Modernism and Symbolic-Interpretivism Theory ...

Abstract The basic definition of an organization is an assembly of people working together to achieve common objectives through a division of labor. According to Mote (2012), an organization provides a means of using individual strengths within a group to achieve more than can be accomplished by the aggregate efforts of group members working individually. This proposal will look at modernism and symbolic interpretivism (SI) theories and how they apply to organizational structure. The organization of study is a global healthcare organization dealing in genetic testing, drug testing, and clinical trials. Introduction A perspective or view involves certain assumptions about behavior whether in individuals or†¦show more content†¦Modernism supports the notion of scientific progress as a series of linear, cumulative steps toward the ideals of complete knowledge and human perfection (Hatch, 2006). The author asserts that to take a modernist perspective, one must commit to limiting what is known as knowledge to what one can know though the five senses. On the other hand, SI extends the definition of empirical reality to include forms of experience that lie outside the reach of the five senses, as do emotions and intuition and as a result of this subjectivity, their findings cannot be easily replicated by others (Hatch, 2006). Variables that contribute to organizational effectiveness Some of the variables that contribute to organizational effectiveness are technology, economic, political/legal, social/culture and physical (Hatch, 2006). The advances in information and communication technologies, the artifact technology, and the knowledge society have highlighted the importance of knowledge and the need for knowledge management. However, it is important to explore the mediating role of knowledge management in the relationship between technology and organizational effectiveness (Tung-Sheng Kuo Dorjgotov, 2011). OrganizationsShow MoreRelatedMicrosoft Corporation4397 Words   |  18 Pageson the organizational performance. For instance, technology and organizational culture have an effect on the organization as they affect its performance. Understanding the internal and external environment is essential for the success of Microsoft Corporation as it enables managers to identify organizational strength and weaknesses and develop strategies to overcome them. Different organizational theory perspectives can be used to examine the organization. That is modernism and symbolic interpretivismRead MoreCompare Modernist and Symbolic Interpretive in Different Aspect1655 Words   |  7 Pagescustomers’ unlimited wants. Organization theory is an area of study where organizations are the phenomenon of interest for theory that applies to everybody. Organization are defined as a consciously coordinated social entity, with a relatively, identifiable boundary that performs upon consciously basis to accomplish a mutual goal. Organizations are structured the way they are because different organization perceive and do things differently. Effectiveness of an organization is based on how they areRead MoreThe Scientific Management Principles Of Frederick Winslow Taylor3172 Words   |  13 Pagescorporations in the past two centuries, which has resulted in academic as well as practical development of concepts related to organizational behaviour, revolutionizing the current landscape. From the studies conducted by Adam Smith in the 18th century to Peter Ferdinand Drucker in the 21st century a range of ideas and concepts have originated with respect to organizational behaviour and associated practices. While Adam Smith s contribution was in the area of division of labour, which even thoughRead MoreThe Principles Of Scientific Management3162 Words   |  13 PagesAlong with the development of organizations and corporations over the past 200 years, organizational behaviour and the asso ciated concepts have undergone revolutionary changes. From Adam Smith (1776) to Peter Ferdinand Drucker in the 21st Century, numerous experts have proposed and advocated various concepts and ideas on organisational behaviour and associated practices. For example, in the pre-history era, Adam Smithï ¼Ë†1776ï ¼â€° has noted that the division of labour, this method and idea has been acceptedRead MoreU10A1 Project – Organization Theory Project4528 Words   |  19 PagesProject – Organization Theory Project Modernism and Symbolic Interpretation Perspectives of Facilities Management OM8010 – Principles of Organization Theory and Practice. Capella University [pic] Elizabeth G. Wilkerson 13230 Helotes Circle Helotes, TX 78023 2105502442 EGreen8@satx.rr.com Instructor: Betty Martin-Lewis, PhD Modernism and Symbolic Interpretation Perspectives of Facilities Management Introduction Modernism and symbolic interpretations areRead MorePost Modernism Modernism1876 Words   |  8 Pagesperspective come to be associated with their own concepts amp; theories. (Hatch amp; Cunliffe 2006) In my essay, I will use three perspectives which is modernism, symbolic interpretive and postmodernism and show their different views on the role of technology in organisations and why they hold them. Then, I will analyse each perspective to what they have to say on this issue and why do they say it. The foundation of all theories For comparison of the three perspectives to take place, assumptionsRead MoreEssay on Understanding Change15189 Words   |  61 Pageschange Perspectives on change The ethics of organizational change Planned change and its critics Strategic change Building and developing competitive advantage 3 39 73 11 1 147 CHAPTER 1 Perspectives on change 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Perspectives on change 1.2.1 Modernity, progress, and change 1.2.2 Pathways to change 1.3 Structural-functional change: changing structures and functions 1.3.1 An organization is a complex whole 1.3.2 Structural theory 1.4 Multiple constituencies: change by negotiationRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages. Organization Theory Challenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of workRead MoreLiterature Review on Consumer Behaviour16053 Words   |  65 Pagesperspective argue that positivism overemphasizes the rational view and the ideology of a homogenous social culture and thereby denies the complex social and cultural world in which consumers live. This paradigm instead stresses, the importance of symbolic and subjective experience and the idea that consumers construct meanings based on unique and shared cultural experiences, and thus there can be no single unified world view. Unsurprisingly, the two paradigms differ in their views on the benefits

Nigeria Economic Outlook - 719 Words

Introduction This document will discuss economic concerns of Nigeria. Specially addressed will be the following: Nigeria’s economic outlook, gross domestic product, inflation, and deprecation of the naira. This paper will conclude with a summary of this discussion. Nigeria Economic Outlook Nigeria’s parliament approved the 2017 budget in May. The economy falling from low oil prices, which have led to recession, a plummeting naira and a spike in inflation, the budget aims to jumpstart growth by ramping up capital spending on roads, rail, ports and power. The significant fiscal shortfall is set to be plugged by a mixture of loans and bonds, although with foreign investors skittish, the government may have to turn to more domestic financing,†¦show more content†¦Clearly a lot needs to be done to make tax compliance less onerous for the average taxpayer. Inflation Nigerias consumer prices increased 17.24 percent year-on-year in April of 2017, easing slightly from a 17.26 percent rise in the prior month. The inflation rate fell for the third straight month to the lowest in nine months, led by a slowdown in prices of housing and utilities and transport (Wilson, David, Inyiama, Beatrice, 2014). annual core inflation rate was 14.75 percent, the lowest since April last year. On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 1.60 percent. Inflation Rate in Nigeria averaged 12.38 percent from 1996 until 2017, reaching an all-time high of 47.56 percent in January of 1996 and a record low of -2.49 percent in January of 2000. Compared to April of 2016, prices went up at a slower pace for housing and utilities (16.05 percent vs 18.85 percent) and transport (14.91 percent vs 15.43 percent). Meanwhile, cost rose faster for food (19.30 percent vs 18.44 percent), including bread ,cereals, meat, fish, potatoes, yams and other tubes, coffee, tea and cocoa, milk cheese, eggs, oils and fats. Yet, food inflation hit the highest since February of 2009. Also, prices advanced for clothing and footwear (17.10 percent vs 16.65 percent), furniture and household equipment (12.84 percent vs 12.47 percent), health (10.66 percentShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of Macroeconomic Indicators On Economic Growth On A Petrol Dollar Economy Essay1391 Words   |  6 PagesTHE EFFECT OF MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN A PETROL-DOLLAR ECONOMY: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE 1. Introduction The Central Bank of Nigeria Act of 1958(CBN) vested the monetary policy powers of economic stability on the apex regulatory bank (CBN).Since our independence in 1960,CBN has operated a fixed exchange regime which was at various times was at par with the British pounds and later the United States Dollar. 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(Bolakale S, 2010) ïÆ'Ëœ The urban areas in Nigeria have access to better health care facilities. Qualified medical personnel, clean environment and the patients are well attended to. Unlike in the rural areas where they lack well trained medical staff. Clinics are mostly operated by auxiliary nursesRead MoreGermany Market : The Market For Growth Expansion1307 Words   |  6 Pageslike in the times of economic growth people usually do not charge the amount of hygiene products they use like in the UK were customers cut down expenses on the amount of tissue due to the recession (keynote 2014). However, disposable paper market is the fastest-growing industry players in Europe this stands as an opportunity for Bel Implex because the product is still in its maturity stage in Germany(euro monitor 2014).. 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Nepalese migration to Japan Free Essays

