Top 4 Activities to Reach Reluctant Readers

We have all had those students who have a love for reading, and the ones who dont. There may be many factors that correlate with why some students are reluctant to read. The book may be too hard for them, parents at home may not actively encourage reading, or the student is just not interested in what they are reading. As teachers, it is our job to help nurture and develop a love of reading in our students. By employing strategies and creating a few fun hands-on activities, we can motivate students to want to read, and not just because we make them read. The following four hands-on reading activities will encourage even the most reluctant readers to be excited about reading: Storia for iPad Technology today is unbelievable! There are so many ways to make books exciting that Scholastic book clubs decided to join in on the fun of ebooks! This app is exciting because not only is it free to download, but the amenities seem endless! There are literally thousands of books to download, from picture books to chapter books. Storia offers interactive read aloud books, a built-in highlighter and dictionary, along with learning activities to accompany the book. If you give a student the opportunity to choose a hands-on book of their choice, you will see it is a powerful way to encourage even the most reluctant reader. Record Students Reading Books Allowing children to choose what they want to read based upon their own interests will encourage them to want to read. A fun activity to try is to let the student select a book of their choice and record them reading the book aloud. Then play back the recording and have the student follow along to their voice. Research has shown that when students listen to themselves read, their reading becomes better. This is the perfect activity to add to your learning centers. Place a tape recorder and several different books in the reading center and allow students to take turns taping themselves read. Teacher Read Aloud Listening to stories from a teacher may be one of a students favorite parts of the school day. To instill this kind of passion for reading with your students, give them the opportunity to choose which book you read to the class. Choose two or three books that you feel are appropriate for your students and let them vote on the best one. Try to sway the vote towards the students who you know are the reluctant ones to read. Have a Scavenger Hunt Games are a fun way to engage students in learning while still having fun. Try creating a classroom scavenger hunt where each team has to read the clues to find out where the items they are searching for are. The students that do not like to read will not even realize they are practicing their reading skills.

The Return Of Depression Economics And The Crisis - 977 Words

Paul Krugman an American economist, Nobel Prize Winner and Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and is ranked among the most influential economic thinkers in the US.1 In his book The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 Krugman examines the economic crisis of 2008. He asserts that there were many tale tell signs and warnings throughout history that could have mitigated the crisis. Krugman contends that through history all financial crisis had common elements. The panic of 1907, the Great Depression, the Savings and Loan problems in the 1980’s, the Latin American Crisis and the Asian Crisis of the 1990’s all shared the†¦show more content†¦Greenspan and a bi-partisan congress, the Glass-Steagall Act which was initiated in 1933 to separate and regulate commercial banks and investment banks differently was repealed, thus allowing commercial banks to act like investment banks with little oversight.3 Without regulation to worry them, banks found a favorable environment to take on more risk than otherwise allowed. This leads into the answer of why banks would loan to people of poor risk. With loose regulations investment banks were buying MBS’s from banks and mortgage brokers, repackaging and reselling them to institutional investors, insurance companies, pension funds, university endowments and hedge funds.4 Without worrying about if or when a borrower would default on a loan, banks and mortgage brokers qualified people for loans who would under normal circumstances would never qualify. After September 11, 2001 Allen Greenspan lowered interest rates, resulting in a frenzy of new home loans between 2001 and 2004. Many mortgages financed with a variable interest rate to people who bought much more home than needed at a time when home values had already increased at an unsustainable rate. Borrowers not acting responsibly, overleveraged themselves with teaser rates and low down payments, achieving the American dream had never been so easy. Banks and mortgage brokers were incented to approve as many mortgages as possible as they were making money on both ends. A buyer paid originationShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 1078 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, Paul Krugman warns us that America’s gloomy future might parallel those of other countries. Like diseases that are making a stronger, more resistant comeback, the causes of the Great Depression are looming ahead and much more probable now after the great housing bubble in 2002. In his new and revised book, he emphasizes even more on the busts of Japan and the crises in Latin America (i.e: Argentina), and explains how and why several specificRead MoreThe Return Of Depression Economics1437 Words   |  6 Pages2008 Economics Noble Prize winner and Princeton University professor, Paul Krugman, translates the roots of modern and prior financial crisis economics. 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Lab Report Template Free Essays

————————————————- [Overtype title of experiment here] ————————————————- Experiment conducted on [overtype date of experiment here] ————————————————- ————————————————- ————————————————- Module title: EUC_4_005 Design and Practice ————————————————- Occurrence Number: [Overtype your occurrence Number here] ——†”—————————————- Lab Group Number: [Overtype your lab group number here] ————————————————- Course: [Overtype name of course here] ————————————————- ————————————————- Student Name: [Overtype your name here] ————————————————- Student Number: [Overtype student number here] [overtype month and year here] London South Bank University Department of Urban Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Science and the Built Environment 103 Borough Road, London, SE1 0AA www. lsbu. ac. We will write a custom essay sample on Lab Report Template or any similar topic only for you Order Now uk Contents The tables of contents for main text, tables and figures below are created by field codes. Do not edit them, but press F9 to update them. This red text is non-printing text Contents2 List of Tables2 List of Figures2 List of Appendices2 Summary3 Chapter 1Introduction4 Notes on writing the report4 Notes on using the template4 Chapter 2Apparatus and experimental procedure6 ApParatus6 Experimental Procedure6 Chapter 3Calculations and results7 Chapter 4Analysis and Discussion8 Chapter 5Conclusion9 References10 List of Tables Table 1. 1 This is table title style5 List of Figures Figure 1. This is figure title style5 List of Appendices Type below the Appendix letter and title of appendix for any appendices you have created in the manner as per the example below. If you have not used any Appendices, delete this part of the contents. This red text is non-printing text Appendix ATitle of Appendix A Summary You need to provide a structured summary of no more than 200 words. Write up to two sent ences against each of the parts of the abstract as indicated below. Aim of the experiment: summarise the aim of the experiment Methodology: the equipment and methodology employed Results: key results obtained Conclusion: your thoughts on what you achieved Introduction This chapter should explain the aims and objectives of the laboratory experiment and then briefly highlight the theory and background of the subject, and the relevancy and possible applications of the experiment. Refer to and cite relevant references. You should provide an overview of what is to come in the rest of the report in the final paragraph. You should save a copy of this template for reference purposes as it provides instructions on how to use the template. You should then use the template by overtyping. The rest of this chapter provides instruction on the use of the template. You should print a copy of the template as it now stands and this will from your ‘instruction manual’ for using the template. The you can overtype into the template. Notes on writing the report The laboratory report must use this template, be readable, informative and supported by high quality diagrams, graphs, tables as required. Write the report in the passive voice (as you have been taught in communications classes. Pay close attention to grammar and spelling. Use the past tense for describing the test that was undertaken, and the present tense for the outcomes and conclusions, again, as you have been taught in the communications classes. Always complete your report in good time and give it a very good proof read before submission. Although the laboratory data, and maybe some laboratory observations, are the same for all members of your laboratory group, make sure that the report represents your own thoughts, and in particular, the calculations and results, discussion and analysis, and conclusions should be your very own. Do not copy anything from either the laboratory sheets, other people or other sources. This is theft (also called plagiarism) and will not be tolerated. You should never need to include quotes from other sources. We do not usually do this in technical writing. If, however, you think you have to copy a sentence from somewhere else, then you should make clear that it is copied by putting it in speech marks and quoting the reference source and include it in the list of references in the references section. Notes on using the template Styles This template uses styles The template uses styles and the following list summarises the names and specification of each style: Chapter heading (Style: Heading 1): verdana 12pt bold block capitals, keep with next line. Subheading (Style: Heading 2): verdana 10pt bold block capitals, keep with next line. Subheading (Style: Heading 3): verdana 10pt bold, keep with next line. Abstract text (Style: normal): verdana 10pt single line spacing. Main body text (Style: numbered para): verdana 10pt 1. 5 line spacing, paragraph numbers, one line spacing at end of paragraph. Bullet points (Style: bullet points: verdana 10pt 1. line spacing. Table text (Style: Table): verdana 9pt single line spacing. Figure title (Style: Figure Title): verdana 10pt bold, keep with next line. Table title (Style: table Title): verdana 10pt bold, keep with next line. Margins 2. 5cm all round. Page number at the bottom centre of each page. Styles are selected from the boxes in the home tab. Chapter numbers are generat ed automatically. Table and figure numbers need to be typed in manually. It is usual to number them with the chapter number followed by a full stop followed by a consecutive number within each chapter. To work with styles, you should work in WORD with the paragraph mark ( ¶) showing. Losing the paragraph number may occur if you hit the carriage return twice. Simply select the text where the paragraph number has been last and reselect the style â€Å"numbered para†. Tables and Figures To insert a table use the usual ‘Table’ option from the ‘insert’ menu, then select the table and convert it to the ‘Table’ style. To look neat, ensure the margins of the table are within the margins of the text and carefully choose which borders to mark with lines. Use ‘Table Title’ style for table titles. Table 1. 1 This is table title style | Description| Description| Row title| Data| Data| Row title| Data| Data| Total| total| Total| Figure titles use the Figure title style. The paragraph the figure is inserted against should be in ‘Normal’ style. Figure 1. 1 This is figure title style It is best to centre the figure, and to si ze it so that it is within the margins of the text. Note that every table and figure should be introduced in the text before it occurs. It should then be commented on and evaluated in the text after it has occurred. You are the writer, you cannot expect the reader to interpret the tables and figures: that is your job as the writer. Apparatus and experimental procedure ApParatus List and describe the apparatus and other relevant background equipment used to perform the experiment. A diagram or photograph with superimposed names of parts may help. Experimental Procedure You should describe the procedure that you followed to perform the laboratory experiment. In particular, mention differences from the anticipated procedure as described on the handout. For example, you may need to explain in finer detail than is described on the laboratory briefing sheet the complexity of operation of the laboratory experiment. You should detail the assessments of risk that may have been undertaken before undertaking the laboratory, together with the approach taken to minimise the probability of those risks occurring and the magnitude of any consequences of them occurring. You may also need to illustrate the experimental procedure. Calculations and results This section should report all essential calculations using the appropriate formulae and units. If there are repeated calculations, then show only one typical calculation on the data obtained from the experiment and present this result with the other results obtained from, for example, your use of a spreadsheet. Any detailed and lengthy calculations should be attached as an appendix. In this section, you are expected to present the data and results in tables, graphs, and the results from spreadsheets as appropriate indicating the major results obtained from such experiment. Analysis and Discussion In this section, which is the most important part of your report, you should present a thorough examination of your results and the behaviour of the test as well as tested materials, and you should compare that with the theoretical and ‘standard’ values and behaviour stated in related sources such as textbooks and manuals. You should also state the main outcomes in terms of your learning from the experiment and any reflections on your knowledge. Conclusion and Recommendations The conclusions should be brief and stated in concise statements based on your analysis and discussion. It is important to refer to the major findings and results by values. It may be suitable to mention here any possible improvements to the experiment and its outcome and any possible further work or investigations. References The reference list should contain an alphabetical listing of reference sources according to References should be in accordance with help sheet 30, available from the following url: http://www. lisa. lsbu. ac. uk/helpsheets/hs30. pdf. * * Appendix A Title of the appendix (For raw data, laboratory observations and detailed calculations). * How to cite Lab Report Template, Papers

