For-Profit Healthcare Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For-Profit Healthcare Organization - Essay Example It is good congress is now acknowledging this relation, the disclosure law thus, is an important step that congress is taking so that we track how much these physician are receiving from the companies, which supports for-profit medicine. Studies indicate that pharmaceutical spent up to 25.3 billions in form of selling prescription drugs in the year 2003, out of this a lot of many went to physicians as free samples, air fares, and meals (Frenk 1993). We fear that physicians may be guided by these gifts and monies they receive to prescribe certain drugs to their customers or patients. Probably consumers will like to be aware of what their physicians receive, if they get little money, none at all, or lots of money. The law should offer a system where by a patient can go to access information from a central online database, that will display all the monies his/her physician has received from different companies. If the consumers know, they will feel a cleansing outcome. Disclosure laws will enable patients to track their physicians' monetary ties with drug companies. Customers or patients say that, they should be strong, and identical national legislations that call for very state to enact this disclosure law. As it is now today no law gives the public easy accessibility to information about the payments that physician receives from these companies. In researcher carried out Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) it found out that public disclosure laws in Minnesota did not give the public enough access to payments paid to the doctors (Frenk1993). This is applying in all other states. We as the customer watch dog body take a stand that disclosure bill should be passed by congress in order to create transparency that is required in medical profession. Customers have a right to know how much their physicians are receiving from the profit making organizations and make their own judgments. President of Human Corporation-for profit hospital As a president of a profit making hospital, I feel that the proposed bill of physician disclosure, requiring the physician to disclose the source and amount they have received is unprofessional and ill timed. As a profit making organization, our main aim is making profit, but, at the same time we value human health and provide good and effective medicine that goes along way in providing treatment and cure to many people. It is important for the public to realize that whatever the doctors receive from these companies is something small in form of appreciation everybody needs to be appreciated and motivated. Many citizens expect the congress to come up with laws to curb medical malpractices, yet, not all laws can solve our medical issues. The stakeholders should not wait for congress to enact laws to reduce the rising medicine for profit. Coming up with this law will only provide regulations for physicians but, do not provide offer lasting solutions. The bill of disclosure is ill timed and does not enhance the market laws of free competition in our economy, as we acknowledge, that for some instances physician may receive a lot of money from for profit medicines, it is important to note that this do not influence their professional work ethics. Laws should be passed to protect all citizens but, not to target a certain group of people. The federal government should look for other ways to in trying to control this rising aspect of

India occupies a strategic position

India occupies a strategic position India occupies a strategic position in Asia, looking across the seas to Arabia and Africa on the west and to Burma, Malaysia and the Indonesian Archipelago on the east. Geographically, the Himalayan ranges keeps India apart from the rest of Asia. Location India lies to the north of the equator between 8 4 and 37Â ° 6 north latitude and 68Â ° 7 and 97Â ° 25 east longitude. It is bounded on the south west by the Arabian Sea and on the south east by the Bay of Bengal. On the north, north east and North West lie the Himalayan ranges. Kanyakumari constitutes the southern tip of the Indian peninsula where it gets narrower and narrower, loses itself into the Indian Ocean. Neighbours India shares its political borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan on the west and Bangladesh and Burma on the east. The northern boundary is made up of the Sinkiang province of China, Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. India is separated from Sri Lanka by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. Physiographic regions The mainland comprises seven regions. (1) Northern Mountains including the Himalayas and the North Eastern mountain ranges, (2) The Indo Gangetic plain, (3) The Desert, (4) Central highlands and Peninsular plateau, (5) East Coast, (6) West Coast, (7) Bordering seas and islands. Languages in India The different states of India have different official languages, some of them not recognized by the central government. Some states have more then one official language. Bihar in east India has three official languages Hindi, Urdu and Bengali which are all recognized by the central government. INDIAN SOCIETY CULTURE Hierarchy The influences of Hinduism and the tradition of the caste system have created a culture that emphasizes established hierarchical relationships.Indians are always conscious of social order and their status relative to other people, be they family, friends, or strangers. All relationships involve hierarchies. In schools, teachers are called gurus and are viewed as the source of all knowledge. The patriarch, usually the father, is considered the leader of the family. The boss is seen as the source of ultimate responsibility in business. Every relationship has a clear- cut hierarchy that must be observed for the social order to be maintained. Political administration of India India is a democracy. Before its independence its future leaders chose the liberal democratic system as the administration system of India. On 26/01/1950, India declared itself as Republic. On this day the Constitution of India came into force. Today India is a federation of 28 states and 7 union territories and formally this federation is known as a Union. Nominally the head of the country is the President in whom all executive powers are vested, but the real administrator of the country is the Prime Minister. After the national elections are held the President calls the most suitable candidate to form a government, known as the central government. Normally this candidate is the head of the largest party in the parliament. In case the government resigns because of any reason, the President can call the other candidate to form the government. The President can also declare, according to government advice, on new elections and if necessary an emergency state. The President has the right to be updated about crucial government matters and other rights like giving amnesty to prisoners etc. According to the Constitution, elections are to be held once in every five years, unless the parliament dissolves earlier or on the other hand, emergency is declared and in such a case parliament can continue another year. The Indian Parliament consists of two houses. The Lower House called the Lok Sabha and the Upper House called the Rajya Sabha. In the national elections candidates are chosen for the Lower House. The candidates are elected in territorial constituencies. There are 543 territorial constituencies. Two members from the Anglo-Indian community are nominated to the Lower House by the President. The law, which obliges Government office to reserve 15% from the Scheduled Castes and 7% from the Scheduled Tribes, also exists in the Parliament. At least 22% of the Indian Parliament members belong to these two communities. In the past few years there is an attempt to oblige a law to allow about 33% women as Parliament members. The Upper House, Rajya Sabha, consists of up to 250 members. Of these members 230 are elected by state legislatures and about 15 are nominated by the President. Unlike the Lower House, the Upper House cannot be dissolved, but one third of its members resign every two years. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS IN INDIA International Business in India looks really lucrative and every passing day, it is coming up with only more possibilities. The growth in the international business sector in India is more than 7% annually. There is scope for more improvement if only the relations with the neighbouring countries are stabilized. The mind-blowing performance of the stock market in India has gathered all the more attention (in comparison to the other international bourses). India definitely stands as an opportune place to explore business possibilities, with its high-skilled manpower and budding middle class segment. With the diverse cultural setup, it is advisable not to formulate a uniform business strategy in India. Different parts of the country are well-known for its different traits. The eastern part of India is known as the Land of the intellectuals, whereas the southern part is known for its technology acumen. On the other hand, the western part is known as the commercial-capital of the country, with the northern part being the hub of political power. With such diversities in all the four segments of the country, international business opportunity in India is surely huge. Sectors having potential for International business in India Information Technology and Electronics Hardware. Telecommunication. Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology. RD. Banking, Financial Institutions and Insurance Pensions. Capital Market. Chemicals and Hydrocarbons. Infrastructure. Agriculture and Food Processing. Retailing. Logistics. Manufacturing. Power and Non-conventional Energy. Sectors like Health, Education, Housing, Resource Conservation Management Group, Water Resources, Environment, Rural Development, Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Urban Development are still not tapped properly and thus the huge scope should be exploited. To foster the international business scenario in India, bodies like CII, FICCI and the various Chambers of Commerce, have a host of services like These bodies work closely with the Government and the different business promotion organizations to infuse more business development in India. They help to build strong relationships with the different international business organizations and the multinational corporations. These bodies help to identify the bilateral business co-operation potential and thereafter make apt policy recommendations to the different overseas Governments. With opportunities huge, the International Business trend in India is mind boggling. India International Business community along with the domestic business community is striving towards a steady path to be the Knowledge Capital of the world. It was evident till a few years back that India had a marginal role in the international affairs. The image was not bright enough to be the cynosure among the shining stars. The credit rating agencies had radically brought down the countrys ratings. But, as of now, after liberalization process and the concept of an open economy international business in India grew manifold. Future definitely has more to offer to the entire world INTRODUCTION OF SOMALIA: Somalia Geography Somalia, situated in the Horn of Africa, lies along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. It is bounded by Djibouti in the northwest, Ethiopia in the west, and Kenya in the southwest. In area it is slightly smaller than Texas. Generally arid and barren, Somalia has two chief rivers, the Shebelle and the Juba. Government Between Jan. 1991 and Aug. 2000, Somalia had no working government. A fragile parliamentary government was formed in 2000, but it expired in 2003 without establishing control of the country. In 2004, a new transitional parliament was instituted and elected a president. History From the 7th to the 10th century, Arab and Persian trading posts were established along the coast of present-day Somalia. Nomadic tribes occupied the interior, occasionally pushing into Ethiopian territory. In the 16th century, Turkish rule extended to the northern coast, and the sultans of Zanzibar gained control in the south. After British occupation of Aden in 1839, the Somali coast became its source of food. The French established a coal-mining station in 1862 at the site of Djibouti, and the Italians planted a settlement in Eritrea. Egypt, which for a time claimed Turkish rights in the area, was succeeded by Britain. By 1920, a British and an Italian protectorate occupied what is now Somalia. The British ruled the entire area after 1941, with Italy returning in 1950 to serve as United Nations trustee for its former territory. By 1960, Britain and Italy granted independence to their respective sectors, enabling the two to join as the Republic of Somalia on July 1, 1960. Somalia broke diplomatic relations with Britain in 1963 when the British granted the Somali-populated Northern Frontier District of Kenya to the Republic of Kenya. On Oct. 15, 1969, President Abdi Rashid Ali Shermarke was assassinated and the army seized power. Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre, as president of a renamed Somali Democratic Republic, leaned heavily toward the USSR. In 1977, Somalia openly backed rebels in the easternmost area of Ethiopia, the Ogaden Desert, which had been seized by Ethiopia at the turn of the century. Somalia acknowledged defeat in an eight-month war against the Ethiopians that year, having lost much of its 32,000-man army and most of its tanks and planes. President Siad Barre fled the country in late Jan. 1991. His departure left Somalia in the hands of a number of clan-based guerrilla groups, none of which trust ed each other. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTION A number of hotels were built when a new deep-water port was opened in the capital Mogadishu with the help of the World Bank. However, tourism to Somalia is not encouraged. There are many historical cities, and in the south of Somalia the flora and fauna are particularly interesting, but until the security situation improves tourism is a risky matter not to be embarked upon lightly. MAIN IMPORT: Foodstuffs Chemicals Machinery Textiles And petroleum. MAIN EXPORTS: livestock Banana. Meat, Fish leather Wood. AIRPORT HARBOUR The international airport is at Mogadishu. Major towns are connected by Somali Airlines, the national carrier. Flights are often disrupted because of security concerns. The main harbours in Somalia are Mogadishu, Berbera and Kismayu. The port of Mogadishu now has modern shipping berths. BILATERAL RELATIONS INDIA AND SOMALIA Bilateral: India and Somalia enjoyed excellent political, economical and cultural relationship until the collapse of the previous regime in 1991. After over a decade of civil war, Somalia now has a Transitional National Government established in August 2000, which expressed its desire to re-establish all round and traditional relations, which existed between the two countries and peoples. Somalia attached great importance to Indo-Somali bilateral relations and has sought Indias help in training of disarmed militias, rehabilitation, modernization and equipment of the reactivated military and police camps, training of staff in human health sector and rehabilitation of public infrastructures. Diplomatic Links: Due to increasing civilian unrest and mutiny by a section of the remed forces, in early 1990s that resulted in widespread attacks on foreign nationals and their interests we were compelled to close our Mission in Mogadishu. Recent High level Meetings: EAM met the Somalian Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the Asian-African Summit on April 23, 2005. The Somalian Foreign Minister sought Indias assistance in diverse areas including reconstruction, education, fisheries and energy sector. Trade Relations: Trade relations with India continues through the private sectors. Trade Relations with others (as per 1994 estimate) Imports US$ 269 million chiefly petroleum products, foodstuff, construction material and machinery. Exports US$ 130 million Live Animals, Fish, Hides and Banana. ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. As we have compared the economic indicators of the countries India and Somalia it is observed that the status of Somalia is far better than India. The business opportunity is more in Somalia due to the available resources in the country and also the technology available there. CONCLUSION: Both the countries are very different from each other but still both the countries are trying to have good relations through the trade. Basically they are dealing in wood, steel and iron items and they are focusing over it infact they are having deal over the trade of all these products. If they continue to have good economic relations and they can make good growth. REFERENCE TO WEBSITES:- http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/somalia/ http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/somalia-INTERNATIONAL-TRADE.html http://www.ckc.mofcom.gov.cn/ciweb/kcc/info/Article.jsp?a_no=68941col_no=744 REFERENCE TO TABLES:- International Monetary Fund. International Financial Statistics Yearbook 1999.

