Huffington Post

I will admit that I am rather new to the discussion on bigotry, privilege, and the various -isms. I was speaking with a female friend of mine a few months ago, and I remarked that women, on average, are less able to compartmentalize their emotions than men. She was Oustiflably) irate, and I qualified myself. You see, I had never been explicitly exposed to the socially-propagated idea that women are emotionally unstable. When I found out, I felt rather embarrassed in not only being sexist, but in being so trite and un-profound in doing so.I am simply an bserver of humanity, and although some people might suggest that I have internalized institutional misogyny, herein lies the purpose of my short essay. Imagine you're a mad scientist in a laboratory, and the U. S. government has charged you with the task of creating a perfectly average white man. You split white men down into their fundamental characteristics: hair color, body hair length, belly-button protrusion, etc, and then you tak e measurements and find the average of each of them. Because of the outliers, what will result will probably resemble Frankenstein's onster.This is an analogy I find useful when discussing prejudice. The essence of the previous paragraph was that prejudice arises from two factors: perception of the average as informed by personal experience, and institutionalized power dynamics. These two are inextricably linked, and as one feeds the other, it is very difficult to isolate the effects. However, I will arbitrarily make the choice to begin by discussing perceptions of the average and see where that leads us. My econometrics professor last term proposed that while girls on average tend to do ust as well as boys on standardized math exams, the variance for boys is higher.This is not to say that there are not girls who are incredibly gifted in math, but that there are fewer of them. But naturally, our life experiences are such that we will not be acquainted with the whole of a population, and that is where our prejudices arise. The vast majority of my friends at college are math or computer science majors, so the girls who I do interact with tend to be exceptional at math, and since I have no oint of comparison, I don't regard them as any more exceptional than the boys with comparable acuity because they are girls.However, as in my opening anecdote, sometimes our sampling of the population isn't so flattering. In those cases, we come to believe that the institutionalized power dynamics are an accurate depiction of the entire world, and we consciously draw â€Å"privilege† from them. The most common â€Å"privilege† in public discourse is white privilege, but institutionalized prejudice extends to things like male privilege, cis- privilege, and thin privilege. Sometimes it even leads to active bigotry.In the ideal world, if we all were statisticians, had perfect data, and approached eve rything objectively, we would distill the portion ot stereotypes th at were actually real and omit the portion that are societal caricatures. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Observers of humanity like myself will continue to notice patterns in human behavior across heterogeneous groups, but I will make a conscious effort to not let that sully my daily interactions with my friends.I will approach each individual as a erson, because they are Just that: the politics of their identity are too complex for a feeble mind like my own to accurately discern. But do notice that I assert that parts of the stereotypes are real. You cannot form an asset bubble on zero information, and similarly, building a stereotype out of nothing would require heavy orchestration, nothing short of state-sponsored propaganda. Unfortunately, it doesn't take very much real information to form a cascade, and if we could distill our stereotypes, the actual remaining substance would be, in most cases, statistically insignificant.

Microfinance in India

India has always been a very agrarian focused culture, with approximately 450 million people are currently in need of funds. Micromanage encompasses many different types of services such as credit, savings, Insurance, remittance and pensions. Micromanage Initiatives primarily focus on microcircuit services because rural towns are heavily reliant on credit for a wide range of needs for example engage In economic activity, consumption needs, mitigate Income shocks, Increase savings and improve self-empowerment. In many micromanage areas, women comprise most of the groups because they are seen as more reliable with funds.Indian's micromanage evolution can be broken down into 4 distinct phases. Indian's micromanage movement started in 1903 through its credit cooperative movement. Before this movement, the poor often relied on the village's money lender whenever they needed access to cash. Money lenders were notorious for high interest rates; they would charge approximately 3%-8% per mont h on loans. Although money lenders would prey on farmer, they had no other choice to use them because they could not get access to banks. Farmers' earnings were directly related to how well their crops fared.High Interest rates coupled with possible years of famine made repayment Impossible caused agrarians to riot. In 1904, the Co-operative Society Act extended credit to Indian villages under government sponsorship as an alternative to traditional money lenders. Cooperatives were the only option to most rural areas because of its spatial spread and penetration in remote areas. During this phase commercial banks did not venture into rural areas because they were in the private sector and had no incentive to extend their outreach to rural areas. However they became unreliable because of NAP inefficiencies and they lacked revisionism's.Credit cooperatives had trouble distributing funds due to frozen assets from overdue repayments. Therefore rural areas stopped using credit cooperative s and opted for high interest money lenders. The next phase of Indian's micromanage evolution was the Nationalization of Social Banking. In 1969, former Prime Minister Nadir Ghanaian nationalized 14 major sector banks In part of her political policy to eradicate poverty. After the nationalization of banks, regional rural banks (Orbs) were created in order to strengthen the rural banking structure and reach more people.These banks offered a hybrid service of the previous cooperative banks with a more localized approach. Approximately a decade after, the government sponsored the Integrated Rural Development Program (ARID) to deliver RSI. 15000 to the poor. Indian's Integrated Rural Development Program (ARID) is a great example of inefficient subsidized credit. This program was set up in order to address the need to allocate funds according to social targets, meaning that 30% of the fund was allocated to socially excluded groups (defined using the caste system) and 30% towards women.Be tween 1979 and 1989, there was a huge period f ARID growth due to a huge subsidy budget of $6 billion. But despite the huge fund, the scheme did not generate a good Institutional performance. ARID repayment rates fell below and only of borrowers took out a second loan after the first loan was repaid; which is particularly troubling given it is perceived that repeating rate fell to Just 31%, and therefore the ARID failed its key purpose: being a reliable and meaningful lender to the poor.According to the Rural Finance Program at the Ohio State University, the main mistake government-led development banks (such as he ARID) made, was to view offering credit as the same as offering seeds. Ohio argues that credit should be thought of as a fungible tool of financial intermediation, and as not as a specific input into a production process. They claimed that credit could not Just be directed towards any particular section of society; and when this was linked with cheap credit policies, this caused havoc in rural financial markets.This outcome was due to the inadequate accounting of incentive effects and politics associated with subsidies. It is argued that subsidizing banks created inefficient monopolies and removed market tests. Some have even gone on to say that the households involved would have been better off without the subsidies. Firstly subsidized banks pushed out the informal money lenders, a source of credit the poor heavily rely on. Secondly, the use of subsidized credit means that the interest rate, a rationing mechanism, is driven down below market rates, breaking down the rationing mechanism.This meant that credit was no longer allocated to the most productive projects, and was often distributed on the basis of political and social desires. Thirdly, with subsidized lending, bankers incentives to collect savings posits were almost eradicated due to the constant flow of capital from the government, so poor households were left with unattractive and ineffic ient ways to save. During this phase, a trade union of self-employed women workers in Gujarat established a Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWS) bank in 1974.Approximately 4000 members contributed RSI. 10 to register as a co-operative bank to provide banking services to poor women. This successful bank was one of the first initiatives to introduce micromanage. The third phase of Indian's micromanage evolution is the introduction of SSH bank engage program and the growth of MONGO- Miff. The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Banking (ONBOARD) was established in 1982 to focus primarily on agricultural and rural development. In 1992, ONBOARD pioneered the first self help group.These informal groups of women promote savings among members and used these resources for meeting their credit needs. A breakdown of this model is that in every meeting, the members would put aside a certain amount for deposit. These deposits are then recorded and through accumulation they become a way for members to lend to each other. Although the interest rates in this model are higher than what banks offer, the SSH groups reap the benefits because the repayment goes directly into the group's savings. This means that the group's loaning capabilities increases the more its members regularly save.In this model, there is no formal banking institution that provides loans. The primary goal of this model is for all members to begin their own saving initiatives. Later this model evolved to become part of Self Help Group Bank Linkage program (Kbps); after analyzing a SSH for 6 to 8 months, banks would pair up with groups to extend the credit of the group. After another period of 6 to 8 months, banks would offer a larger credit line; the maximum a group could borrow was four times their current savings account. Currently Kbps account for 58% of current loans outstanding.Micromanage Institutions (Miff), Non These type of institutions are similar to Bangladesh Grahame Model. In 1976 Unhan dsomely created the Grahame Bank Model as a project to assist poor families by offering credit. Grahame means Mileage† in Bengali. This type of banking was used to show that the poor people of Bangladesh are indeed bankable and able to pay back loans without promising collateral. The model success is based on the fact that there is no need for collateral however through group peer pressure, 96% of all loans are repaid.By offering lower interest rates than the Government of Bangladesh and weekly repayment schedules, the Grahame model has been very successful. This model has been very successful in Bangladesh and has become a formal banking structure in 1983. India modified this banking structure and Joint Liability Groups Loss) became the dominant model used in Micromanage institutions (Miff). This model is similar to Bangladesh Grahame Model but it introduces an important concept, Joint liability. In this model, there is usually 4 to 10 members who are self selected.Due to sel f selection, most of Joint liability groups are homogeneous groups. Whenever the group decides to take out a loan, all members must sign a Joint liability contract; this ensures that if one member fails to repay the loans, the other members are liable for it. This type of collateral is called social collateral because members often use peer pressure to make sure that all members repay their loans. This type of group is intended to Just be credit groups and regular savings by embers are not required. The group only exists because individual members are legally bound to one another.Miff prefer this model to provide credit to tenant farmers because the groups are easy to make and there are less restrictions regarding the utilization of the loan. During this phase, Miff experienced a boom because Nags coupled themselves with Miff to attract commercial investment. Indian's current phase of micromanage encompasses the centralization of micromanage. Throughout its history, micromanage has gone through an intense transformation to provide microcircuit for a wide range of services. Currently India uses a hybrid of the above models in its Miff.However Miff are being criticized for its high interest rates. Many borrowers only apply for loans between 5000-20000 rupees; the small value incurs high fixed costs for Miff. To avoid losing money, Miff often charge higher interest rates. Four key reasons why Miff charge high rates include: the cost of funds, Miff operating expenses, loan losses, and profits needed to expand their capital base and fund expected future growth. The costs that are associated with microcosms are the cost of the money to loan, cost of loan defaults ND transaction and operating costs.However it is important to note that there is approximately 450 million people untouched by any micromanage services. These people are often referred to as â€Å"unbreakable† because they rely on family members or moneylenders for financial services. During 2005-201 0, India experienced a boom in micromanage with state, Andorra Pradesh, leading the reform. However it was soon realized that Miff were using unethical practices to collect payments from borrowers. These practices escalated to cause many borrowers to commit suicide, little of borrowing and accept high interest rates to avoid Miff.The state government of Andorra Pradesh responded by enacting the Andorra Pradesh Micromanage Institutions (regulation of money lending) Act in 2010. The act made it they didn't have to pay back the loans and the government would protect them. This led the repayment rate to plummet from 99% to a mere 10%. The act was trying to protect the borrower and punish Miff for charging exorbitant interest rates and causing over borrowing. Critics of the act state that She were also part of the crisis ND that they were not negatively affected by the act as Miff were.They state that government backed She were also part of over borrowing and the act limits Miff business and successfully reduces competition between both micromanage institutions. The act negatively affected Miff profitability, loan recovery and their overall operations. The result of the crisis left many Miff at negative worth, this in return limits their accessibility to garner fresh funds and their overall ability to reach the rural poor. According to the norms, banks are not allowed to lend to banks that have negative worth.The crisis left micromanage companies like SHARE Microfilm, Ashman Microfilm, Spandex Sporty Financial, Trident Microfilm, and Future Financial Services unable to disburse fresh loans to clients. Banks also lost trust in Miff and there has been a serious liquidity crunch. Increased costs of borrowing coupled with the inability to access new funds further strained the profitability of Miff. Len conclusion, the enactment of the Andorra Pradesh Act stifled the access of basic financial services to the poorest of India citizens. The current goal for Indian's micro manage sector is poverty alleviation through uncial inclusion and inclusive growth.The 2010 Andorra Pradesh Crisis highlighted a few issues of Indian's micromanage sector. The crisis was due to high interest rates and multiple memberships and borrowing. Other issues include inadequate outreach and coverage, lack of regulation, limited product innovation, rising Naps and recovery issues, ratings of Miff and data availability. Proposed Micromanage Bill of 2012 After the 2010 Andorra Pradesh Crisis, the government was very worried over the state of Miff and proposed a bill to the development and regulation of Miff.The bill allows the central government to be the sole regulator and supervisor of Miff by creating the Micro Finance Development Council to oversee the development of Miff. Specifically the bill wants all Miff that are Non Banking Financial Companies (NBS) to be regulated by RIB while Miff that aren't companies would be regulated by the respective state governments because th ey will be able to take a more localized approach and be better equipped to serve them. The bill would also require Miff to provide an annual balance sheet, profit and loss account for audit to RIB at the end of ACH fiscal year.RIB would also have the authority to set the maximum annual interest charged and maximum limit on the margins Miff are allowed to make. RIB becoming the prime regulator for Miff increases uniformity and stability. However critics of the bill rather have a whole entire new body to regulate the micromanage sector such as Micromanage Regulatory and Development Authority. Key issues that still need to addressed: relating to margin, interest rate cap, allowing collection of thrift by Miff, enabling Miff to render other services than credit like pensions, insurance, etc. Ceiling limit on credit, and regulation. Critics don't want a cap on interest rates or margins because they believe that it negatively affects the entire private micromanage sector. Specifically pr ice controls only benefits a few while The bill lacks specific provisions, which would provide and facilitate financial inclusion at an affordable cost to poor and weaker sections. The bill doesn't address what led to the AP Crisis: multiple credit lending, over-indebtedness, multiple memberships and coercive measures adopted by Miff.

