The Impact of Ethics on Decision Making Essay Example For Students

The Impact of Ethics on Decision Making Essay Running Head: Ethical Decisions The Impact of Ethics on Decision Making Essay Sheila Reeve University of Phoenix Online The Impact of Ethics on Decision Making We will write a custom essay on The Impact of Ethics on Decision Making specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Ferrel and Gardiner (1991) say there are two criteria to ethical choices on top of being legal. The first being; One does not infringe on the basic inalienable human rights such as life, freedom of speech and privacy, due process recognized by our society (ethical formalism). Basically stating the respect of others should be considered in all decisions. The second states each person should strive towards an increase in self-esteem and mental health. Maintaining self-respect should be thought of in the decision making process. We all face decisions in every day life, some appear obvious and easy while others do not. People are always struggling with their ethics during the decision making process. There are those who do not how to decided which is ethical or not. I found an Ethics Quick Test from the Online Ethics for Engineering and Science page (2002), which provides seven things, to check in order to examine the ethical implications toward a person decisions: 1)Is the action legal? 2)Does it comply with your understanding of our values? 3)If you do it, will you feel bad? 4)How will it look in the newspaper? 5)If you know it is wrong, do not do it. 6)If you are not sure, ask. 7)Keep asking until you get an answer. Even though this information pertains to a specific topic it can also be used in everyday life. Everyone should be able to look at a choice and answer these questions without hesitation. When thinking of whether or not something is legal, one would need to look at all aspect of the word legal. Is this going to harm anyone, including ones self? There is also the issue of the decision being legal but it may not be ethical. For example: a woman who legally not responsible for a traffic accident but clearly in the cause. She stops in the road because she wants to get something out of her car into a building. Not only does she turn her car off, she turns her lights off as well with no hazard lights turned on. The road has no room from the curb to the actual road for a car to pass without going into oncoming traffic. A second driver coming down the same road, not seeing her car sitting on the side of the road runs into her car. The person in the second car receives the traffic ticket and is sued for damages done to her car. The insurance company for this person ends up paying for the damages done to the ladys car. Even though this is not ethical it was completely legal. If the woman, in the parked car, had thought about the consequences of her actions she would have realized she was in the wrong and perhaps not have sued the innocent person. Ferrel and Gardiner mention along with some decisions comes a price of short-term stress or a degree of conflict and pain. Many people battle the decision of whether their personal values outweigh what is legally right. As is most situations within the medical field. Knowing that each person has his or her own values and beliefs is one thing. Its another to accept this fact though. Within the medical field this is a conflict that arises often. By law, medical personnel must learn to put their own personal beliefs aside and abide by the wishes of the patients and families. If they dont, the risk of being sued is high. Which is ethical though? Abiding the wishes of the patient or ones own beliefs? Many battle the If I turn this machine off this person will die, it will be my fault. This is a decision one should make prior to entering the field. Perhaps the above number four, regarding the newspaper issue, may not be pertinent, but the issue raises a good point. .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .postImageUrl , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:hover , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:visited , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:active { border:0!important; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:active , .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818 .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u12d9001c8e90b73750ad97b3ce36f818:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 4th grade Living Things Unit 4, Lesson 1 A better way of looking at it might be: If looked at from the perspective of others, how will it appear? What will the public eye think about the decision made? If a Senator .

Drama in English National Curriculum The WritePass Journal

Drama in English National Curriculum Bibliography Drama in English National Curriculum 1. Drama in the National Curriculum. 1.1   Drama as part of English in the National Curriculum.1.2 How we got to where we are now.CHAPTER TWO – ARGUMENTS FOR DRAMA BEING A  DESCRETE SUBJECTCHAPTER THREE – ARGUMENTS AGAINST DRAMA BEING A  DESCRETE SUBJECTCONCLUSIONBibliographyRelated The aim of this report is to understand where Drama stands in education within England at present. It searches for its’ mention within the National Curriculum and interprets what this means for the teaching of the subject. It looks at primary and secondary schools’ current trends towards Drama as a discrete subject, and argues the benefits and disadvantages of it having its’ own subject heading within the National Curriculum. The evidence will be evaluated and a conclusion formulated. 1. Drama in the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum website provides the most up to date information on how Drama is placed within the curriculum. At first glance Drama is absent but mention of it can be located, mainly within the subject of English. [See Appendix One for a description of the requirements and activities for Key Stages (KS) 1 2. (National Curriculum, 2011a)]. Whilst there are aims and objectives published for KS1 2, at KS3 4 there is mention of selected playwrights as subjects to be studied and the expectation that at least one Shakespearean play will be explored in depth at each stage (National Curriculum, 2011b c). References to the use of Drama appear under Literature [See Appendix Two] (National Curriculum, 2011d). For England the Teachernet (Teachernet, 2011), DFES Drama Objectives (DFES, 2011) and QCDA (QCDA, 2011) resources have been/are being decommissioned with edited highlights appearing in the National Archive. In fact most of the Government resources advocated by the Initial Teacher Education website for English are no more (ITE, 2011a). The Department of Education website is replacing it, but the only suitable material found for Drama is an item for the Speaking and Listening element at KS1 2 dated 2004 (Department of Education, 2011). In Ireland drama is within the ‘arts’ sector, alongside visual arts and music. The strand is â€Å"Drama to explore feelings, knowledge and ideas, leading to understanding.†   They expect that when this subject is taught correctly it can help children at a young age to understand/relate and deal with life situations that can occur (Irish Curriculum, 2011). Whilst Drama is placed firmly in Arts Education as a trio with the visual and aural mediums, there is little support to be found in their Curriculum Planner as well (NCCA, 2011). Compare this to 52 resources for Drama in the Scottish Curriculum (Scottish Curriculum Resources for Drama, 2011). In Northern Ireland Drama is mentioned in Language Literacy and has its own subject within The Arts and resources are well provided (N. Ireland Resources, 2011). At KS1 2 the statutory subjects that all pupils must study are art and design, design and technology, English, geography, history, information and communication technology (ICT), mathematics, music, physical education and science. Religious education must also be provided at KS 1 and 2 (National Curriculum, 2011e), although there is a non-statutory program of study. From the National Curriculum (2011e) for Religious Education there are the following two points: 1). Explore how religious beliefs and ideas can be expressed through the arts and communicate their responses. 