I Born In Refugee Camp In Nepal

A person who does not have own home country and is settled down in another country, who is dependent on the government for water, food, shelter, and education, is known as a Refugee. Nepal has lots of these kinds of Refugee camps. I was born in camp, and while there, I had a lot of struggles just to survive. My parents are from Bhutan. One day the Butane's government exiled about more than one hundred thousand citizens, which included my parents, from their own country. They leave their own land forcefully. The Nepal government gave land to live on for those people as refugees but never gave citizenship.The entire refugee population started struggling to get food for even one day. Many parents killed their own kids because they didn't have enough money to buy food for their child. Many parents threw their babies in the garbage, and many people died because of poor sanitation. Due to the lack of electricity people had to finish their work before nightfall. When the government, after t en years finally began providing education, we, the students, had to start doing homework as soon as we got home from school. If we didn't finish it, we had to do homework to candle light or kerosene lamp.After living a congested life in the refugee camp, we heard about an opportunity from MOM (International Organization for Migration) about third country resettlement. We decided to come to America to make our future bright. Three months after I arrived in the USA joined middle school. There were lot s of students in my class and they always gave me unusual names in their language e and laughed at me for no reason. At that time, I knew very few English words so couldn't say anything to them. When graduated middle school, I went to SST. Gregory.There, I found all the t coachers, students, and parents to be helpful. My freshmen and sophomore year I had a lot of struggles to learn English. Learning English was hard many times couldn't even pronouns e a simple word, but I learned after many struggle. This is my second semester in Harold Washington college. I chose to go to city college at first because of my family financial condition an d my struggle on English language, and now is much better than before, so have started to HTH ink about my future, started to think about those problems which I had faced when I was in the re fugue camp.Because of that I choose to be an electric and electronic engineer and fix those e problems we had in the refugee camp that prevented me from studying at night. I have had to overcome many struggles to be in the position I am in and my family has been a great support to me. I want to make my future bright and achieve my am through your school. Decided to study engineering because I always wanted to know how machines work, and to be creative in my work. I have always enjoyed challenging myself, and want to be in career which would demand that I use all my knowledge to find solutions.

Christopher Columbus Essay

Around the time Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, Europe was undergoing incredible changes. The Holy Inquisition was an example of efforts by the Catholic faithful to spread and strengthen their faith at the expense of Islam. In Spanish cities like Cordoba and Barcelona, hundreds of Jews and Muslims were burned as heretics for not adhering to the faith (Kamen 17). Religious strife also came about in England; Protestants and Catholics were often at odds with each other’s political and religious views. In the case of the Netherlands, fidelity to Protestant beliefs proved a potent rallying cry and unifying factor in the fight to gain independence from the Spanish Crown. All these regrettable contexts of religious intolerance would heavily influence the Europeans when they eventually made it to the New World. The Spanish were especially virulent in their religious zeal. Virtually every Conquistador was followed by missionaries who went far and wide to convert the newly-conquered â€Å"heathens†. Not only were the missionaries very good at converting the natives, they were also very effective at destroying the native culture and tribal history. The shamans and medicine men of the tribes were killed off mercilessly and with them died the knowledge of the tribes’ oral histories. Those tribes advanced enough to have written histories suffered the pain of having these burned or destroyed by the missionaries. All this was done to make the tribes more docile; without traditions to guide them, they had only the missionaries to turn to. Only in Plymouth, where the English pilgrims traveled to escape persecution, were the Europeans tolerant of the natives and even then, only while they did not yet obstruct the settlers’ needs. What were some of the similarities and differences among the colonial governments of the New World? The Spanish colonial government was an interplay of a powerful theocracy nominally commanded by the Pope and the Catholic Kings of Spain. For example, the Viceroy of Mexico and the Archbishop were often careful not to step on each other prerogatives. The Viceroy was supposed to send Conquistadors to heathen lands in order to pacify areas where missionaries could be deployed to convert them into productive Christians (Hand Book of Texas Online). This ideal set-up is often disturbed by arguments about Spanish soldiers interfering with Missions or not being there at all to protect the Friar. Other disagreements occurred over allocation of the native population. The Viceroy needed people to work the silver mines while Friars wanted them to man missions which were often located at the frontiers where few Spanish settlers would go. English colonial governance had no such burden. The King of England was also the head of the Church of England. Unlike Spanish colonial enterprises, the English colonies were commercial affairs out to exploit the wealth of the New World and provide new lands for English settlers. As such, the colonists who came were permanent settlers who were lured to the New World by freedom and land. The colonies were also separate from each other as opposed to the centralized government that Mexico City’s Viceroy imposed upon all of New Spain. What were the attitudes of each of the European nations toward their North American colonial subjects and the Native Americans living within their borders, and how were these attitudes reflected in their treatment of those subjects? The Spanish treated the Native Americans as heathens who required saving (but not before their gold had been taken, of course) (Catholic Encylopedia Miguel Hidalgo Biograph). Hence, the conquistadors mercilessly invaded Native American territory and took whatever they wanted. For example, the Aztec and Inca empires were destroyed in Spain’s quest