Jay Gatsby

Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby, the main character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is a materialistic man, trying to live out the American Dream in the 1920’s. But, his way of life does not get him the woman of his dreams, and eventually leads to his death. He is an extremely wealthy man, but despite all of his money, is very lonely. Although he never gets the woman he wants, Gatsby was a dreamer. He was motivated to reinvent himself and buy his way through life, with a dream to recreate the past.Jay Gatsby was materialistic from the beginning. From his childhood, to his adult life, he dreamed of being rich. His parents were not wealthy and he grew up in the middle class, but he had always wanted lots of money. Nick Carraway states, â€Å"He was a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, it means just that—and he must be about His father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty† (Fitzgerald 104). No matter how he did it, Gatsby was going to be rich.From age seventeen he was determined and he would stick with his goal. According to critic Chikako D. Kumamoto, Gatsby’s â€Å"vast, vulgar, and meretricious† dream was shared by a social climbing. Nick finally figures out Gatsby’s plans with Daisy Buchannan and says, â€Å"He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths—so that he could come over some afternoon to a stranger’s garden† (Fitzgerald 80). Everything Gatsby did was to win back Daisy’s love.Being a materialist caused him to throw outrageous parties in hopes that one day, Daisy would show up to one. He believed that his money was the only way to win her over. Jay Gatsby was clearly a lonely man. He had all the money in the world to buy anything except for the woman of his dreams, Daisy. Throughout the whole novel, The Great Gatsby, he appears to be bored and alone. â€Å"Your place looks like the World’s fair† Nick Carraway says to Gatsby (Fitzgerald 86). Even to his death, no one cared enough about him to come to his funeral.Carraway tells us, â€Å"but neither a wire nor Mr. Wolfshiem arrived; no one arrived except more police and photographers and newspaper men† (Fitzgerald 110). Striving for only two things in his life never made him very popular. He threw extravagant parties, but no one knew who he was or even liked him for that matter. According to critic Brian Sutton, Gatsby goes to spectacular lengths to try to achieve what Nick Carraway calls â€Å"his incorruptible dream† (Fitzgerald 155). But, unfortunately Gatsby never gets the woman he longs for.Nick tells us, â€Å"After his embarrassment and his unreasoning joy he was consumed with wonder at her presence† (Fitzgerald 99). While Gatsby may have loved the real Daisy, the love that survived over time was of his dream-like conception of her. Jay Gatsby lived a life he dreamed of having but, he dreamed of getting Daisy back and never actually did. Nick tells Gatsby, â€Å"You can’t repeat the past† and Gatsby, being the stubborn man he is, says â€Å"Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can! † (Fitzgerald 117). His dreams got in the way.Critic Brian Sutton states that Gatsby’s chances of winning Daisy were dead. Finding out the way Gatsby got his money ruined everything he could have had with Daisy. Throughout his whole life, Jay Gatsby would do anything to achieve â€Å"his incorruptible dream† (Fitzgerald 155). Daisy’s marriage seems so awful during most of the novel; it is almost like Gatsby is going to make his dreams come true. His efforts are so unimaginable and Daisy appears to be looking for a way out. Because Jay Gatsby is materialistic, lonely, and a dreamer, he is killed.His own attitude caused his death. Living out the American Dream, trying to become wealthy, and striving to win Daisy’s love did not pay off for Gatsby in the end. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print. Kumamoto, Chikako. â€Å"Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. † Explicator 60 (Fall 2001): 37-41. Literature Resource Center. Web. 09 Nov. 2012. Sutton, Brian. â€Å"Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. † Explicator 59 (Fall 2000): 37-9. Literature Resource Center. Web. 09 Nov. 2012.

Supplier Base Reduction Individual Business Report Essay

Supplier Base Reduction Individual Business Report - Essay Example Organization may decide to reduce its supplier base due to the following problems or issues: First, increase in the price of the raw materials used by the organization. When the prices of raw materials increases the cost of manufacturing the final products of the organization also increases which hence increases the price of the final products. This increase in price of the products reduces the demand for the products, hence low revenue generated by the organization leading into low profit. Therefore, when the prices of raw materials used to manufacture the final product increases then the organization considers it wise to reduce the supplier base so as not to make more losses in the future. Second, increase in business complexity as illustrated by Joseph (2010) is one of the problems that can make an organization reduces its supplier base. When the supplier base increases, the more complex it becomes. This makes it difficult for the firm to handle the large volume of supplies efficiently and effectively. Therefore, due to high complexity in supplier base the organization decides to reduce its supplier base so that it remains with a small consolidated supplier base that it can interact with to enhance the quality of its products. The third factor is the continuous increase in the level of debt in the organization. As the number of suppliers in the organization increases, there is also increase in the amount of debt to these suppliers. These debts have to be kept very low in the organization through controlling them so that it doesn’t drive the organization to bankruptcy. Therefore, one of the issues that the organization looks at is the debt level of the suppliers when it wants to reduce the supplier base. The fourth problem or issue is the continuous changes in the market. This is also a problem or issue that organizations look at when they want to reduce the supplier base. Changes in market such as a decrease in demand of the products may force

Audit Reports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Audit Reports - Essay Example Audit Report on financial statements of an entity is normally an independent auditor's report. Internal auditors also submit reports on assessment of internal controls installed by entities voluntarily or as statutory compliances. Audit report carries the results of audit examination conducted with in a framework in shape of opinion formed by auditors on such audit examinations. Auditing opinions formed and conveyed through audit reporting may be classified into four categories, namely an unqualified opinion, a qualified opinion, adverse Opinion, and disclaimer of an opinion. Unqualified Opinion expresses that financial statements are presented in accordance with requirement of GAAP. A qualified opinion conveys that financial statements present the financial position, financial results, and cash flow of the entity of the prescribed period in accordance with GAAP except for the matter or matters on which the report is qualified. Adverse Opinion on an audit report is provided when the financial statements do not present financial position, financial results and cash flows in accordance with applicable GAAP. Reports containing adverse opinion are issued when there are material departures from applicable GAAP in the presentations of financial statements. Some time an auditor is not in a position to form an opinion on the financial statement presentations. ... Objectives of Audit Reports Audit reports are medium of communication of results and findings of an examination or audit conducted under certain established framework. Under financial audit reporting auditor is concerned with forming an opinion on the financial statements and therefore independent audit report becomes an important medium for communicating that opinion to the shareholders or to the owners of the entity. This opinion of the auditor serves a variety of objectives of the audit function undertaken voluntarily or as compliance of a legal requirement. Some of these objectives are stated as under: Audit reports coveys the misstatements or deficiencies in the compiled financial statements showing the performance for a fiscal period and financial status on a particular date of an entity. That is to say the objective of audit reporting is to bring those deficiencies to the fore for the observance of the users of financial statements and helping them in taking their investing or other decisions respecting the entity involved. Audits are undertaken to bring improvement and fairness in reporting the results of operations to the shareholders or owners of the entity. Audit report, being the final function of auditing, is a tool to highlight the areas needing specific attention of the management for the improvement so that true and fair financial statements are presented to the users of such financial statements. Audit report serves variety of management and operational objectives as well.'A variety of individuals will use audit reports for a variety of purposes. Executive management will typically use an audit report to gain an insight to the overall status of

Big 4 Writing Sample Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Big 4 Writing Sample - Personal Statement Example Upon obtaining the sources, I had to paraphrase each to avoid the most heinous academic crime of plagiarism. Thereafter, the most dragging and tiring parts emerged after the research process that I have conducted. The writing process of the paper was one of the most tiring stages of the whole project. Factors such as the coherence of the sentences and the paragraphs, the direct statement of arguments and the supporting statements that should always follow and the most basic grammar and usage that gives the academic paper its definitive quality were all taken into proper consideration. It took me the entire week to revise and edit the chapter that I have prepared for the dissertation. Writing in such a way that any layman could understand your publication is one of the most daunting challenges in the fields of academic discourse. One must always remember that being too verbose and being over academic in a particular research will not merit the writer good for he risks himself of being misunderstood by the general audience who will read and inevitably, criticize his work. Although those two weeks of my life seemed to be stressful and tiresome, the experience of it as a whole was a fruitful one for me.