Nepal is landlocked between India and China, situated between the Himalayas. With no industrialization worth the name, its mainstay is agriculture. Its major export is labor; most of the rural households have one family member abroad and expect the inward remittances from them month after month for their livelihood. We will write a custom essay sample on Nepalese migration to Japan or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Nepali migration to Japan is governed by the Labor Act of 1985. The armed conflicts between the forces loyal to the King and Government and Nepal and the Maoist People’s War groups, have created a fear psychology in the Country and encouraged migration. Historical Structural contexts: The majority of the Nepalese workers in Japan hail from ethnic group designated as ‘martial races’. They are popularly known as ‘Gurkha’ soldiers. They were an important segment of the Indian and British Army. In India, even now, they are the prominent part. Nepal has a long history of migration; Nepalese migrated to the city of Lahore and joined as soldiers in the army of Sikh Ruler, Ranjit Singh. The martial aspect has now taken the form of economic criteria with the fast advancement of the modern materialistic civilization consequent to the industrial and internet revolutions. A new culture of emigration and remittance economy in rural Nepal has taken concrete shape. Migration is, mostly, an economic option now. From the cinders of the II World War, Japan’s industrial structure took an unprecedented leap. Manufacturing and construction industries created a vacuum consequent to shunning of the jobs by the Japanese workers. Economically distressed migrants from countries like Nepal, secure elevated wage levels, and that in turn accelerated the process of migration from Nepal. The subsequent living conditions, isolation, distress and discrimination added to their woes, but the offsetting factor was the financial rewards. As for the women immigrant workers, Japan’s share is 9%. Most of them work in the service sectors or as domestic helps. Push –Pull factors: Economic agents are responsible for the homogenous optimizing behavior as for various theories of migration. In contrast, â€Å"Lipton assumes heterogeneity of group behavior – rich persons optimize whereas poor persons are more reactive than proactive. Hence, the migratory decisions of the rural poor are more likely to be influenced by push factors while pull factors more likely apply to the rural rich.†(Asian, 2000†¦) To some extent the conditions obtaining in the migration scene in Nepal today in relation to Japan, gives credence to Lipton’s hypotheses as for migratory and remitting behavior of both poor and rich families. Socio-economic differentials are one of the important factors for migration determinants. Globalization has worked wonders in all the segments related to human beings. For economies and individuals who possess mobile capital and knowledge, it has proved to be a boon. But the conditions of the less educated workers have remained the same, as their options are limited. The bargaining power of the employers is in tact, if anything it has increased because of their capacity to adopt latest technology, with less labor requirements, outsourcing and moving elsewhere. The labor migration, both short term and long term, to countries like Japan from Nepal has adverse effects on account of this development. Network and social capital: Indian sub-continent was the traditional destination for the migration of the Nepalese labor, but with the passage of Labor Act of 1985, countries like Japan became the much sought after destinations.   The trade unions also began to show interest in the welfare and working conditions of the overseas workers. â€Å"Foreign labor migration from Nepal is still largely a privately organized affair in which individuals make use of their own personal networks or make arrangements through a number of private, government-registered manpower or recruitment agencies.†(Seddon, 2005). As for Southeast Asia, the popular destination at that time was Japan. Immigration then was not legal, the repatriation incidents occurred often, but the reward for the lucky ones who stayed on was high. The wages were 10 times the average wage in Nepal. The remittances from Japan to Nepal recorded a steep increase. This further kindled the curiosity and enthusiasm of the rural folks of Nepal, both men and women to migrate. â€Å"The implications of this situation are far-reaching for Nepal as a whole, for the structure and dynamics of regional and local economy and society, and — perhaps most of all — for households and individuals all over the country, both those directly involved in foreign labor migration and those left behind.†(Seddon, 2005) Labor migration increases unity of the countries of sending and receiving migrants. Migration serves useful purposes for both the countries. It is the twice-blessed concept. It blesses those who receive, and those who give. The reality behind this poetic comparison is that the two ethnic groups have to come to terms for a happy living. Legal citizenship is one thing. The actual assimilation and the willing acceptance from the local society is another thing. The development of commonality is a slow process. To oppress the minority and obliterate the differences is not a welcome procedure and the consequences will be bitter. History has enough examples of such disastrous failures. Historical conditions and the related racial stigma, will not get obliterated easily. References Cited: Article: ASIAN AND PACIFIC MIGRATION JOURNAL, 1999,2000..www.cicred.org/rdr/rdr_uni/revue101-102/101-101-102.html – 26k – Retrieved on October 2, 2007 Seddon, David-Article: Nepal’s Dependence on Exporting Labor, January 2005-Migration Information Source www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=277 – 35k –   Retrieved on October 2, 2007          How to cite Nepalese migration to Japan, Essay examples

Factors behind Unemployment Rate

Question: Identify the reasons behind growing unemployment in the Europe including OECD countries. Answer: Introduction Rising unemployment is a severe threat to an economy. To resolve the problem, it is necessary to identify the factors responsible for it. In this paper, three scholar articles have been analysed. The selected articles are Capital accumulation, labour market institutions and unemployment in the medium run by Stockhammer and Klar (2011); Capital Formation And Unemployment by Rowthorn (1995) and The Role of Shocks and Institutions in the Rise of European Unemployment: the Aggregate Evidence by Blanchard and Wolfers (2000). These articles tried to identify the reasons behind growing unemployment in the Europe including OECD countries. At first, the major findings and arguments of the authors in respective articles have been discussed. Further, this paper has mentioned how the articles are related to each other. At the end, policy recommendations are discussed that can help to deal the problem of unemployment, based on the given articles. Factors responsible for rising unemployment Stockhammer and Klar (2011) have focused on how unemployment is determined by the labor market institutions. However, empirical studies showed that capital accumulation has significant impact on unemployment. It has been claimed that, there is no proof that less labor market rigidity can reduce the level of unemployment. Moreover, non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU) could not be declined by removing labor market rigidities in OECD countries. Keynesian views states that there is inverse relationship between capital accumulation and unemployment (Stockhammer and Klar 2011, p. 438). The article by Stockhammer and Klar (2011) emphasized on role of capital accumulations role in explaining unemployment. They argued that benefit duration and union density are statistically significant. Bargaining system with a higher degree of employees covered by collective bargaining features lower unemployment. These two variables have positive association. The variable collective bar gaining coverage is negatively correlated to union density. Moreover, employment protection legislation is positively related but insignificant. The author has also found that an increase in capital accumulation by 1% reduces rate of unemployment by 0.87% point with time effect and by 0.92% point without time effect (Stockhammer and Klar 2011, p.449). They argued that inflation rate has insignificant impact on unemployment rate. This article has discussed interaction between labor market institutions and macroeconomic shocks as well as interactions among themselves. Some interactions are reinforcing and some are perverse. Higher interest rate can reduce the unemployment if benefit duration in lengthy and employment protection reduces unemployment if unemployment is low. Rowthorn (1995, p.27) has examined the relationship between employment and the capital stock. He argued that low investment rate in Western Europe was responsible for increasing unemployment in the region. Measures like education, training and labor market reform can be effective in reducing unemployment only if the sufficient investment is made in order to improve productive capacity (Rowthorn 1995, p.27). Moreover, he argued that employment could be generated only through increasing capital stock, instead of generating it on existing capital stock. Evidence has found that short-term oil shock led to increase in non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment due to loss of capital stock (Rowthorn 1995, p.27). According to his findings, growth rate of labor productivity permits the market to operate with less unemployment; it provides a way through which investment can decrease unemployment in the medium term. Rowthorn (1995, p.35) has also focused in explaining why investment has f allen in OECD countries. He argued that long-term real interest rate should be reduced and there is no short-term constraint on expansion arising from capacity shortage. It is argued that quality of labor supply should be improved. Labor market policies encourage job creation on existing capital stock, but the author argued that these policies actually form capital, which in turn will raise the employment rate in the economy. Blanchard and Wolfers (2000, p.C1) discussed with evidence how economic shocks and institutions increase the unemployment in Europe. Fall in total factor productivity causes rise in equilibrium unemployment rate. However, this is not permanent, as once expectations is adjusted unemployment will tend to fall. This fall in TFP cannot explain the rising trend of unemployment over twenty years, in Europe. The authors (2000, p.C6) have found that real interest rate was negative in the second half to 1970s and then again large during 1980s and 1990s. They argued that these changes will affect the capital accumulation at a given wage rate and demand for labor will be shifted. However, these real interest rate fluctuations have little impact on long run unemployment. When the interest rate is very low, it delays the unemployment rate and due to high rate of real interest, unemployment rises. Blanchard and Wolfers (2000, p.C6) have also mentioned that labor share fell strikingly during 1980s, after being high in 1970s. Due to fall in TFP, demand for labor falls and unemployment increases. These authors have also stated that labor market institutions increase unemployment and change the nature of unemployment. However, some labor market institutions have effect neither on rate nor on nature. This article has also mentioned that collective bargaining; higher minimum wage raises the unemployment. The three given articles focus on explaining the factors that lead to unemployment in the Europe. The articles by Stockhammer and Klar (2011) and Rowthron (1995) identified capital accumulation as major factor behind the rising unemployment. Both articles argued the similar thing that states that for a reduction in unemployment, capital accumulation is required through investment. Another article Blanchard and Wolfers (2000) mentioned the role of labor market institutions in explaining the rate of unemployment, as also stated by Stockhammer and Klar (2011). Moreover, this article emphasis on two factors which explain short-term rise in unemployment, such as TFP and real interest rate (Blanchard and Wolfers 2000). There is a difference between the articles by Blanchard and Wolfers (2000) and Stockhammer and Klar (2011). The first one identified role of labor market institutions as significant, however, the later one mentioned its role but stated that the impact is insignificant. The f actors identified are mostly same in all given articles; the differences lie in the approach and other factors identified in this regard. Conclusion From the above discussion, it has been found that unemployment cannot be reduced after a certain level as that may lead to a rise in the inflation rate. According to the arguments of these three articles, policies can be recommended to reduce unemployment from an economy. It has been argued by the authors that with the help of capital accumulation, the unemployment can be reduced. Hence, the government or policy makers should target to increase investment in the economy for more capital accumulation so that productivity increases and labor demand rises. The labor market institutions must be controlled as some of its measures like unemployment benefits, lead to rise in unemployment. Rowthron suggested in his article, to stress on labor-market policies along with stimulation of capital stock. By controlling real interest rate, the impact of unemployment can be changed. It is recommended that the policy should be focused on good markets rather than labor market, in order to reduce unemp loyment. The policy prescriptions should be modified in a way that it does not discourage the labor force participation and reduce demand for labor; and the most effective way is to stimulate capital formation. References Blanchard, O. and Wolfers, J. (2000). The Role of Shocks and Institutions in the Rise of European Unemployment: the Aggregate Evidence.Economic Journal, 110(462), pp.1-33. Rowthorn, R. (1995). Capital Formation And Unemployment.Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 11(1), pp.26-39. Stockhammer, E. and Klar, E. (2011). Capital accumulation, labour market institutions and unemployment in the medium run.Cambridge Journal of Economics, 35, pp.437-457.

