Maria Teresa Tula Essay

Learn about Maria Teresa Tula, a leader of COMADRES, by accessing http://rfkcenter.org/maria-teresa-tula. Maria Teresa was kidnapped, raped several times, and severely beaten, yet she continued her struggle even when family members rejected her for being raped. However, rejection after being raped triggered her questioning about women’s subordinated position in society and helped her to start seeing the world through gender eyes. Read about her story and then write a paragraph about your personal reaction to Maria Teresa Tula’s decision to join COMADRES and her bravery to continue the struggle after rape and torture. -I was astonished with Maria Teresa Tula’s decision to join COMADRES and her bravery to continue the struggle after rape and torture. With the first attack toward her husband I would have tried to escape but instead she got more involve and was fighting for the rights of everyone. She did not get attack once but about three times and she continued fi ghting for human rights. Leaving her kids behind and just staying with her two youngest must have been the most difficult decision for a woman to do and because of her bravery I admire her. 2. What are they saying in these songs? What does Sting mean when saying â€Å"they dance alone? -â€Å"Bullet The Blue Sky† single from The Joshua Tree album it is about an actual experience that Bono had while visiting El Salvador. There he saw women whose children had been imprisoned or murdered by the military regime there. He was inspired by it and immediately wrote the lyrics for the song. It is a song about protesting against corruption, hypocorism, weapon and people being terrified. – â€Å"They Dance Alone† was written after Sting saw a brief news story about women dancing in the streets of Chile torn apart by the Pinochet regime. The women were dancing in the streets with pictures of their husbands, fathers, brothers or sons pinned to their clothes or they were holding the pictures and danc ing with them. It is a beautiful song saying what the women in Chile were unable to express. It tells a story about a woman a daughter, a wife or a mother how they are left dancing alone because of the killing of their love ones. This songs makes you feel and understand what the people were going through. At the end of the song I love how it states Pinochet: â€Å"Can you think of your own mother dancin’ with her invisible son?† In other words, â€Å"Watch it, mate. You’ll get what’s comin’ to ya!† 3. Why did the government violate human rights? Who collaborated with/supported the government in the fight against â€Å"communism â€Å"? -The  government violates human rights because after the Cuban Revolution, Latin America became an important theater of the Cold War and for the U.S.-backed â€Å"Operation Condor† in South America. Operation Condor was conducted as a campaign of terror involving assassination and intelligence operations by dictato rships of the Southern Cone of South America; it had the tacit approval of the United States. It was a program aimed to eradicate communist or Soviet influence and ideas in Latin America. -What is the Cold War? How is the Cold War related to the events in Central America? – The Cold War was the tense relationship between the United States (and its allies) and the Soviet Union (USSR, and its allies) between the end of World War II and the demise of the Soviet Union; i.e. the years 1945 to 1991. This war was unlike other wars in that the two sides never clashed directly in battle. – The Cold War was related to the events in Central America because it altered Latin America’s relationship to the United States profoundly, as the region became a battleground between two competing ideological systems—capitalism and communism. Prior to the Cold War, both economic and geopolitical concerns had motivated U.S. policy toward Latin America. But, after the lowering of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe, George Kennan, the chief architect of American foreign policy towards the Soviet Union, advocated containment to halt the spread of communism, not just in Europe, but globally. The result was a bipolar world featuring proxy wars fought throughout the Third World by surrogates and clients of the two superpowers. Latin American nations, historically considered to be part of â€Å"our backyard,† were not permitted to remain neutral as Washington expected Latin America to ally with the United States while the Soviet Union sought to gain access to what had been an American sphere of influence. – What were the major violations of human rights in El Salvador and Guatemala? How did women react to the kidnapping, torture, murder, and disappearance of their loved ones? – The major violations of human rights was people disappearing , the tortured, the jailed, and the murdered were the so-called subversives, members of communist organizations, armed guerrilla groups, or/and agents of international communism, and whoever was  suspected of these activities. These open violations of human rights were based on ideological grounds and were used to stop the spread of revolutions in the region. Most of the victims were young people who saw the example of Cuba as a solution for poverty and social inequality in Latin America. – The women react were condemned to silence, form fear of losing their own lives or being disappeared. This atmosphere of impunity, silence, and fear was challenged by mothers, grandmothers, wives, aunts, sisters, and nieces of the disappeared. In countries such as Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, and Guatemala, women formed massive movements of civil confrontation to search for the truth about their disappeared relatives. These women were regular housewives; some did not have a formal education, others did not even know how to speak Spanish (the case of Guatemala), and most were oblivious to any ideological militancy. Their trigger to action was their love, a mother love. – Why are these movements labeled as the â€Å"Gendering of Human Rights? -The movements labeled as the â€Å"Gendering of Human Rights† was women engaged in human rights struggles that not only transformed their countries but also their own lives. They challenged their traditional assigned gender roles. Through their actions women became protagonists in the struggle for human rights and democracy in Latin America. In so doing, women appropriated public spaces formerly reserved for men. Their massive presence in plazas, streets, mass media, congress, international forums, and wearing black dresses (COMADRES), white scarves covering their heads, holding colorful quilts (Arpilleras), dressed in traditional Mayan attires, and all holding a photograph of their missing relatives, impregnated the world’s collective memory. Some exaples are, , the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo of Argentina, Las Arpilleras or quilt-makers of Chile, the National Committee of Guatemalan Widows (CONAVIGUA), and the Committee of Mothers and Relatives of Prisoners, the Disappeared and the Politically Assassinated of El Salvador (Monseà ±or Oscar Arnulfo Romero) (COMADRES). – What were the major accomplishments of these women’s organizations? -Some of the major accomplishments of these women’s organization were that women’s actions have brought a different understanding of feminism. By feminism, I refer to ideology that seeks gender equality or equality between women and  men. Women departing from their traditional role of mothers created movements that transformed forever women’s lives and politics in Latin American nations. Without shooting a single bullet and developing peaceful movements of civil disobedience, they helped to overthrow dictatorships and end civil wars. Women gained consciousness and citizenship. Last but not least, women empowered themselves through education and exposure to national and international forums.

Intelligence gathering Essay

The primary objective of intelligence gathering â€Å"†¦is to deal with future danger, not to punish past crimes. † This rings especially true in the world of terrorism. Although you are not seeking to punish past crimes, you cannot discount their usefulness when attempting to understand the future. Information is endless in terms of quantity. There are no limitations to the resources that can create useful and viable information. Perhaps the best source of information is that which comes from human sources. However, in law enforcement the use of undercover officers and informants is limited. The costs and risks associated with such operations are exponential. Also, many of the terrorist groups and organized hate groups are closed societies and are difficult to infiltrate. â€Å"To invade Iraq without preparing to deploy immediately and instruct properly the forces necessary to establish order, protect the inhabitants’ rich cultural legacy, and safeguard the material infrastructure of government and the health system is hardly to evince concern for real people as distinguished from abstract ideas. † (Thomas 2003 4). Nor is Ð ° determination not to tally at least the civilian Iraqi dead and maimed, the collateral damage, as it were, of liberation. Nor is leaving Afghanistan in shambles the better to pursue Ð ° war of choice and opportunity but hardly necessity in the Middle East, Nor is willed amnesia about the fate of the Central American countries where, in the name of democracy during the Reagan years, neo-conservatives championed war rather than fostering compromise and leveraging the social change that might have given substance to democratic forms. But all of these acts and omissions are entirely consistent with Ð ° cynical power-sharing compromise with the hard proponents of an unadorned chauvinism. And they are consistent as well with Ð ° sentiment that administration realists and neo-conservatives appear to possess jointly, which is indifference to what liberal humanitarians deem essential: due regard for the opinion of our old democratic allies and due concern for the lives of the peoples we propose to democratize. â€Å" (Thomas 2004 11). Therefore, much of the information gathered comes from traditional sources such as reports, search warrants, anonymous tips, public domain, and records management systems. This information is used to populate various investigative databases. When investigating Ð ° crime or developing answers to ongoing patterns, series, or trends, law enforcement personnel often rely upon numerous databases and records management systems. â€Å"One predictable yet little remarked consequence of the outrages committed in America on 9/11 has been an upsurge of academic interest in the study of terrorism. The number of US institutes and research centers and ‘think thanks’ which have now added this subject to their research agendas or, in some cases, have been newly established to specialize in this field has mushroomed. In Britain and other European countries the increase in interest has been more modest: some universities are now beginning to recruit specialists in terrorism studies to teach the subject as part of the curriculum of political science or international relations. Yet throughout European academia there is still Ð ° deep-seated reluctance, if not outright refusal, to recognize that studying terror as Ð ° weapon, whether by sub-state groups or regimes, is Ð ° legitimate and necessary scholarly activity. Most of the standard British introductory texts on politics and international relations make no reference to the concept of terrorism, or if they do it is only to dismiss it on the grounds that it is simply Ð ° pejorative term for guerrilla warfare and freedom fighting. Equally remarkable is the neglect of the use of terror by regimes and their security forces. The omission of Ð ° reference to these phenomena in the introductory texts is all the more startling in view of the fact that throughout history regimes have been responsible for campaigns of mass terror, of Ð ° lethality and destructiveness far greater in scale than those waged by sub-state groups. (Mary 2003 25) â€Å"It takes little imagination to see that the events of September 11 delivered Ð ° profound shock to America’s sense of its relationship with the outside world. Commentators inside and outside the United States strove to find words to express their sense of the enormity of the attacks. The attacks were Ð ° â€Å"wake-up call for Americans. † They constituted the â€Å"end of American innocence,† Ð ° final blow to America’s privileged position of detachment from the messy and violent conflicts that blighted less favored countries. America had now once and for all entered the â€Å"real world† of international politics, its â€Å"illusion of invulnerability† finally shattered. An important assumption behind these reactions was that America’s stance toward the outside world could and must change as Ð ° result of these events. American isolationism (in so far as it still existed), its tendency to act unilaterally, indeed its famed â€Å"exceptionalism† itself must inevitably give way to an acknowledgment that the United States was just like any other power. What precise policy implications might flow from such recognition was as yet unclear; it was enough that the events of September 11 constituted Ð ° turning point in American foreign relations. The world, it was said repeatedly, would never be the same again, and neither would America. Simulation exercises of terrorist situations which have occurred can be extremely useful. Lessons can be learnt. Response patterns and negotiating positions have to be viewed in the broader context of government policy-making. Problems shown up by simulation can be examined with Ð ° view to solution – are policy-makers prepared for Ð ° potential crisis or not? Communications breakdown, working at cross purposes and the impact of critical disorganization are regular difficulties. Terrorist tactics and strategies change and this can strain the capabilities of the authorities to respond effectively. â€Å" (John 2004 33-36).