Method of Bilingual Education Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Method of Bilingual Education - Thesis Example DEDICATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 LIST OF TABLES ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION --------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Background of the Study ---------------------------------------------------- 4 Statement of the Problem --------------------------------------------------- 6 Significance of the Study --------------------------------------------------- 6 Theoretical Framework of the Study -------------------------------------- 7 Hypotheses -------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study -------------------------------------- 7 DEFINITION OF TERMS ------------------------------------------------- 7 2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ----------------------------------- 9 RELATED LITERATURE ------------------------------------------------ 9 3. METHODOLOGY ------------------------------------------------------------- 11 The Research Method ------------------------------------------------------ 11 Data Gathering Procedure ------------------------------------------------- 12 The Study Area -------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Statistical Treatment --------------------------------------------------------- 13 Reference ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Background of... attitudes regarding the efficacy of bilingual programming specifically when incorporating the surveys of parents, teachers, and students themselves; t -test will be computed to determine the significant differences of the student grades and scores on standardized tests from students in the target program and students with no bilingual programs; and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be used to establish whether there is no bilingual program model or models that are most likely to promote the transition into English classrooms and student achievement. There is a demand for bilingual education programs for non-native English speakers' students' communities. Consequently, the building interest in bilingual education program was by no means, then, limited to California, Texas, and Florida. However, it is now spreading all over the United States of America at a pace that surprises even the educators who provide the services. Americans have developed great interest in this undertaking because of its intellectual and social values.

Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkaway Collapse Assignment

Hyatt Regency Hotel Walkaway Collapse - Assignment Example When the walkaways reached the floor, they killed 114 people (Lewis, James, Ralston, Norb& Wheatly 2). The accident left 200 people injured (Banset & Parsons 273). The disaster is related to engineering disasters because of a flaw in the connection of the walkways and the support rods. The disaster led to a number of significant changes in engineering practice. For instance, the engineer who authorized its design lost his license. After restoration, the hotel is currently functioning normally. The Hyatt Regency collapse occurred on July 17, 1981 in Missouri (Banset & Parsons 273). The hotel is located in Kansas City. The accident led to the death of 114 people and caused the injuries of 200 others (Banset & Parsons 273). The disaster has been selected for this paper because it was the most tragic structural collapse in American history at that time. During that fateful night, many people had gathered in the atrium to attend the highly publicized tea party. A significant number of peo ple stood on the walkways. When the accident occurred, all the walkways were packed with many patrons. The design of the walkaways contributed to the extent of the disaster. The fourth-floor bridge was suspended over all the subsequent bridges. In addition, the third walkaway was set off a few meters from the other two. Investigations established a flawed design alteration that increased the load on the connection between the support beams of the fourth walk away and the tie rods that were used to carry the weight of the next walk away. The engineers had clearly failed to observe due diligence. For example, the new design could not handle the weight of the structure. In addition, it could not support the weight of the hundreds of spectators that were standing on it. Consequently, the bridge failed and both walkaways ended up crashing into the lobby. The accident led to the death and injury of many people.

Sikh youth in North America - kirpan-wearing and other legal Essay

Sikh youth in North America - kirpan-wearing and other legal - Essay Example One of the biggest hurdles for these immigrants to overcome has been and still is the toleration of religion. Many people do not understand a culture they have not grown up with. It has been no different for the Sikh people though they too are a monotheistic religion that primarily originated in India (Hawley & Mann 1). The people who practice Sikhism have been discriminated against simply for their beliefs and their traditional dress. In order for cultures to get along while living in the Western civilization, it has become essential for people to understand the Sikh traditions and Sikhism. It has been equally important for the Sikhs to understand the views of the rest of the world. Violence is essentially one of the main reasons that caused Sikhs to migrate. Their Golden Temple Shrine was invaded, people were assassinated, and there was a complete massacre of numerous Sikhs in Delhi, India. The Sikhs wanted to flee for a place of safety. Teachers and students of Sikhism have numerous struggles in order to stay true to their history and tradition, their written religious texts, the beliefs and practices of the religion, and the collective identity of the people as a whole (Hawley & Mann 1). In order for the Sikh to be introduced into academics and to introduce students to the culture and religion, some Sikhs may be stricter while others have become more westernized so life is easier for them. To completely teach the practices and the history behind Sikhism, to do so may be challenging. Hawley and Mann wrote â€Å"Studying the Sikhs: Issues for North America,† in 1993 in order for students and religion teachers to have a format to follow. This is like a guidebook to help lay out what the Sikhs believe, what their culture and history is and many other facts about their symbols and traditions. While the Sikhs have their own perspective, Mann represents the culture, providing

The efficiency of an eElectric motor Essay Example for Free

The efficiency of an eElectric motor Essay The efficiency of the motor in experiment 2 does decrease linearly with increasing mass as I predicted. Ideally the two graphs should follow each other since I used the same motor in each experiment. However from my graph you can see that my calculated efficiency for the second experiment is consistently about 9% higher than the calculated efficiency from my first experiment. This difference has probably been caused by the inaccuracy of the joule meter. This is inconsistent with my results from my calibration experiment. They showed that the joule meter always records more energy that it is receives and therefore if I correct my results for experiment 2 it would make the motor even more efficient. However the linear sections of the graphs have the same gradient and this shows that in both experiments the efficiency is varying in the same way. Extension: Aim: To measuring the efficiency of the electric motor as a generator and to establish if the system is time reversible. The experiment: See Diagram for circuit digarm. Experimental method: I will dropped a variety of weights a distance of 1. 12m and then I recorded the amount of electrical energy produced by the motor using the joule meter Acknowledged Errors 1. The inaccuracy of the joule meter-however I can use my calibration curve to correct for this 2. Friction in the pulley system 3. The weight has kinetic energy when I hits the ground and this energy is lost from the system thus reducing the efficiency of the generator. My Results: H=1. 12m load=10. 3 ohms Mass (kg) Average Time for full drop(s) Joules recorded Exp1x10 Joules recorded Exp2x10 Average number of joules recordedx10 %E. Energy Input (J) Graph: Explaining the graph: The energy I put in the generator is dissipated in three ways. 1. Useful energy is dissipated in the load 2. Energy is lost in the friction of the pulley system 3. When current flows through the internal resistance of the motor energy is lost 4. Energy is lost when the weight I drop hits the flaw It follows that because energy is conserved: The Potential energy of the weight= Power dissipated in load + Work done against friction +Energy Lost in the motors resistance +Energy lost as the weight hits the floor M=mass, I=current, F=friction force, R=resistance, V=final speed of weight In my analysis I have chosen to ignore the energy lost in the internal resistance of the motor. This is sensible since the energy lost in the internal resistance was insignificant compared to the energy lost in the load. To further simplify things I will also ignore the energy lost as the weight hits the ground. This factor was very small because my weights travelled quite slowly and they had small masses. Simplified formula for analysis: Efficiency If you assume that the work done against friction is constant this formula explains the 1-1/x form of my graph. For small weights the generator is inefficient since most of the weights potential energy is being used to overcome friction. For small the second term of the formula is large and the generator is therefore inefficient. This is shown by my graph. For large weights the work done against friction becomes insignificant and consequently the generator becomes more increasingly more efficient. For larger the second term would tend to zero and the efficiency should tend to 100%. My results do show that the efficiency increases for heavier weights however my results appear to approach an efficiency of 14% not 100%. This difference may be caused by the fact that for my larger weight the energy lost in the motors resistance and the energy lost as the weight hit the floor become significant. The inaccuracy of the joule meter may have also contributed to this difference. Is a the motor time reversible If my motor was time reversible it should behave in the same way irrespective of the direction of time. For example if you use electrical energy lift a weight with a motor if the system is time reversible you should be able to get the electrical energy back by dropping the weight. A motor is obviously time reversible to an extent since it can be used both as a motor and a generator. However my results show that for my experiment you are only able to retrieve a small fraction of the energy you used lifting when using the motor as a generator (about 2. 5 joules out of 150 or 2%). This inefficiency can be partially explained by considering the parts of the system that are not time reversible. This includes the friction in the system and the energy lost in the internal resistance of the motor. Here energy is lost as heat and sound that cannot be retrieved. Conclusion: In general my experiments went well and I was able to use my result to make some useful conclusions. I was very pleased with the accuracy of my results. If I had more time I would have taken more experimental reading so that I could get a more complete picture of what was happening. I would also have spent more time calibrating the joule meter since its inaccuracy had a large effect on my results. Bibliography: Sources used: 1) Nuffield Advanced Science Physics student guide 2 unit H to L, Published by Longman, ISBN=0-582-35416-1 2) Web page: Motors URL=www. srl. gatech. edu/education/ME3110/design-reports/RSVP/DR4/Motors. http 3) Encyclopaedia Britannica CD-ROM 4) Encarta 99 CD-ROM by Microsoft Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