for silver and gold . Afterwards, the survivors were converted to Christianity and turned into virtual slaves for the Spanish Empire. The haughty Spaniards believed that Peninsulares or those born in Spain were the superior social class; beneath them were increasingly undesirable or lowly classes with the bottom being the native Americans and Blacks. This attitude was so heavy-handed that Native Americans were often disenfranchised because they were treated as second-class citizens in their own land. The French, for their part, were also after conversion of the Native Americans. Unlike the Spanish, they chose to live in the Native American Villages instead of seeking to subjugate. In this sense, their treatment of Native Americans was better but the French still held themselves to be superior by virtue of their white skin. Both the French and the English saw the Natives as useful to their colonization efforts given how few they were versus the great number of Indians. The book, Last of the Mohicans, is an example of how Natives were co-opted by the rival powers for their purposes. How did Britain’s treatment of its North American colonies evolve from the Seven Years’ War to the American Revolution? The British Empire became the dominant colonial power in North America at the end of the Seven Years’ War. (Corbett 77) Not only did it control vast tracts of lands in the Carolinas, Virginia and Massachusetts, it now included Canada in its possessions. However, the great economic costs of defeating her rivals would lead to repressive taxes imposed upon the American colonies, repressions that would soon lead to revolution. The British believed that the colonies should be taxed to pay for the expenses incurred during the war; after all the war was mostly fought on colonial soil. The colonists resented this taxation and were soon up in arms. The Stamp act of 1765 and the Quartering Act were among the repressive measures of the British government that would eventually spark the Revolution. (Miller 186). The Boston Tea Party and the boycott of English goods were two examples of resistance by the Colonials. Ultimately, the need to finance its vast Empire led to the impositions of taxes upon the relatively prosperous colonies in America. While trade profits had sufficed before, now the colonies were milked for more money and they chafed under this oppressive taxation. What factors led the American colonies to declare their independence from Great Britain? The main factor would seem to be resentment about the oft-quoted ‘taxation without representation’ slogan used by the founding fathers. The colonists considered themselves loyal subjects of the Crown and demanded the same rights and obligations as the subjects in England (Greene & Pole 845). However, they had no representatives in Parliament to make their case. It was in protest of these taxes that the Boston Tea Party was held. Effectively, this became the spark that ignited the Revolution. The economic factor was the most significant because at this point the colonies were economically robust and the settlers felt that their profits were being held down by the requirement to channel all trade with England. The colonies felt that England was taking advantage of them and wanted to break free of her hold. Another factor was the fact that the Colonists were chafing under the rule of the King. They wanted to be independent and desired freedoms and rights similar to those enjoyed by English subjects back home. Such rights were denied them by acts like the Quartering Act which allowed soldiers to live in their homes in violation of the ancient right of English subjects that his home is his inviolable castle where he is King. In other words, they were second-class citizens in their own homes. What were the social, political and economic revolutions that took place in America as a result of the War for Independence? The most significant social and political change was the shift from a Monarchy to a Democratic government (Bill of Rights). Even during the revolution, the Americans were ruled by a representative form of government – embodied in the Congress – drawn from the people to serve the people, in the manner of the Romans and Greeks. Although the republican form of government had flaws that needed ironing out, this system became the model by which other representative governments would later be devised. The revolution also abolished, at least in name, titles of nobility among the Americans. But perhaps the most significant political revolution was the written Constitution the colonies eventually adopted and the federal government based on it. Economically, the Americans were devastated, at least initially. Before, the planters in the South were guaranteed a market for their goods. For example, Virginia could always count on England to buy its cotton and tobacco. Since independence caused a decided cooling of relations between the two nations, many planters were ruined. However, they soon found new markets among the other nations of the world. America also suffered because it could no longer count on England for its manufactured goods. This sparked the new nation’s creativity since they had to learn to fabricate machinery and other products they had previously imported from England. What problems did the United States have after gaining independence? The so-called United States were not so united in the beginning nor were they so united after attaining independence (Feinberg 120). Each individual state had its own agenda and its own prerogatives. For example, Virginia demanded that they sign the peace treaty with England separately from the twelve others. Many states also maintained independent armies and navies to enforce trade and other policies they felt were in their best interests. This lack of unity was alarming because the states became very vulnerable economically and politically. It also emphasized the lack of identity of the states as a coherent polity. Economic woes were made worse by this lack of unity. Different states imposed different tariff levels on each other which created trade imbalances and made the movement of goods between each state more difficult. They were also hobbled by the lack of foreign trade partners who would buy their agricultural products and sell them the industrial goods which they could not manufacture on their own. Politically, the new nation also lacked friends overseas. The French Revolution caused the overthrow of Louis XVI and cost the Americans their only real ally in Europe. Considered a weak nation by the European powers and others, the new country also had an uncertain start in international relations. How did the national government under the Articles of Confederation seem incapable of addressing those