Juvenile Psychopaths Essays - Criminology, Crime,

Juvenile Psychopaths What is the super predator? He or she are young hypercriminals who are committing acts of violence of unprecedentedcoldness and brutality. This newest phenomena in the world of crime is perhaps the most dangerous challenge facing society and law enforcement ever. While psychopaths are not new, this breed of super criminal exceeds the scope of psychopathic behavior. They are younger, more brutal, and completely unafraid of the law. While current research on the super predator is scarce, I will attempt to give an indication as to the reasons a child could become just such a monster. Violent teenage criminals are increasingly vicious. John DiIulio, Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, says that The difference between the juvenile criminals of the 1950s and those of the 1970s and early 1980s was the difference between the Sharks and the Jets of West Side Story and the Bloods and the Crips. It is not inconceivable that the demographic surge of the next ten yea rs will bring with it young criminals who make the Bloods and the Crips look tame. (10) They are what Professor DiIulio and others call urban super predators; young people, often from broken homes or so-called dysfunctional families, who commit murder, rape, robbery, kidnapping, and other violent acts. These emotionally damagedyoung people, often are the products of sexual or physical abuse. They live in an aimless and violent present; have no sense of the past and no hope for the future; they commit unspeakably brutal crimes against other people, often to gratify whatever urges or desires drive them at the moment and their utter lack of remorse is shocking.(9) Studies reveal that the major cause of violent crime is not poverty but family breakdown - specifically, the absence of a father in the household. Today, right now, one-fourth of all the children in the United States are living in fatherless homes - this adds up to 19 million children without fathers. Compared to children in two parent family homes, these children will be twice as likely to drop out of school, twice as likely to have children out of wedlock, and they stand more than three times the chance of ending up in poverty, and almost ten times more likely to commit violent crime and ending up in jail. (1) The Heritage Foundation - a Conservative think tank - reported that the rise in violent crime over the past 30 years runs directlyparallel to the rise in fatherless families. In every state in our country, according to the Heritage foundation, the rate for juvenilecrime is closely linked to the percentage of children raised in single-parent families. And while it has long been thought that poverty is the primary cause of crime, the facts simply do not support this view. Teenage criminal behavior has its roots in habitual deprivation of parental love and affection going back to early infancy, according to the Heritage Foundation. A father's attention to his son has enormous positive effects on a boy's emotional and social development. But a boy abandoned by his father in deprived of a deep sense of personal security, In a well-functioning family, he continued, the very presence of the father embodies authority and this paternal authority is critical to the prevention of psychopathology and delinquency. (2) On top of the problem of single parent homes, is the problem of the children whose behavioral problems are linked to their mothers' crack use during pregnancy. These children are reaching their teenage years and this is a potentially very aggressive population, according to Sheldon Greenberg, director of Johns Hopkins University's Police Executive Leadership Program. What's more, drug use has more than doubled among 12- to 17-year-olds since 1991. The overwhelming common factor that can be isolated in determining whether young people will be criminal in their behavior is moral poverty, Greenberg says. (3) According to the recently published Body Count: Moral Poverty . . . and How to Win America' s War Against Crime and Drugs, a new generation of super-predators, untouched by any moral inclinations, will hit America's streets in the next decade. John DiIulio, the Brookings Institute fellow who co-wrote the book with William Bennett and John Walters, calls it