The Importance of Heritage Conservation

The Importance of Heritage Conservation Heritage conservation is important for identifying, recording, analysing and protecting heritage and cultural resources. Conservation of heritage buildings is an important tool in city development which can be seen in some cities in the world. It plays an important role to define the landmark within the heritage area as well as to generate economic return and to support the tourism industry. Conservation of heritage buildings is very important because it provides a sense of identity and continuity in a fast changing world for future generations. Heritage buildings basically represent the past history and culture of a nation. They constitute together the architectural heritage of an area. Heritage buildings possess historical values resulting from their beautiful architecture and their correlation with important events that occurred in the heritage area such as religious, social and political events. Heritage buildings are subjected to processes of degradation with time, which leads to a situation in which they became not able to fulfil the purpose for which they were built. For example, in Canada about 20 percent of pre-1920 heritage buildings to demolition over the last 30 years has been lost (Heritage Canada Foundation website, 20 December 2012). Therefore, heritage buildings need an important tool to protect them. Conservation guidelines of heritage buildings are one of the proposed resolutions for protecting heritage buildings. The absence of these guidelines leads inevitably to deterioration of heritage buildings. They must be created and developed to ensure that any important changes in conservation work are undertaken in the most ways possible to preserve the heritage structures, historic character and features. They prevent the random works that have spread in the conservation projects of heritage buildings. On this basis, conservation guidelines for developing and utilizing these properties must be established. Libya is a treasure chest of historic and ancient cultures. Great civilizations flourished in the country, including Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic. They all left lasting imprints of their cultures. Libya has five official UNESCO cultural heritage sites. The five sites added to the World Heritage List between 1982 and 1986 provide a clear illustration that Libya has a heritage whose incalculable value belongs to all humanity. The old city of Ghadames (OCG) is one of the official UNESCO cultural heritage sites that Libya has. The OCG is a major desert city and played an important role as a cultural and trade centre between the Mediterranean and Africa for over 1400 years. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1986 in recognition of its rich cultural heritage. Tourism plays an important role in the old city of Ghadames with many visitors from all over the world coming to attend the Annual Festival of Dates which is held in October. The conservation of heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames will preserve and restore a valuable piece of Libyas heritage and also contribute to the development of the city as an important tourist destination. This research attempts to assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames as well as provide and develop conservation procedures and guidelines for repairing and conserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site. Problem Statements Defects of heritage buildings can result from the degradation of the construction materials or from the damage of the heritage building elements due to mechanical actions. Heritage buildings are subject to process of degradation with time. In other words, the degradation of the construction materials is a process that develops naturally with time, and can be accelerated by chemical, physical or biological actions. For this reason, several researches were conducted all over the world to assess the existing conditions of heritage buildings. For instance, A Ghafar Ahmad et al. (2008) assessed the existing conditions of heritage buildings in Malaysia with the main focus on the conditions of building defects and conservation approach used for these buildings. The research found that most of the defects that occur in heritage buildings in Malaysia were at external walls followed by internal walls and etc. Other research by Hashimah Shuhana (2005) where the two researchers assessed the strength of the old shophouses and the impending factors that threaten the continuous presence of these heritage buildings Malaysian town. The findings indicated that the practice of conserving the old shophouses is still not effective. A more effective measure in preserving the old shophouses needs to be undertaken. In addition, Itma M. A., (2007) assessed the situations of conservation projects in Palestine especially in the old city of Nablus. He found that heritage buildings of the old city of Nablus, Palestine, suffer from many random preservation. Although defects of heritage buildings can result from the degradation of the construction materials or from the damage of the heritage building elements due to mechanical actions. However, there is another risk which threatens the sustainability of the heritage buildings. Move of inhabitants of heritage buildings to modern concrete buildings with modern amenities is also a great risk that leads to heritage buildings deterioration. When inhabitants live in the heritage buildings, their houses are well maintained; some continue to be in excellent conditions and are properly cared for. If inhabitants stay in their heritage houses, they surely perform maintenance works periodically. In contrast, if they abandon their heritage houses, it will lose its vitality. This occurred in many heritage cities in the world. For example, many people moved away from the neighbourhood of Le Village in Cornwall, Ontario in Canada and sold their homes to investors who rented them out, when the textile mi lls in the area shut their doors. The layoff of many residents of Le Village marked the beginning of the deterioration of the communitys physical conditions. To resolve this problem, Friedman et al. (2002) developed urban and architectural guidelines for conservation of the neighbourhood of Le Village in Cornwall, Ontario. Another example occurred in China, when many younger and richer residents have moved from the old city of Yangzhou to the new city areas due to the deteriorating physical conditions of the heritage buildings. To make people return back to the old city of Yangzhou, Longbin (2007) developed a detailed design guideline for the whole old city Yangzhou in China. Like these events occurred also in the old city of Ghadames, Libya when the inhabitants moved out of their heritage houses of the old city to modern city in the early 1980s. Since then, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has carried out a project on the old city of Ghadames its objective was to encourage and motivate the inhabitants to come back to the old city. The project was completed in 2004 as part of the Tourism Master Plan (United Nations Development Programme and UNDP Office for Project Services Report, 2007). Even though the project maintained source of water (Ain Al-Faras), restored some heritage buildings a nd repaired streets. However, right now the inhabitants have not come back to the old city yet. This is also confirmed by UNESCO Report (2010) where the report mentioned that the old city of Ghadames has not yet seen the return of its inhabitants. Based on the above, assessment of the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya is very important before developing the conservation guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city. Furthermore, there is a significant lack of researches conducted on the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames in spite of its heritage importance. Even though few studies were done on the old city and the modern city of Ghadames. However, none of them assessed the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Additionally, none of them attempted to develop conservation guidelines to protect the heritage buildings of the old city. Some of research studies were carried out by Chojnacki, (2003); Elwefati, (2007); and Nura S. et al. (2006). Besides that there is a lack of expertise and specific conservation guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames resulted of dilemma in the management of the municipality to preserve the heritage buildings. The level of understanding of the heritage buildings in Libya still remains low. Without any documentation the beauty of the heritage buildings will be lost due to age factor and climate change. Lack of expertise in the maintenance of heritage buildings is also a source of beautiful heritage buildings are damaged or destroyed. There is a lack of technical knowledge to repair and maintain heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames. Since late 1980s, several studies on the conservation of heritage building of the old city of Ghadames have been undertaken with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and specialized (UN) agencies and other private or government entities. However, none of these studies have led to any concrete steps or conservation of heritage buildings of the old city in translating the plans into specific actions (UNDP Report, 2001). So far, no guideline on conservation guidelines for preserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames has been developed in spite of its importance to protect heritage buildings (Arrabti, 2011; Al-Hasi, 2011). This was confirmed by Azzuz (2000) where the researcher has confirmed non-existence of any guidelines to maintain and enhance the character and integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Based on the discussion above, the main problem of this research results from the lack of: (1) Studies conducted on conservation of heritage buildings in Libya, (2) expertise and specific guidelines for heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames, and (3) a suitable system in force for discovering and recording the heritage buildings in Libya. Therefore, the current research aims at identifying problems encountered in the heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames, and suggests some conservation guidelines and references for the conservation of heritage buildings in the old city and which are all gazetted as national heritage buildings. Policies and guidelines to be provided are generally and specifically on an analysis of the heritage buildings. Research Questions Based on the research problem statements, the research questions mainly focus on the following areas: Is there any structural damage in the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? How to repair and maintain the structural damages of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? Is there any conservation guidelines on heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya? Objectives of the Research The main thesis objective is to assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames as well as provide and develop conservation procedures and guidelines for repairing and conserving heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site. The objectives of this research are: To assess the overall structural integrity of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. To provide conservation procedures for repairing and maintaining the structural damages of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. To develop the conservation guidelines and policy for the improvement and conservation of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames, world heritage site, Libya. Scope of the Research Conservation of heritage sites includes generally, buildings, artefacts, structures, areas and precincts of historic, aesthetic, architectural, cultural or environmentally significant nature (heritage buildings and heritage precincts), natural feature areas of environmental significance or the sites of scenic beauty. The research does not discuss heritage in general, but mainly focuses on the built environment. The economic and social aspects are mentioned, but are not the main emphasis in this research. For instance, when discussing about the impact of conservation on the economy, the built environment is regarded as the main emphasis. The defined scope of the research is then conservation of heritage buildings in Libya. Heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames were chosen as a representative city for conservation of heritage buildings in Libya. This was done so that to address its past, present and its future possibilities. The old city of Ghadames is one of the most typical tourism cities in Libya. This research does not cover all heritage cities in Libya, but the case of the old city of Ghadames has some characteristics and features with other heritage cities. Namely, the present research covers heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames including houses, mosques, and shops. Public buildings and the surrounding environment of the heritage area of the old city of Ghadames are not addressed by this research. Therefore, the study focuses on heritage houses, mosques, and shops of the old city of Ghadames as one of the famous places of the Ghadames heritage area. 1.6 Significance of the Research The significance of the research results from the historical importance of the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames are an interesting case for investigation because the old city is considered one of the most prominent tourist destinations, and one of the most beautiful heritage cities in the desert. It has been recognized by several important international organizations such as the UNESCO and the Organization of World Heritage Cities. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has classified the old city of Ghadames like a heritage city and protected by the organisation in 1986, and classified it the third oldest city in the world (United Nations Development Programme and the UNDP Office for Project Services Report, 2007). The significance of this research also highlights from the architectural design of the heritage buildings of the old city which makes the old city of Ghadames important for studying its heritage buildings. The architecture of the heritage buildings of the old city is focused on resolving the climate problem and privacy. According to Nura S. et al., (2006), most of the people leave their houses in the new town of Ghadames and migrate to the old town and other cities during the summer, because the material of building construction and the air-conditioning in modern houses is unable to cope with the torrid heat of the desert and only the clay houses of the old town maintaining a degree of coolness, in summer-time the old town is still comfortable for living because of the good shelter against the extreme desert heat. In addition, the old city of Ghadames is located in desert regions. Therefore, it can be seen that its buildings are designed with flat roofs, small openings, and heavy weight materials such as dried mud. The thick exterior roof and walls help to absorb temperature fluctuations and, therefore, keep internal temperatures from rising above the outside surface temperature. An important function of the roof is its colour. A white or light coloured roof will stay approximately the same temperature as the outdoor air during the day, and 6-10 Celsius cooler than the outside air at night. This is an important feature because the cooler night times air will be channelled down by the slope of the roof and into the rooms in the building. One function of the small openings is to prevent dust from entering buildings. Windows are arranged so that equal areas are open on the windward and leeward sides of the building. The reason for this is very simple; the air stream can be directed into rooms tha t need constant ventilation such as the bedroom. When one window is positioned higher than another, thermal force will direct the airflow from the high window to the lower window creating good ventilation. Courtyards, patios, and verandas are other common features of heritage buildings in the old city of Ghadames. With high walls, these outside areas provide shade and a relaxing environment for their inhabitants for social gatherings, evening entertainment, food preparation, and domestic work such as laundry. Another way to provide shade in a more aesthetically pleasing way is through greenery. For example, trees, shrubs, and bushes provide natural shade from the sun while giving the courtyard area a pleasing look. Why are these outside areas so important? They are important because essential functions happen outside like cooking and entertaining. The outside environment in hot regions is just as important as the inside because it is a daytime relief from the intense climate. This beautiful architecture is worthy to investigate by study. This research is important because it focuses on heritage conservation which generates significant benefits to the economy. Based on the literature, benefits of the conservation of the heritage buildings are many. Economical benefits are considered one of them. Several studies confirmed that historic conservation yields significant benefits to the economy. In other words, these studies revealed that historic conservation is considered as an economic development tool. Namely, it yields significant benefits to the economy. For example Rypkema (1991) compared the relative costs of building conservation versus new construction, and found that building conservation makes more economic sense than new construction. Another study by Wolf et al (1999) where the researchers reached the same conclusion by Rypkema (1991). They found that in many cases; it is more efficient and profitable to preserve historic buildings than construct a new building. In addition, A Colorado Historical Society repo rt (based on an economic study conducted by Clarion Associates, et al, (2002) began, Studies across the country have shown that historic preservation acts as a powerful economic engine, creating tens of thousands of jobs and generating significant household income. On this basis, this research is deemed very important because it helps to develop tourism resources and exploitation of the architectural patrimony through re-using them and creating jobs. The significance of the research appears also from its main objective. As mentioned previously, this research attempts to develop conservation guidelines for the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. According to the literature, conservation guidelines should be developed to control changes done by conservation works on heritage buildings and to prevent random conservation works that lead to deterioration of the heritage building. A research by Itma, (2007) confirmed that issuance of instructions for maintaining heritage buildings such as obtaining the official demobilization to change or demolition or addition of a supplement of the heritage building is very important. Therefore, conservation guidelines ensure a better way to preserve heritage buildings. It is a good tool for protecting heritage areas. Accordingly, this research is considered very important. Research Contributions The following contributions can be highlighted from this research: This research is expected to give a contribution in providing policy and guidelines that will become the future reference for other heritage buildings located in the desert region. In addition, the appropriate conservation guidelines provided by this research can be used by the conservator and building contractors to guide them through conservation works. The investigation into this area increases the understanding of the role of conservation guidelines to protect heritage buildings and contribute to the literature by extending the current body of knowledge on this issue. The study can be benefited by policy maker, professional urban planners, architects, and historians. This study attempts to adopt historic conservation policies for heritage buildings in Libya. Therefore, policy maker may utilize findings of this study in determining their policies and practices. 1.8 Organisation of the Research The research is organised as follows: Chapter One, Introduction, provides background to the research and delineates the structure of the thesis. It presents research issues including the research problem and outlines research questions. The Chapter exhibits the research objectives which establish the purpose of the study, considers potential limitations, discusses significance of the research and outlines the contributions of the research findings. Chapter Two, Literature Review, reviews the relevant literature regarding conservation of heritage buildings. It discusses international organisations that have an interest with heritage buildings, approach of architectural conservation and heritage buildings. In addition, the Chapter outlines conservation theory related to this research. Chapter Three, Research Methodology, explains the way, which is selected for this independent study to show the applied research method in this part. It gives an understanding of how the practical work and data collection has been conducted, as well as how the results have been analysed. It describes the research methodology base on the literature review in Chapter Two. Chapter Four, The Overview of the Old City of Ghadames, outlines the case study of the old city of Ghadames. It provides background information on the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. The Chapter discusses also the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the World Heritage Site of Ghadames and shows the heritage sites added to the World Heritage List in Libya. Chapter Five, Case Studies, is dedicated to case studies. Some international experiences are addressed in this Chapter to benefit from them to achieve objectives of the research in chapter one. Chapter Six, Analysis and Findings, offers an in-depth discussion on the development of the conservation guidelines for the heritage buildings of the old city of Ghadames. Chapter Seven, Conclusions, discusses the outcome of the research (i.e. Design guidelines). It also provides a discussion for the testing of research objectives.