problems. First of all, under the Articles of Confederation there was no real national government (US Constitution. net). When the states had a dispute there was no national level arbitration committee like a Supreme Court to handle disputes. The states were essentially independent of each other and it was only when they had common agendas that they could be expected to work together. In fact, the Confederation as it existed was no more than a collection of practically independent states. One example of the national government’s weaknesses concerned revenue. The government such as it was had no authority to levy taxes. It could do little more than beg its member states for money. As a result the country’s army and navy were under-funded and the national government had no money to fund its projects. Moreover, when it asked for money from the member states it was often rebuffed. Because the states were virtually independent of each other, America as a whole did not benefit from the vast diversity of the continent or the wide variety of goods and products that could be found in the country. For example, articles of fur were an expensive luxury in New England even though beaver and other fur-bearing mammals were very numerous in the Mississippi region. What were the major debates during the Constitutional Convention. Two of the major debates were on the form of representative government the nation was to have and how representative slots were to be apportioned in light of slavery. The first debate was on what shape the government should take. A Federal system was agreed upon where the each state, regardless of population, would be represented by two Senators. Another House of Representatives would be formed where there would be proportional representation depending on the population of a state. The compromise of a bicameral Congress protected the interests of both large and small states while at the same time respecting their points of view. In the Senate all states had equal representation while in Congress the larger states had more representatives due to their larger populations. At this time, slaves were a contentious issue as well (Constitutional Rights Foundation. The Constitution and Slavery). The second major debate was about the legality of this practice. The northern states wanted to do away with slavery because it was morally wrong. However, the southern states depended on the slaves for their economic welfare and threatened not to join the union if their right to slavery was abridged. A compromise was reached where the southern states agreed to eventually do away with slavery. Although they never did. How did the Constitution address the failures of the Articles of Confederation? In lieu of the unwieldy Confederation, a new, stronger and more effective Federal system was put into place. The government was stronger and had more authority to assert its will over the states. It also provided for a system of checks and balances to allow the government to operate with less danger of tyranny or mismanagement (US Constitution. net). For example, it was up to the two houses of the Legislative to pass laws but if the President feels that the laws are improper then he can veto them. However, if Congress feels the laws are urgent and the President is abusing his powers they can actually pass laws over his veto. The representative government of America as seen today originated as an effort by the constitution to adhere to the ideal of giving equal representation without hampering smaller states who would be the minority in the face of states with large populations. At the same time the large states were still ensured greater representation. The constitution also provided for the formation of many of today’s Federal institutions to raise to the national level tasks previously the province of individual states. Eventually the Constitution finally brought about the cohesive nation that the founding fathers had envisioned. Should the words, ‘All men are created equal,’ be read today? What do you think Thomas Jefferson meant when he wrote those words in the Declaration of Independence? They should be read exactly as Jefferson meant them. All men are created free and fundamentally equal. We may vary in our talents and abilities. Our subjective faculties may be greater or less than our peers but at the end of the day, all men are fundamentally equal. We should have equal civil and political rights. The color of our skin, our religion or our ethnicity, should never be grounds for discrimination. No one should come forth claiming to be superior, especially not to the point of denying the rights of others (Kennedy 15). We live in a world of strife and conflict where hate and fear are propagated against those who are seen as different. Unfortunately media outlets and the government tend to increase this fear. For example, many laws and government actions after the 9/11 attacks seem geared to discriminate against those of Arab origin. Media also does our African, Asian and Latino countrymen a disservice by casting them in an unflattering light in movies and TV further deepening the discrimination against them A caveat, though, is that in those days blacks and other non-whites were viewed as lesser than whites. Indeed, even Jefferson owned Black slaves. However, this does not detract from the strength of the statement. In those days, as today, this ideal should be fought for until it is finally achieved

Classroom needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Classroom needs - Essay Example It not only hurts teacher who takes the responsibility of molding a student, but also leaves it to the thought of student, what they want to learn. Thinking otherwise, students are admitted to school to learn and not teach the teachers how and what to teach. Any such policies would dominate the mind of teacher while he is teaching. This would have a severe impact on the overall learning cycle of the child. To do this the teacher has to have a thorough understanding of students and their psychology. A reference to this is made from (National Institute of Education [NIE], 1984) that "Teachers must help students develop skills for adapting to a rapidly changing, interdependent world. This world will demand that students think critically and synthesize large quantities of new information, show sensitivity to diversity, and develop attitudes and skills that promote lifelong learning." 1 To make a student interested in learning, an active environment be provided where students enjoy hands-on and minds-on experiences. This can be achieved when Children are made to participate actively in simulations, demonstrations, games, problem solving, experiments, integrating activities, computer usage and of course writing exercises. 2.