Strategic Analysis of Burger King The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis of Burger King Introduction Strategic Analysis of Burger King IntroductionBackgroundBurger King History Changes in Leadership – Burger King HistorySignificant Strategic Business decisions in Burger King HistorySignificance in history1)  Ã‚  OFFENSIVE STRATEGY2)  Ã‚  DEFENSIVE STRATEGY3)   GUERILLA/ NICHE STRATEGYCONCLUSIONBIBLIOGRAPHYRelated Introduction The following report is an analysis of case study of Burger King fast food chain till date 2006. It primarily takes into considerations, significant changes over the years. And , also the strategic business decisions that led to, or formed a basis, of these changes. Moreover it helps us to identify the company’s core competencies and the competitive advantage it gained. It also highlights the issues faced by the company. A small comparison with McDonald’s helps to benchmark Burger King’s performance. Following the critical analysis of case study, it follows necessary recommendations for the Burger King Company in UK market and lastly comparioson with ‘Schools of Strategy’ which are prominent in its history. A personal conclusion that evaluates the case – study and various comparisons throughout the report. Background   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The company of Burger King Corporation was formed by Miami entrepreneurs James McLamore and David Edgerton in 1954. The Burger King Holdings is the parent company of Burger king, however in U.S. it operates as Burger Kings Brands title;   whereas internationally as Burger King Corporation. Today (as of year 2006, referring to case study), it is world’s 2nd largest fast food chain based on locations (behind Mcdonalds). The company has presence in more than 70 countries and runs more than 12000 restaurants. Thus, we can see that the brand rules one whopper of whole fast food chain empire. The company is presently run by Mr. John Chidsey who acts as a CEO and chairman of the parent company. The brand has a $2.54 billion and boasts of handling more than 38000 employees successfully catering to 11.4 million customers. Burger King History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Burger king is a predecessor to a company called Insta-Burger King. The Insta –Burger King was founded in 1953 in Jacksonville, Florida by owners named Keith.J .Cramer and Matthew Burns. The found the company after inspired by McDonald’s efficiency, in food preparation, delivery and architectural layout. The company Insta-Burger King was launched on the basis on an equipment known as the Insta – Broiler. The device proved as a very successful oven for cooking burgers. Changes in Leadership – Burger King History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Burger King Company saw changes in management from the first year over more than 50 years since its establishment. The names (CEO) and significant decisions of them over the years are as follows: Year Name Former position Significant change in Burger King 1954-1970 James W. McLamore, David Edgerton President and chairman – Burger King Founders, bought Insta-Burger King from Keith G.Cramer (owner of Keith’s Drive-In restaurant) Introduced an improved version of ‘Insta-Broiler’(which had a capacity of 400 burgers an hour) called ‘flame broiler’ Launched ‘Whopper’ sandwich – the company’s signature product By 1961, had 45 restaurants in Florida and South-east US; which they increased to 274 restaurants all over the world mainly through franchising. Year Name Former position Significant change in Burger King 1970-1976 Rosewall W. Leslie Not known Faced problems in company such as unhealthy relationship with the franchises confused advertising stale menus shabby restaurants competition to change in customer preferences 1976-1977 Pazat W. Leslie Not known Continued problem facing 1977-1980 Donald Smith McDonald’s executive Increased problems between franchises and the management Introduced a new corporate structure and developed a new management attitude Solved the inconsistency problem in both food by providing widespread menu and services were managed by greater control over the franchises. Year Name Former position Significant change in Burger King 1980-1982 Lou P. Neeb Not known Followed former Smith’s directions, the company moved from the third position to the second in the fast food industry by 1982. 1982-1983 Norman Brinker Bennigan’s ( part of Pillsbury) Company struggled to re-establish brand image 1983-1985 Jaffery J. Campbell Corporate Executive of Burger king Hired different agencies to promote brand but failed and send confused messages about the products. 1989-1989 Jerry W. Levin Haagen Dazs Completed a deal of Pillsbury to Grand Metropolitan PLC (Grand Met) – a British alcoholic beverage manufacturer and distributor 1989-1993 Barry J. Gibbons Not known Concentrated on improving menu and the brand image. Introduced the BK broiler – a broiler chicken sandwich. Successfully increased company profits by $75 million during tenure at Burger King. Year Name Former position Significant change in Burger King 1993-1995 James B. Adamson Chairman of Denny’s Attempted to increase the quality of food by introducing ‘value menus’ which consisted of extensive combination from menu under a dollar. Simplified menu and focussed on burgers and other products 1995-1995 David Nash Not known Increased sales by 6.6% by combination of the right product with the right marketing message. 1995-1997 Robert C. Lowes Chief Executive – European foods The company launched a $70 million French Fry Advertising campaign. 1997-1999 Dennis N. Malmatinnas Not known Decrease in market share. Grand Metropolitan merges with Guinness to form Diageo PLC 2001-2002 John H. Dasburg CEO – Northwest Airlines Planned to revitalise and reorganise the company, mainly through forming a new corporate structure. 2002-2004 Bradley Blum Headed Olive Garden unit of Darden restaurants The company faced stiff competition and sales dropped by $0.6 million. Year Name Former position Significant change in Burger King 2004-2006 Gregory Brenneman Presidant and COO of Continental Airlines Created ‘a turnaround’ plan named as ‘Go Forward Plan’ which included – 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Grow profitably, 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fire up the customer, 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fund the future, and 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Work together. Focussed on cutting costs as ‘Drive-thrus’ generated 70% of company’s business. Secondly, introduced a new set of products to push sales. 2006 till date John Chidsey Chairman and CEO of Cendant Corporation The company faced a situation of state recession in US economy. Significant Strategic Business decisions in Burger King History Considering the growth of company over more than 50 years, its significant strategic decisions and success or failure of the same is listed below: Years Significance Business strategy Measure of strategy 1954 To   1967 Launch of signature product ‘Whopper’ and created brand image as ‘Home of the Whopper’ Growth of company through minimum investment Expansion Franchising Successful Company had moved from 45 restaurants within US in 1961 to 274 restaurants across the world, by the end of 1967. 1967 To 1977 Company sold to prepared foods giant ‘Pillsbury’ Expansion Franchising Failure Inconsistency in food and service among the franchises 1977 To   1980 New leadership by hiring McDonald’s executive Donald Smith Company enters UK market Restructuring New team management Control over franchises Successful Increase in customer traffic by 15% and increase in ownership by 8 % showing effective and greater control over franchises. Years Significance Business strategy Measure of strategy 1980   To   1990 1983 – Successful increase in competitive breakfast market 1985 $100 million to restructure company 1988 – Company plans to market as independent entity and in consequent year 1989 bought by Grand Metropolitan Hard sell approach Trade –off   or spin –off   proposal in late 80’s as an independent entity Success Sales up by 19% by $9 million and pre-tax profits up by 9 %    Failure Inconsistency in operations and downfall in sales 1990   To   2000 1990 – Reorganisation plan and launch of BURGER KING Kids Club program 1991 to 1995 – Expansion   in international countries 1997- Infamous change of their fry recipe Targeting kids segment Expansion Success Sales up by $6 million in kids program    Failure Inconsistency in operations and downfall in sales Year Significance Business Strategy Measure of strategy 2001 till   date 2001- Forced sell of Burger King by franchises 2002 Texas Pacific Group takes over 2002 – Revamped broiler, introducing ‘Chicken Whopper’ 2004 – Turnaround plan called as ‘Go Forward Plan’ Expansion Effective advertising and marketing campaign Failure $0.4 billion fall in sales revenue from 2002 to 2003. Customer traffic decreased by 22 % from 1998-2004. Success Increased store sale in 2004 by 7.5 %. Significance in history   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the above span of Burger king’s history of more than 50 years some of the prominent features can be well justified by ‘three sigma’ Competitive strategy model. The model is explained, considering Burger King’s strategies as follows: 1)  Ã‚  OFFENSIVE STRATEGY The strategy formulates overcoming the barriers to goal achievement by changing the systemic relationships creating them.  Ã‚  This strategy often requires significant capital investment and includes the following options – Changing or altering the competitive structure or environment in your industry (forward or backward integration, acquiring competitors, etc.). EXAMPLE – In the span of 1954 to 1967, Burger King History marks a significant approach of increasing its number of branches from 45 outlets in US to 274 outlets across the world. This was achieved through maximum approach towards franchising and expansion with limited investment, thus creating a forward integration. Anticipating industry competitive structural change and positioning your organization to exploit this change before others recognizes it (developing substitute products, changing the mode of sale or distribution, etc.). EXAMPLE – The span of years from 1977-1980 and since 2000, Burger King company adapted new structure with new corporate aptitude in order to control the franchises and improve products. Diversifying into more attractive markets EXAMPLE – Launch of Burger King Kids Club program marked its focus into an attractive children market. The results produced were significant in boosting sales and creating a loyalty and brand image in the new market segment. 2)  Ã‚  DEFENSIVE STRATEGY The strategy is about accepting the industry competitive forces as a given and positioning your organization to best defend against them. This could include harvesting and selling the business before competitive conditions cause its value to drop. EXAMPLE – The history also identifies two major deals of the company respectively Sold to ‘Pillsbury – prepared food giants’ in late 60’s Takeover by Grand Metropolitan PLC in early 1990’s The main reasons accounted were increase in credit burden on the franchises and unhealthy as well as inconsistent relation with franchises. 3)   GUERILLA/ NICHE STRATEGY The strategy involves minimizing or neutralizing barriers by reducing the size of the playing field and taking an offensive or defensive position in a smaller, more attractive market segment. EXAMPLE The Company decided to trade-off as an individual business entity as it failed and showed a remarkable downfall re-building the brand image in 1983 to 1993. The key factor that consistently affected strategy formulation is the continuous changes in leadership/management affecting relationship with franchises and loyal customer. Burger King CORE COMPETENCIES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Core competencies are points of leverage for gaining competitive advantage.  They are organizational competencies that are unique to your organization or are performed better than your competitors and make a significant contribution to customer perceived value or create a significant cost advantage. Core competency is best explained as the competitiveness of a range of products or services. It can also be explained as the co-ordination of diverse production skills and integration of multiple streams of technologies. Considering Burger King, a global renowned brand and chain of fast food, the core competencies can be generalised as follows: Operational Difference Major company stake is owned by franchises As I went through the historical span of Burger King History, the franchises of Burger King played a major part in expansion of the parent company from the early 1960’s till date. The relation of franchises and management has always been influential and significant in success and failures of Burger King History. Primarily, the company operated with major investment from franchises and minimal from the company, so the decisions and relationship with franchises was crucial. Flame broiler a unique device that improved with decades in Burger King history The company was set-up on the basis of the oven called ‘Insta-broiler’ for cooking burgers. The purpose had been inspired from McDonald’s speedy service. It was further mechanised into a gas grill without changing patties and self functional by means of a conveyor belt. Further, the device was also customised and technologically advanced to produce Chicken sandwich, Chicken Whopper, Veggie burger, etc. Drive –thru service The company though was working hard on franchises and unique device to meet operational needs; it was mainly oriented to meet demand of production at ‘Drive-thru’ restaurants. This was because the company had major part of its sales revenue i.e. 70 % from ‘Drive-thru’ operations. Later this competence was adapted by McDonald and other competitors as well. However the effectiveness and efficiency of Burger King’s ‘Drive-thru’ was easily highlighted.   Competitive methods of Burger King   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The purpose of its competitive strategy is to build a sustainable competitive advantage over the organization’s rivals.  Ã‚  It defines the fundamental decisions that guide the organization’s marketing, financial management and operating strategies. As there were many significant changes in the history of Burger King, eventually there were different competitive methods used in different span in history. Some of the significant competitive methods are listed as follows: 1} Initial decade in Burger king’s history, ‘Insta-broiler’ a device competitive in making burgers and technological advancements in the same gave it a competitive advantage. 2} High amount of franchises worldwide executed major ownership stake and customised operations in the outlets. This was tightened and a new company structure was formed, followed by a new competitive aptitude. [Year 1963 -1967] 3} Push sale approach led increase in competitive breakfast market and thus improve in position in market. Burger King moved to second position in US fast food market after McDonald. [Year 1982-1985] 4} Launched a Burger King Kids Club program that help the company to increase sales and successful entry into a new market segment. [Year 1990-1995] 5} Introduction of a TURNAROUND PLAN named ‘Go Forward Plan’, which was significant to attain objectives like increasing profit, create a customer image, teamwork, etc.[Year 2000]. One more advantage Burger King introduced was ‘Revamped Chicken Whopper’, helpful to compete with other competitors. Burger King  Ã‚     Ã‚   McDonald’s   (BK is simply not as big as McD) Some of the basic company facts and objectives of both the companies, help us understand how Burger King is not as big as McDonald’s in global terms. Facts Burger King McDonald Founder 1941 by Richard and Maurice McDonald 1953 by Keith J.Cramer Present chain 12,150 outlets in 50 states and US territories and 74 countries More than 31,000 outlets in 119 countries Revenue $2.5 Billion Number of employees 360,000 employees 1,500,000 employees (1.5 million) Customers 11.8 million customers daily worldwide 58 million customers across the globe Products offered Flame-broiled burgers including the Whopper, Burger King also offers chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches, French fries, onion rings, salads, chicken fries and Croissanwiches for breakfast. McDonalds predominantly sells  hamburgers, various types of  chicken  sandwiches  and products,  French fries,  soft drinks,  breakfast  items, and desserts. In most markets, McDonalds offers  salads  and  vegetarian  items,   wraps Calorie content A Burger King Double Whopper has around 920 calories A McDonalds Big Mac consists of 540 calories Objectives Burger King McDonalds Market share 21.9 % in US fast food industry 44% in US fast food industry Value for money More bigger product for reasonable price Product size is smaller with inexpensive price Franchising More than 90 % of the outlets are franchised A little less than 30 % Suppliers The suppliers vary with various franchise in different locations worldwide. McDonald chooses best suppliers and type and quality of meat varies with country culture. Advertising The BK adverts were quite confusing and sending wrong messages in potential market which affected cultural values and also brand image at times. McDonalds often had appropriate ways of advertising and were supportive to increase sales and popularity of the brand. Issues relating to Burger King   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The case study is very critical in understanding the issues related with Burger King’s history. Some of the prominent issues from past to present can be listed as follows: Franchise management – The company found it difficult to manage more than 90% franchise in the business of Burger King products and services. Crucial reason was also the percentage of stake ownership , which was initially 38% and was improved to 42% by Donald Smith, former McDonald executive. Changes in leadership – The history of Burger King marked approximately 20 changes in management. The changes in short term span affected oragnisation focus over goals and objectives, affected brand image adversely and lacked consistency in operation. Unhealthy food – The Company came prominently in highlight during the era from 2003 as potential customers had responded to be health conscious. The period marked spread of mad-cow disease and obesity levels among children was a rising concern. Market recession – The US economy faced economic recession from 2006 and needs brand to take effective measures to sustain and avoid losing loyal customers to competitors. Recommendations for future development in UK   The Burger King opened its first branch/outlet in UK in 1977 on Coventry Street in London. Since then till date Burger King has 654 restaurants in UK ( out of which 73 are owned) whereas it has 139 ‘drive-through’ restaurants. Considering the present fast food environment in UK, following recommendations come in lime-light: HEALTHY FOOD – Burger King UK has currently many problems within the environment in company and surrounding, however one of the prime concern is healthy food. The company needs to produce fast food with less saturated fats and salt content. The problem of obesity in UK is high as well and addressing to this concern is the need of demand to survive over the competitors. PRIME LOCATIONS and EVENTS – Burger King needs to increase its influence and market share in UK, by serving at prime hot spots as well as at travel destinations. The presence of Burger King on high streets and at various national rail stations and airport is reasonable, however it needs to be accessible at hot tourist spots and business oriented commercial areas. SPEED – Burger King needs to increase its speed of delivering products and services to customers, as it has been competing with McDonalds over more than 50 years and still lacks speed during peak periods. Speed in operations helps to generate revenue in coping zone. Schools of strategy – Burger King’s evolution (analyse critically)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategy formation is judgmental designing, intuitive visioning, and emergent learning; it is about transformation as well as perpetuation; it has to include analyzing before and programming after as well as negotiating during †¦Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Henry Mintzberg However there is a difference in perspective leading to strategy arguments. Mintzberg identified this and tried to debate and answer different perspectives through his 10 Schools of Strategy/Thinking. The burger King History prominently highlights two of them, explained as follows: 1] The Power School Strategy Systems as Processes of Negotiation According to the power school, strategy systems are described to be mainly shaped by power and politics, whether as a process inside the enterprise itself or as the behaviour of the enterprise as a whole within its external environment. Strategies that may result from such processes tend to be emergent in nature, and take the forms of positions and actions more than perspectives. On the one hand parts of the power school (‘micro power’) see strategy making as the interplay, through persuasion, bargaining, and sometimes through direct confrontation, among narrow scope interests and shifting coalitions, with none dominant for any significant period. On the other hand other parts of power school (‘macro power’) see the enterprise as promoting its own welfare by controlling or cooperating with other enterprise (such as Franchises), through the use of strategic manipulation as well as collective strategies in various kinds of networks and alliances. EXAMPLE – Burger King at different period in history, tried to take control over franchises by executing greater control over their operations and direct confrontation with various industry giants/ suppliers. These various processes implemented to achieve power through strategy highlights ‘THE POWER SCHOOL’. 2] The Configuration School – Strategy Systems as Process of Transformation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The school follows a formation approach wherein the organisation is transforming into one type of decision making structure into another. The school interrupts the period of stability by some process of transformation.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has configuration of strategy formation from other nine schools which are – Design school – Strategy formation as an   architecture process Planning school – Strategy formation as a formal process Positioning school Strategy formation as an   analytical process Entrepreneurial school Strategy formation as a visionary process Cognitive school Strategy formation as a mental process Learning (or Emergent) school Strategy formation as an emergent process Power school Strategy formation as a process of negotiation Cultural school Strategy formation as a collective process Environmental school Strategy formation as a reactive process The school recognises a appropriate combination of any one or more of them taking into context a particular type. EXAMPLE – Burger King history marks use of Positioning school in year 1980 -1983 to create a brand image and achieve second position in US fast food market.    CONCLUSION Considering the massive history of Burger King and number of changes in leadership, the main highlight of the case study is instability in management. The factor was highly influential in changes and differences in relation of parent company with franchises and staff. Also a prominent feature that needs a remarkable control is franchises management. The company has highest percentage of franchises ( more than 90 %) but less control by only 42% ownership in most of the outlets. The company has a signature product as ‘WHOPPER’ which needs to be promoted all the time and offered with variations, to keep attracting new as well as loyal customers.    BIBLIOGRAPHY Available: mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_history.html. Last accessed 11th Nov.2010 Available: bk.com/en/us/company-info/index.html. Last accessed 11th Nov.2010. Henry Mintzberg, Bruce Ahlstrand and Joseph Lampel (1987).  Strategy Safari: A Guided Tour Through the Wilds of Strategic Management. 15th ed. New York: Prentice Hall. Oscar Suris. (1988). Burger King seen as takeover target after its spin-off.  Miami News. 8th Nov, page 11. Unknown. (2003).  A competitive strategy model.  Available: threesigma.com/competitive_model.htm. Last accessed 10th Noveber