Making it in America free essay sample

In the article Making it in America Adam Davidson takes time to interview different employees at Standard Motor Products to determine how it is treating them and how factories are changing in time. Adam is receiving a tour of the plant by manager Tony Scalzitti where he sees many factory workers in blue lab coats, hair nets, and protective eyewear. This is where Adam first runs into Madelyn Parlier. Madelyn Parlier was a 22-year-old woman working in the assembly line at the factory. Her occupation was seemed to be an unskilled job and didn’t require much education or experience. It was all about quickness and effectiveness for Madelyn and that was something she was great at. Madelyn grew up in Greenville, SC and was attending high school and planning on going to college when she got pregnant her senior year. Because of this she couldn’t go to college so like most people there she got a job working at the local Standard factory. We will write a custom essay sample on Making it in America or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Madelyn’s job was to run the laser-wielding machine. aAll she did was place the parts in the machine and press a button for them to be wielded and if correct a green light appears and she passes the part to the next line in process. With this being such an unskilled job there is always that chance of Madelyn being replaced by a robotic arm or machinery that can do this job for her and in turn create less wages for the company to pay for. Over the last 30 years employment of people in factories have gone down 1/3 because of machinery and computers taking their places in line. They are more productive and less cost effective than a worker. Then Adam meets up with a new skilled employee Luke Hutchins who operates the machinery on the weekends. Luke’s job is considered a skilled job because he had to attend 6 semesters of college to learn the computers language to be able to work the machinery. Luke operates a few machines at a time constantly checking the fuel injectors to make sure the machines are cutting the parts just perfect. His job is secure and can’t be replaced by a computer for the time being. Adam tracks down the owners of Standard and finds out they are based out of Long Island City, Queens. There Adam discovers the history of the company and how a man named Elias Fife a Jewish immigrant first set up the company. Through time other similar competitors had to sell or close and Standard stuck out through the times and had to sell its main building in NY to other locations to cut on costs. The company almost went bankrupt in the 1990s but managed to stay afloat and is now one of the biggest aftermarket manufacturing companies in the world. Adam sits in a meeting with two engineers from the company John Gasiewski and Marty Doelger. They where going over a new crankshaft sensor and figuring out if it would be a benefit for the company to start to produce them. They in turn said it was very cost effective to start to produce them because they weren’t as finely shaped as the fuel injectors and could be produced at on of the offshore factories. Although this benefits the company it also takes jobs away from America and moves them offshore. Overall Adam discovered how much job opportunities in factories have been declining over the last couple of years. Whether it be to new machinery coming in to do someone’s job or bringing the work offshore so Americans don’t have the opportunity to work. Something is going to have to change or at some point it will all be machinery running the factories.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty Technology free essay sample

On a smaller scale, many technologies create distractions In everyday life that harm productivity. Advanced technology in business, law enforcement, and the medical field has made the world a less secure place to live. Although technology has shortened the time in which it takes and employer to communicate with an employee, business technology also yields many downfalls. First of all, digital communication between co-workers about a project may prove to be unreliable because lack of face to face communication can cause misinterpretation of Ideas and thought processes.In example, electronic mall messages contain words with no context to emotion. An employee who receives a message will interpret the message according to his personal Judgment, without regard to how the sender intended it to be interpreted. Lack of face to face communication diminishes the ability to pick up on visual cues, which increases the probability of disputes among workers. Additionally, technology In the workplace can create a distraction from the business (Morley). We will write a custom essay sample on With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilty: Technology or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Advancements In phones allow Individuals to play games and use social media anywhere quickly and with ease. Such advancements become problems when tasks are not completed in the allotted amount of time and employers lose profits or products (Morley). Also, with faster and easier communication, private company information can be easily shared or given out to the public without official consent. Information that is supposed to remain private can eventually lead to lawsuits for all parties Involved.Continuing, any Information on a database can be hacked and changed in a matter of minutes (Velvet). In Jobs that do not require brainstorming or human Interaction, companies are ruining to robots to complete tasks in factories or, more recently, to act as pharmacists, lawyers, drivers, astronauts, store clerks, babysitters, rescuers, and sportswriters (Aquinas). Using robots has numerous advantages such as increased productivity and little cost to the employer after installation.However, downfalls such as massive unemployment to the human race and increased pollution will occur once robots are put Into place. Business technology can be beneficial If used correctly, but more times than not technology causes more stress and distraction to the working environment. With advancements in technology, the United States has an increased ability to track enemies and use satellite imagery to make attack plans in foreign fields. However, the united States enemies also have the same ability (Goodman). Instead and night vision goggles to carry out their tasks. In one instance, terrorists used search engines To identify individual hostages and to determine Who should live or and who should die (Goodman). In recent years, terrorists have been looking through social media sites and news broadcasts in order to threaten the lives of more villains after initial attacks (Goodman). Within North America, drug dealers were using cell phones and their own radio communications to communicate with cartels before it was popular for the mainstream population to do so (Goodman).Although advanced, law enforcement agencies are slow at catching new kinds of crime because they are trained to look for other abuses of the law. By using advancements in technology, criminals abroad and at home are able to carry out their tasks in a short amount of time with little intervention from the law. Medicinal technologies have helped us treat cancer and other diseases. However, many ill side effects have come from technology. DNA can now be sent to computers and the molecular compounds can be printed in a virtual printer. Marc Goldman, global security adviser, reveals that DNA is like a computer operating system that can be hacked by criminals. Such hackings could change viruses and diseases like HON. into resistant strains that could harm the entire population of the world. Additionally, advancements in medicine have already lead to resistant strains of viruses and pathogens that effect humans food. For example, in 2012, there were at east 12 outbreaks of salmonella tainted food and in previous years many outbreaks have been associated with major fast food chains (CDC).Also, advancements in food have made it easier to store food for long amounts of time. Fast food companies have developed a process that enables meat to be kept for a longer amount of time without spoilage. However, by changing the compounds of a substance, this long lasting food has little nutritional value. One third of all Americans are obese (Food). When the economy is on a downward slope, people start making decisions about none and food is generally the first cut back.Generally, packaged processed food is cheaper to buy than fresh fruits and vegetables because it can be mass produced. It makes sense to say that if money is tight, that family or group of people is more likely to become obese because of their unhealthy diet (Food). The negative effects of technological advancements in business, law enforcement, and food all combine to make the world a less secure place to live. The whole system is a cause and effect wave that can potentially hurt any society or country that falls victim to it.

Pros and Cons of Homeschooling for Military Families

Pros and Cons of Homeschooling for Military Families With military families changing duty stations an average of six to nine times over a 20-year career, homeschooling has a distinct appeal. Ensuring that military kids get a high-quality education can be challenging. It’s no secret that states may have discrepancies in educational requirements (though Common Core serves to narrow these gaps) and this can lead to gaps or repetition in a child’s education. While there are programs in place to help children keep consistency in their academic journey, there are no guarantees. As a result, some military families end up thinking about whether part-time or full-time homeschooling might provide a workable solution.   Parents considering making the switch to homeschooling should consider the pros and cons of this form of education before leaving traditional schooling behind. Homeschooling Benefits Homeschooling allows children to follow an individualized learning plan. Whether you decide to use a correspondence program or complete your own lesson plans, you can work at a pace that fits your child’s unique learning style. And if your children have different approaches and strengths in school, you can use different curriculum providers for different members of the family. Homeschooling also provides flexibility for families. If youre facing a military move in the middle of the school year, no problem! You decide when â€Å"summer† vacation occurs. You can give your child three one-month breaks throughout the year, a standard three-month summer, or whatever works for your family. To keep the kids on track, give them a book list to read on your travels, and let them prepare a presentation on their favorite. With homeschooling, the curriculum progresses consistently at your child’s unique learning rate, no matter where you are. From Germany to Lewis-McCord, you’re covered on every base! This is a huge benefit for military families. Many home teaching and correspondence programs have online options that allow you to connect to top-tier teaching facilities. Homeschooling Challenges One of the great things about school is the social interactions they allow children to have with peers. Homeschooling a child limits these interactions, but, fortunately, many military bases have activities and camps that allow kids to connect with one another. You can also get involved with a local place of worship or community recreation facility to find opportunities for children to get out of the house and meet new friends. You may also be able to get together with other homeschooling families, which will give the kids an opportunity to socialize or work on team projects. Parents who homeschool also face the challenge of deciding whether theyre equipped to teach their children a variety of subjects. Many people struggle in at least one subject area, and some states have determined that parents should be qualified to teach their children. As a result, they have implemented homeschool parent qualification requirements. Make sure you meet these requirements before you start down the homeschool path. If you struggle in a certain area, a correspondence or distance learning program might make more sense for that subject. If several subjects are difficult for you, homeschooling may not be a good fit for your family at all. It’s all about knowing your own limits and doing what’s best for your children. That said, if there are other homeschooling families nearby, you may be able to rely on other parents’ strengths in areas where you’re a little weaker, and vice versa. Keep in mind that should you be reassigned to a different city, youll likely lose access to these parents. Finally, homeschooling your children may mean they miss out on college scholarships from participating in sports or other extracurricular activities. However, changing duty stations in the middle of high school might have the same effect. To help your teens qualify for college scholarships, you may want to consider enrolling them in community college courses and programs that will demonstrate their initiative and academic ability instead.