Assessment and Evaluation of English Learning Modules

Assessment and Evaluation of English Learning Modules Assessment and Evaluation We did the worksheets for the Standard Four pupils in SJK (T) RRI. The worksheets that we did are Unit Six to Unit Ten. Unit Six is Tell Me A Story, Unit Seven is Be Safe and Unit Eight is Save, Spend Wisely. Unit Nine which is Stories from other lands and lastly Unit Ten is Let’s Celebrate. We based our questions on the English Year 4 textbook and other relevant resources such as workbooks and educational newspapers. The worksheets consist of three levels. The first level would be the High English Proficiency (HEP) and the symbol would be a triangle. Second level would be Average English Proficiency (AEP) and the symbol represented it would be square. The third level is Low English Proficiency (LEP) which is a circle. We tried our level best to come out with worksheets which are suitable for all the students to answer. All the worksheets given have its’ own answer sheets as well. This is to enable teachers to know the answers. There are different number of questions and sections in each unit. This is because; every unit has its own types of questions that can be formed. One question will be one mark. The worksheets consist of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), fill in the blanks, rearrange and rewrite the sentences and write sentences. We also take into account skills such as reading, listening and speaking into our worksheets besides just writing. By this, students can improve and do well in their future test or examinations. From the trial worksheet, some students are capable of completing the worksheet, but most of them need guidance from the teacher. They like the multiple choice questions because they just need to circle the answer instead of writing the answer by themselves. These worksheets can help them because it is a form of practising for them. Unit Five which is â€Å"Tell Me A Story†, the first section is where students are required to choose the correct sentences by filling in the number in the correct box provided. In this section, the students need to read through the story first and then figure out the sequences of the story. The story in this section is â€Å"The Mouse- Deer and the Crocodile† (Wignell, 2009). This enables students to think well. As for the second part, students must join the two sentences into one. They must use â€Å"and†, â€Å"but† and â€Å"because† in order for them to join the sentences. The reason for this exercise is to enable students to learn how to join two different sentences into one. In order to let the students understand how to join the sentences, there will be an example provided for them. This will make it easier for the students. The last section of the worksheet is fill in the blanks. This part, students are required to fill in the blanks to com plete the story. The story is â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes† (n. d, 2013). By this, students will be able to read the story and learn at the same time. This enables them to be creative in putting words that fits and tally with the story given. For Unit Seven, activity 1 and 2 are for the LEP students. Activity 1 is a reading activity which uses simple English for students to read. Activity 2 is MCQs. This can help the LEP students to choose answers from the choices given. However, question five will be fill in the blanks where students can give their own point of view. Here, students are required to think a bit. This can help in their Creative, Critical Thinking Skills (CCTS). Activity 3 is a reading activity, but it is for the AEP students. It uses long and difficult words. Activity 4, students are required to circle the words with the correct spelling. It is for AEP students. The words are longer and the word choices are close to each other. What makes it more challenging is that, the spelling might be wrong, but the pronunciations can be the same. As for activity 5, students need to put the correct punctuations in the sentences. There are short and long sentences. The longer the sentences the more punctuation needed in one sentence. In Chapter Eight, students are going to learn about how to save and spend money wisely. It is important to teach children about the financial skills from young (Shin, 2013). In the first part of the worksheet, we try to enhance their reading and speaking skills. Reading and speaking skills are critical to children’s development, but it is important for their success in school and work (Boyse, 2010). Multiple choice questions can consider as an easy level, because they just need only recognize a correct answer (Popham, 2011). For the AEP students, they can train their critical thinking skills from finding out the words from the diagram that had shown in the worksheet. Here, they can also improve their grammar skills. The students will do some exercises on the â€Å"do† and â€Å"don’t†. They will be asked to write down a short sentence regarding the action in the pictures that had been shown. Moving on, there will also be questions where students need to calculate the total cost for owning each type of pet and write a short sentence in response to a direct question (Popham, 2011). In additional, since the topic is about saving and spending wisely, students need to write down their daily usage of their spending. Picture of what they are saving for also can be drawn in the space provided, as they will be asked to draw it. This can enhance their awareness in saving money. Chapter Nine would be Stories From Other Lands. We first started with MCQ’s. Students will be required to read a passage given and answer the questions. In the second section of the worksheet which is filling in the blanks, the students’ grammar ability is being assessed. Section D, students was asked to complete the short sentences based on the pictures. In this section, we had given some words to help them construct and complete their own sentence. Besides that, complete the sentences based on the pictures are a useful way of finding information about physical objects (Yeh, Lee, Darrell, n.d.). These pictures also help students to construct sentences easily. Thus, this enables them to construct their own story. As for the last questions for Unit Nine, students ought to create any sentences regarding the pictures given. The story given was about the The Crow and the Pitcher. This is for the HEP students because students must make sentences with the correct grammar and punctuations. Lastly, in chapter ten, students are going to learn about festivals. Firstly, the LEP students will start by reading short paragraphs about other cultures. These include the cultures of Chinese, Muslims and Murut. We included a paragraph about the culture of the minority group in Malaysia which is Murut. By doing so, students will be exposed to more minority groups in Malaysia besides Kadazan-Dusun which will be taught in the textbook. In the second session, for AEP students, we had prepared questions where students are required to fill in the blanks with the help of the picture given at each blank. With the help of visuals, students will be able to accurately retrieve the content associated with the visual (Kouyoumdjian, 2012). Besides filling in the blanks, MCQ’s were also being included in the worksheet. Lastly, as for the HEP students, they are required to complete the sentences based on the pictures and words given. The last question for this activity requires students in their CCTS where they have to think and answer the question. In conclusion, the purpose of all these worksheets is to make sure that the students improve on their English. A slight improvement is always better than nothing. When we interviewed the English teacher who is Ms Siti, she told us that the students there do not have high performance in English. They are weak in grammar and spelling. Most of them cannot spell words correctly. This happens even though teachers try to guide them by going through all the exercise, question by question. Therefore, by giving them our worksheets, we hope to help them to be better in English and know the importance of that language. References Book Popham, W. J. (2011). Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know. United States: Pearson Education. Internet resources Boyse, K. (2010). Reading, Literacy and Your Child. Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/reading.htm Chin, S. (2012, November Thursday). The goose that laid golden eggs. Retrieved July Tuesday, 2014, from Enjoy Reading, English Story Books: http://englishstorybooks01.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-goose-that-laid-golden-eggs.html?m=1. Dr. Savitz, J. (2014). Tips for being safe. Retrieved July Thursday, 2014, from Rowan University: http://www.rowan.edu/open/studentaffairs2/sexualviolence/tipsforbeingsafe.html. Emma. (2004). Top 10 tips for staying safe online. Retrieved July Wednesday, 2014, from Safety net Kids: http://www.safetynetkids.org.uk/personal-safety/staying-safe-online/. Haker, F. (1931). Safety first. Retrieved July Thursday, 2014, from Books of Short Stories: http://bookofshortstories.com/stories/safety-first.htm. Kouyoumdjian, H. (2012). Learning through visuals. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/get-psyched/201207/learning-through-visuals (N. d.). (2013). The fox and the grapes.Retrieved 21 July 2014 from  http://www.moralstories.org/the-fox-and-the-grapes/ Panda, S. L. (2013, January Monday). A beautiful poem on Childrens Day. Retrieved July Thursday, 2014, from PoemHunter.com: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-beautiful-poem-on-children-s-day/. Shin, L. (2013). The 5 Most Important Money Lessons To Teach Your Kids. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2013/10/15/the-5-most-important-money-lessons-to-teach-your-kids/ Stephen. (2008, September Saturday). Learn and earn. Retrieved July Wednesday, 2014, from Motivation: http://academictips.org/blogs/learn-and-earn/. Wignell, E. (2009). The mouse-deer and the crocodile. Retrieved 21 July 2014 from  www.edelwignell.com.au/docs/the-mouse-deer-and-the-crocodile.pdf Yeh, T., Lee, J. J., Darrell, T. (n.d.). Photo-based Question Answering. Retrieved from http://www.icsi.berkeley.edu/pubs/vision/Yeh Photo base d-1.pdf