Special Education Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Special Education Needs - Essay Example Special Education Needs (SEN) refers to that extra or different wants of children will have due to the fact that such experience unusual learning difficulties something which lead to such children to experience difficulties not only in learning but also having an equal access to education, training and even work opportunity. Besides, language difficulties such children experience, numerous challenges, difficulties in cognitive process, and behavioural difficulties as well as psychomotor difficulties. The inclusion debate has also been concerned with the continuity dilemma for children with special needs given the fact that most children with special education needs find it hard to fit in the higher education levels as a lot of government help has in the past been given to the primary level (Audit Commission, 1992). This imbalance has created a different kind of treatment for children with special education at primary school level and different treatment when such children graduate into higher levels of education. This has been a challenge and has been fronted as a main argument by the proponents of the inclusion debate who argue that inclusion will put the children with special education need at an advantage in that if they are integrated into mainstream classes, as opposed to specialist schools, they will advance their chances of performing well at higher levels of education (Copeland, 1991). Children with special education needs are more likely to miss opportunities of higher education, as there are no sufficient numbers of higher-level education institutions, which offer specialised education (Brown, 1994). Therefore most children with special education end up getting admission to mainstream universities and colleges where special treatment is not high compared to the primary level of education. There is a need to include or integrate children into mainstream classes early enough so as to prepare such children to fit normally in mainstream colleges and universities. Children who attend specialist schools are more likely to take a long time to fit into the mainstream colleges and universities than children with special education who attended mainstream schools early in life (Allen, 1994). Specialist schools have been negatively viewed as being associated with the disadvantaged, the less fortunate, the mentally ill, the deaf and such negative labelling which can affect the self-esteem of children with special education needs. Therefore specialists' schools meet the immediate needs of the children at primary school level but do not prepare the children for challenges associated with higher levels of education. The other challenge for those children who attend specialist school is that the children may get used to specialised treatment due to the availability of special equipment and specialised staff. This is lacking in most institutions at higher levels of education and such children are more likely to experience problems in future when trying to change and fit into a mainstream class. The debate surrounding special education needs has been surrounded by controversies in agreeing to what constitutes of special needs, what to be included and what not to include. This has led to debate on whether some conditions such as dyslexia were

Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Policy Research Paper

Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Policy - Research Paper Example The problem statement for this study is elderly abuse as a social problem considered as a complex phenomenon lacking a single and consistent definition. It falls under the wider domestic abuse and mistreatment definition which encompass â€Å"incidents perpetrated by either a family member or a member of the victim’s household†¦ to include physical, psychological, or financial abuse, and neglect,† referring to the elderly as the victim. Elderly, too, may be of contention since acceptable age range or bracket may be different from one institution or state to another. It was observed that resolution of elder abuse require multidisciplinary approach of which administrators form adult protective services and the criminal justice system cooperate to address cases and prevent repetition and escalation of the abusive acts as there are possibilities that unreported and undeterred abusers may turn to more victims.Local law enforcement have jurisdiction to investigate any co mplaint of elderly abuse and another investigative body is the adult protective services or APS. APS is usually the agency that handles elder mistreatment. McNamee and Murphy cited lack of knowledge about elder abuse with the case of nursing home caretaker Charles Cullen as example. In 2004, Cullen admitted to administering fatal doses of medication to about 40 patients in various institutions over a 16-year period indicating the extent of knowledge on the recognition of abuse, incidences, prevention, and prosecution. The lack of standard for recognition of elder abuse was cited as a major factor in the lagging knowledge about the maltreatment (McNamee and Murphy, 2006). There is a need to rely on forensic markers in order to identify abuse and neglect. However, this was also seen as problematic because caregivers, APS agencies, and physicians lacked training to determine injuries caused by mistreatment and those that came from accident, illness or aging (McNamee and Murphy, 2006). Elderly individuals, too, also experience signs and symptoms that are disease related which may be mistaken for abuse or maltreatment. Thus, caretakers, family members, and health professionals are not alarmed about the real causes even when incidents lead to death (McNamee and Murphy, 2006). Facts and Figures The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting noted that in 2004 that there were 1,551,143 reported incidents of family violence between 1996 and 2001; that 20,955 elderly relatives were victims of simple assault during that period. A study on elderly sexual abuse, Burgess (2006) reported that among the 284 victims under study, the mean age was 78.8 years and that majority or 82.3% were Caucasians. The majority also consisted of 93.2% females with only 6.8%