Critique paper Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique paper - Article Example The article provides the reader with a response from the CEO of Disney to the member of congress, which was meant to ridicule him for not getting his facts straight (Mangu-Ward 1). This paper will criticize the article, and mention some of the crucial aspects the reader needs to note. The author provides sufficient evidence to support the issues raised by the member of congress. This is through direct quotes that are recorded in the article from the member of congress. The author’s thought processes are brought out through the interpretation she offers the reader. This assists in bringing the reader to one conclusion about what goes on in many of the corporations present, but ensuring the reader understands that Disney is not among them. This is done by the author through the evidence the Disney CEO provides about what goes on (Mangu-Ward 1). It is not clear if the author will gain anything through favouring either party. It is; therefore, fair to say that the author was not biased in any way. The overall message from the author is logical because, it brings out what happens in many multi-national corporations, and how they do it. It is through the evidence provided that one can see the application in the real world (Mangu-Ward 1). It is possible for this to happen in today’s society with the advancement in technology. Corporations are guilty of putting their profits above the people’s interests. As a reader, one has to agree with the suggestions put across in the article. Social sites are examples that may assist an individual comprehend the situation better. These sites ask for personal details, and act as a passage for this information. People on social networks need to be wary of the issues that may come up with providing such information. In conclusion, the issue of what happens to privacy once individuals decide to be part of the technological world should be given thought. This may ensure individuals are safe and enjoy

Outcomes in Proffessional Nursing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Outcomes in Proffessional Nursing - Assignment Example However, several global governance and policy issues control the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services in global perspective. Kruk (2010) in the article highlights the entrance of private institutions and multi-stakeholders in the healthcare industry. On the one hand, it has resulted in greater funding and equity availability in global healthcare governance, it has also created gaps in the traditional centralized and currently demanded non-centralized decision making environment at healthcare desk. Latest and complex technologies have facilitated the scope of healthcare service but also rippled the cross-national health markets as focus shifts from local to global health. Increased global disparities among nations gave rise to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in which 189 countries became signatories. With this, eradication of poverty, gender inequality, diseases and supporting countries with vulnerable health systems became the tenets of better health performance. In this regard, the role of entities involved namely private institutions, nurses, government and issues surrounding their functioning like their composition, degree of control and autonomy, training and development and geographical and cultural factors; has been highlighted by Kabene et al. (2006). Healthcare services are marked by professionalism, dedication and expert service and as claimed by the authors, human resources management in this regard should enjoy a strategic position with considerable amount of decision making freedom, decentralized working environment and multifaceted professionals with understanding of finance, marketing and other domains which could help them nurture a culture supporting global health agenda. In the light of above findings, it becomes crystal clear that responsibility and accountability is going to rise in professional nursing practice. Apart from normal care, nurses are now entrusted with

QIP6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

QIP6 - Essay Example Yet this does not mean that humans are doing a positive job in providing food and education for themselves. For example, and from my health promotion class, we studied that when it comes to providing food, humans have started to consume more unhealthy food such as fast food and less healthy food such as fruits and vegetables. This necessarily has a negative impact upon health. To Hispanic and African American citizens in the United States, who mostly live in poorer neighborhoods, the availability of money and access to buy healthy food does not always exist. Moreover, due to the fact that less healthful food is invariably presented at a lower cost, these stakeholders prefer to buy fast food. In addition, the reason why African American and Hispanic are more prone to get heart diseases and diabetes is because most of them feel discriminated by white people and pressured into the lifestyle that they live. Also another reason is that many of them do not have access to health care or hav e health insurance. Moreover, even for those who have health insurance, they have to pay for it while working in a low income job. 4. Health can be categorized as a human security issue when it comes to inequality, exclusion and violence. 5. Health is defined by the World Health Organization as â€Å" (a) complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. 6. Gender, environment, wealth, ethnicity and education are determinations of health. 7. In some countries, girls are being discriminated even in health. For example, in many countries the social stigma dictates that girls rarely go to hospitals if they are sick. 9. Gender is the culturally constructed attitude behavior roles that are based on sex and sexual identity. 10. Sex and gender are mostly conflated with each other in some societies. 11. War and militarization have a huge affect on health because of the causes of death, injuries and lack of food and water. 12. The WHO indicated that defined violence is â€Å"the international use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or group or community, that either results in injury, death, psychological harm or deprivation. 13. War’s goal is to harm the enemy’s health in order to make them weaker; which can be effected through weapons and military attacks on the enemy’s land. 15. War can affect women also; as they are oftentimes the victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence which can not only immediately harm them but give them the increased risk of having an STD. 15. The role of the state is to provide human security through prevention, monitoring and anticipating health threats. This can be achieved by providing protection for people and medical care. Also, this can be accomplished by decreasing the use of chemical weapon and any kind of activates that can affect the surrounding environment of the people and risk their health. 16. Violence is a reason why health care system and education failed in some states. 17. Human security and human rights are important to each other as they identify the importance of freedom and basic insecurities. 20. In a globalized economy as the production of arms increases, weapons will easily fall into the hands of the wrong individuals and/or the wrong heads of states. 21. The LOC between India

Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining

Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Melchor Abejon With the increasing use of electronic health records (EHR), data collection in many Health Care Organizations (HCOs) has improved and accumulated at a remarkable pace. EHRs have enabled HCOs to generate and collect a vast amount of data and information from their daily encounter of patients. And this is when Health Informatics (HI) comes into play- to develop and employ computational theories, tools and techniques that can assist in extracting useful information and knowledge from these volumes of data, and use this knowledge to uncover useful patterns and to create models that can enhance decision-making and processes in the healthcare and HI industry. This process is called the Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDDM). The purpose of this paper is to give an overview on why KDDM is a necessity in the healthcare and HI industry, and also to discuss how the aforementioned technique continues to improve the healthcare and HI industry. Benefits of KDDM in the Healthcare Industry The abundance of data and information in healthcare had made KDDM a necessity. According to Taranu (2015), with the growing rate of data accumulation in HCOs, there is a need for expert analysis of these vast medical data. The ability to use these data in order to extract useful information is a key factor for many health institutions to establish quality healthcare. Listed below are some of the benefits of KDDM in the healthcare industry: Increase in the accuracy of diagnoses. The use of predictive algorithms can help healthcare providers such as the physicians to make diagnosis more accurate and decide for the appropriate treatment for their patients. Prediction of patient population risk. KDDM enables the creation of programs and risk models that can be employed to recognize and detect high-risk patients and chronic diseases. Because of this, healthcare providers are able to design the right clinical intervention for their patients. Reduction in the rate of hospital admissions and readmissions. The creation of algorithm and predictive analytics can enable the identification of patients who are at high risk for hospital admissions, thus enabling providers to design more efficient clinical interventions to better treat their patients. Enhancement of clinical decision support. KDDM enables the comparison of symptoms, causes, treatments and analysis of effective clinical intervention for a group of patients. Prevention of diseases and promotion of general public health. The application of predictive analytics particularly in genomics can aid physicians to recognize their patients who are highly at risk of certain diseases. Also, through predictive analytics, pharmaceutical companies are able to develop drugs that suit the needs for specific groups of people. Better patient-related decisions and patient satisfaction. The identification of usage patterns, preferences and the current and future needs of patients can give information that will assist staff in their interaction with their patients. Patients will also be happy because they will be receiving a treatment that will really work for them. Detection of medical insurance fraud and abuse. The detection of unusual claims patterns can assist insurance companies in the detection of medical insurance fraud and abuse. Benefits of KDDM in the Health Informatics Industry According to Shukla, Patel and Sen (2014), HI can be subdivided into four main subfields which are the (a) clinical care, (b) administration of health services, (c) medical research, and (d) education and training; and that each subfield and can be extended and improved with the application of KDDM. Clinical care. One of the applications of HI in healthcare is in the aspect of clinical decision-making through the implementation of the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS). This computer program is designed to assist healthcare providers in making clinical decisions through (a) information retrieval, (b) alert systems, (c) reminders, (d) suggestion systems, and (e) prediction models. The application of KDDM techniques on the database will render health providers analytical tools and as well as predictive tools that go beyond what is evident from the surface of the data. For example, predictive models can assist physicians to decide whether a certain patient would be treated as inpatient or as an outpatient. Administration of health services. Being an administrator of a healthcare entity can be a very tough job as this position requires daily critical decision making. The quality of information that these critical decisions are based on is an essential factor for this job. The KDDM technique can help in the creation of systems that can predict disease outbreaks, and can give representation of the benefits and the costs of the different preventive measures that are effective against a disease outbreak. Medical research. The application of KDDM is very successful in the medical research. Data mining methods can be applied on the vast medical data to extract useful patterns, predictive scoring systems and cause and effect relationships. Nelson and Staggers (2014, p.56) states KDDM can also be used to patch weaknesses in clinical data that pose a barrier to research. Education and training. E-learning is one of the rapidly growing method of learning in the healthcare and even in the HI industry. The application of KDDM in e-learning can efficiently monitor the progress in the learning process and as well as enhance the learning experience of students, administrators, and educators by recommending different learning methods, resources, and study materials. For educators, it can provide objective feedback about the course and students learning patterns. For administrators, they can learn about the users behavior, so that servers can be optimized and network traffic can be distributed. Through KDDM, the effectiveness of educational programs can be efficiently assessed. Conclusion With the growing accumulation of data in healthcare, no wonder KDDM will continue to be an indispensable tool than can be utilized to extract knowledge and insightful patterns which are essential in the development of systems and models to improve the safety and quality of healthcare. And as the use of health information systems continue to grow, KDDM will continue to mend the weaknesses and imperfections in clinical data to make these data more usable for the benefit of the healthcare and HI industry. References Crockett, D., Johnson, R., Eliason, B. (2014). What is data mining in healthcare? Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://www.healthcatalyst.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/What-is-data-mining-in-healthcare.pdf Fayyad, U., Shapiro, P., and Smyth, P. (1996). From data mining to knowledge discovering in databases. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from http://www.aaai.org/ojs/index.php/aimagazine/article/viewFile/1230/1131 Miner, L.A. (2014). Seven ways predictive analytics can improve healthcare. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://www.elsevier.com/connect/seven-ways-predictive-analytics-can-improve-healthcare Nelson, R. Staggers, N. (2014). Health Informatics: An Interprofessional Approach. St. Louis, MO.: Elsevier Mosby Shukla, D.P., Patel, S.P., Sen, A.K. (2014). A literature review in health informatics using data mining techniques. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from http://ijournals.in/ijshre/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IJSHRE-2220.pdf Taranut, I.(2015). Data mining in healthcare: Decision making and precision. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.lib.kaplan.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=0be35910-eda5-4fda-a7c2-1a72f0962ec8%40sessionmgr102vid=2hid=114 The Modeling Agency (2015). How data mining is helping healthcare. Retrieved January 15, 2017, from https://the-modeling-agency.com/how-data-mining-is-helping-healthcare/