Dynamics of ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dynamics of ethics - Essay Example There are two sides to this issue: while one believes that the client should be a party to all available data, the other group is in favor of professional secrecy, which is mandatory to the cause of the treatment. What follows is an inquiry into issues which are imperative to the cause of telling the truth to patients; both sides are represented therein, and the most plausible option is debated over. Subsequently, a few relevant areas are discussed hereunder, which are deemed important for the judicious evaluation of the issue. It is purported that by telling the truth, one would be able to present a scenario that is non-malicious. Lies and withholding of truth have basically been taken as sinful over the years spanning human civilization. So it would go without saying, that if somebody is telling the truth to the patients, then an act of virtue is being upheld. â€Å"The purpose of truth telling is not simply to enable patients to make informed choices about health care and other aspects of their lives but also to inform them about their situation. Truth telling fosters trust in the medical profession and rests on the respect owed to patients as persons† (Glass, et al, 1997). Conversely, it is also believed that the actual care would be actualized when the patient finds his cure. Subsequently, if the health care provider feels that there is something that the patient would be well off without knowing, then they should not disclose that information. â€Å"The best time to discuss life-altering and life-threatening disease is when patients can remember the conversation, understand its significance, and participate in health care decisions† (Chodosh, 2000). The ethical grounds may seem to be coming under strife here, but even still, the stance for the cure of the patient is overriding to other facts in the health care profession. For that, ends may well be justifying means. All this has shaped up because it is

Developing self-awareness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Developing self-awareness - Essay Example At the same time, continuous self-examination of feelings and emotions within a person opens a way to self-mastery. This paper is an examination of the â€Å"self† and â€Å"others† processes. It directly discusses my self-awareness skills and how I can understand and improve it in my daily interactions. I understand that both positive and negative feedback are important to me and in order to improve, I should share with others what I feel. I am not aware of my cognitive style and how I process information and this needs improvement. My emotional maturity is not much improved and I only show the capacity to develop it. I struggle a lot to hide my emotions and try to rationalize them. However, sometimes I become emotional before thinking which lands me in saying unintended things to others. This has made me try my best to withhold my emotions as much as I can and dealing with them later by confronting myself. I do not like being uncertain about everything and I try my best to master situations otherwise I quit. I realize that I am quite principled in my behaviour because I have tried my best to nourish it since my early age. I also like being aware of what happens around me and rarely feel angry, depressed or anxious without knowing the reason. Sometimes I annoy others unknowingly an d I like apologizing where possible. I like having someone close to me to share my personal feelings When upset, I look into the problems without sometimes facing the real persons. I am concerned with others and like remaining in touch, though am less group-oriented. I like consulting others just as I tell others what I do not like. I like helping people opposed to each other to find something they can agree upon. In situations needing my attention such that I have to leave work early, I tend to exaggerate a bit to my colleagues of a duty I cannot fail to attend. I do not like people who yell at me when they are angry and

ECO202 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ECO202 SLP - Essay Example Your answer to this question can give an interesting perspective as to how lobbying can distort economic policy and decisions. CAUTION: I am not looking for general comments that could apply to the country as a whole or any given organization, what I want is comments that are relevant specifically to your organization) Your Full Name Your Prof Name Course Name Date of Submission Lobbying for Novartis Monetary and fiscal policies can have significant impact on business operations of any firm. These policies can not only affect the top line (revenue) of the firm but also several costs and most definitely the bottom line (net profit after tax). With the goals of firms being to maximize profits, government economic policies can have a major role to play in firms booming or going out of business. The role of the lobbyist of a company is then to try to get the government to adopt economic policies that would benefit the firm while at the same time not be detrimental to the economic growth of the country. In order to identify the specific lobbying areas for Novartis, it is first important to understand some key elements about Novartis and how its business is structured. Novartis is a pharmaceutical company (operating in 140 countries) headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and does most of its research and development (R&D) activity in the US.

