 123 countries of which over 10,000 are employed in India. The organizational structure of Honeywell India is illustrated in ) This thesis aims to formulate a design and implementation plan for a formalized onboarding program for two of the Strategic Business Units (SBUs) of Access and Control Solutions (ACS) namely: Honeywell Security Group (HSG) and ADI. Honeywell Security Group (HSG) Honeywell Security is an international supplier and distributor of electronic security systems and solutions. Honeywell Security is a business unit of Honeywell International, $34 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. (Honeywell, 2010) Honeywell Security has an extraordinary range of solutions across intrusion detection, Video surveillance, access control technologies Home net systems and invests over $50 million a year in research and development. It has its engineering centers of excellence in the U.S., Canada, China, Korea, India, Scotland and France and leverages technologies that are developed elsewhere in Honeywell and brings them to the security business. Honeywell Security South Asia operations spans across Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other South Asian countries with HQ in India. Headquartered at Gurgaon, Honeywell Security has sales offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata catering to all four corners of the country. An exponentially growing business unit of Honeywell International, Honeywell Security caters to all electronic security needs for Industrial, Government, Defense, Transportation, Commercial, Retail, Hotel, Hospital, Corporate Buildings, IT, ITES, Banking and also the Residential market. Lines of Business Video Systems Products range from basic camera systems to fully integrated systems capable of working on LAN and over internet. Access Control Systems Single door applications to integrated enterprise level access control systems. Integrated Security Systems Use of access control, alarm monitoring, video badging, digital video, CCTV, visitor management and perimeter intrusion detection on vindicator platform to provide a comprehensive security management solution integrated with process control, building management control and other enterprise level systems. Intrusion Detection Systems Intrusion detection products ranging from the simplest door contact to the central station receiver. Home Systems Sophisticated end to end technology solutions for comfortable, secure informed living. In India, HSG employs about 61 employees constituting of about 33 sales employees ADI ADI is a $1.8 billion leading distribution business encompassing security, fire, sound and low voltage products, with over 219 branches across North America, Europe, Mid-East Africa. ADI globally represents more than 700 leading vendors and is a global distributor for more than 80,000 products. ADI also partners with customers by providing business tools, products and services they need to enhance their capabilities and grow their business. (Honeywell, 2010) Beginning 2006, ADI launched its distribution business in Asia with first three branches in India at Gurgaon, Bangalore Mumbai. ADI also has a team of sales professionals in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad. ADIs goal in India is to build a successful distribution model to satisfy the burgeoning need for quality and cost-effective security, fire, sound and other low-voltage electronic products in the rapidly growing Indian economy. ADI in India represents over 40 leading industry brands in 7 product categories; over 2000 products and offers its customers a one stop shop value proposition at convenient branch locations, with multiple brands, local stocking, competitive pricing, training technical support and customer business centre all under one roof. In India, ADI employs about 120 employees constituting of about 82 sales employees. Lines of Business CCTV Fixed Cameras, Speed Dome Cameras, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), Monitors, Lens, Accessories. Intrusion Alarm Wired Wireless Control Panels, Keypads, PIR, Panic Switch, Magnetic Contacts, Gas-leak detectors, Sounders, Sensors, Speech Dialers, Accessories. Home Automation Video Door Phones, Multi-apartment solutions, Home Systems, Accessories. Access Control Single Multi-door Controllers, Readers, Cards, Locking devices, Accessories. Fire Alarm Conventional Addressable Control panels, Sensors Detectors, Call points, Notification Appliances, Initiation Devices, Accessories. Sound Speakers, Amplifiers, Microphones, Intelligent PA Systems, Professional Audio, Accessories. Chapter 8: Problem Statement The time taken for a sales employee currently to become productive, that is, start contributing effectively to the business at HSG and ADI divisions is about 6 months to a year. This problem has been even more consistent in ADI since its entry into the Indian market in 2006. This has a direct impact on productivity and revenue generation. Productivity is defined by an employees achievement of their key result areas (KRA) with a primary focus on target revenue achievement. Retention of employees is another concern especially at ADI. The attrition level is 13% at HSG and 31% at ADI year-to-date (YTD). This Management Research Report aims to understand the key reasons for attrition in the two divisions and the delays in productivity. Chapter 9: Hypothesis According to a study conducted by the Aberdeen Group, 90% new hires make their decision about whether to stay in the company within 6 months of joining. Inspite of this only 88% of companies have onboarding programs of duration less than 6 months (Refer to ). Another research reveals that over 50% of new hire sales people leave voluntarily or are terminated before they even become productive. The above statistics indicate the correlation between a formalized onboarding program and the productivity of an employee thereby leading to the hypothesis that investing in a formalized onboarding program and other engagement initiatives improves productivity and retention of an employee and increases revenues. It is a cost that needs to be incurred by a company so that the employees become productive assets by generating