2). Using art and design, music, dance and drama to develop their creative talents and imagination. Art and design does not mention drama until KS 2 as follows from the National Curriculum (2011f): Exploring a range of starting points for practical work [for example, themselves, their experiences, images, stories, drama, music, natural and made objects and environments] Yet making puppet theatres, and also creating atmosphere in sounds, lighting, backdrops and costumes for full size plays would make the subject more fun whilst defining a practical purpose for the work. Drama in a similar way should be a fertile ground for scenery and special effects within Design and Technology yet it is not mentioned at all (National Curriculum, 2011g 2011h). Music and Physical Education in a similar vein have a relationship to Drama through Dance but there is no credit for it. History could conceivably use period dramas to illustrate points and the appreciation of accuracy in the texts and writers’ bias would then be covered in Drama. Stenhouse (1981, p.29) is against the idea that Drama is for teaching other subjects in the curriculum and rejects the imagined realities of Drama for the authenticated realities of pure history. ICT could provide a multi-media back drop similar to that of exhibition trade stands and modern performances that use computerised effects and giant screens. When the National Curriculum was being formulated teachers were vocal in their disapproval of the many curriculum subjects being loaded into the National Curriculum, such that subjects were curtailed following Music and Art (Baldwin, 2011). As the (NCCCE, 1999, p.75) report states ‘there are more than ten subjects in the world.† It also notes that Dance is not found with sport, games and athletics after education and that Drama is not just verbal. (NACCCE, 1999, p.76) points out that of all the countries in the QCA/NFER INCA archive, England was unique in having 10 discrete subjects from KS 1-4. â€Å"When the National Curriculum was introduced, specialist drama practitioners eagerly awaited the National Curriculum for Drama. They are still waiting.†Ã‚  (Baldwin, 2011). 1.1   Drama as part of English in the National Curriculum. One of the ongoing debates about the nature of English centres around its relationship [sic] the creative arts.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Is English an Arts based, creative discipline, or a much more functional, competency led subject?†, and â€Å"Is Drama itself an Arts based discipline or a method of education, a form of learning?† (ITE, 2011b) The role of drama in the curriculum remains in practice very much in doubt. It is believed that future employers have been unhappy with general educational standards of school leavers. A contributionary factor to this low estimation (for the subject) has been the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  political shift from a liberal view (of the centrality of aesthetic and artistic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  experience in education) towards a more vocationally – orientated view in which   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the secondary curriculum is seen rather as a feeder of commercial, industrial and post-industrial requirements as they have been immerging in recent years. (Morton, 1984, p.56). The Arts Council England (2003, p.6) explains that all pupils’ minimum statutory entitlements for the study of Drama are acknowledged within the National Curriculum for English. According to Ashcroft Palacio (1995, p. 196), â€Å"The national curriculum firmly places drama within the English domain.† Neelands (2008, p.1) refers to the National Curriculum as the English Model where, â€Å"Drama was first introduced into the secondary curriculum through the English curriculum and timetable†. He amusingly cites the fact that Shakespeare was English to explain how we arrived at this unique position, which has not been followed elsewhere in the world except maybe Wales (Welsh Curriculum KS 1 (2008) Welsh Curriculum KS 2-4 (2008) where Drama is mentioned within English and to a lesser extent Welsh. Drama as a subject in its’ own right is not present in the primary curriculum, but as a part of English or R.E, or furnishing other areas and cross curricular themes. Even though Drama is absent from the curriculum for primary schools, it is still present through the activities and lessons which are taught using drama, â€Å"many primary schools already include drama in their curriculum, without realizing that the activities the children are involved in are actually drama.† (Arts on the move, 2010). For High School teachers, it can be a problem for them to know what to expect of pupils entering KS 3, this is because of the lack of continuity in Drama across all the Primary Schools, therefore only an educated guess can be made on the pupils’ prior drama experiences. Neelands (2004, p.9) offers 6 points of common reference which can be found in Appendix Three. According to Neelands (2008, p.2) statistics show that, †¦many schools in England do offer drama as a separate timetabled subject in Key Stage 3 and this makes drama the only ‘subject’ in the English system which is ‘unregulated’ in terms of a nationally agreed curriculum beyond the references to speaking and listening in the Orders for English†. So only at KS 3 do some pupils get the opportunity to take Drama as a separate subject but it is still an unofficial one. Whilst this offers a complete freedom in how the subject is taught and presented [see Neelands (2004, p.5) for three different approaches at secondary level], it also means there is little in the way of a safety net for its practitioners that standards, assessments, guidelines and official support can provide. So it would appear that Drama has become a Cinderella subject that is busy working in the shadows whilst the Ugly Sisters of English and Religious Education take all the credit. 1.2 How we got to where we are now. â€Å"Most of what young people know of the world, they know through representations of it.† (Neelands, 2008, p.9), suggesting that schools have a moral obligation to help shape the citizenship of their stundents. â€Å"There is little time allotted in the daily routine for drama in early childhood education settings, due to the pressure that many teachers feel to cover too many materials in too little time.† (Jones and Reynolds, 1992, p.7). This suggests that head teachers and teachers are forced to focus their concentration and resources on the subjects the ‘really matter’ For example, those subjects that are recorded as National statistics, showing how many A* C students have obtained; in particular on Maths, English and Science. Drama being mentioned in the curriculum saw a mixed reaction. Some celebrated the â€Å"fact† that Drama would now have to be taught. Others were quick to point out that there was a fundamental flaw here. There were few trained Drama teachers left. The reality has been, that hardly any Drama is happening (in Primary)  despite the fact that it is deemed statutory. (Baldwin, 2011). Yet Neelands (2008, p.1) states that, â€Å"In the English education system, all students in the 5-16 age range have an entitlement to drama within the National Curriculum Orders for English.†   Baldwin (2011) the president of the International Drama/Theatre Education Association provides a background to how Drama fell from grace, how a timely reaction to the rigid curriculum being built subject by subject stopped it being included at the eleventh hour and then, as it was no longer a subject, support for it fell away. Practitioners were left high and dry, as Drama was no longer part of Ofsted unless a fee was paid to assess it, which in one case ended up being marked as a ‘Satisfactory’ P.E. lesson. Dearing tried to soften the curriculum but then came the constraints of the National Literacy Strategy which concentrated on reading and writing for the ‘Literacy Hour’ at the expense of speaking and listening. However Winston Tandy (2001, p.75-86) in their chapter entitled ‘Drama and literacy’ provide some ideas for including Drama within the hour. Then at Secondary level we find a carte blanche where anything goes with Drama either as a separate subject taught by a Drama specialist or as a continuing addition within English or as another entity, which perhaps suits the more pronounced different streams of ability. Neelands (2004, p.5-6) noticed that the various sources of national guidance for Drama, for example the specific references to Drama in the Programs of Study for English showed a general agreement for the aims and objectives for Drama, such as: Drama as personal, social and moral education Drama as English Drama as a subject in its own right. As stated earlier he cites three very different secondary schools each illustrating one of these points as their individual approach to Drama. The demands of a nationally prescribed curriculum put considerable pressure on teachers to â€Å"fit everything in†; each subject has it own expectations and makes its own particular demands. Finding the time for Drama, however highly you and your class may value it in its own right, can be difficult- the more so if we are going to give the Drama time to develop, deepen the children’s involvement and understanding, and reach a satisfactory conclusion. (Winston Tandy, 2001, p.54) Ashcroft Palacio (1997, p.6) infer that longer serving teachers will find the prescribed nature of the National Curriculum and all its revisions to be a bone of contention. On the other hand The lack of core guidance for Drama, the parallel development of Drama within English with its development as a discrete Arts subject, together with the diversity of models of curriculum and assessment to be found in schools make it a particularly problematic area of English teaching for trainees. (ITE, 2011c) Especially as: School Drama Co-ordinators disappeared almost overnight, as did LEA Drama Advisers and advisory teachers.   Drama courses became few and far between, relying more and more on professional organisations, which were and are run voluntarily, by increasingly stretched full time teachers and lecturers. (Baldwin, 2011). CHAPTER TWO – ARGUMENTS FOR DRAMA BEING A  DESCRETE SUBJECT â€Å"As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, drama has a significant contribution to make† (Winston Tandy, 2001, p.73). â€Å"Drama, more than any other subject in the curriculum, mirrors life as it is lived and experienced† (Winston, 2004, p.18). Please see Appendix Five for some positive results Winston (2004) notes as being seen in children’s writing due to their involvement with Drama.â€Å"At least a national agreement provides some external, relatively objective and visible materials to discuss† (Neelands, 2004, p.6). However, the absence of a nationally agreed framework for Drama gives two points of concern; The individual Drama teacher has no external framework to follow, therefore the success of the Drama class is completely at the mercy of the ability or lack thereof of the teacher; How Drama is perceived at the school may well be based on the head teachers’ predilections and prejudices. To illustrate this point I found at X High School, where the author has experienced Drama via a teaching training day placement, it was noticeable that Drama is thought of as a high priority subject. This was thanks to the Head realising that in a catchment area of high poverty Drama provided interest and expression for children that found reading and writing difficult. The school used Drama also as a marketing tool to promote itself to the wider community and its governors. It held annual Drama productions, school assemblies were punctuated with Drama in the form of funny sketches or more serious pieces designed to entertain and inform, it supported fundraising activities etc. Drama here is a timetabled subject throughout all the year groups, and is offered as an A-level subject. As Ashcroft Palacio (1995, p. 196) advocate, â€Å"Primary school pupils can develop through drama an extensive range of language uses, including the majority of those referred to in the national curriculum.† â€Å"†¦drama is a social process of making meaning†¦the framework and method of drama provides a unique context for developing a sense of identity and productiveness.† (Morton, 1984, p.37). â€Å"All Our Futures† had already clearly recognised the importance of Drama, both as a creative teaching and learning medium and as the most powerful pupil motivator:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"OFSTED data on pupil response to learning indicates drama to be at the very top in motivating learning† (NACCCE, 1999, p.77). Drama in education can help pupils learn and understand whatever is required, in ways that are emotionally, aesthetically and cognitively connected and meaningful to children who are natural dramatic players.† CHAPTER THREE – ARGUMENTS AGAINST DRAMA BEING A  DESCRETE SUBJECT â€Å"†¦drama is a process that cannot be divided into a series of discrete and accessible outcomes in the kind of way that curriculum theorists have managed to do with many other subjects in the curriculum† (Young, 1981, p.94). Baldwin (2011) states: Trainees are likely to encounter a diverse range of arrangements for drama within schools. In the absence of national orders and a statutory subject framework, schools are free to design their own local variations of a drama curriculum based on the specific value given to drama in a particular school. Cynics were heard to mutter, that with an assessment driven curriculum emerging, process based drama would be too problematic for SCAA (as it was then) to deal with. Assessment in Drama has always been tricky as so much goes on cognitively and emotionally during the Drama process that is not easy or even possible to assess.   It is noted that this argument appears amongst many professionals, but no suggestions as to what criteria could be used is suggested. Is this because they believe there is to be none. Baldwin, (2011) continues. â€Å"Assessment records were being revealed as lists of statements of attainment tick boxes and needed to be based on easily observable, extrinsic outcomes† suggesting that Drama specialists were not sure they wanted such a meaningful and aesthetic art form measured and graded in this way.. Neelaands appears to contradict his issues by stating The local curriculum can be based on a highly idiosyncratic and ideologically motivated selection. What is taught may be left to the whim of an individual teacher and may reflect personal prejudices and interests rather that the breadth of depth of study which is a pupil’s entitlement (Neelands, 2004, p.6). Yet according to Neelands on the Initial Teacher Education website (ITE, 2011d), The non-statutory Framework drama objectives might usefully form the basis of the programme of study for drama at KS3. However, these specific objectives are unlikely to be considered sufficient as core objectives for drama as a discrete subject because they do not cover physical, visual, design and technical aspects of drama. This suggests that although the concerns of Patrice Baldwin are relevant, the concerns of the ITE is that without a defined structure and specific objectives, the importance of Drama could be overlooked. This point of view is rejected by Way (1967, p.12) who points out, â€Å"If we make drama another subject, then we make another ‘progressive straight line’ – in fact many straight lines, one for infants, one for juniors, and so on through the different age groups.† Again, because of its ‘uniqueness’ there is a concern over how Drama can be ‘measured’ i.e. marked. Way (1967, p.3) wrote, â€Å"Education is concerned with individuals; drama is concerned within the individuality of individuals, with the uniqueness of each human essence. Indeed this is one of the reasons for its intangibility and its immeasurability.† As Drama is not in the National Curriculum as its own subject, it might be seen as unimportant. With the pressures on schools to be ranked via league tables on the core subjects of English, Maths and Science, it is perhaps not surprising that schools focus on these subjects to the detriment of all else. However, the subject still has its own written examinations and an external examiner is called in to mark performances. It is therefore unclear as to the reasons behind why the subject is deemed by some to be difficult to assess. CONCLUSION â€Å"Ultimately, drama is a valuable tool, but first the tool itself must be fashioned.† (Way, 1967, p.7). There appears to be a divide in international practice over whether Drama should be used across the curriculum or as a subject within its own right and/or as part of the arts agenda. There were those who thought that if assessment was going to be the name of the game, then drama could and should be made to fit, in order to ensure its place in the new curriculum.   