The Hanging Gardens of Bablyon Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Hanging Gardens of Bablyon - Research Paper Example This construction, which came to gain fame being regarded as a wonder of the World, was done by this king for the pleasure of his wife, who was dissatisfied with her new home city. Her homesickness for her native land in Medes forced the king to create something that would keep her occupied, hence the Hanging Gardens. These gardens, despite the claims that they were only legendary, are widely reported by various ancient writers in the Greek and Roman age. The description that is given of these gardens provides a hint of the architectural feat that was achieved in an age that is believed not to have had any significant technological advancement. The construction achievement of these gardens has been a matter of speculation from the ancient times. The manner of their construction still puzzles most architects and historians who have dedicated themselves to its study using what was said concerning them by the ancient writers. It is said that they came to be destroyed by a series of eart hquakes, which hit the area after the second century BC. The ancient writers, mentioned above, describe these gardens as having been designed to use something akin to the Archimedes screw for irrigating the gardens, which were planted on terraces (Dalley and Oleson 2). The Archimedes screw is a device, which from ancient times, has been used to transfer water from low-lying water bodies to irrigation trenches. This mechanism has within either it a screw inside a hollow pipe and this screw can be turned manually or using a windmill. As the screw moves, its bottom end collects some water that slides up the pipe until it pours out of its top and it is distributed to the irrigation systems. This mechanism was used for draining water out of mines or other places with low-lying water, and it is logical to assume that it was also used to irrigate the Hanging Gardens. Based on the descriptions of the gardens provided by the ancient writers, it has been estimated that they would have require d at least 37000 liters of water every day. The watering mechanism for the gardens was controlled by a number of people who had been appointed to the task. They manually turned the screw, ensuring that there was a permanent water flow to the irrigation channels. The water needed was acquired, using the mechanism described, from the nearby Euphrates River from where it was carried to the very top of the gardens. From there, a system of irrigation channels had been constructed to allow for the efficient flow of water down the slopes of the garden. These channels were exceptionally well hidden, and only those who knew where they were had any knowledge of it. This made the water flow from the top of the gardens look remarkably natural as was intended by its designer. The flowing water served two main purposes for the garden, the first of which is that it allowed for the efficient irrigation of all the plants in the garden, ensuring that none of the plants lacked water. The second purpos e was to create the impression of a waterfall, and this profoundly enhanced the beauty of the garden, especially when considers that this was a dry region. The sight of flowing water must have made quite an impression on the local people and considerably enhanced the reputation of both the garden as well as its builder. Therefore, in order to

Second Presidential Debate. Sen. Barack Obama & Sen. John McCain Assignment

Second Presidential Debate. Sen. Barack Obama & Sen. John McCain - Assignment Example The focus of the debate was on domestic and foreign policies, since the questions were based on the economy of the America in relation to the worldwide economic conditions. Each candidate was given two minutes to give his answers to a common question. The most publicized debate that was covered by many television networks was expected to be equally highly charged from the two rivals as was disseminated from the campaigns that were held by the two candidates. However, the debate came out as being sedate, low-voltage and was mostly depicted by the candidates as a tedious forum. It did not auger well with the two candidates, as they did not portray their personal attacks that were prominent in their recent campaigns before the debate. The candidates were unwilling or were simply unable to come out of their talking points straitjackets. Halfway through the debate, the outright winner was the financial wizard Warren Buffet. The two candidates for once came to a consensus when they suggest ed that Buffet would be an effective secretary of the Treasury department in the upcoming administration. Both candidates veered off the much needed answers on domestic and foreign policies, such as more tax reliefs, to which Obama promised to ensure that America provided tax incentives that would ensure fuel-efficient cars are manufactured in the United States, and not imported from Japan. However, not so long after saying that, he remarked that America should portray good habits of spending since they were almost running up trillion-dollar debts that risked to be passed to the new generations. Moreover, on low tax rates, McCain simply answered that they should not raise anybody’s taxes. On the other hand, concerning the foreign policy, both candidates advocated for additional troops in Afghanistan, and Obama yearned for financial assistance to Georgia, Poland, Estonia and to all the countries that were former Soviet satellites. Senator Obama provided