The Internets Effects on Reading Essay example -- National Endowment

The Internet's Effects on Reading NEAdites join me in rejoicing at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) report Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America. This report brings into view the dangers of the Internet and foreshadows the impact it and the associated electronic media forms it delivers will have on culture and society. Our only chance is one huge electromagnetic burst that will take it all out from the inside. The act of reading as we traditionally know it is under assault. We must not get caught up in the electronic media and forget that which is important, â€Å"A book must be an ice ax to break the seas frozen inside our souls† is Kafka’s battle cry for reading (Solomon 1994). This quote is echoed by Nomi Schwartz who, like Solomon, draws up sides in her argument in favor of reading. For her, there are those who know the joys of reading, and those who do not but should. There must be two sides to every battle. Don’t rush out to join the NEAdites just yet though, traditional reading of literature may be in decline as statistically shown by the NEA report, the narrow focus of the report however fails to consider that change is continuous and inevitable and that these new forms of media actually have the potential to expand reading and enhance participation in activities associated with culture and the arts. We all have our comfort zones, not surprisingly we are most comfortable with what we known. A stake in the present can rattle change around as a threat to the future. Reports such as this are intriguing because they challenge our safety zone, they bring our fear of change to the surface, prompting us to take action so we don’t loose our sacred now. The NEA report is one of many â€Å"crise du jour... ...st 8). Reading at Risk: Lack of interese in literature is a crisis [Commentary]. Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2004, from ShowMeNews: http://www.showmenews.com/2004/Aug/20040808Comm007.asp United States National Endowment for the Arts. (2004, June). Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literaty Reading in America [Research Division Report #46]. Retrieved September 22, 2004, from National Endowment for the Arts: http://www.nea.gov/news/news04/ReadingAtRisk.html Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The Case of Cyberprotests agains the World Bank. In M. McCaughey & M. D. Ayers (Eds.), Cyperactivism: Online Activism in Theory and Practice (pp. 73-77). New York, NY: Routledge. Wood, P. (2004, July 19). Literature at Risk. National Review Online. Retrieved September 20, 2004, from http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/wood200407190842.asp

Law of Constant Composition Lab Essay

Purpose: To determine the percent magnesium by mass in magnesium oxide and to observe if the percentage composition is constant by comparing class results. Hypothesis/Prediction: The percent composition by mass of magnesium in magnesium oxide will not change significantly with each group that conducted the experiment. The composition of each substance should stay the same and any differences must be due to some error. Materials:Magnesium stripCrucibleCrucible coverClay triangleIron ringRetort standTongsBalanceBunsen burnerProcedure:1.obtained a strip of magnesium between 30-40 cm long2.coiled magnesium strip into a tight roll3.measured the mass of the crucible and cover4.Added the magnesium strip to the crucible and measured the magnesium, crucible and cover together. 5.Partially covered the crucible with the cover and heated it using a Bunsen burner until the magnesium ignited. 6.Turned off Bunsen burner. 7.waited for combustion to proceed8.when the reaction appeared completed, heated the crucible again for another five minutes9.allowed crucible to cool for ten minutes10.measured the mass of the crucible, cover and magnesium oxideObservations:When ignited, the magnesium strip gave off a bright light. There was a colour change on the magnesium. It started out as silver and turned into a white colour. The combustion gave off a distinct odour. The end result was a white powder but some magnesium had been left in its original shape. According to the theory of J.L. Proust, a compound always has the same percentage composition no matter how it is prepared. For all three of our own individual groups trials, we obtained the same percentage composition and this satisfies Prousts theory. This is also accurate with what we have read in the textbook Chemistry 11 on the Law of Definite Proportions on pages 147 150. 2.What conclusion can you make upon the class results?The conclusions I can make based upon the class results are that the composition of a compound must vary because everyone had a different answer. In most cases, the percent composition of magnesium in the compound was very different from what my group achieved. However, sometimes, the classes results were quite similar to my own. The theory that C.M. Berthollet introduced about the composition of a compound was that a compound has an infinite number of compositions depending on the proportions of the components that were used in its preparation. His theory satisfies the results obtained from the whole class. Since every group had a different amount of magnesium they must also have had a different composition of magnesium in the compound formed, magnesium oxide. However, this is inconsistent with what we have been taught and with what is written in the textbook. Since the textbook is a more reliable source of information, I must conclude that the reason for this difference in results may be attributed to error on the part of the students conducting the experiment. 3.Which French Scientist would you tend to support? Explain. The French scientist that I support is J.L. Proust. I agree with Prousts theory because I believe that if the composition of a substance were to change, so would its properties. An obvious example of this is one stated in the textbook: water and hydrogen peroxide. The simple addition of a hydrogen atom to the compound of water can make a liquid that is essential to life become deadly. Since I know that the percent composition of a particular substance is the same no matter where, how or when it is made, I must agree with J.L Proust and support his theory. Sources of ErrorOne reason why a student may have obtained a higher percentage of magnesium than the rest of the class is: during the experiment, mass must have been lost. This could have been done in many ways. Often, the magnesium took too long to ignite and students began to put it straight into the flame to ignite it and then put it back into the crucible. Sometimes, the magnesium wilted and little pieces of it broke off. In addition, the magnesium would sometimes ignite and then extinguish itself. In the constant removal of the magnesium from the crucible, mass was lost in the form of ashes. When mass is lost during the experiment, the total mass of the compound is lower and when the mass of magnesium was divided by the total mass, yielded a higher percent of magnesium. One reason why a student may have obtained a lower percentage of magnesium than the rest of the class is: the magnesium did not properly combust. In many cases, the magnesium would extinguish itself and would not burn completely. This resulted in some white powder, ash, and some magnesium still in the same shape that it was when we began the experiment. This suggests that it did not burn with the rest of the magnesium ribbon and therefore, did not form the compound with oxygen. This would yield in a higher total mass than what it should have been and when the mass of magnesium is divided by the total mass, would give a lower percentage. The following calculation shows the actual percentage of Magnesium in the compound magnesium oxide. Molar mass of MgO = 24.3 + 16.0= 40.3For 1.00 mol of MgO:%Mg = 24.3 / 40.3 x  100= 60.3%Therefore, the actual percentage value of Mg in MgO is 60%The following calculation shows the percentage error for my own groups result% error = (experimental accepted) / accepted x 100= (72 60) / 60 x 100= 20%Therefore the percentage error for my group was 20%. ConclusionBased on the data collected by each group, the composition of a substance must change depending on the proportions of the components that were used in its preparation. However, as explained earlier, the textbook and the properties of matter state otherwise. Scientifically, if the composition of a compound was to change, so would its properties. The results obtained by the class are quite the opposite of what has already been proven by Proust to be true and therefore, I believe that the evidence obtained by our chemistry class is the result of many mistakes and cannot be used to convey the idea of the Law of Constant Composition which states that the composition of a specific compound is constant.

ITStrategy and Positioning for Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) The WritePass Journal