Managing resources and controlling budget costs Essay

Managing resources of a business can be hard for the business they have to maintain the resources by doing various checks over the years. For example maintaining a physical resource like a building, can be challenging, but in order to maintain it, a business has to insurance the building and the contents need to be in place, if the building needs repairs then they need to be repaired in time, the building needs to have security systems in place such as, entry codes, cctv, gated areas and areas maintained regularly; the person in charge to manage this resource can be the site manager, it’s his responsibility, to keep everything in order; if he doesn’t the do anything about the repairs, install security etc. The building can be in serious danger since the business will have to pay more in order to maintain it. Another resource the business should manage is ICT, a business, e.g. Paapapii’s in order to maintain resources they need to purchase the appropriate software package, in order to work efficiently, they also have to provide training of computer software to employer’s in order to facilitate the work for them, and also the have to safe storage their data, if anything bad happens they can get their work back so they don’t slow down their sales. The person responsible to maintain this resource is the ICT manager. Furthermore businesses should manage their human resources, in order to recruit people that are qualified for the job, some people might have the right qualifications but they don’t have the right experience, by improving the human resources, your business will develop a recruitment and hiring process that engages the manager and makes them responsible for the right hire, they can develop an employee performance process to evaluate and fairly reward employees for their work and create an employee file checklist for retaining the proper documentation for all employees. This will make the business work more efficiently so they can achieve their goals. Managing the resources of an organisation and looking closely at its  budgetary control is absolutely vital in business. It improves performance over every department and gives the business management team a clear view on where they can expand and develop in the future. Every public limited company that allows people to buy shares within their business must publish their accounts so that investors can see how well they are doing and judge whether or not to buy their shares on the stock exchange. All the multinational companies have a clear view on their resources and budgets; this is evident from Tesco who have lists of all their resources and a clear cash flow all on one financial statement. They made profits of over  £2 billion in 2005 and this tells us that managing budgets and resources well really does improve businesses performance. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4435339.stm- BBC News. Managing the budgetary control effectively helps improve the performance of an organisation as, if you can mark up the break-even point on a chart of business, you can identify the point where your business has sold enough products or service in order to cover your expenses. This is crucial information for any business trying to avoid losses, knowing the point that you break even is a good target to reach and keeps everyone in your organisation focused and therefore improves performance. Furthermore, the margin of safety can also be found in order to allow the business to work out the amount of units by which sales can fall before the business starts to make a loss. This improves the businesses performance in hard times such as the current recession as the management team know how much security they have until they start making a loss. An example of the margin of safety could be when John Lewis has 65 units and a break-even point of 50 units. This gives them 15 units of lee way until they start making a loss. Another example of how managing the budgetary control and resources within a business helps improve performance is the effect of changes in fixed costs. When running a business there is fixed costs that are always the same, these include costs such as rent, insurance and road tax. Knowing the changes of your ‘fixed’ costs could save a lot of time and keep a more clearly  financial statement and management decisions. For example the government orders all insurance on cars to increase by 15%, this used to be a fixed cost however on the odd occasion it can change. Applying close attention to changes within ‘fixed’ costs can be crucial and will improve the performance of management decisions in the future as you have valid data to hand. The pricing in times like the recession for rent could always be changing and product prices can go up or down according to competitors within the marketing environment, using invalid information for predictions on what will happen with the business is suicidal and managing resources and budgets can cover this problem and in turn improve the company’s performance by making accurate marketing decisions that will benefit the company. Also, in any recession businesses need to insure their safety by keeping reserves from the cash flow cycle for emergencies. An emergency could render anything from a downturn in the market to an offensive attack on your business premises, keeping reservations will help soften the effects of these situations. Business analysts recommend that reserves should be maintained which will allow the business to continue for at least three months in the event of an emergency. Also having a high liquidity figure helps, this is the ability to turn assets or stock into cash to be able to pay bills. Making reservations and emergency funds will improve performance in the long run in poor economic times and help see your business through, giving each department a limited budget to handle and giving limits on resources. The importance of costs and budgets is extremely high within any organisation that wants to do well. The advantages of managing your costs and budgets are that it is easier to have a constant cash flow, cash flow is vitally important within all businesses as it helps pay the bills whilst you await debtors to pay for your services. Another advantage of managing your costs and budgets is that it helps you avoid getting into debt as you always know how much you have to spend and whether you can afford certain assets or advertisements. If the costs and budgets are not monitored the company could be working at a loss, with the information in hand that you are losing money and not even making enough profit to cover costs you could, as a result,  start dropping staff and maybe selling assets such as computers and vehicles that are, not necessarily not needed, but aren’t useful without the staff operating them. The business value will eventually decrease significantly as a result of an unmonitored financial system not checking the costs and budgets effectively. An example of a company that manages its costs well is John Lewis. They manage their costs and budgets effectively by having a whole department of finance and numerous staff working under their command. Their job is to look at all the costs and budgets of the store that they are allocated to and to see whether an investment of new advertising or a new product is financially viable with their budget. This way they can avoid spending large amounts of money that the company doesn’t have. Also, it is clear that they manage their costs well as their financial statement for the half year leading up to August 2009 saw a profit of  £86.3 million profit. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/17/john-lewis-profits-drop- Guardian. Conclusion To sum up, the management of costs, budgets and resources all work co-ordinately to improve overall business performance. This is done in many ways but mainly in that it increases the break-even point, the margin of safety and can reduce overheads significantly, this all results to greater profits which is the core of all non-charitable organisations therefore making the management of resources and budgets vitally important. In my opinion anyone who starts up a business is to make sure that right from the start you have an effective budgetary control and a well-managed resource department. Make sure that you stay up to date with your marketing environment that is relevant to your niche market to ensure you gather correct information in order to make accurate marketing decisions. Any business that doesn’t have a good budgetary and resource control system is deemed to fail sooner or later and, if this is relevant to you, then I would re-design your business before it starts maki ng a gaping loss and you’re  left wondering why, without any accurate information to go by.

Yellowstone Management Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Yellowstone Management Model - Essay Example Yellowstone could almost be viewed as concentric rings of varying â€Å"naturalness†. In the park, there are wilderness areas that require almost no energy inputs from humans. Then there are more managed areas, where forest products are occasionally harvested. The roads, drainage schemes and hydrological disruption that come with these types of activities require more energy to maintain. The final circle is the highly transformed and maintained landscape of agricultural activity with the requisite chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and petroleum powered machinery needed to both sow and harvest crops. While the Yellowstone model does a good job preserving many thousands of hectares of land in the wilderness, a developing National Park would want to note the ecological impact of hemming in these most natural areas with less natural areas. In the case of Yellowstone, it has been determined that the ecological needs of the largest fauna in the wilderness areas cannot be met by the amount of land set aside. Park planners and developers in the developing world will want to learn from Yellowstone and be sure to plan an appropriate range of habitats within the ecosystem.   The future implications for the current Yellowstone management model are many. Because the model is based upon ecology and the ranges of the species that the park is intended to protect, much more study should be done before setting the boundaries of the park. This can be seen as the evolution of Yellowstone’s management model has been revealed. Originally the park was just to encompass the unique geologic features. But later, this constricting boundary was determined to be hurting the species that had come to represent the park, namely the grizzly bear, elk and pronghorn sheep.