Environmental Science Review Sheet :: essays research papers

ENVIORMENTAL SCIENCE REVIEW SHEET 1) Mutation- a random change in one or more genes of organisms. Mutations may occur spontaneously in nature, but exposure radiation and/or other chemicals vastly increase their number and degree. 2) Natural selection- the process whereby the natural factors of environmental resistance tend to eliminate those members of the population that are least well adapted to cope and thus, in effect select those best adapted for survival and reproduction. 3) Speciation-the evolutionary process whereby populations of a single species separate and, though being exposed to different forces of natural selection, gradually develop into distinct species. 4) Selective pressure-An environmental factor that causes individuals with certain traits, which are not the norm for the population, to survive and reproduce more then rest of the population. The result is a shift in the genetic makeup of the population 5) Selective breeding- breeding of certain individuals because they bear certain traits and the exclusion from breeding of others. 6) Tectonic plates- huge slabs of rocks which make up the earths crust. 7) Igneous rock- produced under conditions involving intense heat; "igneous rock is rock formed by solidification from a molten state; especially from molten magma"; "igneous fusion is fusion by heat alone. 8) Metamorphic rock- Pertaining to, produced by, or exhibiting, certain changes which minerals or rocks may have undergone since their original deposition; -- especially applied to the recrystallization which sedimentary rocks have undergone through the influence of heat and pressure, after which they are called metamorphic rocks. 9) Sedimentary rock- rock formed from consolidated clay sediments 10) Aquifer- An underground bed or layer of earth, gravel, or porous stone that yields water. 11) Capillary water- water that clings in small pores, cracks, and spaces against the pull of gravity, like water held in a sponge. 12) Aquitard- 13) Condensation- collecting of molecules from the vapor state to form the liquid state, as for example, water vapor condenses on a cold surface to from water droplets. 14) Desalinization- process that purify seawater into high quality drinking water via distillation or micro-filtration. 15) Infiltration- the process that water soaks into the solid as oppose to running off the surface. 16) Groundwater- water that has accumulated in the ground completely filling and saturating all pores and spaces in rock and/or soil. Groundwater is free to move more of less readily. It is the reservoir for springs and wells and is replenished by infiltration of surface water. 17) Percolation- the process of water seeping through cracks and pores in the sold or rock.

British Poetry

Restraint, whether in diction, image, theme, or meter can be used as expressively in poetry as bombastic meter or jarring images and complex diction. In some cases, a muted approach toward the formal expression of a poetic theme allows a poet to convey a sense of magnitude and urgency which one might not expect from a subdued or highly-controlled technique. However, British poets of the post-war generation such as Ted Hughes, Philip Larkin, and Derek Walcott exemplify the use of an aesthetic which makes effective use of a subdued and muted idiom.Their example is illustrative if not definitive of this tendency as applies to much of British poetry composed after the world wars. One interesting questions as pertains to these four poets is whether the impulse behind each of the poets' delving into muted understatement is similar or whether each poet sought for disparate reasons a similar style. For Hughes, a quality of stillness and contemplative quietness pervades most of his work, from his first published title â€Å"Hawk in the Rain† through his famous cycle of myth-driven poems â€Å"Crow† and beyond.In â€Å"Crow's First Lesson,† Hughes drives a complex theme (the cosmic nature of love and its role in the creation of the universe) against a linguistic pallette of utter simplicity. The words are delivered in the cadence of a children's story or a school primer:†God tried to teach Crow how to talk. /'Love,' said God. ‘Say, Love. ‘/Crow gaped, and the white shark crashed into the sea/And went rolling downwards, discovering its own depth. † Here there is a conspicuous absence of complex word-construction or even complex thought associations.In addition to the sing-song cadence and the child-like sentence structure, the images of the poem are those of simple construction: a god, a crow, a shark, a sea. No specific qualities are probed or explored for any of the poem's elements; there is no subjective reaction to the inne r-elements of the poem by the poet, there is no overt confessional element. The muted, simplified construction persists throughout the poem, even through the poem's most complex (penultimate) stanza:And Crow retched again, before God could stop him. And woman's vulva dropped over man's neck and tightened. The two struggled together on the grass. God struggled to part them, cursed, wept– At this point the poem can be said to have progressed out of its childlike facade and into its more difficultly explicated themes regarding cosmic creation, sex, love, and the relationship between men and women, and also men and women and God.The most obvious reason for Hughes' use of a muted, simplified construction in â€Å"Crow's First Lesson† is to forward the sense of new-beginnings. As though the reader is being instructed in the fundamentals of creation and (Creation) as he or she encounters the poems in â€Å"Crow. † The secondary reason for Hughes' use of poetic restrain t in â€Å"Crow† is to convey a sense of sacred respect and grief. These latter qualities may emanate form his personal experience as Hughes' biography, as is well known, is one which contains much personal suffering and grief.Hughes attains a nobility in the surface of the poem which masks the faces of the grotesque which lie just beneath and are most accessible in the poem's closing stanzas. In this way, the construction of the poem expresses Hughes cosmic vision of a universe of â€Å"laws† and â€Å"logic† which masks, just beneath, a procession of myth and archetypal realities which to human conscious perception are often terrifying and grotesque. Similarly, in Derek Walcott's â€Å"The Sea is History† a muted and highly controlled technique lends the poem a dignified and sacred air.Walcott's desire in this poem is to present the reader with a poem which offers as many shifting images as the sea itself while simultaneously preserving the rhythmic eas e of the sea's sounds and motion and also preserving a feeling of entering greater and greater depth as if the reader is being led into the sea and its pacific, hypnotic procession of images. Unlike Hughes, whose main emotive impulse in â€Å"Crow's First Lesson† is one of cathartic grief, Walcott's poem flows with a sense of grandeur and history.It is a far less personal poem than Hughes' in some ways, but in a many ways it is also more deeply personal as a confession of personal vision. Like Hughes, Walcott is ultimately concerned in this poem with a Creation myth: and in the salt chuckle of rocks with their sea pools, there was the sound like a rumour without any echo of History, really beginning. However, Walcott's poem traces back from the modern to the ancient past of time's beginning (leading the reader â€Å"deeper and deeper†) with little sense of grief or catastrophe. Instead, the pervading impulse of the poem is one of embracement.And it is necessary for the poem to mimic in sound and form its central image, the sea, in order for the thematic ideas of the poem, that history binds all times in a single flowing â€Å"sea† of being, to be expressed. Again, both Hughes and Walcott have nurtured a quiet and contemplative idiom in many ways as an homage to and symbol of their hoped-for connection with nature. The muted, contemplative qualities of these poems is an indication of the poets' desire to enter into the same quiet creativity that is often displayed in nature, and also to show reverence for the restraint and contemplativeness in nature:fireflies with bright ideas and bats like jetting ambassadors and the mantis, like khaki police, and the furred caterpillars of judges examining each case closely, and then in the dark ears of ferns It is worth mentioning that Walcott, in the closing lines of â€Å"The Sea is History† momentarily steps out side of the pervading feeling of contemplative discovery and descent into the paci fic depths. In the following passage, the poem modulates to a much more complex and verbally agitated state: â€Å"the plangent harp of the Babylonian bondage,/ as the white cowries clustered like manacles/on the drowned women†.It is likely that Walcott intended this change in diction and pace to indicate an urgency in its historical and Biblical references. While Hughes and Walcott attain mythic stature by way of a restrained and muted poetic technique, Philip Larkin's â€Å"Faith Healing† seems to lament the absence of a working, living myth in the everyday lives of the people of the poem. His vision is one of sadness and lost love: By now, all's wrong. In everyone there sleeps A sense of life lived according to love. To some it means the difference they could make By loving others, but across most it sweeps As all they might have done had they been loved.That nothing cures. An immense slackening ache, Larkins' emotional impetus seems to be one of empathy, providing in the poem what the faith-healer cannot rightly provide in the context of the poem's narrative. The muted and restrained diction, rhyme and meter in this poems helps to impart to the poem a sense of the pedestrian, everyday setting that is the poem's central concern. It is ordinary people with ordinary problems all who suffer who may be redeemed by love. So, Larkin's quietude is in reverence for the redeeming quality of love and nature, but is also a respectful lament for the people who have been left out of love's redemption.This â€Å"quiet† poem masks a deep and rebellious sentiment which lies at the heart of the poem's themes. Larkin in lamenting the lack of redemptive love and tying this observation to a â€Å"weak† religious impulse is, in effect, criticizing the spiritual sincerity of his own society and questioning the value of religious faith as affectation, when the authentic redemptive quality is love, not religion. In conclusion, each of the poets examines made use of a restrained and contemplative voice for the expression of deeply emotional and spiritually profound themes.For Hughes and Walcott, the accessing of myth by way of a restrained and tempered idiom which drew from nature its tone of creative quiet, led to the expression of mythically charged Creation stories. The expression of abiding grief and the identification with elemental nature is also present in each of these poets. For Larkin, the muted and restrained idiom found effective use as a method for conveying his bitter observations of spiritual and religious hypocrisy. In each of the poems discussed both similar and dissimilar motivations for the poets' use of a restrained technique were found.The connecting energy between these poets is one of grief and of identification with nature. The dissimilar aspects are those regarding personal versus collective expression, with Hughes closer to the at the end of subjective confession and Larkin moving toward the universal, and Walcott somewhere in between. The poets' uses of a similar compositional technique and philosophy seems not to have occasioned a similar emotive and thematic range. Each poet chooses to use the muted and restrained idiom for a different purpose,, united in style if not in purpose.