And there were those who breathed a sigh of relief that drama did not fit and had been left outside the new curriculum, where at least it would allow a greater freedom of practice and content, within the broader curriculum (Baldwin, 2011). Therefore, unless the individual schools value Drama, and encourage Drama teacher training, the concern is that the level of teaching Drama will not be sufficient to add any value to teaching within the school as a whole. According to Ashcroft and Palacio (1995, p.203) there are two types of Drama within the National Curriculum spectrum, one being performance based activities, such as assemblies and school plays, and the other being educational Drama, which involves children in the active creation and exploration of situations based on fact or fiction. â€Å"it is regarded by many teachers as a learning method rather than a subject area because it can be employed to deliver many aspects of the curriculum very effectively.† (Ashcroft and Palacio, 1995, p.204). Art is useful, not because it is true but because it is truly edifying. It is because drama – as – art functions in this way that a dramatic work cannot be explained, paraphrased or deconstructed into essays. Like any other art form, drama is unique and non – convertible†¦ it resists crassly utilitarian efforts to corral it into the service of geography, history or management training as much as it refuses to be the acquiescent servant of personal, social, or political education. In a secular age, the usefulness of drama lies in its ability to articulate meaning in particular direct and accessible ways so that we, in turn, can make better sense of the world in which we live. For these reasons, drama is an indispensible part of the arts curriculum.   (Hornbrook, 1991, p.40-41). Whilst we cannot expect the commitment of the National Theatre at every Primary School (Turner et al., 2004) they offer a model of best practice that can be used within the subject of Drama to really bring out the confidence and intellect of young children and this should be the ultimate goal whether Drama is housed within English or is a subject in its own right. Does this then mean that drama is yet another subject that has to be fitted into an already overcrowded curriculum? No. Drama is not another subject; theatre might be, with its ground work in history and its study of playwrights and their works but not drama. Drama is as intangible as personality itself, and is concerned with developing people. Indeed, it is as necessary to discard educational conventions as to disregard theatre conventions (Way, 1967, p.7). The arguments will rage on but only the will of the government can make a difference to the position Drama as a subject or non-subject is in. The conclusion drawn from all the evidence in this report is that Drama should be included as a subject in its own right in the National Curriculum, but not as the curriculum currently stands. There appears to be insufficient structure and no definitive way that the success of pupils taking Drama can be measured. To try and ‘fit’ it into the current curriculum could restrict its usefulness as a holistic well being tool for the personal growth of pupils. How could this be measured in academic terms? There could be pupils who come alive as actors and give wonderful performances, but cannot translate this successfully into a written piece of work. How does one measure personal growth? How can we mark a student who has grown in confidence, can express themselves better than before the introduction of the Drama lesson, and interacts wel l with other students in the class? Whereas before the use of Drama they may have been antagonistic, dealing with personal issues which had no voice except in eruptions of violent behaviour. One can set tests to measure the knowledge of the literacy greats, the search for meaning in the works of the playwrights but should this lie here or within the realms of English Literature, such that it cannot be used as a mark of success or failure for Drama students. The conclusion gathered is that this testing should be left within the English subject, thus allowing students of Drama more freedom to express themselves through this wonderful medium. It has been shown that Drama is a useful tool in the understanding of other subjects, but it should first be enjoyed and understood in its own right. The greatest problem for Drama being included in its own right in the National Curriculum appears to be the way the success of subjects are currently judged. There does not appear to be current procedures that can fairly measure the true success and positive impact Drama can have on a student’s life. For example with a Mathematics exam there is a definite right answer with marks available for showing your workings out, but what is the ‘right’ answer in Drama? The division between the teaching professionals as to the inclusion or not of Drama in the National Curriculum can be understood after researching and investigating this question. The concerns are that the importance of Drama within the schools is currently dependant on the will of the head teacher and the ability, passion and commitment of the Drama staff. Drama teachers’ experiencing schools who class Drama as a ‘fill-in’ subject and not that important will have experienced first hand the argument that Drama should be included. It could be very demoralising to the Drama teacher who feels that their work, however committed they are, maybe seen as unimportant. However those Drama teachers experiencing and enjoying a school that appreciates Drama and uses it throughout school life for example in assemblies, community gatherings and the annual school performance may enjoy the freedom of the subject not being included in the National Curriculum, as they do not feel threatened about the validity of their teaching skills. There appears to be no straightforward conclusion over Drama’s inclusion in the National Curriculum, however it must be pointed out that other parts of the British Isles make Drama a subject in its own right and provide excellent support for it. Perhaps there are lessons to be learned from the way they have gone about this by an exchange of ideas on best practice. For example what criteria are they using to measure Drama’s success as a subject; are more or less students choosing Drama as a subject at Secondary level; has its status had a positive or negative effect on the teachers? Without knowing the answers to these questions and many more besides we cannot hold these countries up as shining examples. There needs to be a way of trying to take the best from the arguments for and against Drama’s inclusion in the National Curriculum. For example this research has shown that most of the Drama professionals feel that both the subject and they benefit from its inclusion to put them on a level playing field with other subjects. They believe that they may be taken more seriously and have more support from training being given. The concern of its inclusion appears to be that it could stifle the very creativity and freedom of expression some professionals believe Drama should be. They all appear to agree that Drama cannot be measured in academic terms as easily as other subjects as no ‘marks’ are awarded for students personal development. Therefore after research and investigation into this question, the final conclusion is that Drama should be included in the National Curriculum as a discrete subject but only after the creation of relevant success criteria is added. Once there is an acceptable measurement formula in place Drama would then benefit from inclusion. As it stands at present there does not appear to be sufficient steps in place to recognise Drama students’ success. Bibliography Ashcroft, K Palacio, D. (1997). Introduction to the Primary School Curriculum. in Ashcroft, K. Palacio, D. (eds.) Implementing the Primary Curriculum: A Teacher’s Guide. London: RoutledgeFalmer, pp2-17. Ashcroft, K. Palacio, D. (1995). The primary teachers guide to the new national curriculum. The Falmer Press Arts Council England, (2003). Drama in Schools. 