Castle Bingo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Castle Bingo - Essay Example The research will be undertaken by using exploratory and mixed methods. These approaches will be appropriate for the research because it will effectively enable to understand the thoughts and perceptions of these two customer segments. Furthermore, in order to collect information about the players, questionnaire method has been suggested. The data would be analysed by measures of dispersion method and descriptive analysis technique. It will not only help to understand the research phenomenon but also help to describe the reason behind it. By undertaking the literature survey on the topic, it has been found that online gaming is an international business and many strong players are trying to create a strong position in this business. However, since online gaming is a new phenomenon, targeting these customers require different strategies than offline players. There are considerable differences and similarities between online and offline players. Concentrating on this aspect, it is recommended that Castle Leisure needs to undertake a market survey in order to recognise the requirements of this new customer segment and comprehend how it is different from offline players. It has also been recommended that around 1000 samples would be studied on the basis of judgemental sampling method to gain a clear understanding about the market segment. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 5 Problem Definition 5 Literature Review 6 Research Design 8 Research Methods 9 Sampling 10 Data Collection 11 Data Analysis 12 References 14 Introduction Marketing research is a methodical and objective process for searching and examining information which are appropriate for identification and explanation of any issue in the area of marketing. Marketing research facilitates to find reasoned responses for a predetermined task of business in systematic manner. This denotes that in order to undertake marketing research, a plan needs to be deve loped sensibly with specifying every phase (FAO, 2013). Focusing on this aspect, the research will be based on developing a proposal for conducting market research in order to understand the customers’ requirements of Castle Leisure. Castle Leisure operates several bingo clubs throughout the United Kingdom and its market is divided into two types of customers namely offline and online gamers. The objective of the proposal is to investigate the differences between offline and online customers of bingo games which would help to better recognise their requirements. Problem Definition Bingo game is quite popular in several nations and it is played by both offline and online participants. However, considering the popularity of bingo game, very little research has been conducted about the attitude of people who are engaged in this game. Thus far, most of the researches were focused only on understanding the characteristics of offline bingo players. Since, online bingo playing is a new phenomenon, there are not many researches which concentrate on understanding the differences between these online and offline customers, about their preferences and other characteristics (Wilsenach, 2012). As earlier researches only focused on offline bingo pla

Islam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islam - Assignment Example As it is implied by both God and Holy Prophet (PBUH) that only righteous deeds can elevate one person over the rest, all Muslims immensely respect those who strive to do good and achieve noble objectives. Islam assigns different kinds of roles to men and women not on grounds of superiority or inferiority but because they have slightly different physical and emotional traits. Men mostly are physically and emotionally stronger than women so they are encouraged to work harder and support their whole family. The burden of work can be hugely stressful so it is reserved for the emotionally and physically stronger group. But that does not mean that Islam strictly prohibits women from becoming educationally accomplished or going out of their homes to earn money. Islam does not see any harm in women striving to make sure both ends are met when situation gets rough. Quran implies that gender equality should be put into practice (Muslim Women’s League, 2012). Life in Arabian Island befor e Islam reached it: Life in Arabian Island before Islam dawned on it is characterized by scholars as wild, wayward, lawless, undirected, restless, ominous, and demonic. Islam brought with itself the phenomenally relieving messages of peace, discipline, respect, lawfulness, ethics, humanity, and obedience. By emphasizing the presence of a higher being who should be respected and worshipped, Islam erased any possibility of jealousy or discrimination among Muslims. If Quran and Sunnah had implied that anyone among the followers who is virtuous and noble could be worshipped, conflict and discrimination would have resulted and there would have been multiple gods. But Islam put an end to such misery and asked all to observe one being and none else. Life in Arabian Island before Islam reached it was so exceedingly wayward that men and women were made to dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka’bah as part of the rituals and men used to bury their daughters alive out of gross hatred and gender discrimination (Subhani, n.d.). Before the advent of Islam, the Arab people used to treat women as mere sex objects who could be used for pleasure only and were granted no rights or protection. In stark contrast to the ancient teachings of other religions which stress that women are inherently sinful and wicked beings with no sense whatsoever and men are born virtuous and noble, Islam implies in accordance with the revolutionary teachings of Quran and Sunnah that men and women should be considered equal everywhere as they are created from the same soul and both are born innocent (Doi, n.d.). Changes brought by Islam in the Muslim culture: Islam brought multiple revolutionary and commendable changes in the Muslim culture. In fact Islam created the Muslim culture as before this religion dawned, there was no Muslim culture but a disgustful wilderness. General morals and manners of the Arabs before the advent of Islam were very low and fraught with weaknesses so Islam strived to elevate them up to a higher level so that Muslims could be distinguished on grounds of high morals and not on grounds of ignorance and waywardness. Due to lack of proper guidance and prevalence of immorality and ignorance, Arabs before the advent of Islam led a life similar to that of uncontrollable beasts and often breached law. Islam brought the change by creating a strong justice system one

Study skills used by Gateway students Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Study skills used by Gateway students - Thesis Example A major contributing factor to the success of students in various examinations rests with the kind of study skills adopted by students (Koduah, 2010). The Education Atlas (2011) explains that a study skill involves a whole lot of concepts including â€Å"developing effective study skills, improving reading comprehension, discovering your own personal study style, learning to manage your time more efficiently and learning the best way to prepare for exams.† This is to say that the study skills adopted by a student envelope the entire study or learning program of the student. Indeed, there cannot be any successful educational program without a study skill in place. Study skills are commonly adopted by students. However, it is very important that educators of the student, most especially teachers of the student play a role in selecting the most appropriate and workable study skill that would work best for a student. This is because not all strategies work best for all teachers. With the professional knowhow of teachers however, they are in a better position to discovering the study skills that work best for each students. The selection of study skills should therefore be a collaborative activity between students and educators. Problem statement The Gateway to College â€Å"serves youth, 16 to 21 years old, who have dropped out of school or are significantly behind in credits and unlikely to graduate† (Gateway to College Organization, 2011). The researcher embarked on this course project to find out the various study skills adopted by students in the Gateway Course; the factors that influence the selection of the various study skills and how the study skills are impacting on the academ ic success of the students. Research Questions The following questions were designed to be delimitation in guiding the researcher in the course of the research. This is to say that data and information collection shall be based on the research questions and not outside the research questions. Again, the research aims and objectives shall be crafted around the achievement of the research questions. The research questions are: 1. What are the factors that account for the selection of particular study skills by Gateway students? 2. What role do educators play in the selection of study skills by Gateway students? 3. What are the commonest study skills used by Gateway students? 4. What are the principles necessary in the selection of a study skill for an individual? 5. How does the study skill used by a student affect his or her learning outcome? Objectives The research is being embarked on to achieve the following objectives: 1. To identify the factors necessary in the selection of stud y skills by students. 2. Identify the role educators (most importantly teachers) can play in the selection of study skills for students. 3. To be abreast with the commonest study skills adopted and used by Gateway students. 4. To scrutinize principles necessary in the selection of study skills for and by students. 5. To identify the role study skills play in the general success of students. Justification This course project is an assignment for a class I am taking in the Gateway to College class. Indeed there were a lot of topical areas that I could have decided to write on. I however decided to write on the study skills adopted by students for a number of justifiable reasons. In the first place, the researcher acknowledges the important role that study skills play in the success of students’ examinations. With the objective of the Gateway to College program being to help students with low academic standings to advance to the higher level, it is extremely important that all

Personal Statement for the University Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

For the University - Personal Statement Example Studying an undergraduate degree on Accounting and Finance in University of Exeter gave me greater insights into how the subject and the function of accounting within business help to define the process. During my first year compulsory modules, Business Law for Accountants, I understood and demonstrated knowledge of the legal systems in the UK and the principle features of business law. The Hong Kong legal systems are based on the UK system and so although this module was UK-based.Knowledge of the law can help me in dealing with unexpected difficulties. During my holiday in 2011, I have travelled to a new villa in the Maldives for vacation with my friends. During this 1 week holiday, my friends and I were promised by a travel agency that there was a bar and English speakers on premise. However, when we arrived, they spoke very poor English and the bar only opened once during the week. As such, we are very disappointed with the journey. When I came back to Hong Kong, I filed suit agai nst the travel contract by applying the case "Jarvis v Swan Tours (1973)" which I had learned in my business law module. Finally, I held to be entitled to damages for my disappointment. As a result, I received 1/3 of the cost of my holiday as well as receiving â€Å"disappointment damages† for the holiday. Due to the fact that I was able to apply the case law I was familiar with in order to positively affect my own life as well as the life of my friends, I have become greatly more interested in better understanding the nuances of the law.