Literacy Autobiography Essay

I have come a long way down my road of knowledge and learning of English throughout my life and it has taken me places and shown me things I would have never expected when I first started out on this long journey, and it includes things that most other student’s do not. I have learned so much, so fast and it has taken me far from home and around the world. While most of the people I know have traveled the same road their whole lives and have grown up in very similar ways, my experiences tell a whole different story. I was born and raised as a child in Beijing, China and grew up around people that spoke mandarin Chinese all the time. Mandarin was my primary language growing up as a child, I learned how to read and write when I first started school and I have been speaking Mandarin for twenty years now. This was my first challenge I faced about learning because it takes so much memorization and practice to learn such a vast language and there were times when I thought I couldn’t do it but I got help from my parents and my teachers. At times I wanted to give up because my teachers would get mad at me for saying or writing the wrong thing. I remember a certain memory in third grade of being called to the board to spell the word â€Å"student†, but I spelled it incorrectly and I’ll never forget because the whole class laughed at me and the teacher was very disappointed. But I knew I couldn’t give up and with enough time and effort I began to get good at writing essays and reading books in Chinese. As I progressed in school they started teaching English along with Mandarin because it is such an important language to the world and widely used and this just added to the challenge of being a successful student. With more help from my parents and teachers I started to learn enough English to read my first book, which was Forest Gump, which I really liked and it also became one of my favorite movies. I continued on through school learning more and more of both languages and in high school things got even more complicated. I went to a very competitive high school and the teachers were very hard on us so many more hours of studying were required in order to meet the grades I was expected to reach. It was when I was in high school that I finally decided what I wanted to do with my life and it was to pursue a career in business in the United States of America. My father was a successful military man in China but I knew that was something I did not want to follow. Growing up I heard so many great things about America and saw many things on TV and I knew that was where I wanted to find a career and become successful. But in order to meet such a large goal I knew I had to strengthen my English and work much harder. So I looked at all my options available to me and I found a program at the University of Texas at Austin called, English as a Second Language (ESL), where I could learn English and also learn its culture at the same time. Uninterested in a future in the military, like my dad, and high hopes for a future in business, I decided to give the ESL program a try and move to America where so many more opportunities would be available to me and be given a chance to become a lot more successful. My mom also played a big role in my decision because she too chose to move to America and she had so many great things to say about it. Moving to Austin, TX and being at UT was a huge change for me and opened my perspective to a lot new things that I had never even known before. The school there was like nothing I’d ever experienced before and I had to learn a whole new language in a short amount of time, while at the same time adapt to a whole new culture. The ESL program was the most drastic change in my life because it changed many things for me including my culture, literature, interests, and personality. I had to learn a whole new set of guidelines of learning but I worked hard and it paid off and I continue to use everything I have learned these past few years in order to succeed at UTPA and return to UT Austin where I can pursue a future in business. Although I’ve spent years studying English, I still feel like I’m a step behind everybody else because of the difficulty I have with reading and writing. It’s not as difficult for the people that have English as their primary language, but as they talk and write they also comprehend the meaning behind everything that is being communicated. But growing up in a different country this is a huge obstacle for me because even though i have learned to read and write like all the others, I can’t comprehend the meanings behind it as fast as other people can. This has proved to be a big challenge for me at the university level and I’ve learned that even though the students are given the same materials as me and the same opportunities, it takes me longer than the other students to figure out what to do with the materials. I have been exposed to the culture here long enough to learn things that will help me to adapt more to my surroundings and make it easier to reach success, such as music. I have always loved music but I have only recently discovered that I can use it to my advantage as a literary device. Once I got to America I fell in love with the pop culture and the music it creates and it became a big part of my life so I started incorporating it into my daily habits. But I found that if I focus rather than just enjoy the rhythm and words, I can learn from the music at the same time. For example, Kanye West is one of my favorite artists and I love the music he makes, but when I focus in more on what he is singing about I can learn things like important subjects in society, grammar they use, current events, and the different meanings and contexts of words I have never heard. I learned many things when moving from China but one of the most useful things I have come to learn is that there is more than what meets the eye and music is more than just music to me now, it is a useful literary device. So I started looking out for more things that could prove to be useful to me and I noticed more helpful things that most students do not even think could benefit their English learning abilities. Like the media for example, people think TV is a waste of time and will not teach you anything more than useless reality TV and lies, but if you focus in more you can learn anything from spelling to new words people use, also called â€Å"slang†. In short, readers construct meaning by building multifacted, interwoven, representations of knowledge. The current text, prior texts, and the reading context can exert varying degrees of influence on this process, but it is the reader who must integrate information into meaning. † (Haas & Flower 168). Haas and Flower explain how it depends on the reader to interpret the text and construct meaning from it and that different people may interpret the meaning differently. And with the varying degrees of influence that texts may have on people has more influence on me because simple things like music and media continue to teach me things that most kids do not even recognize. Education has a whole new meaning to me than other students may have because of all the other obstacles that come with studying in a different culture than the one raised in. Students have little to worry about in my opinion because all they have to worry about is school and how hallenging there classes are, but a student like me has so much more to worry about because even outside of the classroom I am still faced with learning challenges even when it comes to talking with friends. Do I have the same chances as the other students to succeed even though things are more difficult for me? The answer to this question depends greatly on your teacher. â€Å"In a similar fashion, asking to teach â€Å"academic writing† begs the question: which academic writing – what conte nt, what genre, for what activity, context, and audience? FYC teachers are thus forced to define academic discourse for themselves before they can teach it. † (Downs & Wardle 556). I agree with Downs and Wardle by saying that not all teachers are the same, some teachers are more intelligent and more qualified than some of the others out there and that they might define their view of academic discourse differently than others. And if a student is lucky enough to get a teacher with a loose definition of academic discourse and does not ask much of their students then the student has a better chance at success. There are many things that affect a student’s chance at success in the classroom but my question is, does a student in my situation still have a chance at the same opportunities as the other students despite the other student’s head start? In reading the essays and writing this paper I have developed a theory that a student in my situation with a late start in their learning abilities has to go the extra mile in order to adapt to the culture and the learning styles that come with it so that they have the same opportunities as the other students. And I have found that we do have the opportunity and the same chances of success as the other students do, we just have find the tools that will take us that extra mile. In order to find those tools you have to find the patience, determination and will inside yourself to take on the challenge ahead of you, but without these characteristics you will surely fail along the way only to find out that all your time and effort were for nothing. You have to expect that taking on such a challenge is a very difficult task and you have to expect that there will be many bumps along the way. Thinking it will be an easy road to follow and not anticipating any trouble will also bring you failure in the end. So not only do students in my situation have to physically work harder by studying and devoting their time to learning, but they also have to mentally prepare themselves for the challenge and any bumps you may find along the way. With time I have learned some things that help my literature and help me to become a better writer and student of English just by simply listening to music or watching what’s on TV. I knew I needed as much practice and help as I could get and I also knew how much I loved music and reality TV, so with my theory of my new literacy practices in mind I put the two together and practice this all the time to sharpen my skills. I can’t say this solution will work for everybody in a situation similar to mine but I do know that if you keep an open mind it will be easier to develop practices that fit your specific style of learning just as I did. There’s something out there that will fit your certain learning style but you just have to be patient and it will come to you eventually. I will close my theory with a question, if a student grows up in a different culture with a different way of learning things, can he still achieve the goals he sets for himself even though he is adapting to a different culture and way of learning at the same time?