Data Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Data - Assignment Example Other career specialties the school is developing include environmental education, disciplinary literacy, fine arts, and personal financial literacy education. The School Progress Index (SPI) is developed to evaluate the school’s achievements, growth, and gap reduction between elementary and middle schools as well as determine the college and career readiness for high school. The index (SPI) for the grades 3 – 12 is 0.9772 in 2012. The school improvement is measured using the accountability system whereby the school’s compliance to the set goals and objectives are continuously monitored over time. In order to ensure improvements, the school encourages teamwork, sets, clear and measurable goals, and regularly collects and analyzes the performance data in order to monitor progress over time. Annual measurable objectives are those objectives that can be quantified over time. They include objectives set to improve examinations results, school entry, and the number of students excelling from the school annually (Chin, 2007). There are disparities in the performance between subgroups as noted in the analysis with the FARMS indicating advanced performance, the Hispanics/ Latinos showing proficient performance and the rest falling under the basic performance category. According to the observations, the school should focus much on the groups that perform below the proficient level. I would, however, spend my money on the groups that performed below the proficiency level in order to alleviate their performance. This will be in demand to improve the performance of the entire school without living the majority behind. In conclusion, Maryland High School has established a firm and focused strategies to be used in monitoring and improving the performance of her students. A great variety of students has been motivated and harnessed to develop career opportunities in the

Concepts of Space in Art

Concepts of Space in Art In his book Space, Time and Architecture, Sigfried Giedion noted that through developments made during the Renaissance, the conception of space comes to fruition. This conception of space in art was expressed with the discovery of perspective. Through the use of perspective he says every element is related to the unique point of view of the individual. In linear perspective -etymologically clear seeing- objects are depicted upon a plane surface in conformity with the way they are seen, without reference to their absolute shapes and relations. The whole picture or design is calculated to be valid for one station and observation point only. To the fifteenth century the principle of perspective came as a complete revolution, involving an extreme and violent break with the medieval conception of space, and with the flat, floating arrangements, as its artistic expression. Sigfried Giedion, Space, Time and Architecture, Harvard University Press, Cambridge,  1967, first published 1941, pp. 30-31 During the Renaissance, fields of study particularly in the arts were closely intertwined with traditional models. In architecture, buildings were designed with reference to past examples. At around about the early nineteenth century, there came a shift in the conception of space that broke free of the rigidity associated with antiquity. Relativity in our conception of space came about through the development of cubism. Cubism introduced a new dynamic to visual representation. The framed view is coupled with different points of view of the same object, his brings in a factor of time. Joan Ockman professor and the director of the Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the  Study of American Architecture at Columbia University. Here will be cited her essay The  Way Beyond Art published in Autonomy and Ideology, ed.Somol, R.E., the Monacelli Press,  New York, 1997, pp.83-120 matter ceased to be understood as opaque mass. The viewer now envisaged different aspects of space simultaneously, inside and outside, convex and concave at once. Matter was decomposed into simple surfaces and lines (as in Mondrian) or became transparent and interpenetrating (as in Lissitsky). With these developments, space came to be understood as a crossing of movements and energies. The change in the conception of space is said to be the demolition of pictorial space by Cubist techniques and substitution of a relative point of view for an absolute one Along with Ockman, Sigfried also wrote about a new conception of space from the traditional. He claims that classical conception of space is related to the notion of perspective and this notion was the primary element in painting since the Renaissance up until the 20th Century. For Giedion, the new method of visual representation after the formation of cubist techniques coincides with a shift in the conception of space and develops form giving principles of the new space conception After Cubism, space conception changes from the static perception of the Renaissance. Giedion claims that the classic conceptions of space and volumes are limited and one sided. For Giedion, the possibilities of this new space conception is like Cubism with its many perspectives that extract the essence of the subject, give it an infinite potential for relations within it. Giedion claims that the dawn of cubism is an anonymous principle just like the discovery of perspective. That cubism is the expression of a collective and almost unconscious attitude and for him, this expression is also closely related to scientific advancements of that period. As Giedion says. Cubism breaks with Renaissance perspective. It views objects relatively: that is, from several points of view, no one of which has exclusive authority. And in so dissecting objects it sees them simultaneously from all sides from above and below, from inside and outside. It goes around and into its objects. Thus to the three dimensions of the Renaissance which have held good as constituent facts throughout so many centuries, there is added a fourth one time: In stage design, the stage itself can become a medium for the exploration and the experimentation of different concepts in vision and space conception. The stage is the manifestation of the relationship between performers and audience. In her book, Theatres, Gaelle Breton makes reference to ancient theatres. She says that the Greek theatres of antiquity sought to create a unity between the stage and audience areas and combined them under an open air space. This principle she states becomes the model for Elizabethan theatres which she identifies with the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. Breton states that during the Renaissance, theatre design undergoes an increasing separation from the outside world, and within creates an ever increasing divide between stage and spectator who sit in a fix position for an optimum static perspective. This resembles the painting of the time. The way theatres were designed during the Renaissance was challenged by Richard Wagner. Together with architect Otto Brukwald, they collaborated to design theatre which sought a reversal in the separation of and stage. The theatre of the Renaissance was concerned with the audience with the perspective of the audience. No balconies and a darkened auditorium focused the audiences attention to the stage. Theatre no longer sought to create the illusion of reality but sought to express the essence of a play. Breton also claims that the necessity for creating the illusion of reality became less relevant with the advent of cinema and the innovation of cubism which shattered the traditional perception space and style of spatial representation Antonin Artaud (1862-1928) was a famous stage director and the author of Theatre and its Double. He describes the architectural space that he seeks for his productions as a single, universal locale without any partitions of any kind His proposal was to abandon the architecture of his time and set about producing production that could be held in a barn or a hanger for performance. The notion of flexible space such as this can also be seen in the architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe around this time. The concept is for a performance space as a total space which can be redesigned and reorganized for different productions. The sculptor and painter Oscar Schlemmer, conducts experiments for stage space at the Bauhaus. Roselee Goldberg state that the work at the Bauhaus was to achieve a synthesis of art and technology in pure form The studies conducted included the problems of performance space such as the opposition of visual place and spatial depth Schlemmers experiments demonstrated a new conception of space on stage. In the 1920s, the discussion of space centred on the notion of felt volume Schlemmer explained that out of the plane geometry, out of the pursuit of the straight line, the diagonal, the circle and the curve, a stereometry of space evolves, by the moving vertical line of the dancing figure. The relationship of the geometry of the plane to the stereometry of the space could be felt if one were to imagine a space filled with a soft pliable substance in which the figures of the sequence of the dancers movements were to harden as a negative form Up until the twentieth century, the criteria for stage design was a framed view and theatres based on the relation of the proscenium. In the early twentieth century, revolutionary stage designers such as Edward Gordon Craig challenged this two dimensional approach to stage design with three dimensional concepts and experiments. For his first production, Craig had to design his own stage as the only available space was the Hampstead Conservatoire. This concert hall was 44ft wide with a series of stepped platforms at one end to house the orchestra. The comprises made by Craig became a characteristic of his work. The ceiling height was level throughout and Craig incorporated Herkomers technique of over head lighting and sky effects. A low proscenium was constructed to facilitate frames and a bridge above the stage for the lighting man. To facilitate a cast and chorus of 75, the full width of the stage was utilized. This created a strikingly panoramic effect. In later production in Coronet and Great Queen Street theatres, Craig lowered the proscenium by as much as 12ft to create the impression of great width. He also found that creating stepped platforms allowed for three dimensional groupings and movement. Craig wanted the spectators to have the same perspective of the plays so no side galleries, or boxes were used, instead a single level seating was used. Another characteristic of Craigs productions which challenged the viewers imagination were, although the sets were openly theatrical, with everything from imitation vine leaves to crude papier-mà ¢chà © boars head, on the other hand there was a deliberate avoidance of realistic detail and simple effects of colour were used, leaving the imagination free and achieving a suggestiveness that one viewer had commented reminded him of the delicate friezes of Pompeii. For these surfaces, Craig explains they stand on the stage just as they are, they do not imitate nature, nor are they painted with realistic or decorative designs Craig studied the theatrical work as it was in ancient Greece, Rome, from the Renaissance to the Elizabethan. He noted that Once upon a time, stage scenery was architecture. A little later it became imitation architecture, still later it became imitation artificial architecture. The two elements which became central to Craigs concept of a new theater were lighting and movement. The two elements which became central to Craigs concept of a new theater were lighting and movement. The great days of painted scenery belonged to the era of dim lighting from gas-few footlights or candles, which flattened the performer so that he an the picture became one. The day the first spotlight was on the side of the proscenium, everything changed. The actor now stood out, was substantial, and a contradiction suddenly appeared between roundness and the two dimensional trompe loeil behind his back. The great innovators in the art of scenic design, Adolphe Appia and Gordon Craig, knew this before the First World War. Peter Brook, Threads of Time, Methuen Publishing Limited, London, 1999, p.48 In 1923, Fredrick Kiesler presented his concept for the Endless Theatre. The theme of this space was the structure did not have any frame, but could still maintain its form. In the 1920s architecture had a strong tendency to interpret space from a functional point of view. Buildings where traditionally of a rectangular shape, however there were no corners in Kieslers endless concept. This implies a meaning of time and space simultaneously which one can interpret as without and en, or in another sense an eternity of time. While this theatre expressed Kieslers concept of space, it was in 1958 when he presented the Endless house that his concept had manifested itself into a space that responded to human sensibilities as well as a functional space acting as a home. An installation architecture piece by Bernard Tschumi called the Glass Video Gallery was constructed in the Netherlands. It is a glass structure which contains 6 banks of video monitors. The projects intention was to challenge our preconceived ideas on the act of viewing. The monitors act as an unstable faà §ade, unlimited space is suggested through mirror reflections. The reflective surfaces which can be interpreted as a modern day equivalent to Edward Gordon Craigs walls. The immateriality presents an ambiguous surface. The architect presented a challenge to the permanence of buildings. The multiplying layers act to dissolve the surface of the glass. Lighting at night acts to transform the space. For Tschumià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The endless reflections of the video screens over the vertical and horizontal glass surfaces reverse all expectations of what is architecture and what is event, of what is wall and what is electronic image, of what defines and what activates. Tschumi also claims that his glass box challenges the ideas of television viewing and about privacy. The transparency of the glass walls acts as an opposition to an enclosed private space it also acts as an extension to the street. Within the structure, a person watches and is watched at the same time.