the most cohesive answe rs to the questions asked by the moderator. For instance, at the onset of questions, when Allen Shaffer posed the question on the most positive solution that would bail out the American people from the economic meltdown, since the retired as well as the older citizens were on the verge of losing their incomes. Obama positively answered by remarking that the corrupt and unscrupulous executives would be fired and the treasury would demand back the embezzled funds. Furthermore, the middle-class would require a rescue package, meaning there would be tax reliefs for the middle-class. Moreover, homeowners would be given incentives that would help them retain their homes. The citizens, according to Obama, were primarily the people that helped the American government build the roads and bridges through their taxes, and the government in turn should create employment for their people. Ultimately, in the long-term, America would need to fix its health care system as well as its energy system that is continuously burdening most families. On the other hand, McCain answered the same question by claiming that it is the job of the government to fix the problem, though he deviated from giving the core answer that was much expected by the Americans. However, he asserted that in fixing the problem, America needed to have policies that would advocate for energy independence. According to him, America should stop

Samsung and the Theme Park Essay Example for Free

Samsung and the Theme Park Essay Charles Dhanaraj and Young Soo Kim prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Paul Beamish solely to provide material for class discussion. The authors do not intend to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The authors may have disguised certain names and other identifying information to protect confidentiality. SAMSUNG has the right to reproduce and use this case for its educational purposes. Ivey Management Services prohibits any form of reproduction, storage or transmittal without its written permission. This material is not covered under authorization from CanCopy or any reproduction rights organization. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, contact Ivey Publishing, Ivey Management Services, c/o Richard Ivey School of Business, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 3K7; phone (519) 661-3208; fax (519) 661-3882; e-mail [emailprotected] uwo. ca. Copyright  © 1996, Ivey Management Services and Samsung HRDC Version: (A) 2002-11-22. In October 1994, Her Tae-Hak, President of Samsung’s Joong-Ang Development Company was driving to his office, past the â€Å"Yongin Farmland† (Farmland), an amusement complex sprawling over 3,700 acres in the Yongin valley. Her was spearheading a major drive within the company to position the theme park as one of the world’s leading vacation resort towns. His master plan called for an investment of about US$300 million over the next five years, to be internally funded by the Samsung Group. Despite the booming Korean economy and the increasing demands for leisure attractions, the global competitive environment of the theme park industry raised several concerns. Should Samsung invest in such an aggressive expansion plan for Farmland? Was this an attractive industry for investment? Her was scheduled for a meeting with the Chairman of the Samsung Group for a formal presentation of the proposal at the end of the month. THE GLOBAL THEME PARK INDUSTRY The early 1990s saw the emergence of theme parks as a major source of family entertainment, not just in the United States but around the world. The earliest evidence of a business where people â€Å"paid money to be terrified† was in the early 1600s when several Russians operated a sled ride with a 70-foot vertical drop. In the late 1800s, several theme parks were set up in Coney Island (New York) in the United States. The first roller coaster was set up in 1884, followed by an indoor Page 2 amusement park, Sealion Park. In the 1930s, the amusement industry had to contend with alternative entertainment offered by the movie houses as well as setbacks due to economic depression. However, with the Disneyland Park opening in 1955 in California, the industry was revived and Walt Disney was credited with raising the profile, as well as the profitability, of the industry to a new height. There was a variety of parks and attractions, each with a different approach to drawing crowds and showing them a good time: Cultural and Education Parks were a remnant of the old-fashioned type of European park. Such parks featured formal greens, gardens, and fountains. Generally they incorporated historical and educational exhibits. Outdoor Amusement Parks were small parks that served a metropolitan or regional market. These parks featured traditional thrill rides, carnival midways, and some entertainment. Most amusement parks did not have a theme to the architecture, rides, and entertainment. Theme Parks were generally family-oriented entertainment complexes that were built around a theme. Theme parks were larger and had a greater variety of rides and attractions than amusement parks. Water Theme Parks were a recent phenomenon, a special type of theme parks centered on water activities. Large water parks featured wave action pools, river rides, steep vertical drop slides, and a variety of twisting flume slides. Most of the theme parks were members of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, which tracked the attendance at various theme parks. In 1993, North American parks accounted for 48 per cent of the worldwide attendance, Asian parks 33 per cent, European parks 14 per cent, and Central and South American parks four per cent (see Table 1). North America The Walt Disney Company was the largest park chain in the world with three major theme parks in the United States. Time Warner’s Six Flags Corporation was the second largest with seven parks spread out in the United States. Paramount, Anheuser Busch and Cedar Fair were some of the other conglomerates who owned theme parks. In mid-1993, Paramount bought Canada’s Wonderland theme park originally developed by Taft Broadcasting Company in 1981. Despite the mature nature of the industry in the United States, a number of theme parks were investing heavily in upgrading their facilities, and extending the theme parks’ services. 