Bigotry in America essays

Bigotry in America essays In order to stop racism you must first star at the home. Bigotry and racism are the types of beliefs that are brought up through families. If a child is raised in a racist home than that child is likely to carry those beliefs with him or her and eventually on to their children. In order to stop this cycle you must start with the children. It is easier to implement your ideals on a child than to change the opinions of an adult. Then you must give it time. It is only over time that any results will take place. Martin Luther King Jr. was a pacifist that would not stand for physical confrontation. Instead he repelled bigotry with soul force. This meant that he would use his spirit to overcome anyone that stood in his way towards equality. It was through his belief in God and his self-determination that allowed Dr. King to carry on with the movement. Dr. King felt that a violent retaliation would only harm the civil rights movement. To give in to the hatred would mean you are sinking to the same level of the people who are repressing you. Through Dr. Kings language from the bible he is able to reach a common ground that many people can identify with. This is especially evident in the 1960s because there was a deep-rooted sense of religion. Also, with this approach Dr. King adds a wholesome appeal to his speech. By using religion he isnt ranting, but rather preaching. His words and his passion seem as though God guides them. The religious factor also appears to add importance to his speech. Both of these men base their religious backgrounds for each of their social beliefs and the paths they have chosen in life. They portray these aspirations through the quotes they use. Mr. Feuerstein says, In a situation where there is no righteous person, try to be a righteous person. He means when there is a situation like his where hope seems lost you should never lose faith. That you should ...

Baron Pierre de Coubertin essays

Baron Pierre de Coubertin essays Every four years an international sports competition where athletes play in many different events, come together, and compete for the top standing in the world. In order to achieve this standing, athlete's train for years to reach their goal of being an Olympic Champion. Winning the gold is something that most believe is the more important aspect during the games. Many do not go know about the ancient times and how the Olympics became such a traditional event. The first Olympic Games were held in Greece in ancient times. They began in 776 B.C. and contests were held every four years in the summer. The first games lasted for only one day and there was one contest. It was a short, sprinted race, which only Greek men were allowed to participate in. Women were not allowed to partake in the games and were not permitted to watch or be anywhere near the gaming area. As the event became more popular there were more events incorporated into the Olympics such as swimming, boxing, and wrestling. But the ancient games were stopped by Emperor Theodosius in 393 A.D., when Greece was over ruled by Rome. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, an active young sportsman from Paris, had a heart for the education system in France. He practiced sports such as boxing, fencing, horse riding, and swimming, and by age 24, instead of choosing the military career his parents planned for him, Coubertin decided that his aim in life would be to rekindle the noble spirit of his home country by improving its mediocre education system. He thought part of this improvement should be through sports education because this was an important piece of the personal development of young people. He was inspired because he constantly reassured himself that "Education was the key to the future of society." And nothing would get in the way of this motivated youthful man. Coubertin was convinced that sport was "the springboard for moral energy", and it was this idea that l...

Five Steps to Blogging for Businesses You Frequent Anyway

Five Steps to Blogging for Businesses You Frequent Anyway Even successful freelance writers find themselves in lulls at times, their pitches readily declined. 1.      Ã‚  Find businesses   The ideal company will either have a small, underdeveloped blog or no blog. Select businesses you already care about: brands you love or businesses operating locally. Consider businesses connected to your  writing niche   as well. If you know someone personally at the company, take advantage of that connection. In the past year, I pitched a start-up health and fitness company, a phone application company, and a local brewery for blogging work. 2.      Ã‚  Make first contact, but expect mixed responses   Search the website for a contact form or email. Send a quick, clear message stating that you avidly use the product or service. Mention you are a freelance writer and link to some of your closely related published work. Occasionally, you will catch a company at a point where they want to expand their web presence but dont have a ready candidate. Your offer will come before theyve set up an application or a job board post, which means that they save valuable time 3.      Ã‚  Bring up topics, then money   If you do receive a positive response, tailor your return email to the content of that response. However, show that you have ideas for content, if they dont immediately provide you with topics, and  ask what they pay  while mentioning your usual range. 4.      Ã‚  Know how much you are willing to accept Your typical pay range may be too high for some, so recognize your bottom line. This amount can change over time as your experience grows. For instance, I took $40 a post for a job writing 500-word blog posts, but I also accepted $40 for a 1000-word blog post on a topic I enjoyed researching. You decide how much you want this particular job, so value yourself while also acknowledging that small companies may not have much budget for writing. The site  Who Pays Writers?  also offers an idea of what freelancers charge for different lengths of articles at different kinds of publications. 5.      Ã‚  Do your best work to  become indispensable   Requesting blogging work using these steps doesnt guarantee that the client will keep you around forever, but in my experience, these clients provide a steady stream of work. I now have five long-term business blogging clients who give me two or more projects a month. One client in particular, a start-up marketing company, specifically chose to continue working with me even after a more prestigious writer queried them, because the other writer wanted more money and didnt want to work within their organizational structure. Using these steps, you can gather clients without competing with other writers, while building long-term relationships with businesses you enjoy.

Discuss the positive and negative impact of globalisation with Assignment

Discuss the positive and negative impact of globalisation with reference to two contrasting countries. (two countries are UK a - Assignment Example However, the ongoing financial crisis that resulted from the collapse of the real estate market has slowed the process of globalization, which is sometimes blamed by the critics for the surge in unemployment and inflation. Based on the reports of Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Odom and Koech (2010) highlighted that the economic recovery has been slow in developed countries including the UK, while the developing countries including India are making fast economic progress. The compiled reports of Central Intelligence Agency pointed that the UK had recorded a GDP growth rate of 1.6% in 2010, which was better than its negative growth rate of -5% in 2009 (United Kingdom, 2011). However, the Central Intelligence Agency also remarked that India had recorded a growth rate of 8.3% in 2010, which was marginally greater than its growth rate of 7.4% in 2009 (India, 2011). Since India and the UK represent the developing and the developed economies respectively, this paper compares the positive a nd the negative impacts of globalization on these two countries. 2. Discussion Globalization has definitely increased trade in India and the UK besides encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth of these two countries. Due to globalization, some economic sectors of India will have more advantage than the UK, while there will be some economic sectors where the UK will have more advantage than India. The following section contrasts the positive and the negative effects of globalization in India and the UK. 2.1. Manufacturing: Since India has lower labour costs than the UK, globalization has caused an increase in the manufacturing activity in India, while the manufacturing activity in the UK has comparatively slowed down as industries favor India as the low cost manufacturing base (Economics Help, n.d.). 2.2. Employment: When the manufacturing industries of the UK shift their bases to India or another developing country, there will be loss of employment in that particular sector of t he UK, while India will gain employment in the manufacturing sector. The unemployment rate in the UK was 7.9% in 2010, while it was 7.6% in 2009 (United Kingdom, 2011). However, the unemployment rate in India was 8.3% in 2010, while it was 7.4% in 2009 (India, 2011). The unemployment in manufacturing sector in the UK will be offset by employment generation in other sectors, such as finance and insurance, which shows that globalization causes shift in jobs from one sector to another without causing major catastrophic changes (Economics Help, n.d.). 2.3. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO): India has highly educated and talented professionals well-versed in speaking, writing, and reading English language. Due to a large pool of competent workers expert in providing IT enabled services to the business clients, several countries, such as the USA, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK outsource their work to India. Globalization has helped India to expand its BPO industry, while the UK has been a laggard due to the high labor and infrastructural costs. The size of the Indian BPO industry is estimated to be around $69 billion as of 2010 because the developed countries outsource their business assignments to India where the wages are nearly 80% lower than

Partners in Hiring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Partners in Hiring - Essay Example The recruiter must then evaluate how relevant the requirements really are. It must also be understood what the expectations from the new employee are and what skills he or she must possess. These must be well communicated to the manager so that he or she can create the perfect candidate profile. The hiring manager must then be explained how to carry out the interview, how to analyze resumes, and how to ask questions about ambiguous phrases such as â€Å"involved in† to get a deeper insight into the candidate. Also the hiring manager must be able to assess responses to questions effectively. Hiring managers must be told not to simply believe what the resume says. For instance, â€Å"good communication skills† need not necessarily mean that the candidate’s communication skills are good enough for the position. Companies should make it a point to test candidates on communication skills through written and oral tests, and must be made to give a short presentation to test their presentation skills as well. Also, personality should be judged following a requirement checklist and should not, merely, be based on personal preferences. Giving managers long forms and brochures to read up on is not the best idea. Chances are, all the reading materials would end up going on top of the shelf and never be opened again. The fact is, managers do not have time to read the forms, brochures, and other materials. Staffing decisions should never be made in a hurry. Staffing requires a lot of costs in terms of training, scheduling, paperwork, background checks, and many more. To make all these costs worthwhile, it must be ensured that due time and importance is given to the hiring process and more focus is given to long term hiring instead of just filling in the