Geographical Information System (GIS) in Qatar Essay

Geographical Information System (GIS) in Qatar - Essay Example Without a doubt, Qatar foresees hurdles and challenges it has to face during the course of implementing its plans, and designs the contingency plans as well. On the technological side however, the continually changing trend in modeling and concepts linked to GIS data heavily strains the resources. Moreover, software solutions that are comprehensive and are at per with other Information Technology fronts and address all the needs required by this unique model have not yet emerged. Such models are the country’s pressing GIS needs for cruising into the next millennium. Qatar, a country characterized by desert topography, experienced rapid growth over the past decades following the country’s discovery of oil. Consequently, a spurt in physical growth occurred, followed by infrastructure development at a large scale, a fete which had to be at per with the rapid growth. Inefficient resource management, inadequate coordination, and duplication of efforts among government agencies heavily strained the government in the face of shrinking budgets and the ever-growing demands. In utilizing resources optimally when the country faced such rapid growth, the availability of the correct information at the correct time, became apparent as the key and efficient system of management and decision-making. This perception, along with the realization that close to eight percent of this vast body of information was related to the country’s geography, prompted the government’s option for a nationwide fully implemented GIS program for Qatar. Towards this end, the Center for GIS (CGIS) and the National Steering Committee were formed in 1990. Currently, digitally common base maps are available online for access by all agencies using GIS in Qatar, via a fiber optic network of high speed. Data consistency and the control of duplication efforts

Ryan Air Writeup Essay Example for Free

Ryan Air Writeup Essay To make money at that fare I would expect that they have a distinctive cost advantage over the current operators, say British Airways and Aer Lingus. Being a small operator I would expect some efficiencies and reduced costs that the other two airlines cannot realize. I would expect Ryan Air to lease its plane as opposed to buying it (as they only have one route, no scale efficiencies from owning their fleet can be realized) that would nullify their depreciation expense and other aircraft costs and their selling effort would be less (only one route). Initially, any expense derived from the fleet size would be less as well (as the 44-seater doesn’t need as much space in the hangars nor intensive usage of the runways as it is a fast take off/take down plane). However, for this case i have decided to leave them equal if they are variable costs. Finally, if they manage to increase the utilization rate of its aircraft with relation of British Airways and Aer Lingus, the per-person fixed costs would be less, about a 40% less (increase in utilization from 60% to almost 100%). Some estimation about Ryan Air’s cost breakdown that would ensure a profit can be found in the table above.