ITStrategy and Positioning for Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Introduction ITStrategy and Positioning for Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) report, the company has experienced a rise in the number of contracts in their portfolio from just under-8 million to over 8.8 million, a 10.9 percent rise. The Management Board Chairman Frank Witter attributes this growth to a 5 percent increase in number of vehicles delivered to more than 9.7 million. The company was also able to attract more customers with their financial services. As a leading financial provider for all things automotive sales within the umbrella of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, the company has developed key strategies to ensure they achieve their mission, which is â€Å"to support the sales of all Volkswagen Group brands worldwide and increase customer loyalty in a sustainable manner along the entire automotive value chain† (VW FS Annual Report, 2013). Volkswagen strategy statement is based on â€Å"customer-focus†, â€Å"pioneering† and â€Å"getting things done†. To ensure sustainable growth, the company pursues its strategy in three fronts: brands, markets and products. That is, developing new brands for Volkswagen Group, establishing new markets, and developing new products in existing markets. Volkswagen Financial Services continue to adopt a consistent customer relationship management (CRM) strategy in its customer care. As such, structures of the company and its processes have been aligned with customer groups and their unique requirements (VW FS Annual Report, 2013). Johnson et al (2013, p.69) describes strategy as the â€Å"long-term direction of an organisation.† A leading strategy theorist Michael Porter would refer to this as a competitive strategy that seeks to be different from competition, by â€Å"deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value† to the intended consumers (Porter, 1996, p.31). The Volkswagen Financial Services strategy can be considered to be based on what Porter (1996) describes as variety-based and needs-based positioning. However, Volkswagen Financial Services continual pursuance of consistent CRM strategy in customer care led the company to rethink its organisation structure and customer groups as aligned by the customer requirements. In attempt to support this organisational restructuring, the organisation required an IT structure to allow the company have a standard of customer data, standard and continuous process support right from customer support to subsequent processing and transaction execution, integrating existing transaction-related banking system without any additional extensive conversions. In order to meet these requirements, a product and division-oriented IT environment was implemented. Core applications and systems related to transaction-related banking systems where clients’ accounts and contracts could be managed were implemented. The implementations of these applications and systems isolated the various specific client data from each other making an integral view much more complicated and cumbersome. But the company solved this problem when they installed customer-oriented IT architecture in SAP CRM for a standard customer care and SAP NetWeaverTM as a system integration platform. Although Volkswagen Financial Services may have considered this a triumph in its efforts to strengthen their CRM-oriented strategy in customer service, it’s not a unique strategy that can strengthen their competitive advantage given its ease of adoption by competitors or new entrants. Le Pest C for Volkswagen Financials Services In order to comprehensively understand Volkswagen Financial Services strategic capabilities, it is significant to use the Le Pest C model (Brooks and Weatherston, 2002): LePestC Possible Issues at VW FS (UK) Legal Data security and privacy legislations and legal challenges Economic Low profitability due to decreased consumer spending power and inability to expand to emerging markets Political VW Financial Services AG, which inevitable controls its strategic decisions making process Environment/Ecologic Environmental pressure from regulatory authorities Social Change of consumer preferences, e.g. study shows that more consumers in Europe prefer to travel via train rather than personal cars Technological New technology that are likely to render the current ones obsolete and requires upgrade regularly Competitiveness Competition from financial companies and other auto dealers Legal: Data security and privacy have become serious challenges to many businesses, raising concerns with rise in big data and cloud computing initiatives. Auto suppliers like Volkswagen Financial Services Company collect and store highly confidential and sensitive customer data that may be at risk from data breaches. It must be noted that the company is networked not only internally but also externally through internet or other telecommunication connectivity. As such, the company needs to have a robust information security practices not only well documented in the form of information security policies but also ensure strict adherence to ethical standards to avoid legal suits. Moreover, the company needs to develop internal ethical standards in line with their business principles and treat it as part and parcel of the CRM strategies (Barreto, 2010). In case the company wants to use big data, it must strive to develop policy that informs the clients in advance to agree or disagree wit h such plans. Failure to develop such policies may attract legal suits from clients disputing the use of their personal data. The outcome of legal suits may be extremely costly to the company in terms of legal fees, unfavourable strict government regulations and reputation damage. Economic: Volkswagen Financial Services Company has experience the challenges associated with the economic financial crisis that started at the onset of 2008. Although the company considers rise in sales and number of client subscribed in the latest reports, the reduced disposable income is likely to affect the company negatively in the long run, given financial challenges affecting its major European market. Environmental/ Ecological: Auto suppliers like Volkswagen Financial Services face various challenges in maintaining extra-regulatory compliance with contractual clauses. Some of these clauses often require them to certify that the car parts of sale are free of asbestos, lead paint, chromium, and blood minerals among other banned elements (Mintzberg, et al., 2002). These regulatory compliance requirements are meant to ensure sustainability and protection of environment. Issues such as greenhouse gases that cause global warming, and waste management increases cost of production. Socio-cultural: Studies have shown that public transport in Europe is becoming more popular than passenger cars (Tyrinopoulos and Antoniou, 2013). This kind of finding may suggest that the change in trend is more associated with change in social preference. More significantly, the company has not managed to break into Chinese among other emerging markets with its financial services considering that Chinese consumers are cash-buyers rather than credit buyers, as noted by the company’s 2013 Annual Report. This cultural barrier has affected the company’s financial front in terms of sales return. Technological: there are technological challenges associated with auto and financial industries. The challenge with technology is that it changes every day, with new ideas propping up that may provide fast-moving competitors with better competitive advantage (Maritan and Brush, 2003). VW FS (UK) is one of the companies in this sector that suffers from the technological challenges. Competitive: competition from other auto suppliers is real. Although the company has gained competitive advantage with multi-brand CRM, there is likelihood that their major competitors will do the same. Strategic Capabilities of Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Strategic capabilities of a firm are those capabilities that lead to a competitive advantage. Mintzberg, et al. (2002) defines strategic Resources and competencies as the two components that define resource capability. Further, resources are those assets that an organisation own or can call upon to aid their progress. Competencies are the ability to deploy those resources effectively or to make use of the available resources to achieve a certain goal (Teece, 2007). In others words, resources are what is available and competencies are the ability to use these resources. Table: Representation of strategic capability of Volkswagen Financial Services Resources Competencies Machines, raw materials, products, patents, database, computer systems Physical The company has the means to achieve utilisation of plant, efficiency, productivity, flexibility, marketing Balance sheet, cash flow, revenue Financial That company has the means to raise funds and manage cash flow, debtors, creditors, etc. Managers, employees, partners, suppliers, customers Human The company has experience, skills, knowledge, and ability to build relationships, motivate others and innovate. However, it’s yet to exploit this ability to the maximum. (Brooks and Weatherston, 2002). If fully used, the above representation would lead to long term survival of VW FS, and subsequently strengthen their competitive advantage. Although the strategic capabilities should be dynamic enough, there is a clear indication that Volkswagen Financial Services’ is not as dynamic as required. The company should be able to recreate and renew its strategic capabilities according to the changing business environment. For example, while tangible assets, cost control, and quality maintenance are important capabilities that the company has embraced, there are more long term capabilities such as sensing, seizing and reconfiguring that are significant Using innovation to spur entrepreneurship Innovation and entrepreneurship is about creating the new- both new products and services and new business models and organisations (Johnson, et al., 2013). Creating value for firms and customers, innovation and entrepreneurship are fundamental to today’s highly competitive economies. But the decision to innovate and pursue new market leads through innovation can be a hard choice for organisations as has been demonstrated by Volkswagen Financial Services’ attempts to enter Chinese market. The company ought to have asked various fundamental questions such as: Will it be appropriate if they too pioneer in new technologies or rather be a fast follower (timing and relationship)? innovation dilemma How should they react to radical innovations that threaten to destroy its existing revenues? In such a highly competitive industry, entrepreneurship is a significant aspect of any business. In other words, entrepreneurship is fundamental aspect of any business that wants to keep up with the changing business environment. It’s entrepreneurship that drives innovation. Innovation dilemma However there are innovation dilemmas that may affect a firm’s decision-making process. Many corporations face strategic dilemma on whether to innovate or note. Johnson et al. (2013,p. 239) describes innovation as the process of converting new knowledge into a new product, process or service and the putting of this new product, process or service into actual use. Another aspect of innovation dilemma facing VW FS is whether to adopt open or closed innovation. Porter (1996) describes open innovation as the process of deliberate importation and exportation of knowledge by a firm in their attempt to speed up and intensify innovation. Open innovation advocates for open exchange of ideas for quick better products to keep ahead of competition. Closed innovation is based on a firms insistence on making every innovative ideas internal, keeping everything secret from outside people. Volkswagen Financial Services Company seems to focus on closed innovation, which inevitably limits their ability to source for ideas. There is likelihood that this limits their ability to attract external skills or innovative ideas. Technological or business model innovation Most successful and progressive innovative activities do not necessarily rely on the latest or new science or technology, but involve reorganizing into new business by combining every aspect of a business (Johnson et al., 2013). A business model describes how an organisation manages incomes and costs through the structural arrangements of its activities. For example, when Ryanair decided to adopt the ultra cheap airline tickets, its business model innovation involved the generation of revenues via direct sales through the internet, thereby cutting out intermediary travel agents, while also using cheap secondary airports. Cheap airports and internet sales proved more significant than technological innovation. There are various ways of analysing a business model innovation, including the use of value chain, value net or activity network frameworks (Johnson et al., 2013). Typically, these frameworks are meant to direct managers and entrepreneurs to two primary frameworks for potential innovations: The product a new business model may redefine what the product or service is and how it is produced. This concerns technology in relation to the value chain. The selling a new business model may change how an organisation generates its revenue, with implications for selling and distribution. In the perspective of Volkswagen FS, the company’s value chain in terms of emerging markets has not picked up as anticipated. The emerging markets, unlike the developed markets are generally cash buyers. The company may consider using instalments payment model to establish its value chain within the emerging markets like China and India, with attractive product packages targeting the growing middle class consumers in these countries. Innovators and followers There are those who choose to lead innovations and those who follow. Barreto (2010) argue that firsts of first-movers who have succeeded in this line are Coca Cola in soft drinks and Hoover in vacuum cleaners. However, there are many first-movers that have failed such as the powerful Microsoft which failed with its tablet computer launch in 2001. Nine years later, Apple swept the market with its iPad tablet computer. First-mover advantages and disadvantages First-movers are generally temporary monopolies. Their advantage exists where they appear better off than their competitors as a result of being first to market with a new product, process or service (Teece, 2009; Teece, 2007). There are five potentially more robust first-movers advantage: They can build on experience in a market and benefit from the accrued market knowledge and skills; They can scale faster and enjoy the early benefits; They have the opportunity for pre-emption of scarce resources; They can build early reputation, particularly because consumers have little ‘mind-space’ to recognise new brands that follows; They can exploit the buyer switching costs, by ensuring that their customers are locked with privileged or sticky relationships that later challengers may find too costly to adopt (Teece, 2009) However, Mintzberg (2002) observe that there are disadvantages for being first-movers as seen with Microsoft’s earlier failure with tablets. First is the free-riding factor. Late movers may find it easy to imitate first mover’s technology and other innovations at less expense than originally incurred by pioneers. Research indicates that the costs of imitation are only 65% of the cost of innovation (Teece, 2009). In addition, late-movers have the ability to learn from the errors made by first-movers, picking on what worked well and avoiding what did not work for their pioneer competitor. In other words, they may not make so many mistakes and be able to get it right first time unlike their pioneer competitor. Should Volkswagen Financial Services be a first or second? Managers and entrepreneurs often find it hard to choose either to be a first-mover or a follower. However, London Business School’s Costas Markides and Paul Geroski argue that the most appropriate response to innovation, especially radical innovation, is often not to be a first mover but to be a ‘fast second’ (Mintzberg, 2002). A first second strategy involves being one of the first to imitate the original innovator. According to Porter (1996) there are three contextual factors to consider in choosing between innovating and imitating: Capacity for profit capture. If a follower can imitate faster and efficiently, it can capture good profits. It’s more effective where the pioneer is not able to define the boundaries for intellectual property; Complementary assets. An organisation in possession of the assets or resources have the ability to scale up the production and marketing of the innovation; Fast-moving arenas. In situations where markets or technologies are moving very fast, and especially where both are highly dynamic, first-movers are unlikely to establish a durable advantage. The incumbent can respond to new entrants into the market by adopting disruptive innovation. As has been shown earlier, disruptive innovation can create substantial growth by offering a new performance trajectory that, even if â€Å"initially inferior to the performance of existing technologies, has the potential to become markedly superior† Winter, 2003). Incumbents can follow two policies to help keep them responsive to potentially disruptive innovation: Develop a portfolio of real options and new venture units. References Barreto, I. (2010). Dynamic capabilities: a review of past research and an agenda for the future. Journal of Management, 36 (1): 256-80. Brooks, I. and Weatherston, J. (2002). The Business Environment: Challenges and Changes. NJ: Prentice Hall. Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Scholes, K., Angwin, D., and Regner, P. (2013). Exploring Strategy Text Cases. NJ: Pearson Education. Maritan, C.A and Brush, T.H. (2003). Heterogeneity and transferring practices: implementing flow practices in multiple plants. Strategic Management Journal, 24 (10): 945-60. Mintzberg, H.,   Ghoshal, S., Lampel, J., and Quinn, J.B. (2002) â€Å"The Strategy Process: Concepts, Context, Cases†,4th Edition, Prentice Hall. Porter, M. (1996) â€Å"What is Strategy?†, Harvard Business Review, November- December: 61-78. Tyrinopoulos, Y. and Antoniou, C. (2013) Factors affecting modal choice in urban mobility. European Transport Research Review. 5 (1). pp. 27-39. Teece, D.J. (2009). Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic management- organising for innovation and growth, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Teece, D.J. (2007). Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of sustainable enterprise performance. Strategic Management Journal, 28 (1): 1319-50. VW FS Annual Report (2013). Volkswagen Financial Services AG: The key to mobility. Winter, S.G. (2003). Understanding dynamic capabilities. Strategic Management Journal, 24 (10): 991-5.