2nd Ed. London: ACE. Arts on the move, (2010). Drama in the Primary School [online]. London: Artsonthemove. [Accessed 13 April 2011]. Available at: artsonthemove.co.uk/education/primary/primary.php. Baldwin, P. (2011). Drama-coming out of the wings? [online]. London: PatriceBaldwin. [Accessed 01 April 2011]. Available at: patricebaldwin.com/publications/articles/wings.asp. Barbour, A. (2007). Dramatic Play and Imagination. [online]. California: Aplaceofourown. [Accessed 10 April 2011]. Available at: http://aplaceofourown.org/question_detail.php?id=341. Department of Education, (2004). Speaking, Listening, Learning: working with children in Key Stages 1 and 2 Professional Development Materials. [online]. London: DfES. [Accessed 10 April 2011]. Available at: http://education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/DfES%200163-200MIG2223.pdf. DFES, (2011). Drama Objectives. [online]. London: DfES. [Attempted Access 14 April 2011]. Unavailable at: standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/respub/en_dramaobjs. Hornbrook, D. (1991). Education in Drama; Casting the Dramatic Curriculum, London; Falmer Press. Irish Curriculum, (2011). Primary School Curriculum. [online]. Dublin: NCCA. [Accessed 10 April 2011]. Available at: curriculumonline.ie/en/Primary_School_Curriculum/Arts_Education/Drama/. ITE, (2011a). Drama: Secondary Resources. [online]. [Accessed 14 April 2011]. Available at:ite.org.uk/ite_topics/drama_secondary/004.html. ITE, (2011b). Drama: Secondary Research: Literature and Drama. [online]. [Accessed 14 April 2011]. Available at: ite.org.uk/ite_research/research_secondary_focus/009.html. ITE, (2011c). Drama: Secondary Drama as a discrete subject. [online]. [Accessed 14 April 2011]. Available at:ite.org.uk/ite_topics/drama_secondary/005.html. ITE, (2011d). Drama: Secondary. [online]. [Accessed 14 April 2011]. Available at:ite.org.uk/ite_topics/drama_secondary/002.html. Jones, E. Reynolds, G., (1992). The Play’s The Thing: Teachers’ Roles in Children’s Play. New York: Teachers College Press. Morton, D. (1984). Drama for capability. Banbury: Kemble Press Ltd. NACCCE, (1999).   All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education. Report to the Secretaries of State for Education Employment and for Culture, Media Sport. [online]. [Accessed 08 April 2011]. Available at: creativitycultureeducation.org/data/files/naccce-all-our-futures-249.pdf. National Curriculum, (2011a). KS 1 2 Requirements. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/general-teaching-requirements/subject-requirements/index.aspx. National Curriculum, (2011b). KS 3 Programme of Study. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/key-stage-3/english/programme-of-study/index.aspx?tab=4. National Curriculum, (2011c). KS 4 Programme of Study. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/subjects/key-stage-4/english/programme-of-study/index.aspx?tab=4. National Curriculum, (2011d). KS 1 English. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/english/keystage1/index.aspx. National Curriculum, (2011e). KS 1 Religious Education. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/religious-education/keystage1/index.aspx. National Curriculum, (2011f). KS 2 Art Design. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/art-and-design/keystage2/index.aspx. National Curriculum, (2011g). KS 1 Design Technology. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/design-and-technology/keystage1/index.aspx. National Curriculum, (2011h). KS 2 Design Technology. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-1-and-2/subjects/design-and-technology/keystage2/index.aspx. http://eprints.ioe.ac.uk/2995/1/Turner2004Childrenengaging.pdf National Theatre NCCA, (2011). Irish Curriculum Planning. [online]. [Accessed 10 April 2011]. Available at: nccaplanning.com/. Neelands, J. (2008). Drama; The subject that dare not speak its name. Institute of Education, Warwick: University of Warwick. Neelands, J. (2004). 2nd Ed. Beginning Drama 11-14. London: David Fulton Books. N. Ireland Resources (2011). Northern Ireland Drama Resources. [online]. [Accessed 10 April 2011]. Available at: nicurriculum.org.uk/microsite/the_arts/. QCDA, (2011).   Qualifiactions Curriculum Development Agency.   [online]. [Accessed 12 April 2011]. Available at: qcda.gov.uk/resources/assets/3361_teachers_guide.pdf. Scottish Curriculum Resources for Drama, (2011).   Scottish Resources for Drama. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: ltscotland.org.uk/nationalqualifications/resources/nq_library/subjectsearch.asp?strSubmit=TruestrSearchNode=National%20Qualifications\|Performing%20and%20Creative%20%28NQ%20category%29\|Drama%20%28NQ%20subject%29. Stenhouse, L. (1981). Drama as a Discipline of Thinking. In Norman, J. (Ed.). Drama in Education: A Curriculum for Change. Banbury: Kemble Press. Teachernet (2011). Teachernet. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/f/flexibilityinthenationalcurriculum/-. Treviglas, (2011). Expressive Performing Arts. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: treviglas.net/faculties/expressive-and-performing-arts Turner, H.; Mayall, B.; Dickinson, R.; Clark, A.; Hood, S.; Samuels, J. Wiggins, M. (2004). An evaluation of the National Theatres drama work in primary schools 2002-2004. Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, London: University of London. Way, B. (1967). Development through Drama. Harlow: Longman. Welsh Curriculum KS1 (2008). KS 1 Curriculum for Wales. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum1/;jsessionid=nn4YNl2YgnQwPTdTNrSJWgq9MQwJY1pcxrtzhcq4MgGYvQC1pCqr!1323448023?lang=en. Welsh Curriculum KS2-4 (2008).   KS 2-4 Curriculum for Wales. [online]. [Accessed 09 April 2011]. Available at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/arevisedcurriculumforwales/nationalcurriculum/?lang=en. Winston, J. (2004). Drama and English at the Heart of the Curriculum: Primary and Middle Years. London: David Fulton. Winston, J. Tandy, M. (2001) Beginning Drama 4-11. 2nd Ed. London: David Fulton Young, M. (1981). Drama and the Politics of Educational Change. In Norman, J. (Ed.). Drama in Education: A Curriculum for Change. Banbury: Kemble Press

DNA In The Criminal Justice Field Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DNA In The Criminal Justice Field - Essay Example The benefits of the stated, as well as the challenges that may confront its implementation, shall be explored herein. Violent crime is increasing and become more widespread. This statement is supported by statistics which indicate that there are an average 25 murders in the United States every single day, in addition to over 1,000 acts of violence, including rape ("World Murder Statistics"). Most of the crimes are solved and the criminals get their legal punishment but, in numerous other cases, the wrong person is imprisoned or the crime remains unsolved. Over and above, catching just one criminal and solving just one case involves hours of police work and costly investigations. In other words, the current method of solving crimes is costly and its results are not guaranteed. It is due to this that the US government should try to improve and enhance its crime fighting ability. As the United Kingdom as already in the process of doing, according to the Lancet science writer, Adrian Linacre, the United States should establish a criminal DNA database. This database which would, at first include DNA sam ples from all people guilty of any type of crime or suspected in a crime, would act as a reference for solving crime in an efficient and certain manner. With such a database, DNA collected from a crime scene can be matched up against DNA already in the databank and DNA collected from the new crime suspects (Linacre). On the one hand, this will help solve crimes much faster and, on the other hand, will protect the innocent from wrongly being accused and imprisoned. The United States, however, does not have such a databank at the present moment. According to the USA Today article, "DNA Database Could Help Solve Crimes," this undermines the ability of US police forces to solve crimes. As written in the article, "The United States is one of only a small number of countries that limit the crime fighting potential of their DNA databases by failing to include suspects and/or arrestees" ("DNA Database"). The reason is that the United States fears that such a database would be an invasion of privacy on the one hand, and that the widespread use of DNA in crime solving would be abused, on the other. While establishing a DNA databank and exploiting DNA science in fighting crime could be interpreted as a violation of privacy, can be abused, and may cost millions of dollars in taxpayers' money, the fact is that a DNA databank and the widespread use of DNA evidence in police work are invaluable in fighting crime; separating the guilty from the innocent, ensuring that criminals are caught and protecting society. Although the use of DNA as a crime fighting and solving method appears quite complicated, it actually is not and can be defined as a more accurate and advanced type of fingerprinting. As defined by Adrian Linacre, a human biologist, DNA refers to the material inside each and every human cell nucleus and which contains an individual's genetic print. That genetic print, or map, is unique to the individual, with the implication being that it functions as a definitive identifier. The importance of DNA, as a