Tupac Essay -- Tupac Shakur 2pac Biography Biographies

Tupac When thinking of the Hip-Hop industry, one of the first names that comes to mind is Tupac Shakur. Shakur was born in the Bronx on June 16, 1971. He was reared by his mother Afeni Shakur who was an active member of the Black Panthers. Tupac's family later relocated to Oakland, California, where he spent much of his time on the street. As a kid, he was always getting himself into trouble, and he was very lonely. He started writing songs to keep himself out of trouble. An article from VIBE magazine "Troubled Times for Tupac Shakur" quotes Tupac. "'I was lonely, I didn't have no big brothers, no big cousins until later. I could remember writing songs.... I remember writing poetry.' " 1 Tupac was talented in the areas of poetry, songwriting and acting from the beginning. He started acting at a young age, and he joined the rap group Digital Underground, performing as a dancer in 1990. In an interview with MTV, John Singelton, the writer-director of Boyz in the Hood and Poetic Just ice, says that Tupac was a natural born actor; he knew how every role should be played.2 Tupac began his public acting career before his music career. After the Digital Underground debut, Tupac signed to Interscope Records and released his first solo album, 1991's 2pacalypse Now. The album quickly went gold thanks to the hit singles "Trapped" and "Brenda's Got a Baby," as well as a high-profile appearance in the hit movie Juice. Tupac's 1993 follow-up album Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., reached number four and went platinum, spawning the top 10 hits "I Get Around" and "Keep Ya Head Up." Then in 1995, Tupac put out Me Against the World, which debuted at number one, went platinum and established Shakur as one of the most popular and successf... ...world knew Tupac Shakur as a troubled but successful performer. Sex, drugs, and violence encircled his life; however, he overcame and emerged as one of the most successful rappers of all time. Tupac was a man who loved his mother and who held great respect for women, whom he thanked and celebrated in his music. Many adults rejected his music due to the profane language and his gangster lifestyle; however, his fans will always appreciate the awesome quality of his music. His death brought renewed attention to Inner-City violence as well as corruption in the rap music industry and East Coast /West Coast feuds. It also put a dent in the music world and left a void in the hearts of his family and friends. As time goes on, Tupac's music will continue to thrive through radio and album sales, but his legacy will live on through the hearts of everyone whom he touched.

Responsibility of the Teacher in Lifelong Learning Sector Essay

What is the role and responsibility of a teacher in the lifelong learning sector? The roles and responsibilities of a teacher in the field of lifelong learning sector that covers all publicly funded post-16 education outside universities are extremely varied and diverse. When examined closely the diverse roles of a teacher, trainer, assessor or tutor, seem to be associated a multitude/body of expectations. Ideally the teacher should have the ability to combine roles and responsibilities in a way, which firstly benefit the pupil, the education system but also the community and ultimately the state and its economy. Teachers in (LLLS) must provide significant assistance in training people, either after completion of compulsory schooling or as first contact with the education system, and thereby contribute to the national effort to remain competitive in the world economy, and thus maintain indirectly the basis of a welfare state. Professionalism is an important and essential feature of the teacher in the field of lifelong learning. This includes responsibilities for example keeping knowledge up to date, CPD, but also diligence and enthusiasm in one’s work as well as probity. Basically one could say that the teacher of lifelong learning supports the efforts not only of those of with post degree levels but also of people who only have come in contact with basic education, to learn, even in old age, to write, to read, to be able to express themselves, think in a structured manner, with the ultimate aim to involve the individual learners in all aspects of economic and social life. In this way it is possible to integrate diverse social elements and structures. This can include understanding about different needs of the Elderly, ethnically diverse groups, various nationalities or religious identities which until recently lived completely separate. This in turn helps individuals to understand and acknowledge differences and thereby ensure the peaceful coexistence of all these people living in the UK. The teacher of lifelong learning supports the expansion of knowledge, not only of people who are aiming for specialized university education, but also of those aiming to further/advance their general and specialist knowledge. In this context it is important to note that currently more students are in Further Education than at university. One in five adults now is studying in FE, 3/4 of the students are 19 years or older. The teacher lifelong learning contributes to the transformation/â€Å"creation† of students aiming for them to become active citizens. As a result this will expend the number of people who work socially and ethically responsible towards those in authority but also amongst individuals. This contributes to the creation of social cohesion. This process also encourages students to actively participate in community issues and thus engages them critically on a wider base on a national level. The students for lifelong learning, with the help of their teachers, become aware of how to effectively engage in public life, acquire appropriate knowledge, develop specific skills, acquiring values, upon which they can build their lives. It is important that teachers of lifelong learning keep up to date within their professional field through continuing professional development, aiming to evolve and develop their own teaching skills. A teacher’s duties involve a multitude of responsibilities. Amongst others, monitoring and reporting their pupils achievements in order to document student’s progress. The tutor is obliged to treat all students in a fair and equal manner, give the opportunity to all students to participate on an equal footing with equal expectation of success, to try to meet the needs of each student, to remain updated with subject development. Tutors must be well prepared, return the control to work at reasonable times Teachers must be aware of both their professional commitments and their personal limits and boundaries, knowing when and whom to recommend students for further support. There are some significant difference between roles and responsibilities amongst teachers for lifelong learning (after compulsory education) and those working at state or public schools. Particularly in light of recent changes that have taken place in the field of lifelong learning which have led an increase in numbers of students who now study at FE colleges, and access to funding (loans to finance their higher education) and resulting increased demand for professional teachers in schools etc. In conclusion, the role and responsibilities of teachers for lifelong learning are summarized as follows: 1. Teachers must be committed to their students and their learning. 2. The teachers know the subject they teach and how to teach this subject to students. 3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. 4. Teachers think systematically on their practice and learn from experience. 5.The teachers are members of learning communities.