Down These Mean Streets essays

Down These Mean Streets essays Down These Mean Streets, an autobiography by Piri Thomas is about a boys journey to manhood on the mean streets of New Yorks Spanish Harlem. While growing up in Harlem, Piri adopted an attitude, which was both hot-tempered and violent. In the end, this personality flaw almost cost him everything, including his life. Whenever Piri faced a problem, he would become angry and resort to viloence. There are many instances where he does this, one in particular is when he is a young teenager and is going to school. The teacher wouldnt let him go to the bathroom and when she grabbed his shirt to stop him from walking out of her class, his shirt ripped. Realizing that she had ripped his shirt he turned around and not thinking of her as a woman, but as something that had to be hit, he punched her in the face. His quick-temper caused him to hit a woman, which shows that he isnt one to think things out and then act in a peaceful manner. Another example of Piris anger happened when he got into an argument with his girlfriend. After a party he walked her home and they got into a verbal fight. When the tensions rose and he couldnt control his anger anymore, he sent his fist through a window which wound him up in the hospital. The most signifficant example of Piris aggression was when he was twenty-two . He and two other people were robbing a nightclub. Piri was guarding the door when a cop from inside pulled his gun and shot him, not thinking of consequences, Piri returned fire. He had shot and almost killed the police officer, earning him a five to fifteen year prison sentence. Eventhough it was Piris personality flaw, it affected many if not all of the people around him. When he chose to solve his problems through violence, it affected the people that he fought, and it affected his family and friends when they had to witness it and then lose him to jail for six years. ...

Absorptive Capacity And How Can This Be Used Within Supply Chain Essay

Absorptive Capacity And How Can This Be Used Within Supply Chain Management To Increase Supply Chain Profitability And Responsiveness - Essay Example 317; Boisot, 1998, p. 10; Boer, Bosch, van den, & Volberda, 1999, p. 379) To increase this absorptive capacity, companies often undertake research studies to improve their prospects and to customize their research and development to make information genuinely helpful for the organization’s human resource and for business operational use. The data generated from research are targeted to be integrated in the operation services and in the production of goods for consumers to attain effective and efficient corporate performance (Calori, Johnson, & Sarnin, 1994, p. 437; Camerer & Vepsalainen, 1998, p. 115; Carlsson & Jacobsson, 1994, p. 235; Cohen & Levinthal, 1994, p. 227) Experts opined that absorptive capacity is aimed at adopting ideas to develop an innovative and bring about new engagement sparked by changing economy. The process includes the integration of information to maximize meaningful findings for organizational development and management decision-makings (Deeds, 2001, p. 29; Cohen & Levinthal, 1997, p. 1463).... The researcher will make use of secondary materials from peer-reviewed journals and books sourced from online and public library to substantiate the subject of this study. Researcher will likewise correlate the absorptive capacity of a company’s interest to leverage from its market competitors and delve into the critical effects of company’s absorptive capacity on product innovation, business operations, and profit maximization using the lens of knowledge-based view (KBV) as theoretical foundation. Figure 1. Supply chain leadership and its correlation to resource values and organizational absorptive capacity (Sharif & Irani, 2012, p. 57). Research and Knowledge Management Organizational development and its level of competitiveness are reliant not only on financial capital, human resources and strategic management but also of its absorptive capacity (Rebolledo, Halley & Nagati, 2009, p. 52). Knowledge, through its research and management, are major source of valuable, ra re, and inimitable information to enhance strategic business management, improve customer-relation, expand business operation and sustain good relation with its suppliers (Rebolledo, et al., 2009, p. 53). The absorptive capacity of the organization will also facilitate the alignment of its human resources, corporate performance, and in enhancing its structures to align these with corporate strategies. Internally, it can also promote effective organizational management, increase marketing results, and reduce the impairment of supply chain relations. Through this part, an emphasis on the differences between the two facets of absorptive capacity will be highlighted: potential absorptive capacity that involves the corporate’s acquisition and assimilation of external

Analyze the behavior style of the participants in both group and Term Paper

Analyze the behavior style of the participants in both group and individual situations.(CBS reality show Survivor) - Term Paper Example It is the most commonly used test for personality worldwide. It classifies individuals according to four dichotomies i.e. extroverts vs. introverts, sensing vs. intuitive, thinking vs. feeling and judging vs. perceiving (McShane & Von Glinow, 2015). Shirin can be described as an extrovert because she is very social. In an interview, she admits that she prefers making relationships based on friendship (Holmes, 2015). Shirin is also a sensitive person. Her background career as a product manager shows that she prefers having practical solutions rather than relying on intuition. Her character in the reality show also echoes the same about her. She can also be classified as a thinking rather than feeling person. People who fit into the feeling character are usually guided by their emotions rather than logic and reason. Being emotional is a character that she evidently thinks is not suitable for anyone with a role in the show (Holmes, 2015). However, she can be classified as a perceiving person. Perceiving people are spontaneous and easily adapt to change. Her personality as seen in the show as well as her character outside the show portrays her as a person who is flexible enough to make changes when necessary. The model proposes that human personality can be classified broadly into five dimensions. A lot of research has also showed that the model is effective in predicting the performance of an individual in the workplace (Barrick & Mount, 1991). The five factors are openness, emotional stability, extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Under each factor is a list of related behavior and qualities that can describe the person. In the case of Shirin Oskool, we can conclude that personality fits in the extroversion category. Extroverts are usually outgoing people and mostly derive their energy from external sources (Laney, 2002). Also, they tend to be enthusiastic, energy-oriented, and possess high group visibility and like to talk.

Reproduction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reproduction - Essay Example Estrogen induces oxytocin receptors in the uterine musculature while progesterone softens the cervix. Signals from the moving fetus signals greater secretion of oxytocin which initiates a positive feedback by increasing uterine contractions (Despopoulos & Silbernagl, 2003, p 303). Thus oxytocin causes rhythmic contractions of the strong uterine muscles and helping in easy birth of the birth and prevents chances of post-partum hemorrhage (Odent, 1998. Milk production after the birth of the child is initiated by another hormone called prolactin. Post-parturition, estrogen and progesterone levels fall; because of this the inhibitory action of these hormones on prolactin is removed. Prolactin then induces secretion of milk in the glands. Though oxytocin has no direct role in milk production it plays an important role in the release of milk or the reflex of â€Å"milk let-down† (Mackenna & Callander, 1997). The infant’s suckling acts as the stimulus which initiates release of oxytocin from the pituitary (Campbell & Reece, 2009, p 986). Oxytocin then induces contraction of the muscles of the mammary glands to initiate the flow of milk from the glands to the nipples under the control of prolactin. Hence, it has also been named milk ejection