This Is England Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

This Is England - Essay Example The segment of the film was between 1:31:10 and 1:34:09 in the film "This is England". We chose to analyze the segment because it builds a good platform for the art. The segment also gives the spectator of what happened in England in 1980's, as the segment shows images of various iconic signs like the rubies cube, the segment also shows the gritty elements of war people faced in Falklands and England. The violence images and anarchy combined with the archive footage of the harmless periods of the 1980's. This creates a concrete contrast and creates the feeling of viewers to continue watching to find out what happened. The segment shows images of people and event that have effects on the actors, which are revealed in the segment, and the footage reminds us the aspects: give viewers knowledge about the environment and offers the anarchic setting that is present throughout the film. The shots of the film principle character occur immediately after the titles. The connections show the re lationship between Shaun and rebellious archive footage previously in the film. The segment shows the soldier's picture by Shaun's bed and this shows enigma codes as the viewers need to know the connections. Margaret Thatcher voice is heard on the radio, which Shaun immediately turn it off: it gives the viewers the knowledge of attitudes on the prime minister at that time. Camera work. The segment has various ways of presenting "This is England", similar to what has been used in the entire film. The segment shows how the natural lighting is employed to show the realism effect. That is the way the producers used to produce "This is England". The segment is portrayed as a documentary, and the style presents things as they occur daily. Such realities are crowds, classes, and marriage. The segment does no different as documentary in concentrating on the principle character. The segment shows natural lighting consisting of light and dark. The segment shows the film at day and during the night, which makes it easy to film; because extra lighting is not required. The segment is presented in such a way that it shows the British at war and ways in which the society is united. The segment shows a hand held camera which confirms that this is a social realist art: they are low budget arts, so everything uses fewer tools and materials. Handheld camera helps the spectator to gain an insight and it involve the spectator to watch the film. At this segment, there are a variety of shots used: this makes the segment effective as the viewer is able to see all the various angles and ways of seeing something. Sounds. The soundtrack used in this segment is a diegetic sound. This type of soundtrack shows that the art is real because the spectator is able to hear the natural sounds. The sound is also used in the entire film. The producer analyzed the sound because viewers do not normally notice these sounds every day. Diegetic sound tells the visual story. Diegetic sound is another in strument to tell the story of the author. In "This is England" segment, the producer draws the viewer by shifting from the diegetic to non-diegetic. The segment changes the role of the music in the piece, he engages the viewer in the action. Also, the segment pulls off the viewer from the scene to separate the spectators from the story. The segment also uses traditional effects of sound and Foley to leverage the sounds of diegetic. The segment uses digenetic to toy with the spectators: mislead the viewers. The

Carlsberg International Strategy And Prospective Partners Commerce Essay

Carlsberg International Strategy And Prospective Partners Commerce Essay Beer is one of the worlds most consumed alcoholic drinks. Nelson (2005) stated that it is the most popular drink after water and tea. There are lots of brewing companies though emphasis will be made on Carlsberg in this instance. The Carlsberg Group is the worlds fourth largest brewery group. The Group is distinguished by a high degree of variety of brands, markets and cultures. Its activities are centred on markets where the Group has the strength and the right products to secure a leading position. Due to the variation of the markets, the contribution to growth, earnings and development within the Group differs, both at present and in the longer-term projections (Carlsberg, 2012). In countries where Carlsberg has no breweries, the Group sells its products through exports and licensing agreements. It aims to establish and develop strong market positions for their international premium brands through dynamic partnerships with licensing, export and duty-free partners around the world. The Carlsberg beer portfolio includes more than 500 brands. They differ significantly in volume, price, target audience and geographic penetration. (Carlsberg, 2012). Carlsberg International Strategy and Prospective Partners The company operates using an international strategy which implies that it takes the beer first produced for its domestic market and sells them internationally with only low local customization. This highlights that the beer it sells meets a worldwide need and at such do not face substantial competitors which implies that it is not confronted with pressures to cut down its cost structure. It tends to centralize the beer development functions such as research and development in its home country and establish manufacturing and marketing functions in each country it operates. Carlsberg chose an international strategy for the following reasons: To increase sales and profit growth by entering new markets and also selling in existing markets (Hill, 2009). This is achieved because it exports its products to destinations like South America where it has no breweries and in some cases through licensing agreements like it did with Charrington and Tetley in Britain by giving them right to brew and bottle Carlsberg beer and in return get a royalty fee. It also formed joint ventures with Scottish Newcastle and a brewery in Honk Kong which it now fully owns. The Group also formed mergers with Danish rival, Ruborg and Orkla of Norway which it later owned fully. From the case study, it is very obvious that they go into these markets at a slow but cautious pace by using the services of the partners and this is to avoid information costs and risk and some other uncertainties such as trade barriers associated with foreign involvement. It also gets to learn about the foreign market in cases where it formed joint ventures and mergers and la ter take full control of the company. Another reason is to protect Carlsbergs home market share because operating in foreign countries takes away business from its competitors by offering customers other choices and it lets the competitors know that they would face the same response if they attack the home market (Rugman Collinson, 2009). Furthermore, it is a tactics that Carlsberg could use to diversify themselves against the risk and uncertainties of the domestic business cycle (Rugman Collinson, 2009). This implies that by operating in other countries it can often reduce the negative consequences of economic swing such as recession in its home country. Despite Carlsberg seemingly predatory instinct for 100% control and ownership, prospective partners engage with Carlsberg because of the following reasons: They will benefit from its intangible properties (Hill, 2009), like in the case of licensing where the licensee has the right to Carlsbergs intellectual properties such as patents, processes and trademarks. This also applies to joint ventures as the partner gets to know about its processes as well. They would be able to offer their clients a wider range of products and services (Mcpheat, 2010). For example in licensing where Carlsberg gives them rights to its intellectual properties, the partners tend to take advantage of more market opportunities (newly identified demand) as they will not only sell their own products but also that