9A96M006 Page 3 Europe In 1980, Alton Towers, a 60-year old park in North Staffordshire (England), comprised primarily of historic gardens, repositioned itself as a theme park by adding a roller coaster and some other attractions. The park was extremely successful within a very short span of time. The success of Alton Towers led to a number of new theme parks in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, including Blackpool Pleasure Beach (England) that featured the world’s tallest roller coaster. In France alone, three major theme parks emerged in the early 1990s: Walt Disney’s $3 billion Euro Disney, the $150 million Parc Asterix located northeast of Paris, and the $110 million Big Bang Schtroumpf (Smurfs) theme park just north of Metz. Six Flags Corporation and Anheuser-Busch both recently opened new theme parks in Spain coinciding with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Asia Tokyo Disneyland was opened in 1983 by Walt Disney as a joint venture with the Oriental Land Company (OLC). The success of Tokyo Disneyland set off a wave of theme park developments in Asia. OLC and Disney had agreed to open a second theme park, â€Å"Tokyo Disney Sea† in 2001. Ocean Park in Hong Kong, started in 1977, was the largest water park in Asia with an annual attendance of 3. 2 million. Jaya Ancol Dreamland, located in North Jakarta, Indonesia, was one of the largest recreation complexes in south east Asia. Dreamland had a theme park (Dunia Fantasi), a waterpark complex, an oceanarium, a golf course, a beach and several hotels. China was a major growth market. Beijing Amusement park, started in 1981, reported that between 1990 and 1993 revenues increased over 2,000 per cent and earnings before interest and taxes were up 200 per cent. Over the next five years, six regional theme parks were to be developed with a total investment of over $100 million. FINANCIAL ISSUES. The theme park business required a large-scale initial investment, typically ranging from $50 million to $3 billion. Depending on the real-estate markets, the cost of the land value itself could be very high. Theme parks required over 50 acres of land for a full scale development, with some of the theme parks utilizing 10,000 to 30,000 acres. Since accessibility of the park location was a key success factor in the industry, theme park developers chose land sites in a central area which was relatively expensive. Alternatively, they could choose a remote area at a low cost and develop the transportation network. In either case, the land development costs constituted nearly 50 per cent of the overall investment. The amusement machinery constituted 20 to 30 per cent of the total investment, and the working capital requirements took up the remaining 20 to 30 per cent of the investment. The amusement equipment required for the park was also expensive, most of it 9A96M006 Page 4 9A96M006 going from $1 million to $50 million. Businesses which had an in-house land development expertise or equipment technology had better control of these costs. Many parks periodically added new attractions or renovated existing ones to draw repeat customers. The parks typically reinvested much of their revenue for expansion or upgrading purposes. The economies of scale and scope were significant in the industry. Increasingly, parks got larger and larger to generate more operating revenues. Also, companies had multiple parks to take advantage of the learning curve effects in the management of theme parks and the increased economies of scope. Most of the operating expenses for theme parks (about 75 per cent) were for personnel. Admission fees1constituted over 60 per cent of the total revenues of a theme park, while the rest came primarily from food, beverage, and merchandise sales. To handle the admissions revenue a centralized ticket system was generally preferred. An all-inclusive admission price entitled customers to as many rides and shows as they desired. This approach led to longer stays at parks resulting in increased food and beverage sales. Another centralized admission method was to sell ride/show tickets in sets or coupon books (i. e. , five coupons for $5, but 12 coupons for $10). Both approaches to centralized ticket sales minimized the number of employees handling money throughout the park resulting in improved efficiency and control. Walt Disney Company’s financial profile was generally used to assess the return on investment within the industry. The revenues for the theme parks segment of the Walt Disney Company were at US$2. 042 billion in 1988 and grew to US$3. 