Culturally Diverse Students Essay Example for Free

Culturally Diverse Students Essay Today our classrooms, just like families, are becoming more unique and blended. Teachers are tasked with effectively teaching students with disabilities and diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In order for educators to meet the needs of their students, key strategies must be implemented that will positively affect their students academically and behaviorally. This paper reflects on the experience of one of these families and identifies key strategies to maximize the potential of cultural and linguistically exceptional students. Background I was lucky enough to interview a family that I have worked with over the years as a nanny. For the purposes of this paper and the anonymity of the family I am using the names Lucy and Chris (to refer to the mother I interviewed and her husband) and James (to refer to the exceptional child). Because I have been working in this family’s home for a number of years I am able to give an accurate overview of their socioeconomic status. Lucy and Chris self-identify as African-American and live in San Pedro, CA where the population is 76,415 with 59% identifying as Caucasian and 8% identifying as African American. The town can be classified as predominately middle class as the median household income is $62,422 (City Data, 2011). Lucy completed some college and works full-time as a manager of a credit union. She lives in a three-bedroom house with her oldest son, her younger son, James, who is now 15, and her husband. James is a lively young man with autism who is on the moderate/severe side of the spectrum. He is an exceptional swimmer and participates in his high school general P. E. program. He struggles with social interactions and has very little expressive language. He has learned to use a GO TALK to communicate functionally. James is very sensitive to his environment and sometimes becomes overwhelmed by loud noises and crowded spaces. Autism affects 1:88 children and the prevalence is on the rise. It is the fastest growing developmental disability in the U. S. It is five times more likely for boys to have autism than girls. It is characterized by language delays, social delays, and repetitive patterns of behavior (Facts About ASD, 2012). Lucy knows that I am in the process of getting my special education credential and that my own family member has DS-ASD. When she was interviewing me for the nanny position years ago she was nervous and unsure about letting anybody come into her home. After I told her about my background and how much I have learned from my brother she began to open up and become more comfortable with me. She has since then told me how thankful she is for me and how nice it is to have someone that understands her son. Discovering and Reacting to Disability It all started in preschool school. The teacher kept telling Lucy, â€Å"I don’t think he can hear. † And Lucy kept saying, â€Å"He can hear just fine! † The teacher kept saying the same thing so finally she took him to the doctor. This experience supports the research on professionals in early education or elementary school programs being the parent’s initial source of information about their child’s special needs (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 77). Denial was the first phase in the process of Lucy learning to accept her son’s autism. Lucy also said other members of her family were in denial, including her husband and father. Her father told them they â€Å"were not disciplining him enough† on multiple occasions. She did not talk about any anger, bargaining, or depression phases before finding acceptance (The Grieving Process ppt, 2013). Lucy has immense inner strength that I truly admire. After a doctor diagnosed James, Lucy and Chris told their family and her mother pushed her to get extra support. Lucy tells me she probably wouldn’t have ever done gone for it if it weren’t for her mother because they have always worked for everything they had and lively comfortably and didn’t want to ask for help. A person’s culture may affect treatment decisions and is often associated with certain socioeconomic or geographical constraints related to accessing care† (Mandell Novak, 2005, p. 113). Reaching out for support was not something the family wanted to do and because they lived in San Pedro, accessing the right services often required traveling long distances. Educators must recognize the relationship between status and our society’s symbols of success (holding a job, having a place to live, and being independent). As an educated service provider, I am always caught off guard by a family’s hesitation about pursuing services (even my own family never sought out extra help). My professional experience has ingrained in me the importance of early intervention. Many â€Å"African-American families seek help from family, friends and church groups before they will get professional help for their child (Dyches et al. , 2004)† (Litten, 2008, p. 5). Lucy’s perspective and her mother’s reaction had both been influenced by her experience with her sister, who was developmentally delayed as well. She said her mother wished she had gone and gotten services for her. But when they were growing up, Lucy said, â€Å"It wasn’t something you did. Our family was poor. We did whatever we did to survive and both of my parents worked. † Educators need to keep the roles of culture, poverty, and historical perspectives in mind as we work with these families because they have an impact on the attitudes and behaviors of families with exceptional children. In Lucy’s family growing up, there was a lack of awareness about the availability of services. As educators, we must consider the lack of awareness and the socioeconomic factors that prevent certain families from taking advantage of the services that they are entitled to. We can’t expect them to advocate if they aren’t aware of what is available. We must take on this role. Teacher strategy #1: Fairness is When a Child Gets What He/She Needs Over the years, Lucy and James struggled with the school’s changing James’ placements. It wasn’t until she came to the school to observe him and found him sitting in a corner of the classroom, on a couch, rocking back and forth for hours with no attention or demands placed on him that she decided to pull him out of the district completely. During their search for a new junior high school they came across programs that were solely focused on vocational skills. Lucy and Chris felt their son had more important academic skills to obtain before teachers started teaching him how to get a job. They didn’t expect him to be a scholar, but they did want him to have access to general reading, writing, and math curriculum. Education, rather than life skills, was more of a priority for them. They added an inclusion goal in his next IEP. James would participate in general P. E. and math or computer class. According to Kathryn Pitten, â€Å"Cultural mores may determine which treatment goals families will accept and which goals they will decide not to work towards. Also, parenting style will determine which goals are viewed as important. † (Pitten, 2008, p. 4). Teachers must be responsible for developing a classroom program that fosters the understanding and respect for individual differences and discusses what fairness means to each student. Teacher strategy #2: Develop a Positive Collaboration Between Parents and Teachers Lucy admitted that she did not take an aggressive approach to getting James all of the supports he needed. Most of the things she learned she â€Å"stumbled upon† through conversations with other parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals (all of which have worked out in their favor). She believes she has done the best she can for her son. Once again, awareness was lacking and because of that this family did not get the support they needed until much later on. This is consistent with literature addressing service accessibility in that ethnic minorities typically access services at a much lower rate than their Caucasian counterparts (Balcazar, Keys, Balcazar, 2001). Learning how the school system could work for her son was a significant stressor for her. If educators embraced the full reality of the student’s and family’s life and committed to supporting emotional and academic needs (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 147) this could help to bridge the gap between home and school. Letting parents know that you believe in their child is sometimes all it takes to give your family’s hope. Teacher strategy #3: Implement Culturally Responsive Teaching Ford (2012) points out that African Americans are the only involuntary minority group. African Americans live in a society where race affects every aspect of their lives. â€Å"The overrepresentation of Black students in special education has been dissected, discussed, and debated† (Ford, 2012). We need to understand the negative effects racism has on our children and be sensitive to the history of previous schooling of exceptional students. Some Moderate/Severe students, like James, are moved from program to program (several times a year). Teachers need to understand that not all children in their classroom have learned the same things and they can’t be taught in the same environment at the same time. We need to differentiate and individualize our instruction by providing a wide range of materials and utilizing several learning strategies. School strategy # 4: Ensure Each Student Can Identify With Someone One of the best things to happen to James in his freshman year of high school was joining the â€Å"Big Brothers and Sisters† program in his local community. Having a role model; someone to look up to, relate with, and rely on has made such a meaningful impact on his life. Lucy reflected on the first time James was invited to watch the local football team; â€Å"His face lit up. He jumped up and down and couldn’t contain his excitement. † Teachers need to facilitate healthy inclusive relationships school-wide. It is our job to spread awareness about disability and help all students to become sensitive to the beauty of differences. Conclusion James’ family hopes that one day he will be able to live in a supported living community with roommates but like many families with exceptional members, the future is uncertain. Teachers need to take an active role in the transition planning process and remember that culturally diverse families do not have the same values as those of the dominant culture. (Turnball et. Al, 2011, p. 89). These families deserve our utmost respect and attention. Showing parents that you are interested in their story can lead to unexpected successes. In order to truly do our jobs we must make our professional story a part of their family story.