steady revenue streams on a regular basis. Chapter 10: Approach and Methodology Approach This project is approached through a combination of primary and secondary researches. The primary research piece includes interviews with the business leaders, sales employees and human resource managers. The intent is to analyze the problem from the business, employees and the process owners perspective. The secondary research was conducted via published reports and white papers about onboarding best practices. Once the results of the research were tabulated, an onboarding framework was designed based on the gaps identified between the current and desired state. A cost-benefit analysis is also conducted to estimate the effectiveness of the onboarding program. Lastly, through the use of Six Sigma tools, a Failure Modes and Effects Analyses (FMEA) study is undertaken for the proposed onboarding framework to identify, prioritize and mitigate potential risks associated with the program. At the end, some priority action points are suggested for the implementation of the program. Research Methodology Two questionnaires were rolled out for the research based on the initial inputs from the Human Resources team, namely for the business leaders and the sales employees. The questionnaires were sent to heads of the two SBUs and based on their availability, they were interviewed. The questionnaire for the business heads was designed with the intent of identifying the core issues in processes which might impede employee productivity (for example, recruitment policy, onboarding/training employees, performance evaluation or engagement) and to understand the desired state of a productive employee from the business leaders perspective. The second questionnaire was sent to a few of the sales employees at both of the SBUs. The sample employees selected for the interviews consisted of new sales employees who were about 6 months old in the organization. The others included some who have been with Honeywell for over a year. The intent of the interview was to identify the key challenges faced by the new employees in getting adequately oriented to the business. The secondary research was conducted with the intent of understanding onboarding best practices. Some of the published reports and white papers consulted were taken from Corporate Leadership Council (CLC), Aberdeen Group, Kaiser Associates, Bersin Associates and Gallup Consulting. Chapter 11: Analysis Employee Profile at ADI Figure Employee break-up by function in ADI Figure Sales v/s Non-sales employee mix As displayed in Figure 14 and 15, the sales function forms a major portion of the employee population in Honeywell ADI. Understanding that ADI is in the distribution business and the presence of numerous players, both organized and unorganized, makes the market extremely competitive and explains the sales driven nature of the organization. Figure Total work experience of employees in ADI Sales Division The division employs more skilled employees than fresh graduates (Figure 16). The maximum sales employee work force has a total work experience between 2-4 years Figure Work Experience in ADI Sales Division (in months) ADI has a fairly new workforce; most employees have spent only about 6 months in the organization (Figure 17). This signifies that there is a high turnover in the ADI and people are being hired more frequently. Additionally, the loyalty of ADI employees seems to diminish over the years spent in the organization. Figure ADI Sales Employee Industry Experience Profile Most sales employees have a background in security or IT. This implies that Honeywell aims to recruit as many people with a background in Security, although due to a lack of available skilled talent, they prefer to recruit from the IT industry, followed by distribution (Figure 18). A need for technical knowledge is the reason for IT and security taking precedence over distribution. Other industries include telecommunications, computer hardware, FMCG, chemicals, dish television providers etc. Employee Profile at HSG Figure Employee break-up by function in HSG Figure Employee break up Sales v/s Non Sales: HSG As displayed in Figure 19 and 20, just like the ADI division, the sales function too forms a major portion of the employee population in the HSG division as well. Figure Total work experience of employees in HSG Sales Division The division employs more skilled employees than fresh graduates (Figure 21). The maximum sales employee work force has a total work experience between 2-4 years. However this variation is less in HSG as compared to ADI. Figure Work Experience in HSG Sales Division (in month) Figure Composition of employees by tenure in organization Comparative view HSG vs. ADI While experienced in the industry, HSG has a workforce new to Honeywell; most employees have spent only about six months in the organization (Figure 22). However a comparative look at the composition of employees by tenure in the organization (Figure 23), suggests that there are a greater number of employees hired at a faster rate in ADI than HSG. In ADI. 37% of the employee population has spent six or less than six months in the organization as compared to 27% in HSG. Also there are a greater number of older employees in HSG than ADI. This suggests that employee retention is better in HSG than in ADI for employees who spend more than 36 months in the organization. Figure Sales Employee Industry Profile: HSG Most sales employees have a background in IT or Security. This implies that Honeywell aims to recruit as many people with a background in Security, although due to a lack of available skilled talent, they prefer to recruit from the IT industry, followed by System Integration. A need for technical knowledge is the reason for IT and Security taking precedence over System Integration. (Figure 24) Interview Results Interviews with Business Leaders: Challenges and Findings (Please refer to and for the details of the interview) This section summarizes the key findings from the interviews conducted with the business leaders of the ADI (Harish Vellat) and HSG (Anil Mehra) Divisions respectively. ADI: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To enable the sales employee to have an intelligent conversation with the customer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Meet both product and category wise targets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To get a good knowledge about both Honeywell and competitor products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Understand the customer and preempt his expectations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clearly state objectives and desired outcomes of the onboarding program to the employees HSG: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Low awareness about the industry and hence lack of relevant talent. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of a formalized onboarding/ training schedule à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Challenge to administer employees based in remote locations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ No formalized feedback process to gauge the effectiveness of the onboarding program à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To bring the employees on board at the earliest Interviews with New Sales Employees: Findings ADI à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Most respondents have relevant work experience. A lot of them have worked in the profile of a System Integrator. Previous employers: Godrej, Vodaphone, Voltas, Sony Ericsson. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aggressive fast paced nature of work is a challenge. The product portfolios that the employees were handling at Honeywell are much larger as compared to their previous roles where it was much smaller. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees sense a lack of in-depth knowledge about the products. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clarity of role/ processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control measures implemented in case of lack of clarity: Technical team, branch manager, colleagues. Most employees said that they prefer contacting their immediate colleagues first due to easy reach. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Other employees supported the idea of having a buddy/mentorship system in place since it would serve as a platform for potential employees to take on higher roles HSG à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Induction winded up too fast. Too much information in very little time à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clear understanding of the business models. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ People based in remote locations face a problem in reaching out to their RMs directly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Changing the mindset of people to open up to a niche product/market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clarity on processes especially order and collection processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Products are priced at par/high priced compared to competitors and the challenges are in justifying the product to them. Ideal versus Current State of New employee productivity at Honeywell Current State: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Time to Productivity Currently it takes about 6 months to a year for an employee to reach productivity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selling Skills Employees selling skills is currently based on their previous work experience. They lack selling skills specific to Honeywell and the distribution model. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industry/ company knowledge Employees come from similar industries and have a fair understanding of the industry. However they lack the understanding of the impact of their contribution to Honeywell objectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product Knowledge Employees do not feel confident about their understanding of the products as they think the product trainings wind up too fast and the product portfolio is large. A few respondents also felt that Honeywell products are priced at par or higher than a few competitors and they find it challenging to justify the product to the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning internal processes (order, booking, preparing bill of quantities etc.) Employees do not feel comfortable with the processes and utilize previous work experience to comply with processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Build relationships with various functions (commercial, marketing, technical, supply chain etc.) Lack of interaction with marketing team, inadequate technical support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Engagement in day to day selling activities (prospecting/ meeting customer) Employees selling skills is currently based on their previous work experience. Lack of clarity on everyday process which increases follow ups with managers/colleagues. Ideal State: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Time to Productivity Desired state would be to reduce the time to productivity to 3-4 months à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selling skills Employees should be able to make an intelligent conversation with the customer. They should possess employee good prospecting skills and should continuously communicate with the customers by asking questions, listening to them and collecting the information and thereby draw an action plan to approach the same. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industry/ company knowledge Productive employees should possess a thorough knowledge of the various products offered not only by Honeywell but also the competitors. These employees should be able to connect individual objectives to Honeywell objectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product knowledge The employees should have a deep understanding of the products. They should be able to bring out the strengths of each product to the customer to justify the price and add value. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning internal processes (order, booking, preparing bill of quantities etc.) A productive employee should adhere to all internal processes from the start to the closure of an account; customer evaluation, payment, order taking, billing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Build relationships with various functions (commercial, marketing, technical, supply chain etc.) A productive employee needs to work in coherence with other functional teams to get better market information and tune the companys environment to market conditions (competitor moves, changing market trends, forecasting demand) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Engagement in day to day selling activities (prospecting/ meeting customer) A productive employee consistently follows up with the customer, is extremely responsive to customer demands and prepares a plan of action from themselves. Summary of Ideal versus Current State Figure Summary of Ideal versus Current State The current state of Actual versus Target Sales achievement and Bonus Payouts is summarized below. Actual versus Target Sales and Gross Margin Achievement Market Share Total Market Size ($) 349,000,000    Market Share ADI% 5%    ADI Annual Revenue ($) 17,450,000 Total market size ($) times market share of ADI (%) ADI Gross Margin ($) 13% Actual Gross Margin for ADI Employee Targets # Total Sales Employees in ADI 82    # New employees (not rated) 32    Revenue Target per employee per day (Rs.) 80,000    Revenue Target per employee per day ($) 1818 (1 USD = Rs. 44) # working days 231 52 weeks times 5 working days per week minus 21 paid days off + 8 national holidays Annual Revenue Target per employee ($) 420,000 Sales target per employee per day times # of working days Annual Revenue Target for ADI (all employees) 34,440,000 Annual Sales target per employee times # total sales employees in ADI    Revenue Gross Margin Description Targets Weights in Sales Incentive Program 75% 25%    Target per employee per day ($) 1818 N/A Gross margin for ADI is 20% Annual target per employee ($) 420,000 N/A Annual target per employee times # of working days Annual target for the ADI division 34,440,000 20% Annual target per employee times # total sales employees in ADI Actual versus Target Mismatch Actual as a % of Target 51% 65.00%    Weighted (Actual as % of Target) 38% 16% 75%:25% weight to Revenue: Gross Margin in SIP Figure Target Sales Achievement Figure 29 shows the actual versus target achievement by the sales employees at the ADI division. The total market size as mentioned before for the Electronic Security Market is USD 349 million. ADI accounts for about 5% of the total market share and its gross margin for FY2010 was recorded at 13%. There were 82 sales employees as of June 2010 of which 32 were new (less than 6 months old) and were not rated for performance. The Key Results Area (KRA) set for each sales employee includes Billing of Rs.80,000 (USD 1818) per day and meet weekly targets. For details of the all the KRAs please refer to . Assuming an employee has 5 working days in a week and there are 52 weeks in a year of which there are 21 paid leaves and 8 national holidays, the total number of working days is 231. The annual revenue per target is thus USD 420,000. For a typical sales employee at ADI the sales incentive program is split between individual revenue target achievement and ADIs gross margin target achievemen t. The gross margin target for ADI was set at 20%. The Individual revenue and gross margin SIP components are split in the ratio of 75:25. Knowing the divisions annual revenue achievement in FY2010 was USD 17.45 million and the target revenue is USD 34.44 million, we can infer that the actual revenue as a percentage of target revenue was only 51%. Additionally the actual versus target gross margin achievement is calculated as 65% (13%/20%). Assigning the respective weights based on the SIP, the actual as a percentage of target achievement is 38% and 16% for the revenue and gross margin components respectively. These figures clearly suggest that the division is way behind achievements of its targets. A closer look at Figure 30 also supports the possible reasons for this mismatch. Bonus Payouts Bonus Payout (Actual versus Target) Payout % of target payout Planned       Performance at 75% of target 50%    Performance at 100% of target 100%    Performance at 130% of target 200%    Actual bonus payout       What % of target was bonus paid out Actual 100%    # Sales employees who exceeded target performance (bonus payout >100%) 25 Honeywell Performance Development (HPD) 9 block rating (1,2,4) # New employees who were not rated 32    Potential population at risk 25 # total sales employees in ADI (# of new employees not rated + # sales employees who were paid bonus) Potential attrition rate 30%    Current attrition rate 31% YTD Figure Bonus Payouts Figure 30 illustrates the actual bonuses that were paid out in FY2010 to the ADI sales employees. The sales incentive policy distinguishes the payout at different levels of performance as follows: Figure : Sales Incentive Policy Performance Levels Performance Target Achievement % Payout (% of target payout) Threshold 75% 50% Target 100% 100% Maximum 130% 200% Based on the limited data available, the number of employees who exceeded their performance and got a bonus payout of greater than 100% was estimated based on the performance ratings. Honeywell follows a 9-block performance rating matrix called the Honeywell Performance Development (HPD). The matrix is based on two parameters: results and behaviors with three rating scales namely: Exceeds Honeywell Standards, At Honeywell Standards and Below Honeywell Standards. Additionally, the base salary to incentive is pay mix is in the ratio 65:35. Refer to for the matrix. Based on the matrix, ratings 1, 2 and 4 signify exceeds standards ratings in one of the two parameters at least or both. There were 25 employees who received an HPD rating 1, 2 or 4, while the number of employees who were not rated since they were new is 32 in number. This means that the remaining 25 employees form part of the potential employees who are the risk of leaving the organization. This accounts for an attrition ra te of around 30%. As per the data provided by the Human Resources team as well, the attrition rate was indicated as 31% YTD.