The Issues of Terrorism and Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Issues of Terrorism and Culture - Assignment Example To support this, the spate of terrorists’ activities that have taken place in countries such as Libya, this was under Muammar Gaddafi, and other Middle East countries act as evidence. Terrorism has also been integrated into cases of religious barriers as seen in most Middle East countries, which are divided between Christianity and Islamic grounds. Therefore, terrorism is widely used in conflicts between countries such as America and Iraq, or conflicts based on religious grounds such as Christianity and Islam. Terrorism is a tool used in bringing about political change in nations both domestically and internationally (Whittaker, 2007). The term terrorism finds its roots in the French revolution in the 16th century and governments that aimed at bringing sanity and political stabilization to their native citizens. The divisions in defining terrorism base their origin on religious differences as well as conflicts between nations. In international conflict, terrorism is a tool of political violence against the enemy of the state. For example, the war between the Americans and the Israelites, the Americans used terror attacks against the Israelites to instil fear so that Americans could have solid ground to attack the Israelites. In a civil war, terrorism can also be used to explain the acts of violence carried out in the conflict. The other aspect of terrorism is viewed from outside the western viewpoint of terrorism. It is a weapon of alarm for public concern such as in university demonstrations and seminars, witchcraft among others. There is another view of terrorism, and that is terrorism from below, which is in three phases. The first phase that occurred in the 18th century included assassinations and bombing. The second phase occurred in the 19th century and involved acts of violence in most of the European countries. The third phase occurred in the 20th century and included actions from nationalist movements, religious movements and the secular group.     

Strategic performance management systems have beneficial impact on Essay

Strategic performance management systems have beneficial impact on performance, critically discuss - Essay Example A properly formulated performance management process empowers a manager to come up with effective and efficient strategic plans, set ambitious goals and follows closely the activities that work towards achieving his set goals, this leads to value creation that can be sustained for a long time. This paper will therefore aim at critically analysing the process of strategic performance management and how it impacts positively on the performance of the organisation. The Strategic Management Process The process of strategic management involves several steps, they include, first is understanding the strategic context that a business operates in, this involves both external and internal environment. In the internal environment, the first activity that a business does is the identification of the core purpose of the business, values and goal which it intends to achieve (Bisbe & Melaquero, 2012 p304). These then helps the management to come up with an overall vision of the organisations and t he direction it will take. ... The visionary goals of the organisation is the outlook of the company in future, that is how the company will be in the future and includes the achievements it hopes to have achieved by that time, these goals are set on a period of 3 to 10 years (Slack, 2006, p99). In the external environment, the company surveys the market for its products and the rivals in the market, here the business seeks to understand who the main stakeholders in the industry are and why it is necessary for the business to centre its operations on them, this activity is known as the stakeholder value proposition (Smith,2007, P 86). In order to carry out this activity, a business can use several tools that have been created that include Porter’s five forces framework. In the internal environment analysis, a business analyses its strengths and weaknesses where it evaluates its internal performance and the resources that it uses in the discharge of its responsibilities. This process enables an organisation to understand the effectiveness of its production process, how productive and skilled the employees are and how these can impact on the performance of the business (Penger & Tekavc?Ic?, 2009, p12). Model of the business is the next stage that a company undertakes, in this step the business organisation puts together all the key elements of the business strategy and visualises it. Using the Kaplan and Norton’s method, the result of this step will be strategy map while using the Marr’s methodology then the result will be value creation map and value creation narrative (Macmillan & Tampoe,2000, p105). Both of these methods used in this stage produce almost the same results

Social Impact Assessment Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Impact Assessment Report - Essay Example This report declares that the department of higher education has made the ratification processes easier and further reduced approval time frameworks for the social impacts assessment reports. The streamlined social impact assessment procedures emphases on high risks impacts and use results oriented procedures to manage the impacts of the project. These guidelines help the advocates to socially assess their projects, embrace a risk- based methodology to social impact assessment and focus on the results to welcome constructive solutions and take advantage of the social opportunities and reduce hazardous impacts that may emerge from the project. The emphasis is on building a relationship between advocates, stakeholders and groups of interest directly affected by the project. The relevant stakeholders thus informed of their expected roles in the development and implementation of the SIA. This paper stresses that the social scope studytackles issues related to the construction of the Middle East institutional studies. The population of this town majorly earns their living selling Carmel skin, milk and subsistence farming although yields are poor due to the harsh conditions. When Sheikh came along to issue a grant, the government welcomed the idea. It pledged to supply, offer maintenance services, and welcomed the public to take a participative role in decision-making processes. The public although worry of being displaced, the ministry of land promised to come up with an appropriate settlement procedure.

Similarities and differences between the USA and Saudi Arabia in Essay

Similarities and differences between the USA and Saudi Arabia in relation to their religion, politics, economic development, and social behaviors - Essay Example The paper tells that in Saudi Arabia, people’s way of life, the economy and politics are guided by the Islamic religion and their old customs. In contrast, the American society is guided by freedom and economic development. United States methods, therefore, differ from the Saudi people’s method. United States is the most religious developed country across the world. It is revealed that religion plays a great role in the life of American people. The history of United States is patent by freedom of religion. Constitution of this country is designed to ensure citizens have the power to establish religious practices. This, therefore, makes United States one of the countries with diverse religion. This is because it is estimated that there are over 100 different religious sects in the America. About 80 percent of them are Christians, while Jews and Muslims hold about 2 percent each. Majority of Americans are, therefore, followers of Christ. On the contrary, Saudi Arabia has Islamic as its official religion. As Muslims, Saudi Arabian people believe in God and prophets. However, they do not believe Jesus Christ was a son of God but rather a messenger. In addition, they believe Muhammad was also a messenger of God. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is, therefore, referred as an Islamic theocratic dominion. The law in this country only allows Muslims to be the real citizens of this kingdom. However, non-Muslims are only allowed to visit and work in the kingdom but cannot acquire citizenship. Moreover, Muslims are the only ones permitted to visit holiest cities in the country. One of the holiest cities is Mecca, which houses Ka ‘aba, a pilgrim shrine that was built by Moses following an order from God. United States government and politics is a clear example of democracy. This is because they are allowed to choose their representatives in their relevant States during elections. States representatives then select the best candidate to contend for the preside ncy. United States’ citizen vote for their president through the electoral process called Electoral College system. In this case, every State has electors equal to the number of members in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two senators representing each State are also included in the Electoral College system. During the elections, United States’ citizens cast votes to electors who obligate to offer support presidential candidate desired by members of their State. Whenever a president is elected, he or she is supposed to run the office for a period less than two terms comprising four years each. President in United States is the head of government and State. In addition, he is the commander in chief of all the armed forces. The structure of government in United States is categorized in three levels, which include Local, State, and Federal governments. Federal government in United States is in charge of the entire nation and has three branches, which include th e legislative, executive and legislature. In addition, the government of United States conducts its affairs in accordance to the constitution of the country. This constitution outlines freedom of citizens, function of the three arms of government and democratic rule. On the contrary, Saudi Arabian government is monarch in nature with the head of state being referred as the king. Whenever the king demises, he is succeeded by his eldest son in the event. However, the king can also choose a heir to succeed him or her in the leadership of the country.

Social Impact Assessment Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Impact Assessment Report - Essay Example This report declares that the department of higher education has made the ratification processes easier and further reduced approval time frameworks for the social impacts assessment reports. The streamlined social impact assessment procedures emphases on high risks impacts and use results oriented procedures to manage the impacts of the project. These guidelines help the advocates to socially assess their projects, embrace a risk- based methodology to social impact assessment and focus on the results to welcome constructive solutions and take advantage of the social opportunities and reduce hazardous impacts that may emerge from the project. The emphasis is on building a relationship between advocates, stakeholders and groups of interest directly affected by the project. The relevant stakeholders thus informed of their expected roles in the development and implementation of the SIA. This paper stresses that the social scope studytackles issues related to the construction of the Middle East institutional studies. The population of this town majorly earns their living selling Carmel skin, milk and subsistence farming although yields are poor due to the harsh conditions. When Sheikh came along to issue a grant, the government welcomed the idea. It pledged to supply, offer maintenance services, and welcomed the public to take a participative role in decision-making processes. The public although worry of being displaced, the ministry of land promised to come up with an appropriate settlement procedure.