Volcanic Ash Cloud Modelling Using Visual Basic Application

Volcanic Ash Cloud Modelling Using Visual Basic Application RESEARCH ARTICLE ABSTRACT Recently, the study of volcanic eruption and ash cloud dispersion has become important due to the severe risks and hazards associated with it. The negative impact it has on human livelihood, infrastructure, transportation, water supply, farming, and the environment and the environment as a whole needs serious attention. This has prompted many researchers to investigate the dynamics of volcanic ash clouds by utilizing an objective methodology, utilizing high-spatial determination pictures and complimentary ground based observation. These models have being instrumental in understanding past eruptions and also for future prediction and planning to mitigate it effects. The models for ash cloud usually require some parameters for their stimulation which would be depends on the type of model or software to be used. For the purpose of this article, Visual Basic Application (VBA) software has been used to study the 2014 Mount Mayon eruption. The codes were developed using vent coordinate, di ffusion coefficient, wind velocity, iteration and time step. The results from the simulation show the ash clouds dispersed in the NE direction. The results of the codes modelled showed diffusion and advection of ash plumes using a two dimensional array. Arcmap was used to output the results of the stimulation. Kernel density and spatial contour tools were also used to examine and interpretate the output of the simulation, showing the high risk of volcanic ash cloud in the Mount Mayon region. Visual Basic Application (VBA) was chosen for the study because it is simple, fast, convenient and affordable while proving to be equally accurate for modelling large particles. Nonetheless, the utilization of much more advanced models will provide more accurate results. Population growth and increase in urbanization in regions inclined to volcanic ash risks requires risk reduction and mitigation strategies. KEYWORDS: Volcanic Eruption, Mount Mayon, Hazard Modeling, Ash Cloud, Visual Basic Application. 1.0 INTRODUCTION The objective of natural hazards and risks assessment is to determine the extent and nature of risk in a particular area by evaluating potential hazards that together could harm people destroy properties, goods and services (UNISDR, 2009). Various studies have identified societys increasing vulnerability to disasters as a consequence of population expansion in hazardous areas and increasing economic and environmental strains (Rougier et al., 2013). The socio-economic and physical impact of volcanic ash on the environment is obviously massive. Studies and observations over the years have significantly enhanced our understanding as seen in the past 30 years (e.g., Soufrià ¨re Hills (Montserrat), 1995; Eyjafjallajà ¶kull (Iceland), 2010) (Vervaeck, 2012). The current effects that are associated with the volcano eruption have made the study of volcanic ash multidisciplinary. The negative impacts on human livelihood, infrastructure, transportation, power supply, agriculture, water and t he environment has caused tremendous damages. In order to minimize risk in highly affected areas and improve on hazard assessment, there is the need to use effective modelling tools to gather information on key risk indicators in ash dispersion. Successful displaying devices for anticipating ash remains scattering and transport can significantly add to hazard assessment and mitigation of risk in exceptionally influenced regions (Andreastuti, Alloway Smith, 2000). This aim of the study is to review the formation, movement and effects of the 2014 Mount Mayon eruption. The Visual Basic Application (VBA) software has been used for the modelling of ash cloud in the study area. The codes developed using input parameters seeks to demonstrate the possible pattern of the ash cloud dispersion with likely solutions. 1.1 STUDY AREA. Mount Mayon (13 °15à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²24à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³N 123 °41à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²6à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³E) is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay in Bicol Region, on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Renowned as the perfect cone because of its symmetric conical shape, the volcano and its surrounding landscape was declared a national park on July 20, 1938, the first in the nation. Mayon is the main landmark and highest point of the province of Albay and the whole Bicol Region in the Philippines, rising 2,462 metres (8,077 ft.) from the shores of the Albay Gulf about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) away. The volcano is geographically shared by the eight cities and municipalities of Legazpi, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Tabaco, Malilipot and Santo Domingo (clockwise from Legazpi), which divide the cone like slices of a pie when viewed from above. Historically the Mt. Mayon region of the Philippines has also been particularly hard hit by lahars because of volcanic erupt ions that produce ash deposits on steep volcanic slopes which may later become mobilized by heavy cyclonic rains (Orense 2007). Geologically, Mount Mayon rock type is Basalt to Olivine-bearing Pyroxene Andesite and Bicol Volcanic Chain tectonic setting. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philippines and it is constantly degassing and has erupted violently 54 times in the last 400 years (Ramos-Villarta et al. 1985). Upper slopes are quite steep while slope angle diminishes in a very regular way with descent to sea level (Fano et al. 2007). Most eruptions involve large ashcloud discharges, though pyroclastic and lava flows are also common, and magma composition is basaltic to olivine-bearing pyroxene andesite. Figure1: Map of study area, Mount Mayon; Source (Google maps) 2. COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE 2.1 INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW The formation of volcanic ash is initiated by volcanic eruption events. Ash particle comprises of various sizes, elevation, and distances which disseminate into airspace. Ash cloud generates from a partial or complete eruption process (Cas Wright, 1987 and move rapidly with speed of 10-65m/s, reaching high temperature of between 100 to 800oC (Blong, 1984) (Figure 2). Moreover, vast scale effects are related with volcanic ash cloud dispersion. Therefore, the assessment of volcanic ash hazards is essential in the socio-economic, scientific, and political affairs of any society more importantly in a region with dense population. The rise in population and increase in urbanization of areas prone to volcanic ash hazards demand the invention and application of suitable measures. Risk assessment and mitigation strategies must be enforced if major eruption is to be prevented (Baxter et al., 2008). Figure 2: Mount Mayon 2014 ash cloud dispersion; Source google (Google images). 2.2.1 BACKGROUND TO VOLCANIC ASH Volcanic ash is produced during volatile volcanic eruptions, phreatomagmatic eruptions and movement in pyroclastic density currents. Explosive eruptions occur when magma decompresses as it rises, allowing dissolved volatiles to resolve into gas bubbles. Remote sensing results (Rose et al., 2000) and distal ash sampling studies (Durant et al., 20 09) strongly suggest that both à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ne and very à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ne ash mostly fall within a day of their eruption, much faster than à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uid dynamics modeling suggests. Volcanic ash particles less than 2mm are pyroclast and particles greater than 2mm are lapilli. Regardless of the process of formation, volcanic ash are produced and determined by various factors such as particle size distribution, wind velocity, magma fragmentation and magma discharge. Altitude of 20-50km characterizes turbulent jets of explosive volcanic eruptions which convey ash and gas mixtures into the atmosphere (Carazzo Jellinek, 2012). Particles aggregati on is presumed to increase of fine ash fallout whereas sedimentation of pumice and ash particles is controlled by their separate settling velocities (Rose Durant, 2011). Combined studies have shown that volcanic cloud ash mass decreases by an order of magnitude in 24 h (Rose et al., 2000).This rapid fallout of very à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ne ash creates distal mass deposition maxima in tephra deposits at distances several 100s of km downwind(Brazier et al., 1983; Durant and Rose,). The distal ash sedimentation process is poorly understood but is clearly tied to meteorological processes that promote aggregation, e.g., hydrometeor formation, and inà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence cloud dynamics (Durant et al., 2009). 2.2.2 VOLCANIC ASH EFFECTS 2.2.2.1 Effects on Water Supplies Effects of volcanic ash on water supplies have been critically severe that it makes livelihood unbearable. Studies describing these impacts are described fully in Stewart et al. (2006). Effects include physical blockages of intake structures by ash and damage due to abrasion or corrosion of equipment. The major public health concerns are thought to be the potential for outbreaks of waterborne infectious diseases due to the inhibition of disinfection by high levels of turbidity, and elevated concentrations of fluoride increasing risks of dental and skeletal fluorosis. Physical impacts of ash and problems due to high levels of acidity, turbidity and fluoride are well-documented; however, little attention has been paid to the other soluble components of volcanic ashfall and their potential consequences for water supplies. Water usage can be expected to increase significantly as affected communities begin cleanup operations (Johnston, 1997b; Johnston et al., 2004). 2.2.2.2 Effects on Agricultural Activities Volcanic ash has a massive negative effect on farms since agricultural activities depend greatly on natural and irrigation means of water supply. Some farms are supplied by district or regional water supply schemes. Reported impacts on water supply schemes include (Johnston et al., 2004) suspended ash blocking intake filters, particularly for river-fed water supplies. This has put increasing pressure on water resources, especially for irrigation and stock water, requiring that the resource be actively managed. The uncommon unsettled climate and atmosphere at mid-scope in 1816 and 1817 had major financial effects, especially as far as a poor yield of horticulture creation, lack of healthy sustenance and considerably an expanded potential for infections and plagues (Trigo et al., 2009). 2.2.2.3 Effects on Infrastructure About nine percent of the worlds population lives within 100 km of a historically active volcano (Horwell and Baxter, 2006). This percentage will probably increase due to higher rates of population growth in many countries like Colombia, Ecuador and the Philippines that are highly volcanically active. Even though volcanic ash rarely endanger human life directly, it negative effects on critical infrastructure services such as electricity and water supplies, health facilities, transport routes, aviation, buildings and primary production, can lead to significant societal impacts (Horwell and Baxter, 2006 and Stewart et al., 2006). Moreover, fairly small eruptions can lead to widespread disruption, damage and economic loss. For example, the 1995/1996 eruptions of Ruapehu volcano in the central North Island of New Zealand were very small by geological standards but still covered over 20,000 km2 of land and caused significant disruption and damage to aviation, communication networks, a hyd ro-electric power scheme, electricity transmission lines, water supply networks, wastewater treatment plants, agriculture and the tourism industry (Cronin et al., 1998 and Johnston et al., 2000). 