Economics in Asia :: Pacific Asia Economics

Since the mid 1960s, Pacific Asia has had a remarkable rate of economic growth. This growth has been sustainable and faster than all other regions of the world (see fig. 1). This region consists of twenty-three economies but it was just eight who caused most of this amazing growth. The eight were Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, China, (the â€Å"Four Tigers†) Japan and the newly industrialised economies (NIEs) of south-east Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The eight high performing Asian economies (HPAEs) mentioned here will be the focus of this essay. What caused this success in Pacific Asia? What role did public policies play in engineering this rapid growth? How was the human and physical capital accumulated? Most of the high growth in the HPAEs was achieved by getting the basics right. Large human capital and private domestic investment largely powered the growth. High domestic savings levels meant HPAE investment levels remained high. Agriculture experienced rapid growth and improvement of its productivity. HPAEs population growth rate declined faster than in other parts of the developing world. HPAEs were also helped by their labour force being better-educated and having more effective public administration than other developing regions. Another cause of this success, was the development policy used. The policies were made to create a stable framework for private investment while increasing the integrity of the banking system, raising levels of financial savings. Education policies concentrated on primary and secondary schools to create a labour force with better skills. Policies on agriculture pushed productivity without pushing the rural economy. Government intervention was also essential to foster development. The growth of these HPAEs is highly unusual in the developing world. They are highly diverse in culture, resources and population yet they are banded together with some characteristics. They have all had rapid sustained growth with highly equal income distributions. Strong agriculture, rapid demographic changes and export booms. There are two main views of how the HPAEs were so successful. The first is the neo-classical, which stresses getting the basics right. This was providing a strong legal framework to promote competition (domestic and international), the absence of price distortions (e g price controls) and the investment in people, health and education. The second view is of the revisionist, where the government uses state-led development and intervention to achieve growth.

?It is wrong to try and convert people to your religion.? :: essays research papers

There are many different views to this statement within the Christian faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Christian church believes in religious freedom, but they believe that Christianity is the only religion with complete truth, whereas the other religions only contain some truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One view is of exclusivism. This is the â€Å"old† accepted way. To be â€Å"saved† people must hear and respond to the Christian message. It is the duty of Christians to convert people in order to save them. In Matthew it is said, â€Å"Go make disciples of all nations†. This is a direct instruction for people to go and convert people to Christianity. They believe that the Bible is the word of God, and you can only reach salvation by following Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:6, â€Å" I am the way to truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me†. This shows that you must follow Jesus’ teachings to get to heaven, and by converting people they are helping them get to heaven. An example of this is with Jahovah’s Witnesses. They believe that it is their duty to save people. They believe that they should spread the word to those who have not heard of the religion, so they have a chance to follow it. They do th is by going from house to house to try and find these people and talk to them about God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another view is of inclusivism. This is the more modern view for Christians. They believe that everybody is born with Gods grace and the ability to be saved. They believe that if you are following another religion and you have not heard of Jesus then you will still go to heaven as you are trying to find the truth. They still believe, however, that Christianity is the only religion, which is complete truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another Christian view is based on John 14:2. Jesus says, â€Å"In my Father’s house there are many rooms†. Some Christians believe that this means that heaven accepts different religions, so conversion is not needed. They believe that every religion has truth, and all lead to belief in God.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another view is of pluralism. Hindus follow this view. They believe that all religions are pathways to enlightenment.

Chevrolet Corvette

Third generation-C3 (1968–1982) Main article:  Chevrolet Corvette (C3) [pic] [pic] 1971 Corvette Stingray Convertible The third generation Corvette, patterned after the  Mako Shark II  concept car, was introduced for the 1968 model year and was in production until 1982. C3 coupes featured the first use ofT-top  removable roof panels. It introduced monikers that were later revived, such as LT-1, ZR-1, and Collector Edition. In 1978, the Corvette's 25th anniversary was celebrated with a two-tone Silver Anniversary Edition and an Indy Pace Car replica edition of the C3.This was also the first time that a Corvette was used as a Pace Car for the  Indianapolis 500. [26] Engines and chassis components were mostly carried over from the C2, but the body and interior were new. The 350  cu  in (5. 7  L) engine replaced the old 327  cu  in (5. 36  L) as the base engine in 1969, but power remained at 300  bhp (224  kW). 1969 was the only year for a C3 to optionall y offer either a factory installed side exhaust or normal rear exit with chrome tips.The all-aluminum ZL1 engine was also new for 1969; the special big-block engine was listed at 430-hp (320  kW), but was reported to produce 560  hp (420  kW) and propelled a ZL1 through the 1/4 mile in 10. 89 seconds. [27] There was an extended production run for the 1969  model year  due a lengthy labor strike, which meant sales were down on the 1970 models, to 17,316. [28]  1970 small-block power peaked with the optional high compression, high-revving LT-1 that produced 370  bhp (276  kW). The 427 big-block was enlarged to 454  cu  in (7. 44  L) with a 390  bhp (291  kW) rating.The ZR-1 special package was an option available on the 1970 through 1972 model years, and included the LT-1 engine combined with special racing equipment. Only 53 ZR-1's were built. [29] [pic] [pic] 1973 Corvette Stingray Coupe In 1971, to accommodate regular low-lead fuel with lower anti-knock pr operties, the engine compression ratios were lowered which resulted in reduced power ratings. The power rating for the 350  cu  in (5. 7  L) L48 base engine decreased from 300 to 270 horsepower and the optional special high performance LT1 engine decreased from 370 to 330 horsepower.The big-block  LS6 454  was reduced from 450 to 425  bhp (317  kW), though it was not used in Corvettes for 1970; it was used in the  Chevelle SS. For the 1972 model year, GM moved to the  SAE Net  measurement which resulted in further reduced, but more realistic, power ratings than the previous SAE Gross standard. [12]  Although the 1972 model's 350  cu  in (5. 7  L) horsepower was actually the same as that for the 1971 model year, the lower net horsepower numbers were used instead of gross horsepower.The L48 base engine was now rated at 200  bhp (150  kW) and the optional LT1 engine was now rated at 270  bhp (200  kW). [12]  1974 models had the last true dual exhau st system that was dropped on the 1975 models with the introduction ofcatalytic converters  requiring the use of no-lead fuel. Engine power decreased with the base ZQ3 engine producing 165  bhp (123  kW), the optional L82's output 205  bhp (153  kW), while the 454 big-block engine was discontinued. Gradual power increases after 1975 peaked with the 1980 model's optional L82 producing 230  bhp (172  kW). [9]Styling changed subtly throughout the generation until 1978 for the car's 25th anniversary. The Sting Ray nameplate was not used on the 1968 model, but Chevrolet still referred to the Corvette as a Sting Ray; however, the 1969 (through 1976) models used the â€Å"Stingray† name as one word, without the space. [30]  In 1970, the body design was updated including fender flares, and interiors were refined, which included redesigned seats. Due to government regulation,[citation needed]  the 1973 Corvette's chrome front  bumper  was changed to a 5-mile-per- hour (8  km/h)system with a  urethane  bumper cover. 973 Corvettes are unique in that sense, as they are the only year where the front bumper was polyurethane and the rear retained the chrome two-piece bumper set. 1973 was also the last year chrome bumpers were used. The optional wire-spoked wheel covers (left) were offered for the last time in 1973. From 1974 onwards both the front and rear bumpers were polyurethane. [pic] [pic] 1974 Corvette Stingray Coupe In 1974, a 5-mile-per-hour (8  km/h) rear bumper system with a two-piece, tapering urethane bumper cover replaced the  Kamm-tail  and chrome bumper blades, and matched the new front design from the previous year. 975 was the last year for the convertible, (which did not return for 11 years) and  Dave McLellan  succeeded  Zora Arkus-Duntov  as the Corvette's Chief Engineer. [31]  For the 1976 models the fiberglass floor was replaced with steel panels to provide protection from the  catalytic converter's hi gh  operating temperature. Stingray 15 model years where the names Corvette, Sting Ray, and Stingray were synonymous. 1977 was last year the tunneled roof treatment with vertical back window was used, in addition leather seats were available at no additional cost for the first time.The black exterior color returned after a six-year absence. [32] The 1978 25th Anniversary model introduced the  fastback  glass rear window and featured a new interior and dashboard. Corvette's 25th anniversary was celebrated with the Indy 500 Pace Car limited edition and a Silver Anniversary model featuring silver over gray lower body paint. All 1979 models featured the previous year's pace car seats and offered the front and rear  spoilers  as optional equipment. [13]  In 1980, the Corvette received an integratedaerodynamic  redesign that resulted in a significant reduction in  drag.After several years of weight increases, 1980 Corvettes were lighter as engineers trimmed both body and c hassis weight. [8]  In mid-1981, production shifted from  St. Louis, Missouri  to  Bowling Green, Kentucky, and several two-tone paint options were offered. The 1981 models were the last available with a manual transmission until well into the 1984 production run. In 1982, a fuel-injected engine returned, and a final C3 tribute Collectors Edition featured an exclusive, opening rear window hatch. [8] 1980–1982 [pic] [pic] 1980 Corvette CoupeIn 1980, both front and rear bumper covers were restyled with integrated  aerodynamicspoilers that resulted in a significant reduction in drag and increased radiator air flow. The hood was also restyled. The crossed-flag emblems disappeared from the front fenders and were revised to a more elongated style on the nose and fuel door. L-82 emblems moved from the hood to the front fenders on cars ordered with the optional high performance engine. This was the finale for the L-82, now producing 230  hp (172  kW) but it could not be mated to a 4-speed, as the manual gearbox was offered only with the base engine.The speedometer in all cars read to a maximum of 85  mph (137  km/h), mandated by a new and controversial federal law. Air conditioning became standard, as did the tilt-telescopic steering column, power windows, exterior sport mirrors, and the convenience group. New was an optional roof panel carrier that would mount to the rear  fastback  deck. [31]  Many weight-saving components were introduced including thinner body panels and an aluminum Dana 44 IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) differential and crossmember.The new lighter unit replaced the arguably stronger cast iron GM 10 bolt IRS differential. [30]In line with further weight savings, the aluminum intake manifold associated with L-82 engines since 1978 was now installed in all cars. For the first time, due to California emission considerations, a unique engine application was installed in cars delivered to that state and was mandatory. T his motor was a 305  cu  in (5. 0  L)  V8 engine  rated at 180  hp (134  kW), fitted with new tubular stainless steel exhaust manifolds, and mated to an automatic transmission, also mandatory.The carburetor and ignition timing were controlled by Chevrolet’s new Computer Command Control system. The smaller displacement engine was not available in any other state. California buyers were credited $50 as consolation but had to pay for the California emissions certification which was $250. For comparison, the L-48 350  cu  in (5. 7  L) engine, standard in the other 49 states, was rated at 190  hp (142  kW). The base price increased four times during the model year raising the cost of the car by more than $1,200 to $14,345,24. [3]In 1981, there was only one powerplant available, a 350  cu  in (5. 7  L) engine that, like the L-48 base engine the previous year, produced 190  hp (142  kW), but was now designated the L81. The motor was certified in all states and available with manual or automatic transmissions. Chrome air cleaner lids and cast magnesium valve covers dressed up all engines. The stainless steel exhaust manifolds and computer control system introduced on the 305  cu  in (5. 0  L) California engines the previous year were now standard, as was an auxiliary electric engine cooling fan.This, the last C3 available with a manual transmission, so equipped, had a published 0-60  mph in 8. 1  seconds. This model year was the first to use a plastic rear spring, now a Corvette trademark. The spring saved thirty-six pounds, but was limited to base suspensions with automatic transmission. When equipped with Delco's new optional ETR (Electronically Tuned Receiver) radio with digital clock, the quartz analog instrument panel clock was replaced with an oil temperature gauge. The cast aluminum wheels, optional since ’76, were now ordered on 90 percent of the cars at a cost of $428. 3]  New options included a powe r adjustable driver’s seat and power remote outside mirrors. In mid-1981 production shifted from  St. Louis, Missouri  to  Bowling Green, Kentucky, and several two-tone paint options were offered. [pic] [pic] 1982 Corvette Coupe 1982 saw the debut of the â€Å"Cross-Fire Injection† fuel delivery system. This TBI (Throttle Body Fuel Injection) was not the type of  fuel injection  installed previously in some C1 and C2 Corvettes. It utilized two throttle bodies combined with Chevrolet’s computer control system. 3]  The engine produced 200  hp (149  kW) and was mated to a new four-speed automatic transmission with torque converters bypass in the top three gears. Compared to the previous  Turbo-Hydramatic  3-speed, the new 700-R4 transmission had a lower first and second gear for improved low-end acceleration, and a fourth gear  overdrive  that would reduce engine RPM by 30 percent at highway cruising speeds, resulting in better fuel economy. On the downside, the new transmission was not considered a strong unit and proved problematic. [32]  The final model C3 Corvette's published performance numbers were 0-60 in 7.   seconds-the quarter-mile in 16. 1 @ 85  mph (137  km/h). This was the last year for 8-track tape availability and new â€Å"cross-fire injection† emblems appeared on front fenders. Nose and fuel door crossed-flags emblems changed to a more squared design. Chevrolet knew this would be the last year of an entire generation of Corvettes and so commemorated the occasion by offering a Collector Edition with separate serial number sequencing, silver-beige paint, unique wheels patterned after the 1967 model's bolt-on alloys, and an operable rear hatch window. [33] [edit]Special models