Economy and Environment (part of petroleum engineering group project) Essay

Economy and Environment (part of petroleum engineering group project) - Essay Example In this operation, there was both the capital expenditure (CAPEX) as well as the operating expenditure (OPEX) that will be involved in the initial years of the project, hence hindering any revenue generation in the initial years of operation. It therefore means that, the cash flow during the initial years will only consist of the CAPEX and the OPEX data before revenue generation begins. The project needed a capital injection for the first three years of operation before, hence no revenue for this period. On the fourth year, however, the project begins generating revenue. This is explained that, the project will begin producing oil on the fourth year with no or zero water at the beginning. The production will then continue after which, from the sixth year on to the ninth year, more water will be produced; hence the revenue is expected to reduce as less oil will be produced to increase the revenue. After year nine, the oil production is again expected to increase with a decrease in the production of water, hence there will be a rise in the NPV once again as oil production is expected to follow such a trend of increasing initially up to year seven where it will again be expected to decrease and again rise after year nine. This trend is demonstrated in the table below. Net Present Value is the difference between the present value of the cash inflows and the present value of the cash out flows. To calculate the Net Present Values, the project cash flows are discounted using an appropriate rate which is usually the minimum rate of the return required by the investors. The appropriate cash flows in this case are the after tax cash flows and the net cash flow is therefore estimated on an after tax basis. For this project, the appropriate discounting rate used was 7%. The various applicable rates for each year were calculated in the discounting

Service Concept Profiling And The Servqual Model

Service Concept Profiling And The Servqual Model In this assignment I am going to conduct a critique of the following service management ideas, theories, concepts and techniques; specifically with reference to their purpose, application and limitations and with regard to how these service management ideas, theories and techniques may contribute to the development of a successful business: Service concept, Service concept profiling and The SERVQUAL model. Service concept purpose, The service concept has been defined variously throughout the years, Haskett (1986), defines it as the way in which the organisation would like to have its service perceived by its customers, employees, shareholders and lenders, i.e. the organisations business proposition. It has also been defined as the elements of the service care package, this is related to what Collier (1994) named it as customers benefit package, i.e. the things that provide benefit and value to the customer. Another definition of a service concept states that a service concept identifies the proposed nature of the business; it is the service in mind that the organisation wishes to create. The service concept helps the organisation focus on the value that it can provide to customers.(Robert Johnston Graham Clark, 2008, p 461). Application A service concept can be broken down in to three stages, firstly the organising idea, this is the essence of the service bought, or used, by the customer. Secondly, the service experience, this is the customers direct experience of the service process which concerns the way the service provider deals with the customer and finally the service outcome, this is the result for the customer of the service (in particular, the benefits provided, the resulting emotions and assessment of value for money). (Robert Johnston Graham Clark, 2008, p 42). An example of a successful on-going business in terms of ideas, theories, concepts and techniques is a company called Metso, they are global supplier of technology and services to customers in the process industries, including mining construction, pulp and paper, power, oil and gas. Their service concept consists of; performance services, this increases product efficiency, optimises quality and improves environmental performance; availability services, this maximises asset availability and optimises total life-cycle costs of assets and finally engineering services, this helps complete projects on time and within budget, also helps maintain and develop competency of personnel. (Metso automation, 2010) Another example is Alton Towers, Organising idea: A great day out at a theme park. Service experience: exhilarating and entertaining, large car parks range of food outlets, good souvenir shops etc. Service outcome: Lots of rides, Great day out, Full day out etc (Robert Johnston Graham Clark, 2008, p 43) One other example is letsgototurkey.com, they categories their service concept into three parts: firstly, before purchase- this is when the company offers information about the region and property portfolio, provides flight information and pick up service from the airport. Secondly, during purchase- this is when they provide full information about the area and buying procedures, and also organising all procedures such as opening a bank account, translator and preparing all necessary paperwork. Finally, after purchase- assisting with registration of utilities, recommending the best shops around, helping with insurance and applying for a residence permit. Furthermore, the company has another option called property care, in which membership holders can benefit from certain things while they are away such as bills being paid, taxes being paid routine security checks are made and they also deal with relevant companies for insurance, maintenance, engineering etc. (Letsgototurkey.com, 2012) Contribute to the development of a business (benefit) Limitation Service concept profiling Purpose The service concept can also be used as a strategic tool, the service concept profiling tool is simply a diagnostic tool that will help an organisation to analyse its service concept. It is merely a tool that can give an organisation a visual representation of their service concept, by doing this, a service organisation can decide whether they need to change their service concept in view of what the competitors are doing/achieving, so as a tool it can provide a basis for a new service concept. The service concept can be used to create organisational alignment by developing a shared understanding and making it explicit (Robert Johnston Graham Clark, 2008, p 65). Managers can also assess the implications of design changes using capability mapping. Furthermore developing a service concept can create differentiated services and drive strategic advantage. An example of a business using a service concept profiling is 4sl consulting, their profiling method identifies an organisations maturity and effectiveness through; effective management and governance for delivering IT change; service life cycle management from strategy through operations and continuous service improvements; cost transparency for service pricing and charge back. The company finds these results through one-to-one meetings or via workshops, each with a robust and comprehensive assessment method. Service profiling results in an initial set of gaps, issues and constraints prepared alongside an action plan to bring immediate benefits. (4sl consulting, 2012) Application Contribute to the development of a business (benefit) Limitation With regard to limitations with regard to the service concept profiling tool, it is only a tool and as such it is a good starting place and may indicate to an organisation what element of the service concept may need to change, but does not take into consideration external factors such as what is happening in the macroeconomic environment. It also does not take into consideration the change management activities that follow on from changing the service concept. Suggestions Further, I would suggest that it might be critical to get the customer involved in profiling and i am not sure that organisations actually do this. The SERVQUAL model Various service quality models have been developed to measure service quality through firms in many businesses. Due to its relation with customer satisfaction it is very important to review service quality models. Moreover service quality has had a major impact on practitioners, managers and researchers because of its results in customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and company profitability. The most commonly known measuring tool in terms of service quality in the development of a successful business to reach success is an instrument called SERVQUAL. This model was developed by Parasuraman et al (1985; 1988). The research based on this instrument has been used in marketing literature and also used in various industries in terms of the variety of factors which influence and contribute towards the development of a successful business. Along with Parasuraman, Zeithmal and Berry, these three authors made substantial contribution to the understanding the concept of service quality and the factors that influence it. The SERVQUAL model has been productively used for measuring service quality in many service businesses. It has been used inmany contexts for example, service quality in hospitals, telecommunications, insurance companies etc. They originally identified four gaps in the organisation that can cause quality problems. These quality problems cause a fifth gap, which is difference between customer expectations of service and perceptions of the service actually received. (Jusuf Zekiri, 2011) The SERVQUAL Model has five dimensions which are tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. If these dimensions remain constant this will unlock the door to consumer loyalty and provide outstanding levels of quality consumer care service within the service organization. However, not all dimensions are equal due to the fact that some dimensions are more towards the high levels of importance within the service organization as oppose to the other dimensions All dimensions are important to customers, but some more than others. Service providers need to know which are which to avoid majoring in minors. At the same time they cant focus on only one dimension and let the others suffer (Chris Arlen, 2008). An example of a a sector using the SERVQUAL model is Mobile Telecommunication Limitation Conclusion In conclusion These factors, theories and techniques collectively are part of the essential elements in terms of reaching the relevant necessary internal aims and objectives set, which help build, develop and improve an existing successful service organisation.50%of businesses dont survive within the first few years so its absolutely critical that service organisations grow and flourish in exceptional high levels of quality they deliver. Performance targets must be smart, measurable, achievable, realistic and time constrained In regards to the SERVQUAL model, it is an extensively used tool to assess external service quality, it can also be modified to assess the quality of the internal service provided by departments within a company to employees in other departments.

GENE THERAPY :: essays research papers

Many diseases seen today are the result of a defective gene in the DNA of the patient and can not be cured using the traditional methods such as antibiotics and antiviral medication. The victims are now looking to gene therapy as a potential cure for their problems. Bob Williamson introduces us the concept, procedures, and problems associated with gene therapy in his article,  ¡Ã‚ °Gene Therapy ¡Ã‚ ±. Along with the appearance of the recombinant DNA technology, it becomes possible for human beings to isolate, study, and change gene in the laboratory. Gene Therapy is the process of replacing a defective gene inside a patient ¡Ã‚ ¯s DNA with a working gene that will produce the correct gene products. The genetic diseases  ¡Ã‚ °in which a single known gene does not function properly ¡Ã‚ ±, such as sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, are most suitable to be treated with the gene therapy. There are two types of gene therapy in curing these diseases, patient therapy and embryo therapy. In the process of the patient therapy, the first step is identifying the defective gene and isolating a normal counterpart.  ¡Ã‚ ° To obtain correct gene action, it may be necessary to put it into the correct site on the host cell chromosome, or even to delete the defective gene ¡Ã‚ ±, and the DNA can then be replicated each time the host cell divided. But if the new cell is injected directly into the patient ¡Ã‚ ¯s body, it will be subject to the body ¡Ã‚ ¯s immune system that will recognize it as foreign and target it to be destroyed along with the healthy DNA that it is carrying. So the cells extracted from the patient are to be treated and adding the new gene in a test tube in the laboratory to make sure that the DNA is inserted in an appropriate place in the genome, and the cells can then be returned to the patient ¡Ã‚ ¯s body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now it is possible to offer the parents an antenatal diagnosis to look over if the fetus is affected by some single gene defects. If it does, the parents can choose embryo therapy to cure it rather then abortion. While the basic process is similar with the one of patient therapy, to do an embryo therapy is a little bit easier than a patient therapy, because the immune rejection system of the embryo is not fully developed. The new DNA will not be ejected, while the former DNA will be altered.