of Carlsberg, which means that their customers have variety of products to choose from. They might also have an opportunity to get endorsed into Carlsbergs advertisements (Mcpheat, 2010). That is Carlsberg might support their products in its advertisement in cases where it forms a merger or joint venture with partners. They share fixed costs and financial risks with Carlsberg which implies that they can succeed in dealing with failure to meet a certain standard or lack of resources (such as land, labour or capital). An example of an instance where this occurs is in joint ventures. Cooperating with Carlsberg creates room for pooling ideas and generates more creative solutions to problems (National Association of Conservation Districts, 1994). This is applicable when partners form joint ventures and mergers with Carlsberg. Thus, customers will be happier as their problems would be solved at a faster thereby improving customer service experience (Mcpheat, 2010). Potential acquisitions targets and strategic responses to acquisition bids According to the case study, Carlsberg has a global share by volume of 7.5% making it the fourth largest brewing corporation after AB Inbev and its market capitalization was over 80 billion Danish Kroner (Dkk). Its sales in 2009 were 59.4 billion (Dkk) on which it achieved 15.8% operating profit margin. This makes it a potential future acquisition target for other brewing groups such as AB Inbev for the following reasons: The larger brewing group would want to increase their companys portion of sales within the market in order to increase pricing power (Campbell et al., 2003). If a company doesnt have much pricing power then an increase in their prices would lessen the demand for their products (Investopedia US, 2012). Carlsberg has knowledge and marketing expertise about the local markets in which it owns breweries and so other brewing groups would want to acquire it as entry mode to these markets. Besides it would be a quicker way for them to make their presence known in these markets. Carlsberg is a valuable brand and as such is a target for other bigger groups as they would want gain its intellectual property such as patents, trademarks, production processes, databases that are difficult to re-create, and research development laboratories with a history of successful product development (Bragg, 2012). Its being the fourth largest brewing corporation in the world makes it is a major competitor in the brewing industry and in order to reduce competition a brewing group such as AB Inbev may want to purchase it. Furthermore, it is difficult to get costumers to change brands because customers are fiercely loyal to local brands and the only way of tapping into these markets is by purchasing the brewery (Rugman Collinson, 2009). For example in countries where Carlsberg markets its products that the larger groups havent entered yet, they could tap into these markets by purchasing the brewery since the customers are familiar to Carlsbergs products. The larger brewing group will want to gain preferential access to Carlsbergs sales and distribution channels. By acquiring it, they can use it to distribute its own products. Some of examples of sales channels they would benefit from are telemarketing or a well-trained-in house sales staff (Bragg, 2012). However, there are some barriers that a brewing group such as AB Inbev might face if they sought to acquire Carlsberg this could be: Clash of culture between both groups in terms of high management turnover which may possibly be as a result of Carlsbergs employees not liking the acquiring groups way of doing things and may decide to leave the company. This can materially harm the performance of the brewery because management talent and expertise will be lost and as such Carlsberg might reject an attempt to be bought (Hill, 2009). Integrating with other companies is difficult as a result of differences in management philosophy and company culture. This tends to slow down the integration of operations. National culture differences could even worsen these problems (Hill, 2009). For example language barriers between Carlsberg (owned by a Danish speaking company) and AB Inbev (a Dutch speaking company) may make Carlsberg decide to reject a bid. Also, Carlsberg is a big company as well and might reject an attempt to be bought because it doesnt want to lose its identity. They could go as far as responding to any acquisition bids by purchasing other breweries as a form of defence. Due to its having good market shares purchasing other breweries will make its shares bigger that it cannot be bought within the brewery industry without anti-trust (this refers to specific laws protecting trade and commerce from unfair business practices (Merriam-Webster, 2012)) thereby making it difficult for companies like AB Inbev to acquire it (Bragg, 2012). Global brand portfolio management and consolidation A global strategy that sustains 500 brands cannot possibly be right because this strategy focuses on increasing profitability and profit growth by reaping the costs reductions that come from economies of scale and learning effects in other to have a low-cost strategy on a global scale. This implies that this type of strategy suits where there are strong pressures for cost reductions and demand for local responsiveness are low. Carlsberg has 500 brands and they customize their product a bit to meet local conditions and this customization involves shorter production runs and the duplication of functions, which tends to raise costs. They wont reap the benefits of economies of scale as there wont be reduction in the unit cost achieved by producing different product in large quantities. Also, they wont be able to save costs that come from learning by doing in terms of producing the same brand over and over again i.e. their labour productivity may not increase over time as it is not easy f or individuals to learn most efficient of performing tasks when a large volume of different products is involved. Hence, production cost will increase due to a decline in labour productivity and management efficiency, which might decrease the firms profitability (Hill, 2009). Carlsberg should rationalise its facilities and focus on far fewer brands because it would be much easier to control and manage fewer brands and also implementing a global strategy would be easier compared to when it has 500 brands. By doing this they would be able to benefit from a bit from economies of scale and learning effects. Furthermore, the cost of advertising so many brands is relatively expensive. The customization of the brands would even make it more expensive if they have different advertisements for different brands in different countries. So they might want to consider focusing on fewer brands because the fewer the brands the lesser the price of advertising. Individual Reflection and Self-Analysis Expectations: I had always wanted to learn more about the world of business and management and as such my expectations for this module prior to beginning was to gain knowledge about business and management in an international context as the key to a successful business is how well the business is managed. This expectation has been met because I have gained the preliminary knowledge on how firms or organisations carry out their operations internationally for example the strategies on how firms enter a foreign market. It has also given me an introductory knowledge on how to identify a good business opportunity, have good plan of action to run and also manage a firm successfully. Challenges: I had some challenges during the module and this was because I studied Electrical/Electronic Engineering in my first degree and knew almost nothing about business. Having to do case studies wasnt something I had done in my previous degree and so I struggled with how to critically analyse and answer the questions that usually follow suit. I wouldnt say I have completely overcome this challenge as there are still some cases where Im still not able to comprehend a case but I know reading ahead of the lectures and paying attention during lectures has helped me to a certain extent. Preparation for Masters: I feel prepared to begin a Masters level programme and this module helped me prepare for it. This is because, I have learnt the basics of international business and management and also how to do extensive researches and structure a report, and my referencing skills have improved as well.