Air Asia Company Analysis

Accounting & Finance TP 023513 UC1F1007BMP (AF) Utari Asmelia Introduction of Management 08 Fall AirAsia Company Analysis Background of AirAsia Company Dato’ Tony Fernandez was the entrepreneur that brought up AirAsia to be the one of the award wining the largest low fare airlines that is currently well known for now in Asia. Since then it has been flying to over 61 domestic and international destination with 108 routes, and furthermore it operates over 400 flights daily from hubs that are basically located in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.Today if we look at their progress, AirAsia has flows over 55million guests across the region and continues to create more extensive route network through its associate companies. The company AirAsia furthermore belives in the no-frills, hassle-free, low fare business concept and feels that keeping costs low requires a specific element of high efficiency in every oart of their business. So, as we know, through the corporate philosophy whi ch stands that â€Å"Now Everyone Can Fly†.AirAsia Berhad is a Asia’s aeroplane largest low-fare, no frills airline and a pionner of low cost travel in Asia. AirAsia group operates scheduled domestic and international flights to over 400 destinations already spanning 25 countries. Its main hub is the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Its affilate airlines Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia respectively. AirAsia won the Skytrax World’s best low-cost airline award in 2009 and 2010. It has the world’s lowest operating costs at $0. 35/seat-kilometre in 2010. It is also the first airline in the region to implement fully ticketless air travel system. THE HISTORY OF AIRASIA CO. AirAsia was established in 1993 and commenced operations on 18 November 1996. It was originally founded by a government-owned conglomerate DRB-Hincom. On 2 December 2001, the heabily-indebted airline was purchased by former Time Warner executive Tony Fernandes’s company Tune Air Sdn Bhd for the token sum of one ringgit. This was after great deliberation was the initial offer was fifty sen.Fernandes proceeded to engineer a remarkable turnaround, turning profit in 2002 and launching new routes from its hub in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at breakneck speed, undercutting former monopoly operator Malaysia Airlines with promotional fares as low as RM 1 (US$0. 27). MEGA ENVIRONMENT i) International Elements Based on the history of these company, on August 2006, Airasia took over Malaysia Airlines’s Rural Air Service routes in Sabah and Sarawak, operating under the FlyAsianXpress brand, the routes were subsequently returned back to MASwings a year later citing commercial reasons.AirAsia’s CEO Tony Fernandes subsequently unveiled a five-year plan to further enhance its presence in Asia. Today, AirAsia has strengthen and enhance its route network by connecting all the existing cities in the region and expanding further into Indochina, Indonesia, Southern China (Kun Ming), Xiamen, Shenzen) and India. The airline focused on developing its hubs in Bangkok and Jakarta through its sister companies, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia Airasia. Hence, with increase frequency and addition of new routes, AirAsia expects passenger volume to hit 18 million by end-2007.Now, AirAsia has some pathways and more wide network. For demography sectors, AirAsia has more than 558 million inhabitants (ASEAN countries) and over 3 billions with China and India. ii) Economic Elements AirAsia Economic Analysis A successful example of a Malaysian no frills airline is AirAsia. Revolutionized and Reinvented by Tony Fernandez in 2001, like I told before it is based on the low-cost, no-frills model of the US carrier Southwest. The concept of AirAsia is based on the belief that demands for short-haul air transport is price flexible.That means, if prices for flights are being reduced, more people will fly. Traditionally, airline concepts are based on the assumption that airline traffic grows in line with the economy and that cutting prices will only lead to a decrease in revenues. With the introduction of the ‘no frills’ concept to the Malaysian market, AirAsia has proven this theory wrong and goes from strength to strength by actually increasing the size of the market and more recently by taking away passengers from the major airline competitors.With its expending strategy as objectives to reach excellent standard around the world, marketing in Asia has been the key player to achieve success. AirAsia is one of the business that have successfully adopted cost leadership through operational effectiveness and efficiency. The cost advantages have enabled AirAsia to become the Asia’s leading low fare airline. AirAsia has successfully positioned itself in customer’s mind. Its net profit for the second quarter ending 31 December 2004 was reported RM 44. 4 million, a 323% increase over t he previous quarter.AirAsia until today has flown more than 55 million passengers in and around Asia. AirAsia has also ventured into other market that complemets with the airlines business. It has started franchises like the tunes hotels and red box couriers to gain maximum efficiency in and around the airline business. There’s economic aspects which AirAsia did: * AirAsia holds 49% of Thai AirAsia with 1% held by a Thai individual. The remaining 50% is held by Shin Corp. , owned by the former Thailand prime minster, Thaksin Shinawatra. Shin Corp. as financial strength, synergy in information technology and telecomunications, which support AirAsia Internet and mobile phone bookings. * National Trends: Malaysia’s economy may expand as little as 4 percent in 2009, growth will probably be between 5 percent and 5. 5 percent this year, below the official 2008 forecast of 5. 7 percent. * Real GDP % Growth forecast is from 5. 1 in 2008 to 1. 4 in 2009. * The inflation rate ma y fall below 4 percent before the second half of 2009 * Unemployment has remained constant at an average of 3. 6% in July 2008 to 3. 1% in Oct. 2008.However, the global credit crisis has raised fears that â€Å"the unemployment rate could double to 6 per cent by 2010 if global demand remains weak†> * International trends: * Malaysia ranks 20th for its ease of doing business out if a total of 181 economies surveyed in the World Bank Doing Business 2009 report. * International global credit crisis has resulted in increasing unemployment and ‘global trade will shrink by 9 percent this year’ * Asian governments are defending less national-flag carriers; in order to revitalize under used airports and increase tourism spending. ii) Technological element AirAsia Company has also used technological sectors to improve their quality work and give best services for all customers. If we can look at advertising side, AirAsia used information technology to make customers easy find the flight they wants. AirAsia has also used Online-Booking System to buy or just booking for flights. It has good way promotion and offers with the low-price surely, some information we can accessed as soon. All the things we need, we just can booking first such as foods and drinks, also available on during our flight.With this strategic move, AirAsia is able to focus on the factors that actually bring value to customer, such as point-to-point travel system, easy reservation system, and etc. This will help AIrAsia, reduce the cost and at the same time, increase the value for customers – Value Innovation. It has synergy in information technology and telecommunications, which support AirAsia Internet and mobile phone bookings. ShinCorp. allows subscribers of the Shin mobile phone flagship, Advanced Information Service, being able toreserve tickets through its short-messaging service (SMS).In aeroplane cabinet, AirAsia was used Airbuss, Boeing, ATR and others sizeable for flight. Technological aspect specifics are : * Ticket-less travel and ‘e-tickets’ have lowered distribution costs. * AirAsia has the youngest fleet in Asia with the new Airbus A330-300; allowing state-of-the-art technology and high fuel efficiency. * Information and communications technology (ICT) has allowed AirAsia to reduce operating costs and provide fast, efficient service in areas including: check flight schedules, book seats, electronic check-in, and pre-order meals. New low cost terminal to be opened in Labu, Malaysia by 2011 will incorporate modern technology, more shops and be privately owned, resulting inn lower airport taxes and fares and reduced government bureaucracy. iv) Sociocultural element AirAsia Company creating and developing a social culture takes time and effort and a new motive driven company such as AirAsia has to develop me method on how to connect with the society’s lifestyle , demographics, and media. For lifestyle sectors, AirAsia Com pany has a magazine, we can took at the flight, and their company.If we look at huge views, there’s another socialize point. They are as : * Demographics: * Ethnic: Malay50. 4% Chinese23. 7% Indigenous11% Indian7. 1% Others7. 8% * Religions: Muslim60. 4% Buddhist19. 2% Christian 9. 1% Hindu 6. 3% Other traditional Chinese 2. 6% Unknown 1. 5% None 0. 