The Meaning Of Life Through The Eyes Of Ivan Denisovich Essay example -

What is the meaning of life? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is a question naturally asked by people because they have the ability to make choices about life. The question would appear to be difficult to answer and different for every individual depending on their circumstances. It is the ultimate search for truth and purpose in life, although the meaning of life is believed to be an idea that expresses their true purpose within life. These expressions can be defined within a given proximity in accordance with their current lifestyles. Ivan Denisovich ¡Ã‚ ¯s lifestyle differs from all aspects of a normal life, for his was depicted within a Siberian work camp in the Soviet Union. Within this camp all that mattered was the amount of food rations attained and the will to live the best he could. Although he was well aware of how things function in the camp, he learned when to work hard and when to take it easy, defi ning his acute character. The meaning in life through the eyes of Ivan Denisovich was to live a life of integrity and honesty, utilizing an optimistic attitude in all situations, while maintaining his upholding status. Ivan Denisovich is an old-timer in the prison camp and although he does odd jobs here and there to earn food or favors, he maintains a level of personal integrity. Integrity and honesty can be defined as the quality or state of being unimpaired or of being honest, refraining from lying, cheating, or stealing; being truthful, trustworthy, and upright. Ivan ¡Ã‚ ¯s honesty and integrity have been illustrated in many events that assure his own personal morals to live a life worthy of his own actions. He exemplifies these honorable morals in his actions throughout the entire day, which consisted of pitiful meals and harsh working conditions. He demonstrated his strict morality while eating dinner in the mess hall.  ¡Ã‚ °Yet, this old man is unlike all the other zeks. He sits upright and brings his spoon up to his lips. He does not put his bread on the dirty table, but on his clean rag. Somehow, even through countless years of prison life, he has maintained a sense of dignity. ¡Ã‚ ± He manifests his acute morals in all situations regardless of the status in which he is situated. He stands out, even though he is no different from any other, for many were wrongfully imprisoned for actions ... ...e been illustrated in many events that assure his own personal morals to live a life worthy of his own actions.  ¡Ã‚ °Somehow, even through countless years of prison life, he has maintained a sense of dignity. ¡Ã‚ ± Shukov demonstrated his integrity by attaining trust among the prisoners, a trust gained only from his previous engagements of sincere and honest deeds. Ivan ¡Ã‚ ¯s optimistic attitude motivated the others around him to perform the given tasks with a can do attitude. To a man, ones aspect of life can aspire a man to perform a great deed with a positive attitude, which Ivan had accomplished within the power plant. Ivan Denisovich ¡Ã‚ ¯s heart found sympathy for those who had suffered without a just cause for survival allowing him to remain sane throughout his sentence. His sanity was part of his meaning in life as his main goal was to live a life the best he could, and to maintain that life it was necessary for him to remain sane. Therefore the meaning in life through he eyes of Ivan Denisovich was to live a life of honesty and integrity with an optimistic attitude, allowing himself to sustain his own stature within his society while serving out his sentence as a prisoner of Communism.