Avoid These Common Mistakes While Learning Spanish

Avoid These Common Mistakes While Learning Spanish You want to learn Spanish but still sound like you know what youre doing? If so, here are 10 mistakes you can avoid in your studies: 10. Being Afraid To Make Mistakes The truth is, nobody learns a foreign language without making mistakes along the way, and thats one we all learn, even with our native language. The good news is that wherever you go in the Spanish-speaking world, your sincere attempts to learn the language will almost always be appreciated. 9. Assuming That the Textbook Knows Best Even educated people dont always talk according to the rules. Although Spanish according to the rules will almost always be understood, it can lack the texture and sincerity of Spanish as it really is spoken. Once you feel comfortable using the language, feel free to imitate the Spanish you hear in real life and ignore what your textbook (or this site) tells you. 8. Ignoring Proper Pronunciation Spanish pronunciation isnt all that difficult to learn, and you should make an effort to imitate native speakers whenever possible. The most common mistakes of beginners include making the l of fà ºtbol sound like the ll in football, making the b and v sound different from each other (the sounds are identical in Spanish), and failing to trill the r. 7. Not Learning the Subjunctive Mood In English, we seldom make a distinction when verbs are in the subjunctive mood. But the subjunctive cant be avoided in Spanish if you wish to do more than state simple facts and ask simple questions. 6. Not Learning When To Use Articles Foreigners learning English often have a hard time knowing when to use or not use a, an and the, and its the same for English speakers trying to learn Spanish, where the definite (el, la, los, and las) indefinite articles (un, una, unos, and unas) can be confusing.. Using them incorrectly usually wont keep you from being understood, but it will mark you as someone whos awkward with the language. 5. Translating Idioms Word for Word Both Spanish and English have their share of idioms, phrases whose meanings cannot readily be determined from the meanings of the individual words. Some idioms translate exactly (for example, bajo control means under control), but many dont. For example, en el acto is an idiom meaning on the spot. Translate it word for word and youll end up with in the act, not the same thing. 4. Always Following English Word Order You can usually follow English sentence order (except for putting most adjectives after the nouns they modify) and be understood. But as youre learning the language, pay attention to the many times where the subject is placed after the verb. Changing the word order can sometimes subtly change the meaning of a sentence, and your use of the language can be enriched as you learn different word orders. Also, some English constructions, such as placing a preposition at the end of a sentence, should not be imitated in Spanish. 3. Not Learning How To Use Prepositions Prepositions can be notoriously challenging. It can be helpful to think about the purpose of the prepositions as you learn them, rather than their translations. This will help you avoid mistakes such as using pienso acerca de ti (Im thinking near you) instead of pienso en ti for Im thinking about you.. 2. Using Pronouns Unnecessarily With very few exceptions, English sentences require a subject. But in Spanish, that frequently isnt true. Where it would be understood by the context, the subject of a sentence (which in English often would be a pronoun) can and usually should be omitted. It usually wouldnt be grammatically incorrect to include the pronoun, but use of the pronoun can sound clunky or give it unnecessary attention. 1. Assuming That Spanish Words That Look Like English Words Mean the Same Thing Words that have the same or similar form in both languages are known as cognates. Since Spanish and English share a large vocabulary derived from Latin, more often than not words that are alike in both languages have similar meanings. But there are plenty of exceptions, known as false friends. Youll find, for example, that embarazada usually means pregnant rather than embarrassed, and that a violador usually is a rapist, not someone who merely committed a traffic infraction.

Business Law Research Paper Example

Business Law Research Paper Example Business Law Paper Business Law Paper Business law In business law, for a contract to be enforceable it has to be provable. This means that whether it is written or oral, a contract has to have some form of way to prove that it is existent (Jennings, 2006). For oral contracts, it may be difficult to prove existence of certain terms due to lack of evidence. However, written contracts are easier to prove as it is written on paper and signed by both parties involved, hence can be referred to when there is the occurrence of a breach of contract prompting litigation. In this instance, if a party forfeits his duty as expressed in the terms of the contract, it will be possible to prove the existence of those contractual conditions in the terms stated. The concept of proof of contract identifies the importance of the ability to prove the validity of the contract as this is what will render it enforceable in the court of law. This concept is dependent on the nature of the wording of the contract and the concepts of the contract in relation to the nature of the contract in question. This contract is valid as it meets all the contractual terms of good faith, a meeting of minds, performance expectation on both parties, mutual consideration and there was an offer and acceptance where the buyer accepted these terms before entering into the contract. Therefore, the buyer was under obligation to act according to the set terms as he had accepted them before signing it. Seinfields could not claim of not paying the fee because Cohen had received an amount of fee from Mayeris as this was not an alternative stated in the contract and the action between Mayeris and Cohen do not affect the written contract as they are outside its scope. However, Cohen also breaches the contract in that there is no total performance on her part where her duties include and are not limited to showing the house to the clients when required. In this case, she was absent when the defendant required seeing the house showing partial performance on her part. With this evidence, the court should not order Seinfields to pay Cohen, as there was non-performance where she failed to perform her duty as the broker. There also is lack of substantial evidence of damages by the plaintiff due to the non-payment that occurred.

Early Islam and Islam Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Early Islam and Islam Today - Essay Example The culture and beliefs of Muslims are also discussed. This paper also presents a brief overview on both historical and modern Islam, worldwide and in America. Culture and Beliefs of Muslims Islam is a monotheistic religion and Muslims believe in the oneness of god. They have five basic principles that they call the â€Å"pillars† of Islam (Shepard, 2009). The first pillar is that of the Shahada, which is the declaration that there is only one god and prophet Muhammad is his messenger. The second pillar is the Salah, i.e. prayer, which is performed five times a day. The third pillar is the Zakah, i.e. charity for the poor. The fourth pillar is the Sawm, which means fasting. Muslims fast during the entire month of Ramazan, a holy month of the Islamic calendar. It is believed that the Quran, the word of God (Allah), began to be revealed to Prophet Muhammad by angel Gabriel during this month. The fifth and final pillar of Islam is Hajj, or pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, at least once in a lifetime (Shepard, 2009). Muhammad, who is believed by Muslims to be a prophet and messenger of Allah, founded Islam. Islam abolished the practice of polytheism, which was the religion of pagan Arabia, and introduced the concept of unity or oneness of God. According to Muhammad’s teachings, there are certain tenets and standards of living, ethics and polity, as described in the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, to be followed by Muslims, failing which they would face penalty both in this life and in the afterlife. Muslims have faith in the Judgment Day, when all humans will be judged for their deeds and will be sent to hell or heaven based on their doings. Muslims place a great significance on the conservation of women’s modesty, and so, women are asked to cover themselves by veils. They are not allowed to reveal themselves to other men except their husbands and close kin. Women and men are segregated in their social gatherings. Although it is widely be lieved that Muslim women are suppressed, it is believed to be the wrongdoing of men themselves rather than Islam, as Islam preaches equality of both men and women (Ezzati, 2002). Muslims are forbidden to consume pork and alcohol (Shepard, 2009). While monogamy is the common practice among Muslims, polygamy is legal and permitted by Islam (Shepard, 2009). While Muslim women are allowed only one husband, Muslim men can have a maximum of four wives only if they can treat all their wives equally. The Arabs made great scientific and cultural progress with the advent of Islam (Shepard, 2009). Origin and Expansion of Islam Islam has many universal elements that appealed to all cultures and religions outside Arabia (Stearns et al., 2004). This led to the acceptance of Islam and conversion to Islam by people of other religions such as Christianity, Judaism, etc. Following the death of Muhammad, his followers set up a caliphate in order to maintain political stability among the Arabs (Hemming er, 1997). Abu-Bakr was made the first caliph and military exhibition was used to gain the caliph’s authority over Arabia (Hemminger, 1997). Under his caliphate, the Arabs overtook Persian and Byzantine forces. He was succeeded by Umar, who became the second caliph and under whose reign, many other neighboring empires were conquered. By 637 CE, Ctesiphon (Persia’

School Profiler Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

School Profiler - Assignment Example On the other hand, the school performed poorly in the category of English learners with only 15% of students passing CAHSEE in 2011 while 13% passing the exam in 2012 (School profiler, 2013). In 2014 the subgroups that required focus in their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was the socioeconomically disadvantaged. They failed to meet their target of the proficient requirements in Language arts. The group also failed to meet their target in three consecutive years- 2011, 2012, and 1013 hence attracted attention. The group also failed to meet its targets in Mathematics in 2011 and 2013 and this was enough reason why the group required attention. Furthermore, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups still failed to meet their target in 2013 in their Academic Performance Index (API). The other sub groups met most of their targets in the three consecutive years. The school did well in Language arts specifically in the areas of RFEP. For instance, the number of students that passed was 90% in 2013, 87% in 2012 and 89% in 2011 (School profiler, 2013). Some grades performed better than others especially in the California English Language Development Test (CELDT). For instance, in advanced level, grade 9 and 11 performed better than grade 10 and 12. In early intermediate level, grade 12 did better in 2012 than other grades by scoring 23%. Performance in CST and CAHSEE exams varied among the grades in school. Between the two exams, it was evident that most students performed better in CST than in CASHEE. For instance, in the Language arts exams of 2013, only 21% of the grade 12 students passed the CAHSEE exam (School profiler, 2013). RFEP program was best-performed category while English learners recorded the least progress in Language arts. The school performed well in Mathematics led by the RFEP students. There are also variations in performance of Mathematics among the grades. For instance, in Algebra I, in 2012 grade 11 recorded the highest performance of 5%. Performanc e in both CST and CAHSEE exams tended to record variations. There were fluctuations in the results over the years and among the various groups of students. Out of the various groups and programs offered, the program that experienced progress was RFEP which recorded high level of students that scored highly. The least program in making progress was the special education students program, which saw only 26% of the students pass the exam. Sciences and social sciences were also part of the subjects done by students and whose result was provided. Sciences are many and included Biology, Chemistry, Earth science and Physics. The school did well in science and social sciences. Performance varied across the grades in different exams. For instance, in 2011, performance in Biology varied between the grades. Grade 9 students scored 76%, grade 10 scored 34% and grade 11 scored 37%. Such scores were replicated in other sciences and social sciences over the years (School profiler, 2013). There was fluctuation in performance in some of the science subjects. The science subject that recorded the most progress was Physics at an average score of 62% while the subject making the least progress was chemistry. Most of the students across the grades record low performance in Chemistry. The school did w