8% * Languages:Bahasa Malaysia (Official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai. * Air Asia operates in SE Asia with many countries and languages. SE Asian countries have diverse cultures and religions; troubles continue particularly on the Thai-Malaysian border and Indonesia. * Individualism is less common than cooperation in Asian business values. * Acceptance of laws and rules can vary; many Indonesians, for example, rarely abide to baggage allowance rules and these rules are seldom enforced due to corruption and indolence. * Urbanization: 7 out of the top 10 most populated cities in the world (>14 million) are predicted to be in Asia by 2015, according to the UN. Over 80% of AirAsia’s tickets are sold on-line; thus, eliminating travel agent fees.V) Political elements Political Analysis mainly states about the aviation acts and regulation which needed by aviation company such as AirAsia to operate their business. The political arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses and the spending power of consumers and other businesses. Political stability is inessential to create a safe economy market that enables the market to grow. Political issues may cause problems in the outcome of the company. Some of the political factors that may affect a company are events that affect the operation of the company; therefore regarding an aviation company.It has happens as Air Asia. Air Asia political events will affect the results as well. Political aspects include some points by AirAsia Company. They are : * Political uncer tainty in Malaysia with Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi set to step down in March 2009. * Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak is expected to take over the ruling-coalition party, but with a cloud of allegations. * Political unrest in Thailand recently when anti-government protesters recently blocked flights for a week at Bangkok’s main airports. * ASEAN nations have been pushing Indonesia to scrap its Rp. million ‘Fiscal’ charge to all Indonesian citizens and expatriates when leaving the Republic of Indonesia either for business, education or tourism. * Resurgence of violence in Southern Thailand – Northern Malaysian border. * Malaysia granted exploration rights in oil-rich waters off the coast of Borneo; increased tensions with Indonesia. * Terrorism has occurred in Thailand and Indonesia, most notably the Bali bomb of 2002. A. WHY AIRASIA NEED TO CONSIDER A STRATEGY MANAGEMENT? The first reason is because the airline industry is a unique and complex industr y.Based on the statement, the complexity and unique of the airline industry, AirAsia need to come out with the greatest strategy to compete with their rival in the same industry. Without the right strategic management, its possible AirAsia could not be able be compete with the complex business environment the airline industry. Furthermore, the second reason why AirAsia need to consider a strategic management because in a company nowadays, general management which the process of achieving organizational goals by engaging in the four major functions. There are : * Planning * Organizing Leading * Controling It may not sufficient and supportive for the organization succed in the world of complex environments. It concerns about the process to manage the company internally but do not concentrate more on creating competitiveness regarding environments affecting the organization. In addition, the third reason, this is because strategic management becomes important in AirAsia due to the foll owing reasons. The first reason why strategic management becomes important is because the globalization. The globalization consideration impacts virtually all-strategic decisions in a company.The globalization also forced AirAsia Company to survival for business. Too see and appreciate the world from the perspective of others has become a matter of survival business. The current issues in AirAsia Company AirAsia Company are more focused in the competition of the cost among an airplane industry. AirAsia as an industry company which is more focusing in the low cost carrier airplane industry need to consider to make the lowest possible cost to compete with the other competitors in their airplane industry. To achieve the lowest possible cost, AirAsia Company has some strategy to achieve it.B. HOW TO IMPLEMENT AND ACHIEVE IT? With there believes to make a low possible fare for to the customer, AirAsia was cbecoming an Airline company that is chosen by so many customers. The best philosop hy of AirAsia ‘now everyone can fly’ means to giving an opportunity to all the people to flight with the lowest possible fare and making them can flight even the only have the less money. Why AirAsia more stressed to be low cost carrier in airline industry? * AirAsia believes to compete in the airline industry, it must be cost-efficient and profitable, and it must create value.Cost that do not add value must contained, reduced and even eliminated. * Demand for low cost carrier (LCC) industry will keep growing rapidly. * And than the best philosophy of AirAsia ‘now everyone can fly’ means to giving an opportunity all the people to flight with the lowest possible fare. AirAsia SWOT analysis The purpose of this analysis are for identify the internal and external factor that AirAsia need to consider to be low cost carrier in airplane industry. There are : 1. Strengths * AirAsia has a very strong management team with strong links with governments and airline ind ustry leaders. The management team is also very good in strategy formulation and execution. * AirAsia’s brand name is well established in Asia Pacific. * AirAsia is the low cost leader in Asia. * The excellent utilization of IT. 2. Weaknesses * AirAsia does not have its own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. * AirAsia receives a lot complaint from customers on their service. 3. Opportunities * There are 2 major events that are taking place now or going to take place in less than 6 months from now. * There is also some opportunity to partner with other low cost airlines. The population of Asian middle class will be reaching almost 700 million by 2010. 4. Threats * Certain rates like airport departure, security charges and landing charges are beyond the control of airline operators. * AirAsia’s profit margin is about 30% and this has already attracted many competitors. * Users perception that budget airlines may compromise safety to keep costs low. In concl usion, the SWOT analysis that AirAsia have is on of the major component to make AirAsia more strength in their business and can make they are able to compete with the same low cost carrier airline industry.The strategy that AirAsia was implementing to make they are being a successful in low cost carrier and can compete with other competitors in this field of business are : 1. Maximized IT and implementing E-commerce in AirAsia business. 2. Operation effectiveness and outstanding efficiency 3. Implemented outsourcing in their business Conclusion : The competition among airplane industries is very tough. Each of Airplanes Company in the world trying to conduct some strategies to compete with another competitor in their industry.To compete with their competitor in the business environment, a company needs to make a strategy to achieve their long terms objectives and can be successful for doing their business. The strategic management becomes important due to the following reason such a s globalization to survival their business, and than e-commerce become the critical success to the company nowadays. A company needs to consider the company ability and how to integrating it with the as well as main factor in the internal and external factor. DO YOU THINK THE CHOSEN ORGANIZATION WILL BE SUCCESSFUL UNDER THE CURRENT LEADER IN THE FUTURE? WHY OR WHY NOT?Absolutely yes, I believe AirAsia Company would be make some progress in the future. Based on the fact we know before, AirAsia Company has a lot achievement and awards until now. AirAsia is one of the leader to Low-Cost Carrier Airlines with its best slogan ‘ Now everyone can fly ‘. It such as, new innovation for business world today’s. Lets look at AirAsia statements for future plan. Forward-Looking AirAsia statements Such forward looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Group’s present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Group will operat e in the future.The AirAsia’s future overall business development and economic performance : * The Group’s estimated financial information regarding, and the future development and economic performance of, its business. * The Group’s future earnings, cash flow and liquidity * The Group’s potential growth opportunities, including its route expansion plans and potential joint ventures; the amount and nature of future fleet growth 9including the proposed acquisition of up to 80 new aircraft from Airbus or Boeing consisting of 40 purchase obligastions and 40 purchase options), airport investment and other capital expenditures required by the Group. The Group’s financing plans, business strategy, competitive position and effects of competition; the airline industry environment, including future prices and demand for air travel and future prices and supply of aircraft, jet fuel and spare parts * The regulatory environment and effects of the future regula tion, including the liberalization of the commercial aviation industry in Southeast Asia and the effects of future regulation. According to the forward-looking statements by AirAsia Company.It shown that AirAsia Company making some future plan for improve its business. We could look at AirAsia Company Strategic Management running so well. For additionally, if you haven’t really heard much about AirAsia yet, never fear: according to the CEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes, the whole world will be flying AirAsia soon. Fernandes really loves his airline and has huge plans for it. The first low cost carrier in Asia, coming out of Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia has been flying for over 10 years now and is ready to conquer the world.Fernandes dreams of making the AirAsia brand as big as Coca-Cola Company and the airline’s reach as significant as European LCC Ryanair. Thus, I think all his plan are possible to realize. And for me, AirAsia Company is good inspiration for who those want to improve or follow its business journey. HARVARD REFERENCING Based on, Amandak. , 2008, AirAsia Boss Has Really Big Plan [online], Malaysia, Available from http://www. jaunted. com/story/2008/3/24/201251/894/travel/AirAsia+Boss+Has+Really+Big+Plans, [Accessed 25th March 2008] Sen Ze & Jayne Ng 2008, Air Asia The Story, 2nd edition,