Applied Linguistics Essay

Learner: * We see learning in different ways (Behavior –habit formation-; Innatism –response to behaviorism- ). â€Å"If we learn through habits, what about children? * Chomsky’s LAD theory: * Universal Grammar * We’re programmed to learn at least one language! Interactionism * Snow: Interaction is a vital factor, not LAD * Evidence: Accommodation of Language: * Language is modified by the kind of subject you’re talking to. * Modifying the way we’re using a language. * When we talk to children, we do it in a different way. * Subconscious act * Between Children and caretakers. * Between Natives and non-natives * The idea is to use a comprehensible input (Krashen) * The only way to learn English is to modify the way we speak – comprehensible input * Communication as a goal * Focus is on problem solving or accomplishing tasks Key concepts (cont. ) Intersecting angles: * Teaching methods and language assessment (Common European Framework of Reference) * Different Benchmarks for competence * International exams and certifications * Relationship between language and teaching * Teaching materials informed by linguistic corpora. * British national corpus * Language and language * Learner’s age * Kids and young people * Critical period * Content based language teaching – more flexible * Older people * It is more complicated to acquire a language when you’re getting old * Different focus of instruction, different reasons e. g. occupational, academic, etc. * You can teach different things in a certain age * Context * Physical locale (classroom or outside? ) * Immersion programmes * Teachers are putted into a context to teach to the target required * Problems: fluent, but no accurate. * Political pressures in some parts of the world e. g. Iraq, Japan, * Multilingualism in American classrooms – is not a priority right now * National language policies * What does it mean to learn a language? Money? Fun? * Tajikistan’s case: change from Russian to English * Future trajectory * Learn other subjects in an L2? How? * Is it possible that Chile would be a bilingual country? * Teaching in a language target * Endangered languages * People stop using a certain language * Reflection of a certain culture. * â€Å"The end of a language is also the end of a culture† * Linguistics Imperialism * We’re acquiring the English/American culture – English language is fixed by the culture: e. g. African English * English as a Lingua Franca * Universal language * Clusters: issues as non-native speakers – in fact, beach, special * Native speakers vs Non-native speakers â€Å"norms† * Technology * Computer-mediated contact with other languages and cultures * Internet-delivered language instruction * Use of corpora to access to the information. An introduction to Applied Linguistics * Language as a powerful tool * It gives access to information * Convincing (ads, politics) * Definition: * Is NOT the application of linguistics * Means many things for many people (Cook, 2006) * A group of semi-autonomous disciplines (Spolsky, 2005) * â€Å"†¦AL (is now) a cover term for a sizeable group of semi-autonomous disciplines, each dividing its parentage and allegiances between the formal study of language3 and other relevant fields, and each working to develop its own methodologies and principles† * Cook, 2003. * â€Å"the task of applied linguistics is to mediate between linguistics and language use† * The academic discipline concerned with the relation of knowledge about language to decision making in the real world * The scope of applied linguistics remains rather vague, but attempts to delimit its main areas of concern as consisting of language and education; language, work and law; and language information and effect. * Two interpretations * The source of applied linguistics. What applied linguistics draws on: * Narrow interpretation * (Linguistics) – Language teaching. * Usage of linguistic elements – semantics, phonology, pragmatics * Broad interpretation * (everything to do with language) * There are the different connotations of language * The target of AL * What applied linguistics equips you to do (SLA) * Language Acquisition (L1 and L2) * Psycho and Neurolinguistics * Sociolinguistics * Humor Studies * Pragmatics * Discourse Analysis and Rhetorics * Text/Processing/translation * Computational Linguistic * Corpus Linguistics * Dialectology BBC Documentary Horizon: Why do we talk? * Humans have a unique feature: we have a different language like animals * We have requests. * Complex process to pronunciate a word when child (â€Å"wa der† to â€Å"water†) * Language is exclusively human * Not much evidence about origins of language * Why chimps can make similar sounds like humans? * There are some parts of the brain involved in creation of words * Roots of language reception: Test on newborn babies * How much a baby is attending to a particular sound * We can recognize sounds from our beginnings * Chomsky’s theory: An innate ability to learn a language * Ability to talk is composed by words, meaning and sounds. It also INNATE * We’re BUILT ON SPEECH. * The KA family: communication in other ways are perfect, neither the speech * A DNA failure to create words * There’s no fossil evidences of speech communication * It is supposed that language was a practical way to defining rules * No one designed any language * Combination of words that can be easily remembered * Make sound to build a meaning * Dominant Theory of learning psychology: Behaviorism * Positive reinforcement * Habits are automatic and difficult to eradicate * If L1 differs to L2, L1 will interfere with formation of L2 habits e. g. use of articles (a/an, the) * Interference manifests itself in error (undesirable). * Learners need to overcome L1 features and replace them Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis (CAH) * Analysis of L1 and L2 features (grammar and phonology) to determine similarities and differences between languages * Comparisons * CAH prediction * L2 features which are similar to L1: easy features to learn * Present simple, present perfect * L2 features which are different to L2: errors in L2 * People is are * Role of L2 instruction: teachers should focus on features which could be potential errors. Teaching via imitation, practice and error correction. * Mistakes are very dangerous here! – Immediate correction * E. g. â€Å"repeat after me! † Problems with CAH * Researchers trying ti apply CAH in analyzing L2 errors, soon found that: * Many errors could not be explained only by reference to L1 e. g. I goed * Many predicted errors were not made in L2 * Learners from different L1 made similar errors L2 * New weays of loking at L2’s errors Error Analysis * Corder (1967) * Learner language is a system in its own right * Errors are an important reflection of the state of L2 knowledge (system) and processing strategies. * Errors were a good thing; there is a reflection about thinking of new things * Developing rules – trial and fail * Processing: * Learners form hypothesis about L2 on the basis of their exposure to the L2 * These hypothesis are tested receptively and productively * If hypotheses disconfirmed, this leads to the formation and testing of new hypothesis Interlanguage (IL) * Concept created by Selinker (1972) * Coined the term Interlanguage to describe a learner’s language * Is the whole process of learning a language * No competence Native-like competence * Interlanguage is rule governed (systematic) and dynamic (in flux) * U shape performance: * High performance is developed in Beginner’s level and the Advance one * Explaining learner’s errors. * Main processes which can explain errors in L2 * L1 transfer * L1 rules interfering with L2 * Overgeneralization of L2 rules e. g. goed (use regular past tense with all verbs) * It happens a lot with children * Transfer of training errors due to the way L2 was taught e. g. overuse of â€Å"he† because teaching materials contain mainly reference to males * Formal language in formal contexts * Simplification e. g. omission of referent elements (articles, prepositions) * Elision / wanna talk to me? – instead of â€Å"do you wanna talk to me? † Problems with IL and errors analysis. * Focus on errors rather than entire learner language output (i. e. what a learner can do * Oriented to L2 norms – norms are often difficult to define (e. g. variety of acceptable pronunctiations of some words) * Attribution of errors to processes not always clear cut * Doesn’t consider variability Morpheme studies * Morpheme: the smallest unit of meaning in English e. g. plural â€Å"s† (bound morpheme), article (unbound morpheme) * Influential study: Brown (1973) on First Language Acquisition (FLA) * Order of acquisition determined on basis of accuracy i. e. * Most accurate: acquired earliest. * The most developed item is the one which was developed earlier * Findings: although rate of acquisition may differ, order of acquisition same for all children. Acquisition order in FLA RANK| MORPHEME| EXAMPLE| 1| Present progressive| Boy singing| 2| Preposition| Dolly in car| 3| Plural| Sweeties| 4| Past Irregular| Broke| 5| Possesive| Baby’s toy| 6| Articles| A car| 7| Past regular| Wanted| 8| Third person singular| He eats| 9| Auxiliary â€Å"be†| He’s running| * Dulay and Burt (1973-1975) * Suppliance of a set of morphemes in obligatory context * Developmental Secquences. * Longitudinal research on acquisition of grammatical structures (e. g. negation, question formation word order) found: * Learners follow a set of order of stages of acquisition * L1 may affect how long a learner stays at any one stage * Learners cannot skip a stage, regardless of L2 instruction * Instruction can only affect speed of acquisition and whether learners reach final stage. Index readings – Test 1 – Monday 8th!! * Key concepts in language learning and language education * History and definitions * Introduction to SLA * Development of learner language. Developmental sequences Longitudinal research on acquisition of grammatical structures (eg negation, question formation word order) found: * Learners follow a set order of stages of acquisition * L1 may affect how long a learner stays at any one stage * Learners cannot skip a stage, regardless of L2 instruction * Instruction can only affect speed of acquisition and whether learners reach final stage * Naturalistic statement: the most important thing will be communication – people won’t correct anyone Variability in learner language. If IL is systenmatic, we should go thourg different stages. How can we account for variability in a learner’s interlanguage? * Need to distinguish between free vatiation and systematic variation: * Free variation may be due to: * Random errors * Performance factors, e. g. anxiety * Anxiety affects production * Early stage of IL: experimentation * People is is not a taboo * Systemic variation may be due to * Linguistic environment: e. g. omission of final ‘s’ may vary according to what sounds come before or after the letter ‘s’s * Situational context: e. g. the person the learner is speaking to (interlocutor) or setting may affect the perceived level of formality and thus how much attention Is given to accuracy * Fluency is affected by focus on accuracy * Psycholinguistic context: e. g. amount of planning time given before being asked to perform the task Input & Interaction * Input:anything that a learner is exposed to in the environment. Anything that is perceived. * Intake:processing. When you’re receiving language, you realize a certain structure subconsciously. * Uptake: when you do something observable with your input, if you make a mistake and then you have the correct version * Output: production of language – errors and mistakes are included * Comprehensible input:refers to modify the language and make it comprehensible * Negotiation of meaning: looking for answers for what you want to say – negotiatate what someone say: what? Could you repeat that? You said (†¦) or you said (†¦)? * Positive evidence vs. Negative evidence: * NE: corrections. Could be related to grammar * PE: Discrete parts of the language. It’s just language * Implicit vs. explicit feedback * Implicit feedback: we don’t really saying what the mistake is directly, but you’re uttering what you say. * Explicit feedback: correction – looking a language as an object * Recast: implicit feedback – fixing what you’re trying to say. When you’re emphasizing, it turns to explicit feedback. It’s supposed to be implicit. Introduction * Range of perspectives (theories) which explain how language (L1 and L2) is processed and ultimately acquired * All theories agree that learners need exposure to language (input – from a behaviorism focus, is important), but the kind of input and how that input is processed in order to become acquired vary * Today’s seminar focuses on the interaction hypothesis, a very influential theory in the field of SLA INPUT * Input is everything that you can get into the language * Language learner is exposed to (available for processing). * Two types of input: * Positive evidence: authentic or modified language – * Negative evidence: corrections Behaviorist perspective – Lado and Lee * From a behaviorist approach, Learners need positive and negative evidence (both) * Positive evidence: models that learners imitate and repeat (thus forming habits) * Negative evidence: given to prevent formation of â€Å"incorrect habits† * Language learning: process of imitation & habit formation Universal Grammar Perspective * Proponents: Chomsky (L1) White and Schwartz & Sprouse * Learners need ONLY exposure to positive evidence. * Positive evidence triggers processing in an innate language acquisition device * LAD contains principles (general rules about all human languages – e. g. Parts of speech) and parameters (rules which are language specific – e. g. â€Å"no voy† instead of I cannot) * Pro-dropped language * Dummy subjects * Second language acquisition: resetting parameters based on L2 evidence * Some debate in SLA: Is UG fully, partially on not at all available for adult L2 learners? * Is very unlike that is available. Is mostly partially available Krashen. Main argument: learners need only exposure to appropriate input (positive evidence) * Appropiate input: comprehensible input at a level slightly above the learner’s current level (i+1) input + something a bit higher * Comprehensible input will activate LAD: subconscious process * Comprehensible input: acquired knowledge (implicit knowledge used to produce language) * Is comes out, it flows * Conscious learning: learnt knowledge (explicit knowledge used to monitor language production) * If you’re giving negative evidence, they will acquire language * Difference between learning and acquiring language * Explicit knowledge does not become implicit knowledge (the non-interface position) * When you learn, you will not be able to acquire language Long’s interaction hypothesis * Built on Krashen’s notion of the importance of copmprehensible input for SLA * However difference in what makes input comprehensible * Krashen: emphasis on learner’s individual processing i. e. learner uses contextual clues, world knowledge to comprehend i+1 * Long (1983): interactions (negotiation of meaning) make input comprehensible * Findings: * â€Å"Speech modifications alone are rarely sufficient. Native speakers also make a lot of adjustments to the interactional structure of conversations, and it is conversational modifications of the latter sort that are greater, more consistently observed, and probably more important for providing comprehensible input† * Conversational modifications: * Repetitions * Confirmation checks (is that what you mean? ), often involve repetition uttered with a rising intonation * Clarification requests (what do you mean? ) e. g. Sorry? What? * Comprehension checks (do you follow me? ) e. g. OK? I+1: our current level of english Positive evidence: language Negative evidence: corrections Long’s interactional hypothesis Original version (1983): * deductive argument * Conversational modifications make negotiation input (negotiations of meaning) make inupt comprehensible e. g. Having conversations with native speakers will improve development of language THEN * Comprehensible input promotes acquisition (krashen) THEN * Negotiations of meaning -> promote SLA Research based on Long’s interaction hypothesis. * Variables that affect the quantity and type of conversational modifications (negotiation * moves) * Task type e. g. Doughty & Pica, 1986 * Learner variables (L1, proficiency in L2, gender) e. g. Pica et al. , 1991; Polio & Gas, 1998 * Extent to which negotiations facilitate comprehension e. g. Ellis et al. , 1994 * Extent to which negotiations lead to acquisition: results mixed e. g. Iwashita, 2003; Mackey, 1999 * Family will promote more negotiation Criticism of research and interaction hypothesis * Number of assumptions questions e. g. the more negotiations moves the better? * A social nature of research: ignores context and learner’s goals (ie is there always a clear one-to-one mapping of interaction moves and speaker’s intented meaning? * Deductive nature of argument: no mechanism to explain acquisition * Lack of robust evidence for L2 learning * Is anybody learning a language, or acquiring it? Negotiation of languge: Chance to process more the input and do something with that Swain’s outpout hypothesis * Research: language proficiency of students in Canadian immersion program, found that learners fluent but not accurate * Main argument: * Comprehensible input alone insufficient for learners to develop grammatical accuracy * Comprehension requires learners only to process language for meaning, not for syntax * Learners need to be pushed to produce accurate and appropriate language (output) * Students were fluent, but not accurate * Push them to produce more and more INPUT * Grammatical processing: basic to improve accuracy * Long * Role of input * Output provides learners with opportunities to: * Move from semantics, open-ended processing of language prevalent in comprehension to grammatical processing needed for accurate production. * Notice â€Å"gaps† in their interlanguage. * Test hypotheses abput language + receive feedback abput hypotheses * Reflect abput their language use + develop automaticity through practice (Gass, 2004) * Note: focus shifted from focus on positive evidence to negative evidence (corrective feedback) ->negative evidence * Negative feedback may be facilitative of L2 development * MEDIATED BY SELECTIVE ATTENTION: Focus on learner’s internal factors, drawing on work of Schmift’s (1999, 1993) on attention and noticing nypothesis * DEVELOPING L2 PROCESSING CAPACITY: draws on studies on developmental sequences & pieneman’s work on learnability to explain mixedfindings on negotiations and acquisition * NEGATIVE FEEDBACK OBTAINED DURING NEGOTIATION WORK: shift in focus from interactions providing comprehensible input to conversations providing opportunities for negative feedback * MAY BE FACILITATIVE†¦ ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING CERTAIN SPECIFIABLE L1-L2 CONTRASTS: prediction abput which language structures are most likely to need negative feedback (L1-L2 contrats, e. g. dative alteration, adverb placement) * If the verb comes from latinate origin, is not possible to have dative alternation. If Germanic, it is. Why Long was unwilling to unchanged his hypothesis? * Previous hypothesis: * Krashen’s monitor hypothesis! * IS a contradiction: Monitor check contents to learn, but it doen’t help to ACQUIRE * Closest to BEHAVIORISM * Current Hypothesis: * New ways of correcting * KEY: GIVING FEEDBACK Cognitive accounts of SLA * SLA: acquiring a new knowledge system. Learning new information * Based on cognitive psychology, which models the human mind similar to a computer (up to a point) * Learning& ability for use: * NOTICE NEW INFORMATION, e. g. a vocabulary item (an interesting word such as â€Å"nuts†) or a feature of syntax like 3rd person singular –s * INTEGRATING NEW INFORMATION and comparing with the old one, e. g.relating the vocabulary item to similar ones or 3rd person-s to indicative present tense verb use * PROCEDURALIZING OR AUTOMATIZING, e. g. accessing the vocabulary itam / applying the 3rd person –s rule Areas of interest * A great deal of work in SLA has focused on noticing and attention because it is central to learning (Schmidt) * There is also some work on the interaction of new language information in long-term memory (Bialystok) * The type of knowledge (explicit/implicit) has also been studied, which is related to proceduralization / automatization The human cognitive system Outside world -> sensory register -> working memory -> long-term memory.