2.3 ASH CLOUD MODELLING Models have been utilized for decades to forecast ash fall during volcanic eruptions. However, it is only in recent years have tephra models like Ash3D been developed that use a 3-D, time-changing wind field, enabling us to model eruptions that last weeks and spread ash across an entire continent. These features, plus the development of a method for calculating growth of an umbrella cloud, have made it possible to simulate eruptions of this scale. Particles of ash are dispersed into the atmosphere in different directions during an explosive eruption, but the variation differences in altitude, wind speed and direction, and temperature are great influence (Carey and Sparks, 1986). Satellite based identification methods are presently used in monitoring eruptive plumes, but this practice has its limitations such as irregular satellites captures. The use of dispersal models to forecast both the deposition of ash particles on the ground and airborne is one important way of solving such cha llenges (Carey and Sparks, 1986). Observations measured from the ground are used to identify and examine volcanic ash clouds in addition to satellite data. New and evolving volcanic ash clouds have been detected using both specialized and well graded weather radar systems (Schneider et al, 2008). Volcanic Ash Transport and Dispersal models (VATD) are models that are mostly utilized for modelling volcanic ash and are extremely useful when simulating ash particles in order to reduce the risk and hazards posed by volcanic ash. These models are required to provide fairly accurate forecast and location of the volcanic ash and produce hazard maps fast enough to warn pilots of the danger routes (Peterson and Dean 2007). Also volcano observatories and Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) use these models to issue out forecast before, during and slightly after eruptions Generally, volcanic ash cloud models are tools that efficiently combine source input parameters in a short period of time a nd can be used to predict ash dispersion in an emergency situation and can help mitigate the risk and hazards related with such fallout during an eruption 2.4. ASH MODELLING PARAMETERS. Volcanic ash cloud modeling need certain input parameters such as volcano location, date, time and duration of each eruption, source geometry, plume height, eruption rate, vertical ash distribution and particle size distribution. Plume height is simply the altitude at which most volcanic ash spreads laterally from the plume into the ash cloud. The relationship between plume height and eruption rate is possibly the most extensively studied among any sources parameters (Mastin et al., 2009). Theoretical studies (Morton et al., 1956) indicate that plume height should increase with eruption rate and empirical compilations ( Settle, 1978, Wilson et al., 1978 and Sparks et al., 1997, ) roughly follow this relationship. Some characteristic eruption parameters demonstrate extensive systematic relationships. Plume height increases with eruption rate and grain-size generally decreases with increasing silica content. However, not all relationships are systematic. The duration of eruptions may d iminish or differ non-systematically with size of eruption or type of magma. For instance, an average grain size, whilst generally decreasing with increasing silica content, might as well decrease with increasing occurrence of pyroclastic flows (Dartevelle et al., 2002). Inefficiently captured variables such as wind, particle fallout, vent overpressure, or development of hydrometeors, together with atmospheric humidity for bigger eruptions might as well influence this relationship (Mastin et al., 2009). 3. METHODOLOGY For the purpose of this study,Visual Basic for Application (VBA) was used to model the 2014 Mount Mayon volcano eruption ash cloud. Visual Basic for Application (VBA) is basically a software developed in Microsoft Excel and it is used for modelling volcanic ash particles dispersal. Generally, the model is considered to be fairly accurate in modelling volcano eruption. The model requires certain input parameters which are carefully manipulated to predict the likelihood of volcanic ash transport and dispersal. The model starts by defining a dimensional array size called ashfall and calling the parameters from the control panel created in the Excel spreadsheet. The particles are created by giving them an X and Y values, the X and Y values are the coordinates at the chosen location above the vent derived from the satellite imagery of the study area. Together with other input parameters such as wind speed and direction, diffusion coefficient, time and iterations,particles are advected and diffused along the X and Y axis they are then outputted in a second work sheet called ashfall. The code then loops this process as it has been defined by the user, for the purpose of this report the particles were set to a random function. Once the simulation is completed the particle movement in the ash sheet is then plotted on a scatter graph to view the particles and the direction of dispersion. Both worksheets are then saved in MS-DOS comma separated (.csv) file format in Excel to make it possible to import into ArcMap. The satellite image obtained from http//www.landcover.org of the area is then displayed in the ArcMap and the X and Y values from the worksheets are then imported to display the ash. The kernel density function in the analysis tool calculates the density of the dispersed ash cloud. Moreover, time and iteration were considered to give a genuine situation of the ash dispersion. Below is a copy of the code used for simulation of the ash cloud. Sub ashfall() Dim vent_x As Long, vent_y As Long Dim K As Single, vx As Single, vy As Single, dt As Single K = diffusion coefficient dt = change in time Dim max_inter As Long, no_part As Long Dim particles(1 To 1000, 1 To 2) As Single vent_x = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(1, 2) vent_y = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(2, 2) K = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(3, 2) vx = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(4, 2) vy = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(5, 2) dt = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(6, 2) max_iter = Worksheets(Control Panel).Cells(7, 2) Worksheets on right side of = to plug values into code For n = 1 To 1000 particles(n, 1) = vent_x particles(n, 2) = vent_y Next n Offset = 0 so that numbers dont overwrite eachother at each iteration For Iteration = 1 To max_iter add nested loop for iterations this allows all 1000 particles to be moved together in each step max_inter is set as 1000 in Excel For n = 1 To 1000 Rnd = random generation of number between 0 and 1 K = Diffusion Coefficent ash diffusion, where n,1 = x coordinate and n,2 = y coordinate particles(n, 1) = particles(n, 1) + K * (0.5 Rnd()) particles(n, 2) = particles(n, 2) + K * (0.5 Rnd()) ash advection particles(n, 1) = particles(n, 1) + (vx * dt) particles(n, 2) = particles(n, 2) + (vy * dt) Worksheets(Ashfall).Cells(n + Offset, 1) = particles(n, 1) Worksheets(Ashfall).Cells(n + Offset, 2) = particles(n, 2) worksheets on the left hand side of = to plug values in excel worksheet Next n Offset = Offset + 1000 Next Iteration End Sub Input parameters Variables Values Start X Long 574207 Start Y Long 1465622 v x (m/s) Single 6 vy (m/s) Single 9 Diffusion coefficient Single 500 Iterations Integer 1000 Time Integer 10 Table 1: Input parameters, variables and values used for the simulation of ash cloud for Mount Mayon 4. RESULTS OF SIMULATIONS The ash cloud simulation outcomes are portrayed in figures 3 to 7 showing the wind direction, kernel ash density and spatial contours on Open Street map and Satellite map of Mount Mayon. From the simulation, the wind velocity was in the NE direction as it can be seen in the maps. Due the magnitude of the ash cloud, nearby localities are in danger of high risk. Figures 3 and 4 depict the magnitude of the ash cloud in direction of the wind and the impact on the localities on both open street and satellites maps. Also, figure 5 on the other hand shows the levels density of the volcanic ash cloud dispersed in the study area. Regions that far away the volcano ash have minimal density of ash cloud and are not really at risk as compared to regions closer to the volcano ash with high level of density of ash cloud. With the aid of the spatial contour tool, figures 6 and 7 depicts the dispersed and settlement of the ash cloud on satellite map of the study area. Figure 3: Open street map of Mount Mayon showing dispersed ash Figure 4: Satellite map of Mount Mayon showing dispersed ash.    Figure 5: Satellite map of Mount Mayon showing kernel density of dispersed ash Figure 6: Open street map of Mount Mayo showing spatial contour of dispersed ash Figure 7: Satellite map of Mount Mayon showing the spatial contour of dispersed ash 5.1 HAZARD AND RISK IN STUDY AREA The hazard and risk in Mount Mayon cannot be under-estimated since it is one of the active volcano in the Philippines erupting about 53 times in the past 400 years. There have death and displacement of hundreds of thousands of people since it first eruption in 1616. The record violent eruption in 1814 caused death of more than 1,200 people and destroyed several towns. Volcanic flows have caused broad destruction of water supply infrastructure and systems. Water pipes have been destroyed and concealed by lahars around Mayon volcano, Philippines (Nasol, 2001 and Smithsonian Institution, 2002). Chemical pollution of water takes place as tephra particles dissolve readily upon contact with water discharging ions (Witham et al., 2005 and Delmelle et al., 2007). Agricultural activities around Mount Mayon are affected by ash cloud dispersion which reduces crop field hence shortage of food supply. Air planes and other modes of transport are at risk of ash cloud since Legazpi Airport is only 4 2.8km from Mount Mayon. Lahars are possible to destroy vehicles as they move downstream while being influenced by debris (Blong, 1984). Also, tephra particles can cause damage to vehicles by roughening moving parts and obstructing air and oil filters (Wilson et al., 2012b). Figure 9: Hazard map of Mount Mayon ; Source (google maps). Figure 10: Hazard map of Mount Mayon ; Source (google earth). 5.2 EVALUATION OF HAZARD AND RISK IN STUDY AREA. To mitigate the hazards and risks associated with volcano eruption, there must be implementation of policies and disaster control measures must be put in place. Minimizing the effects of volcanic eruptions on the study must be the fundamental objective of ash cloud hazard and risk management. Land-use pressure, population growth and societys expectancy of infrastructure performance during and after disasters makes this a challenge. However, impacts of the 2014 Mount Mayon volcano eruption can by adopting the following strategies; Creating awareness of volcanic risks and hazards and their impacts through communication strategies and educating the general public. This can be achieved through the use of both print media and electronic media. Also, Government must see to it that, projects and policies of building and planning are implemented effectively to eradicate indiscriminate and unauthorized building of houses and other structures in volcano prone areas. Evacuation plans, emergency response and temporary housing should be put in place to minimize the rate of fatalities associated with volcano eruption in the region. There should also be regular monitoring of volcanic eruption of the area by utilizing highly advanced models and high-tech machines as this will help predict upcoming eruption. 6. DETAILED DISCUSSIONS AND CRITICAL EVALUATIONS OF THE MODEL AND SOFTWARE. The Visual Application Software (VBA) software developed from Microsoft Excel is basically easy to understand and quick to run for ash cloud modelling. It is also affordable and very instrumental for predicting the extent of ash cloud transport and dispersion utilizing input parameters according the users preferences. However, the software is is limited to the number of particles that can be modelled at the same time. Also, only one direction of ash cloud is dispersed at a particular time. The accuracy of the model could be improved if input parameters such as plume height and eruption rate are taken into account. When compared with other advanced models such as NAME, FALL3D and PUFF, Visual Application Software (VBA) cannot be used for continuous discharge of ash particles to model full volcano eruption but rather for single release of ash particles. Regardless of its limitations, Visual Application Software (VBA) software is still very useful for modelling ash cloud simulation. 7. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK. In conclusion, the hazard and risk associated with ash cloud transport and dispersion cannot be under-estimated in Mount Mayon. Therefore, proper planning and strategies must be put in place to mitigate the fatalities of volcano eruption in the future. Although the government responsible for major policies implementation, the general public together with non-governmental agencies must work hand-in-hand to minimize the negative impact of volcano eruption in the region. Despite the model limitations, Visual Application Software (VBA) is very useful tool for modelling volcanic ash cloud simulation. It is also easy to comprehend and fast but if other input parameters added to create a new, it will enhance it accuracy. 8. REFERENCE Baxter, P., Boyle, R., Cole, P., Neri, A., Spence, R., Zuccaro, G. (2005). The impacts of pyroclastic surges on buildings at the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat. Bulletin of Volcanology, 67(4), 292-313, available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00445-004-0365-7. Baxter, P., Aspinall, W., Neri, A., Zuccaro, G., Spence, R., Cioni, R., Woo, G. (2008). Emergency planning and mitigation at Vesuvius: A new evidence-based approach. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 178(3), 454-473. 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Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay

Training During The Current Global Recession Management Essay The report attempts to find out the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. Current and past literature has been reviewed to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. Research shows that although during the time of recession when a large number of companies are cost cutting, laying off employees, and compromising on training, Asian firms unlike western companies are focusing on training and development of their employees. In spite of the economic recession; there is a call for managing and attracting the talented employees efficiently. Employers, who will be able to pull the top talent and take on them, quickly build their capacity, hold on to them by providing advancement and development prospects, and direct employees input in line with the broader organizational strategies, will not only survive the current recession but also emerge fr om it with a distinctive advantage. Through training, such employers communicate trust in the employees and thus attain employees commitment and engagement. Moreover the trained employees will be motivated and skillful enough to cope and serve their employers with the rapidly changing knowledge based economies. Training will be an investment whose profit will be earned in post recession period. Thus it can be concluded that in the current global economy, the need for training of the employees has never been greater. Human resource management should chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost effective as well as beneficial in increasing productivity of the organization. Introduction Global recession is a phase, faced by most of the countries, all over the world. This economic recession has led to bankrupty of many companies. Companies have been lossing billions of dollars and firing millions of people. Analysts are of the view that this is not the first time and the last time that the global economy is going through recession. (Himachali, S. 2009). Since the Great Depression of the late 1920s, the world economy has experienced recession about every decade or two and, typically, this was followed by steady growth, driven mostly by the many ensuing innovations. Therefore it can be implied that this recession is likely to follow a similar pattern (Ndahi, H. B. 2009) Companies are trying hard to survive by cost cutting, laying off employees and compromisng on employee training and development during recession (Himachali, S. 2009). The global recession is a challenge during the time when there is the globalization of economy; expansion of knowledge based economies and more industries being centered on knowledge-based activities are now offering increased support services. Jeff Immelt CEO of GE believes that during the time of recession just holding on until things get back to normal is an error for most companies what we are seeing now is the new normal, the new world order (Charan 2009). The present report reviews current and past literature to explore if training is a luxury during the current global recession. The report will look at the possible effects of cutting down the training budgets and deferring training programs during the current global recession as suggested by the senior management. It is hypothesized that Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession. Review of literature will imply whether or not the managements decision to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs is justified or not. Here the variable Training is defined as systematic development of the knowledge, skills, and expertise required by a person to effectively perform a given task or job (Patrick, 2000). Landy (1985) defined job training as a set of planned activities on the part of an organization to increase the job knowledge and skills or to modify the attitudes and social behavior of its members in ways consistent with the goals of the organization and the requirements of the job (p. 306). Where as the other variable Productivity of an Organization is defined for the present study as organizational performance in terms of revenue generated, product quality, customer service, optimal performance, customer relations and business reputation. Role of Training of Employees in Productivity of an Organization The goal of training is for employees to master the knowledge, skill and behaviors emphasized in training programs and to apply them to their day-to-day activities (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Training can increase employees knowledge of foreign competitors and cultures, which is critical for success in foreign markets. It helps ensure that employees have the basic skills to work with new technology, such as robots and computer assisted manufacturing processes. It helps employees understand how to work effectively in teams to contribute to product and service quality and ensures that the companys culture emphasizes innovation, creativity, and learning. It ensures employment security by providing new ways for employees to contribute to the company when their jobs change, their interests change or their skills become obsolete. It prepares employees to accept and work more effectively with each other, particularly with minorities and wo men. (I.I Goldstein and P. Gilliam, 1990). There is sufficient evidence that training increases job knowledge and skills and in turn, this results in better employee performance (Colquitt, LePine, Noe, 2000; Goldstein Ford, 2002). More over the research shows that the learning can contribute to self-efficacy and job satisfaction (Allen, Poteet, Lentz, Lima, 2004), which in turn can raise organizational performance (Patterson, Warr, West, 2004; Riketta, 2008). A good deal of research has linked individual learning with job performance (Colquitt et al., 2000; Salas Cannon-Bowers, 2001). There is an evidence to suggest that learning engagement can result in greater work role flexibility and willingness to learn new skills (Birdi, Allan, Warr, 1997). Training can be used to foster higher levels of commitment and satisfaction. Several HRD studies confirmed that training practices could enhance employee commitment (Meyer Smith, 2000; Whitener, 2001). Satisfaction with workplace training in an employees overall job experience is crucial. Ranstads 2001 North America Employment Review survey of twenty-six hundred American and Canadian employees found that 80 percent of respondents said receiving training that increases their skills and abilities was a key component of what they looked for in jobs (What Drives, 2001). In fact it has become an important characteristic of the new employment relationship. Roehling, M. V., Cavanaugh, M. A., Moynihan, L. M. Boswell, W. R. (2000) systematically assessed current thinking regarding the nature of the changing employment relationship through a content analysis of the practitioner and academic literatures and reported that the two most frequently mentioned characteristics of the new employment relationship are employers responsibility to provide training, education, and skill development opportunities, and employees responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities to develop and maintai n their skills. Nevertheless the global economy of today makes ongoing learning important throughout an employees career. Employees must continue to learn and grow on the job simply as a requisite for continued employability (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). Significance of Training at Manegerial Level Training shouldnt be confined to employees only. Recession brings stress and many businesses are under threat from the poor psychological state of their  stressed managers during the  global recession.  As stressed executives are more inclined to make wrong decisions that driven by their short term survival but are  not in the  companys strategic direction thus they end up ultimately damaging their business productivity and progress. Thus Managers and leaders need to be trained in this time of stress to trust their intuition and make meaningful decisions based on what is important for their business in the long term. (Zeus and Skiffington, 2004). Organizations are now realizing that workplace expertise is crucial to maintaining optimal performance and adapting to change in todays dynamic business world (Herling, 2000; Krohn, 2000). Training in the principles of social interest, democracy, and encouragement can assist managers in developing the leadership skills to foster collaborative and participative workplaces. Managers educated in participative management typically create satisfied, committed employees (Soonhee, 2002). Employer-employee relationship largely depends upon how well trained mangers are and their effective leadership qualities. Hogan (2002) noted that 60% to 75% of the employees in any organization report the worst or most stressful aspect of their job is the relationship with their immediate supervisor. According to Goldsmith (2004), employees interpersonal competence becomes more important as they achieve more visible leadership status. Most job candidates are hired based on their technical and functional abilities, but these skills recede into the background as individuals assume more prominent leadership positions. Annette Ryan, director of The Effect believes that although business leaders prior to the recession looked like leaders, but actually they were just managing in the good times. The recession demanded leadership skills, not management skills, and so these people came under a lot of pressure. Ryan says the companies that weathered the storm best are those with leaders who c ould make the hard calls, appropriately (SamGanankkan, S. 2010). Impact of Recession on Training Recession has been defended differently by various economies. Top performing economies, including the US and UK, are reducing focus on knowledge development, coaching and mentoring, and other human capital investments, with more firms reporting a decline than an increase in investment in staff development in 2008 (Clarke, M. 2009). The British Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey (2008) also reported that firms that were investing earlier in the year are now cutting back investments in plants, machinery and training due to the pessimistic outlook for sales, orders and exports. However, by comparison, in Asia, according to the Economist Intelligence Units Business Outlook Survey, Asian companies are instead taking measures such as cutting business travel costs, reducing inventories and streamlining other budgets to cope with the recession. A minority of Asian firms (just over 40 percent) said that they would cut their training budgets in response to the recession, which was low in the order of priority compared to other measures. This contrasts with the industrialized countries, where a larger number of firms are cutting investments in employees rather than increasing them. (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2009). These findings suggest that emerging market countries will be well-positioned to overtake industrialized countries when the economy improves (Clarke, M. 2009). Impact of Deferring Training during Recession Deferring training means communicating to the employees that there are no long-standing prospects in the company. Moreover it may lead to assertive competitors picking up cream of the company leaving behind less capable employees. Thus companies that can afford to keep training, as part of their regimen will position themselves well for a rebound (Girard, K., 2008). The studies show that this lack of investment in training is detrimental. According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009, compiled by Klaus Schwab and Michael Porter for the 2009 World Economic Forum in Davos, an inadequately trained workforce was a highly rated problem-factor in doing business in the US, the UK and many other European countries. In comparison, fewer felt this was a major concern in developing markets such as China, India and South East Asia. According to analyst firm International Data Corporation (IDC), businesses are already losing  £19 billion annually because of employees not having sufficient knowledge to do their job correctly. This statistic is staggering and particularly detrimental during hard economic times (Clarke, M. 2009). Employee misunderstanding, resulting from a lack of training and knowledge assessments, can be very costly for businesses; not only in terms of time and money, but also customer relations and business reputation. Additionally, a lack of knowledge and understanding of corporate and industry regulations could potentially result in high costs for the company. Business regulations seem to be constantly changing within every industry, across all sectors, and if employees are not conducting their business in compliance with new laws and policies, they are putting their company at risk of being fined and incurring other such penalties (Clarke, M. 2009). According to the survey of Monster resource center, employers are becoming increasingly tasked with how to handle present workplace changes and managing employees in the short-term. However, the companies that invest in their people now will be a step ahead in retaining their top talent (Monster World wide, inc 2009). Significance of Training During Recession Recession is a perfect time to invest even more in the training and retraining of workers to take on the new challenges of the current financial crisis, and for improved productivity when the economy recovers. The fact that all sectors of the economy are affected by the crisis means that all enterprises will require workers who are skilled, innovative and adaptable to help their company emerge from the crisis strong enough to compete in the global market. Therefore, investing in education and training of human resources should be a priority for every enterprise public and private (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). History shows that in the first few months in an upturn, hiring quickly becomes a front-burner issue, so in fact its a better option to save costs in hiring by investing in nurturing the skills and talent of employees. Investing in employee training during a downturn has the added benefit of improving staff loyalty, commitment and building high-performing teams (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Chartered Institute of Personnel and Developments (CIPD) Recruitment, Retention and Turnover survey found out that Employers are choosing to focus on retention rather than recruitment in response to current resourcing issues. The report revealed that 73% of organizations find a lack of necessary specialist skills remains the key resourcing challenge, whilst 56% of employers are tackling this by concentrating on retention strategies such as training and career development opportunities with 75% of employers saying that additional training to allow internal staff to fill posts was the most effective recruit ment initiative. (Hesselschwedt, P. 2009). Training and development doesnt only mean to build the capacity of the employees for efficiently performing tasks in the work place. From employees perspective it means respecting and trusting individuals for what they are. According