Direct Effects of Financial Repression in India

Direct Effects of Financial Repression in India FINANCIAL REPRESSION (PAPER 7) Financial repression refers to the notion that a set of government regulations, laws, and other non-market restrictions prevent the financial intermediaries of an economy from functioning at their full capacity (McKinnon (1973) and Shaw (1973)PAPER 1). Generally, financial repression consists of three elements. First, the banking system is forced to hold government bonds and money through the imposition of high reserve and liquidity ratio requirements. This allows the government to finance budget deficits at a low or zero cost. Second, given that government revenue cannot be extracted that easily from private securities, the development of private bond and equity markets is discouraged. Finally, the banking system is characterized by interest rate ceilings to prevent competition with public sector fund raising from the private sector and to encourage low-cost investment (PAPER 1). The policies that cause financial repression include interest rate ceilings, liquidity ratio requirements, high bank reserve requirements, capital controls and restrictions on market entry into the financial sector, credit ceilings or restrictions on directions of credit allocation, and government ownership or domination of banks (PAPER 7). Economists have commonly argued that financial repression prevents the efficient allocation of capital and thereby impairs economic growth. While theoretically an economy with an efficient financial system can achieve growth and development through efficient capital allocation, McKinnon and Shaw argue that historically, many countries, including developed ones but especially developing ones, have restricted competition in the financial sector with government interventions and regulations. According to their argument, a repressed financial sector discourages both saving and investment because the rates of return are lower than what could be obtained in a competitive market. In such a system, financial intermediaries do not function at their full capacity and fail to channel saving into investment efficiently, thereby impeding the development of the overall economic system (PAPER 7). This paper aims to analyse the concept of financial repression and reasons why it is seen and detrimental to economic growthexplain sections below. Rationale for and types of financial repression The key reason for the government to implement financially repressive policies is to control fiscal resources. By having a direct control over the financial system, the government can funnel funds to itself without going through legislative procedures and more cheaply than it could when it resorts to market financing. More specifically, by restricting the behaviour of existing and potential participants of the financial markets, the government can create monopoly or captivate rents for the existing banks and also tax some of these rents so as to finance its overall budget. Existing banks may try to collude with each other and to interrupt possible liberalization policies as long as they are guaranteed their collective monopoly position in the domestic market. In some countries, governments require banks to meet high rates of the reserve ratios, and use the reserves as a method to generate revenues. Since reserves earn no interest, they function as an implicit tax on banks and restrict banks from allocating a certain portion of their portfolios to productive investments and loans. If high reserve requirements are combined with interest ceilings and protective government directives for certain borrowers, savers who are usually unaware of the requirement policy become the main taxpayers because they face reduced rates of interest on their savings. Inflation can aggravate the reserve tax because it reduces the real rates of interest. Thus, high reserves requirements make the best use of the governments monopolistic power to generate seigniorage revenue as well as to regulate reserve requirements. A variant of this policy includes required liquidity ratios; that is when banks are required to allocate a certain fraction of their deposits to holding government securities that usually yield a return lower than could be obtained in the market. Governments often impose a ceiling on the interest rate banks can offer to depositors. Interest ceilings function in the same way as price controls, and thereby provide banks with economic rents. Like high required reserve ratios, those rents benefit incumbent banks and provide tax sources for the government, paid for by savers and by borrowers or would-be-borrowers. The rents borne by the interest ceiling reduce the number of loans available in the market thereby discouraging both saving and investment. In return for allowing incumbent banks to reap rents, the government often require banks to make subsidized loans to certain borrowers for the purpose of implementing industrial policy (or simply achieving political goals). Interest ceilings in high inflation countries can victimize savers because high inflation can make the real interest rates of return negative. Financial repression also takes the form of government directives for banks to allocate credit at subsidized rates to specific firms and industries to implement industrial policy. Forcing banks to allocate credit to industries that are perceived to be strategically important for industrial policy ensures stable provision of capital rather than leaving it to decisions of disinterested banks or to efficient securities markets. It is also more cost effective than going through the public sectors budgetary process. Government directives and guidance sometimes include detailed orders and instructions on managerial issues of financial institutions to ensure that their behaviour and business is in line with industrial policy or other government policies. The Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF) is a typical example of governments micromanagement of financial industry. Capital controls are restrictions on the inflows and outflows of capital and are also financially repressive policies. Despite their virtues, the use of capital controls can involve costs. Because of their uncompetitive nature, capital controls increases the cost of capital by creating financial autarky; limits both domestic and foreign investors ability to diversify portfolios; and helps inefficient financial institutions survive. Impacts of Financial Repression Because financial repression leads to inefficient allocation of capital, high costs of financial intermediation, and lower rates of return to savers, it is theoretically clear that financial repression inhibits growth (Roubini and Sala-i-Martin, 1992). The empirical findings on the effect of removing financial repression, i.e., financial liberalization on growth supports this view, but various channels through which liberalization spurs growth have been evidenced. The possible negative effect of financial repression on economic growth does not automatically mean that countries should adopt a laissez-faire stance on financial development and remove all regulations and controls that create financial repression. Many developing countries that liberalized their financial markets experienced crises partly because of the external shocks that financial liberalization introduces or amplifies. Financial liberalization can create short-term volatility despite its long-term gains (Kaminsky and Schmukler, 2002). Also, because of market imperfections and information asymmetries, removing all public financial regulations may not yield an optimal environment for financial development. An alternative to a financially repressive administration would be a new set of regulations to ensure market competition as well as prudential regulation and supervision. ECONOMIC THOUGHTS The literature on finance and development postulates a symbiotic relationship between the evolution of the financial system and the development of the real economy. This prediction is common to both the McKinnon-Shaw approach and the endogenous growth literature. However, while in the former financial development determines the level of steady-state output, in the latter it is a determinant of the equilibrium rate of economic growth. In the McKinnon-Shaw literature the basis for the relationship between financial and economic development is Gurley and Shaws (1955) debt-intermediation hypothesis. In this framework an increase in financial saving relative to the level of real economic activity increases the extent of financial intermediation and raises productive investment which, in turn, raises per-capita income. In these models nominal interest rate controls inhibit capital accumulation because they reduce the real rate of return on bank deposits, thereby discouraging financial saving. Moreover, higher reserve requirements also exert a negative influence on financial intermediation by increasing the wedge between lending and deposit rates. Under a competitive banking system this wedge is an increasing function of the rate of inflation. Thus higher real interest rates encourage capital accumulation and real economic activity, largely through an increase in the extent of financial intermediation. The competitive model of the banking industry are theoretically inadequate because First, in many less developed countries the banking industry is typically dominated by a small number of banks and collusive behaviour is not uncommon. Second, asymmetric information in loan markets is sufficient to generate a considerable degree of market power for lenders. Theoretical inadequacy relates to the implication of the assumptions of perfect competition, which leave little room for analyzing the behaviour of banks and their reactions to government interventions. Departure of the benchmark model from perfect competition has important implications for the way in which repressionist policies affect financial development. These effects may differ depending on the source of the departure from perfectly competitive behaviour. In the case where the departure is due to collusive behaviour, banking controls may induce banks to use non-interest-rate methods to influence the volume of bank deposits. Whenever the departure from perfect competition is due to imperfect information, the possibility of government corrective actions must be acknowledged. According to Stiglitz (1993), interest rate restrictions may be able to address moral hazard in the form of excessive risk taking by banks. Thus if one is prepared to assume that depositors perceive such restrictions as enhancing the stability of the banking system, their imposition may increase depositors willingness to hold their savings in the form of bank deposits. However, this crucially depends on how government policies are perceived by the public, which in turn relates to the existence or otherwise of good governance. Ill perceived and/or executed policies may have the opposite effect than that predicted by the market failure paradigm. Thus the success or failure of certain policies may largely depend on the effectiveness of the institutions that implement them (World Bank (1993). The endogenous growth literature offers additional channels through which financial sector policies may affect financial development, independently of the real rate of interest. In contrast to the Courakis-Stiglitz analysis, where repressionist policies may have positive effects, this literature typically predicts negative effects. The above analyses serve to suggest that the effects of certain types of interventionist policies as well as the channel through which they work may be different than has so far been recognized by much of the empirical literature. In particular, these policies may have direct effects on financial depth by: (1) changing the willingness of banks to raise deposits by non-interest-rate methods, and (2) changing the willingness of savers to supply their savings to the banking system. Thus these policies can have effects over and above-and sometimes conflicting with-those that are widely recognized in the literature. DATA ANALYSIS We focus on the economy of India for a variety of reasons. Besides the obvious reason that India is one of the most important developing economies in the world, it also has a rich history of varying types of repressionist policies which aids the statistical investigation. In the late 1950s the financial system of India was fairly liberal with no ceilings on interest rates and low reserve requirements. In the early 1960st he government tightened its control over the financial system by introducing lending rate controls, higher liquidity requirements, and by establishing state development banks for industry and agriculture. This process culminated in the nationalization of the 14 largest commercial banks in 1969. Further nationalizations took place in 1980. Interest rate controls were rigidly applied from the 1970s to the late 1980s to all types of loans and deposits. The term structure of interest rates was largely dictated by the Reserve Bank. Credit planning, a formal system of dire cted credit introduced in 1970, increasingly covered a very large percentage of total lending. Moreover, concessionary lending rates were offered to priority sectors. The late 1980s were, however, marked by the beginning of a process of gradual liberalization of the financial system. Ceilings on lending rates began to be lifted in 1988 and were completely abolished in 1989. Finally, further relaxations on directed credit and concessionary lending rates took place in 1990 and 1992. Interestingly, the index appears to reflect quite well many of the policy shifts that occurred during the sample period. According to this index, the early 1960s appear to be characterized with gradual increases in the level of financial repression. There was some stability in the mid-1960s followed by a big jump in 1969. This behaviour coincides with developments in the 1960s which culminated with the nationalization of the largest eleven banks in 1969, which allowed the Reserve Bank of India to intensify its directed credit program and to impose controls on deposit rates. The 1970s were characterized with the gradual imposition of more controls, i .e. a lending rate floor operated during 1973 and 1974, a lending rate ceiling was imposed in 1975 and remained in operation for 13 years, and reserve requirements (PAPER 3) were raised in 1976. The early 1980s saw even more controls imposed and an intensification of the directed credit program. Once again the gradual increase in the inde x follows these developments quite well. The index drops significantly in 1985, which coincides with a partial deregulation of deposit rate controls. It then rises again, reflecting the reintroduction of deposit rate controls in 1988 and a 4% increase of reserve requirements in 1989, but drops again in 1990 when the directed credit program is relaxed. Finally, there is a small drop of the index in 1991, which coincides with further deregulations of deposit rates. (PAPER 3) RECOMMENDATION (financial liberalisation) Since the break-up of the colonial empires, many developing countries suffered from stagnant economic growth, high and persistent inflation, and external imbalances under a financially repressed regime. To cope with these difficulties economic experts had advocated what they called â€Å"Financial liberalization mainly a high interest rate policy to accelerate capital accumulation, hence growth with lower rates of inflation (McKinnon (1973), Shaw (1973), Kapur (1976) and Matheison (1980)). Their argument that relaxation of the institutionally determined interest rate ceilings on bank deposit rates would lead to price stabilization and long-run growth through capital accumulation is based on the following chronology of events: (a) the higher deposit rates would cause the households to substitute away from unproductive assets (foreign currency, cash, land, commodity stocks, an so on) in favour of bank deposits; (b) this in turn would raise the availability of deposits into the banking system, and would enhance the supply of bank credit to finance firms capital requirements, and ; (c) this upsurge in investment would cause a strong supply side effect leading to higher output and lower inflation.(paper 1) CONCLUSION The main finding of this paper is that the direct effects of financial repression in India were negative and quite substantial. We would, however, advise caution in generalizing from these results to other countries. It is well known that the success of economic policies largely depends on the effectiveness of the institutions that implement them, and this clearly varies from country to country (e.g., World Bank (1993)). Thus we would not be surprised if future research showed- that the direct effects of financial repression in other countries (e.g., South Korea) were positive and significant.19 In fact, according to our theoretical analysis, the possibility of positive effects cannot be ruled out. Our conjecture is that repressionist policies may have positive effects whenever they are able to successfully address market failure. How-ever, market failure should encompass not only information-related imperfections but also those pertaining to the structure of the banking industry, as the latter may be equally important. Our results highlight a number of potentially fruitful avenues for further research. From a theoretical view point much work needs to be done to model financial repression in a framework where banks are more active than has so far been customarily assumed. Models where banks are able to influence the volume of their loanable funds may also be in the spirit of the modem banking literature, which emphasises the importance of active liability management. In such a framework it would be interesting to explore the role of market structure. A game-theoretic approach may also be taken, which could yield rich insights about the strategic aspects of financial repression. From an empirical point of view, the examination of the direct effects of financial repression in other countries is likely to be of considerable value. Furthermore, comparisons of these effects across different economies are likely to shed light on the relative effectiveness of repressi onist policies, thereby providing indirect evidence on relative levels of good governance. Finally, our results suggest that there is also considerable scope for empirical studies of bank behaviour under conditions of financial repression. (PAPER 3)