Case Study of Indian Ocean Tsunami

Case Study of the Indian Ocean Tsunami On December 26, 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake, or the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, caused a tsunami that killed 230,000 people and was recorded as the deadliest tsunami in known history. The earthquake was recorded as between 9. 1 and 9. 3 on the Richter scale, the second largest earthquake ever recorded. It was also recorded as the longest one, triggering earthquakes as far away as Alaska. Following the disaster, a worldwide effort raised billions of dollars in tsunami relief. ConsequencesThe initial toll by the U. S. Geological Survey was 283,100 dead. However, actual figures counted 229,886. About one-third of the dead are children because they were least able to fight the waters. Additionally, nearly 9,000 foreign tourists were dead or missing. The disaster affected Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, the Maldives, Somalia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Seychelles and others in South East Asian. In some areas, drinking water supplies and farm fie lds are contaminated for the long term by the ocean's salt waters.The United Nations stated that the relief effort will be the costliest in history and reconstruction may take up to ten years. One of the biggest fears was the spread of diseases, which prompted non-governmental organizations and relief agencies to increase humanitarian aid. Furthermore, the economic impact is devastating on both the national and local levels. Costal fishing communities are some of the poorest in the region, and fishing exports account for substantial earnings of the countries. Nearly two-thirds of the fishing fleet and infrastructure were destroyed.The earthquake and ensuing tsunami changed the seabed in the Malacca Straits, and new navigational charts would have to be created. Additionally, tourism is greatly impacted as foreigners canceled their trips to South East Asian. The disaster also has a great environmental impact as it inflicted severe damage on ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, f orests, coastal wetlands, vegetation, sand dunes and rock formations, animal and plant biodiversity and groundwater. The spread of wastes and industrial chemicals further polluted waters and threaten ecosystems.The invading seawater also contaminated freshwater, destroying the critical environment habitable for coral reefs. Citizen Response The public was generous in donating to tsunami aid. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the public donated nearly US$600,000,000. Compared to the government, the donation was quite substantial, averaging around $10 per person, including the homeless and children. Government Response Governments and humanitarian organizations responded by providing sanitation facilities and fresh drinking water to prevent a wave of diseases from increasing the death toll.The quick response mitigated and contained diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, dysentery, and typhoid that could have inflicted even more damage. Also, there was a substantial movement to bury bodies to prevent the spread of disease. Globally, countries provided over US$3 billion in aid. The government of Australia pledged nearly US$820 million and the United States pledged $950 million. In the US, a joint effort by former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton led the effort to provide private aid to tsunami victims.The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 must go down in human history as one of our greatest ever disasters. A magnitude 9. 0 earthquake, the most powerful to hit anywhere in the last 40 years, created tidal waves in the Indian Ocean that killed at least 225,000 people in 11 countries. Sri Lanka was hit quite hard, with over 32,000 dead and approx. 5 percent of the population there left homeless. In Indonesia more than 150,000 were killed and over 12,000 lost their lives in India, most in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In Thailand there were more than 5,000 deaths many of whom were foreign tourists.The devastation to services, property and buildings from the effects of the Tsunami was so immense that international appeals were launched for aid to the victims, of unprecedented proportions. The disaster spawned immediate and renewed scientific interest in Tsunamis from researchers all over the world. How Tsunamis are formed, where they may strike, their likelihood of occurrence of any significance, their characteristics and ways in which their potentially devastating effects may perhaps be mitigated, are questions that many researchers are seeking answers to.Whilst Tsunamis are not an entirely new phenomena, and a significant amount of scientific literature can be found that addresses many of these questions (Bryant, 2001), it is clear that much still needs to be done to gain a better understanding of Tsunami wave-structure interaction effects on buildings and building elements n a key issue with respect to structure integrity and survival against the effects of a Tsunami. Indian Ocean Tsunami (26th December 2004) The Indian Ocean tsunami (sometimes called the Boxing Day tsunami in the UK) was caused by a 9. 1 magnitude earthquake.The earthquake occurred under the Indian Ocean NW of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The earthquake was at a depth of 30km and caused a huge rupture that triggered waves of up to 30m in height. The giant tsunami affected many countries around the Indian Ocean. The hardest hit was Indonesia, where up to 170,000 people were killed (exact figures are unknown because many bodies were never recovered). In total about 230,000 people are believed to have lost their lives, with a further 125,000 injured and over 1. 5 million displaced (again these figure vary because not all bodies were recovered or injured recorded).The tsunami killed locals and tourists alike, many tourists were killed because they were on beaches or in hotels near the beach. Many local who work in the tourism or fishing industry were also effected. In many fishing villages fatalities were actually higher amongst women, becaus e many men were at sea fishing (if you are out of sea, past where the sea bed shallows, tsunami actually appear as big ripples and will not destroy the boats). The Indian Ocean tsunami triggered one of the biggest humanitarian efforts of all time. Below is a summary of some of the different responses at different scales.

A Freedom Trail in Boston

Boston is the largest city of the Common wealth of Massachusetts and belongs to one of the oldest cities of United State of America.   It was founded by Puritan colonialist from England in 1630.Boston was a short way across Boston Harbor at Charlestown from immediate area which was settled by Euro-Americans that made it grow. Its deep habor and advantageous geographic position helped it to be the busiest port of Massachusetts Bay Colony.Boston played a fundamental role in the American Revolution. Several events and battles such as Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, The Battle of the Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston all occurred near or in the city. Boston is sometimes referred to be Cradle of Liberty. It has historic sites remains which have been of tourist attraction. It has preserved colonial and revolutionary past from the harboring of the U.S.S. Constitution to many famous sites along the freedom Trail (Seasholes, 2003).It is this Fre edom Trail caught my attention during our visit to Boston. Freedom Trail is a reddish path that runs through downtown of Boston and Massachusetts leading to sixteen important historic sites. It is a four kilometer walk that starts from the Boston Common to the Bunker Hill Moment in Charlestown. Originally, the Freedom Trail was conceived by local journalist William Schofield who promoted the idea of linking local landmarks with a pedestrian since 1951.For any visitors like us to Boston, they must include a walk into history along the Freedom Trail. However, one can begin the walk in the middle or the end and wend way through the streets of Boston. This Trail took us sixteen historical sites in about three hours and we covered about a half century of the America’s most significant past.To visit these historical sites, one may opt to have a self guide or assistance of tour guides who are available through the Boston Common Visitors Centers at 148 Tremont Street or the Bostix Bo oth located at Faneuil Hall. Also one can decide to take a ride by paying one of the trolley tours, which are unofficial guided tours and have disembark at selected stops but we decided to take a tour guide. The best point to start for Freedom Trail excursion is the Boston Common which is the America’s oldest public park where we definitely started.This park rests on forty four acres of open land. Initially it was used as common pasture for grazing cattle that was owned by the townspeople of Boston. Later it became a ‘trayning’ field for militia which was used as British Army camp. Also it was use to hand pirates, witches or publicly pillory criminals besides serving for public oratory and discourse. Currently, the place is used for concert and provides calm respite from the bustle of city life (http://www.aviewoncities.com/boston/bostonattractions.htm n.d).From Boston Common the next historical site we visited was the State House. It was built on 1798 and is wid ely considered to be one of the most magnificent and well suited buildings in the county. It was constructed shortly after the revolution by Charles Bullfinch as a new center of the state governance.Presently, the building serves as the seat of the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From state house our next stop was at Park Street Church. It was founded in 1809. Its 217 ft steeple was the first landmark travelers saw when approaching to the Boston. It has gained a lot of significance due for its involvement in political, social and humanitarian issues. For instance, in 1829 Wiliam Lloyd Garrison delivered a speech from the church pulpit condemning slavery and he was the first to do so in public.Just after this the next Freedom Trail stop was Old Granary Burying Ground. Originally it was called South Burying Ground due to its location in the southern area of Boston settlement and latter was renamed Middle Bury Ground as Boston grew towards south. Its present name is de rived from a grain storage building which stood at same site with Park Street Church.Some of Boston’s famous revolutionaries were buried here including John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Robert Treat Paine all three who signed Declaration of Independence and also Paul Revere and victims of Boston Massacre.   Following the red line of the Freedom Trail it led us to King’s Chapel and Burying Ground. The Royal Governor built King’s Chapel on the this town burying ground   in 1688 , as no one would sell him land to build a non-Puritan church for king’s men   who were British law enforcers (Ibid).