to Kelly International Workforce Survey (Kelly Services, Inc., 2010), during recession the issue of salary and benefits is of secondary importance for all generations. In answer to the question what one factor would be most likely to cause you to leave your organization, most respondents from various regions regarded lack of opportunities for advancement to be the reason for leaving organization. When respondents from various regions were asked as a result of the economic recession are you more loyal to your employer? If yes, why? Most of the respondents regarded positive management (56-70%) to be the reason to stay loyal to the employer, whereas a significant number (37-38%) regarded it to the training and development. It shows that managers training is very significant so that they can impart influential leadership skills. When considering whether to remain in or quit their job, younger workers have a much greater interest in the possibility of career advancement, while more mature workers predominantly focus on the quality of management ( Kelly Services, Inc. 2010). Studies have shown that for small and medium-sized enterprises formal training is not preferred due to high cost for training (Curran et al. 1997; Westhead and Storey 1996), uncertainty and short time horizon (Westhead and Storey 1996), loss of trained employees to other employers due to lack of internal promotion opportunities. Therefore informal training is opted as it is less costly, can be easily integrated into daily operations of the small firm, and is focused on employees specific needs (Hill and Stewart 2000; Curran et al. 1997). Large organizations during recession are facing the similar issues such as uncertainty and difficulty managing finances for training. But as the research for the small firms show that In spite of these seemingly legitimate reasons for preferring informal training, it is argued that failure to provide adequate formal employee training retards development of sustained competitive advantages in small and medium-sized enterprises (Stewart and McGoldrick 1996; Garavan, Costine, and Heraty 1995). And this significance of providing formal training can also be implied to large organizations during recession for high productivity. Need for training has become inevitable since companies today are challenged to expand globally. Because of the increase in global operations, employees often work outside their country of origin to work with employees from other counties. Cross cultural preparation training to educate exaptriates who are to be sent to a foreign country to conduct business successfully in the global market place is vital so that employees must understand the business practises and the cultual norms of different countries (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Knowledge Based Economies and Need for Training in Post Recession Economy Analysts are of the view that after recession; customers, competitors and suppliers will have different expectations and behaviors, so business strategies must anticipate and adapt to the new challenges and opportunities (Welch and Welch 2009). Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 sketches new dimension of the world economy which is now experiencing globalization, knowledge based economies are being expanded and more industries that were previously not centered on knowledge based activities are now offering increased support services. Firms that do not obtain or maintain necessary skills through workplace education will find themselves excluded from the global value chain (Gorg, Greenaway and Kneller 2008). There are many dimensions in which firms must develop their capabilities, including in the use of new technology, production methods and engagement with global supply chains and networks. No less important is a commitment to investment in learning and development to ensure empl oyees and management are confident, competent and skilled to carry out their roles (Clarke, M. 2009). With the expansion of knowledge-based economies investment in knowledge will be essential in creating competitive advantage in the future (Fauth and Brinkley 2009). All this put a heavier emphasis on training of employees so that they are able to seek knowledge. Thus a lack of investment in people and their knowledge development will threaten the ability of leading industrialized countries to maintain global competitiveness in the post-recession economy (Mizen, P. 2009). Cost Effective Training Methodology During Global Recession Employees can be trained through e-learning, self study, video based training, instructor led training, simulations, apprenticeship, case study, interactive videos, team building and adventure learning, distance learning and job shadowing etc. Although the research shows that the methodologies which involve an instructor or coach were preferred significantly such as instructor-led training, one-on-one training, and job shadowing (Schmidt, S. W., 2007) more than the more solitary methodologies such as computer-based training, or self-study including video-based training (Nordhaug, 1989) as participants prefer a high degree of interaction between an instructor or coach and a student or students (Schmidt, S. W., 2007). But it is expected that the use of training technologies will increase dramatically in the next decade as technology improves and becomes cheaper; companies recognize the potential cost savings of delivering training via desktop computers (M. Van Buren, and W. Woodwell, J r., 2000), especially during and after recession. New training technologies can lower delivery costs and increase flexibility in delivery. (Gupta, H. U. 1996) for example, training delivered by an instructor at a central location requires employees to spend time away from their regular jobs and incurs employee travel costs. Lower delivery costs can be realized by using satellite-based training or distance leaning in which training programs are transmitted via satellite to several locations. Also use of CD-ROM or web base training gives employees the flexibility to participate in training on 24-hour basis at home or work though use of personal computers. (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). These methodologies can be safely used during recession. An advantage of distance learning is that the company can save on travel expenses. It also allows employees in geographically dispersed sites to receive training from experts who would not be otherwise available to visit each location. E.g. the research and development group at 3M found considerable cost savings by using video conferencing to conduct an eight week class on imaging technology that involved instructors from Europe and USA. (Nadeau, M., 1995 B. Flipczak and B. Leonard, 1996). Without video conferencing the class wouldve cost $100,000 making it too expensive. With video conferencing the course cost only $13,000 (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Similarly the self-directed learning requires fewer trainers, reduces costs associated with travel and meeting rooms, and makes multiple site training more realistic. In the same way, although employers have to pay highly for developing interactive video programs and purchasing the equipment yet this is offset by the reduction in instructors costs and travel costs related to a central training location. At Federal Express, interactive video has made it possible to train 35,000 customer contact employees in 650 locations nationwide, saving the company millions of dollars (Hannum, W.H. 1990). In the same way, e-learning trainees are more engaged through the use of videos, graphics, sound and text, which appeal to multiple senses of the learner. Besides enhancing the training experience e-learning can reduce training costs and time. It brings geographically dispersed employees at their locations reducing travel costs (Noe, Raymond A; Hollenbeck, John R; Gerehart, Barry; Wright, Patrick M. 2003). Recession can be an Opportunity Similarly, Lynda Gratton suggests that recessions provide the space for new ideas to flourish while the economic effects can be dire, in the long term recession can have a positive effect on work and working habits (Gratton 2008). For many companies, times of turmoil offer new business opportunities, but taking advantage of them requires fast response, aggressive attitudes, and serious changes to the corporate status quo (Thornton 2009). Visionary leaders will emerge from the recession strong, with an educated and skilled workforce, because they would have invested in training during tough times. They would have realized that education and training constitute a bridge to entering and competing in new market conditions in the global economy (Ndahi, H. B. 2009). Recession is the right time to focus on innovation and creativity. An emphasis on greater market research (which is often neglected because of complacency when times are more profitable) would definitely pay off. Creating new products or services can open the gates for new consumers of products or services. Training is an investment not an expense. Despite any recession, it should be maintained as a continuous process to ensure organizations remain competitive and productive. (Rao, M. S. 2009). Conclusion Thus through the review of literature significance of employee and managers training has been highlighted. Workplace expertise is vital to sustain optimal performance and adapting to change in todays changing business world. Although companies are cutting down training due to global recession, yet research shows that inadequately trained workforce has affected business detrimentally. It is better to spend on retention rather than recruitment, as right after recession highly skilled staff will be required to compete in the global market. Moreover training employees is an investment that leads to staff loyalty and commitment. During recessions, organizations can find ways and means to cut down on unwarranted expenditure elsewhere other than training. Human resource management can chose relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees. The blend of various methods can make training cost e ffective as well as beneficial in terms of increased production and improvements in product quality or customer service, raise in organizational performance in terms of greater revenue generated, maintenance of optimal performance, sustained customer relations and business reputation, saving company from the risk of being fined and incurring other penalties. Thus the hypothesis Training increases productivity of an organization during the current global recession is proved to be correct. Therefore training during recession is not a luxury; rather its a necessity. Hence the organizations management is not justified to cut down on the training budget and defer any training programs. In fact recession can be an opportunity for employees to spend time learning and for employers to gain a competitive edge. Recommendations Following recommendations are made for the organizations training program for management as well as employees during recession. The organization should map out the cost effective training related activities and the processes used to accomplish them methodically. Relevant cost effective methods of training such as E-Learning, distance learning and self directed learning for training line mangers and employees can be used. These methods can be used in a combination to maximize benefit and reduce cost. Need assessment should be done before planning training so that training objectives are in line with the organizations strategic goals. The planning process should be initiated with an audit of existing activities and measurement of new employee performance and of turnover outcomes. Whereas the outcomes should be defined and regularly evaluated (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). It is suggested that the organization should focus on collective learning during the time of recession. The organization should take steps to generate, disseminate and retain knowledge about itself. The managers should be trained extensively and through the acquired knowledge, capacity of the other workers should be build. The trainer employees should be appreciated when they are able to share and transfer their knowledge and skills with other employees. As past studies have shown information sharing as a way of involvement, to be linked to better business performance (Gibson, Porath, Benson, Lawler, 2007; Law Ngai, 2008; Lin, 2008). Organizational training can further be used to enhance team learning. It is suggested that training should be provided at managerial level and later trained managers should disperse this learning in team to other members. This will be not only cost effective but would result in stronger shared mental models that can improve performance as Marks, Zaccaro, and Mathieu (2000) and Marks, Sabella, Shawn Burke, and Zaccaro (2002) demonstrated in an experiment. It is proposed that the employees can be trained through the orientation programs learning in the workplace apart from job-training programs. During recession period, apart from the formal training, orientation sessions can be useful and less expensive. Through orientations employees can be trained for short-term period in which they can be provided basic information and the social cues. (Holtan III, E. E, 1996). A part from the formal job training, employees can be facilitated for workplace learning activities which may include all learning activities that occur in the workplace itself, such as on-the-job training, social learning, and informal learning. HR should evaluate employees after these formal and informal learning and should grant employees certificates provided their skills are developed. Moreover the organization should enhance and develop existing training programs because they will help reveal employees learning and areas that need more consideration. According to Clarke (2009) this kind of information helps to prepare future employees for their roles and saves companies the time and money that would otherwise be lost in misplaced and ineffective training programs. Due to the fast changing business scenario and economy, unpredictable market situation and global competition, during the period of recession or after that it is very important that the organization is transformed into a learning organization. It is not unrealistic to visualize for a learning organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself [Pedler, Burgoyne, Boydell, 1991]. This can help to increase competitiveness through generative learning that is forward looking and reduces the major shocks of change, through close relationships with customers and other key constituents that allow for mutual adjustment, and through the ability to quickly reconfigure and reallocate resources based on environmental change (Slater Narver, 1995). It is suggested that the organization should use assessment programs to identify the top employees to determine which employees are the most valuable for the business and should be retained. Such employees should be given extensive training and their capacity should be build to train other employees. As employing trainers within the organization would be more cost effective.