4 billion in 1993. Operating income was pegged at US$565 million in 1988 and US$747 million in 1993. The return on equity for the Walt Disney Company was pegged at 17 to 25 per cent. One of the analysts remarked on the theme parks segment of Walt Disney: Theme parks are going to become increasingly stable and annuitylike, with the ability to generate $700 to $750 million in cash flow a year. There were signs of declining profitability in the U. S. operations, since the market was maturing and the competition was getting more intense. Tokyo Disneyland, the Japanese operation, was growing and profitable. However, EuroDisney, the European theme park, was a disaster for the company with huge losses since operations began in 1992. The company was expecting a break-even in 1995. 1. Admission fees varied from $5 to $25 depending on the location and reputation of the park. Page 5 9A96M006 MARKETING AND SOCIAL ISSUES The traditional appeal of theme/amusement parks was to preteens, teens, and young adults. Changing demographics were causing most parks to think in terms of a broader market, particularly families, corporate groups, and even senior citizens. There were five major market segments for theme parks: Local Families — people within a day’s drive who visited mostly on weekends. Most parks focused exclusively on this segment, which generally constituted 60 to 75 per cent of the attendance. Children’s Groups — schools, churches, recreation agencies, scouts, and other groups who traveled in buses on summer weekdays. The Evening Market — teens and young adults who came for entertainment, concerts, and romancing at night. Corporate Groups — included consignment sales and group parties. Tourists — a substantial market for large theme parks in destination areas such as Florida. Customer satisfaction was a critical issue in theme parks management. Successful park managers used extensive marketing research to understand their customers and also spent a lot of effort in promoting the park. To reach the diverse groups, parks emphasized increased beautification and the range of entertainment and food services offered. Theme park managers were working with tour operators and government tourist promotion boards to draw the tourist crowds to their parks. Theme parks spent about 10 per cent of their annual revenues for advertising. Radio, newspaper, yellow page (telephone book) advertisements, family and group discounts, and direct mail were the most common promotional methods. Among large theme parks, television advertising was an excellent visual medium to capture the excitement. Some parks expended a major portion of their advertising budget for television promotion. An issue for the theme parks industry was the seasonal and intermittent nature of the business. Theme parks’ attendance peaked in the spring/summer and in the school holidays. Even in the holiday season, bad weather could adversely affect the attendance. The seasonal fluctuations put a lot of strain on the theme parks’ management. During the peak season, the requirement for employees shot up; quite often the management had to find employees beyond the domestic territory and provide housing for out-of-town employees. The sudden surge in demand often choked the service systems such as transportation, building management, etc. It was the availability of leisure time and a high discretionary income that drove the commercial recreation industry. Economic downturns had a severe impact on industry revenues. Also, consumers could substitute a visit to theme parks with other modes of entertainment. Consumers substituted products/services in order to try something new, different, cheaper, safer, better, or more convenient. Free Page 6 admission parks and beaches, camping trips, or even video-movies at home were competing options for leisure time. REGULATORY ISSUES Government regulations were quite strict because of the extensive land use, and the potential for serious accidents. Licensing requirements and methods of ascertaining operational expertise to ensure visitors’ safety varied from country to country. In some countries, where land was scarce, governments limited the area of the land that the developers could take up for theme parks. Park administration was dependent on the government for utilities such as power, gas and water. A typical period required for arranging government approval for a theme park could be as high as two to five years, depending on the country. A related issue was insurance premiums. Given the likelihood of accidents in the amusement parks and the possibility of serious injury, 100 per cent insurance coverage was a must in the industry. Although safety records in the industry were very good, the insurance premiums were extremely high in some parts of the world, particularly in the United States. However, the large premiums often drove the small players in the industry out of business. Countries in Asia did not have this handicap. TECHNOLOGY ISSUES The theme park industry had three classes of inputs: the building and construction services that provided landscaping and architectural support; the hardware providers that supplied amusement machinery; and the software providers that supplied management know-how. The amusement machinery industry had grown over the years. Most of the large drives, such as the Hurricane or the Giant Wheel, were manufactured in Japan, Europe or the United States. There were fewer than 10 suppliers who were capable of developing quality machinery, such as DOGO of Japan, HUSS of Germany, and ARROW of the United States. Most of these suppliers worked globally, and the machinery were custom designed and made to order to fit the particular market and environment conditions. There were a large number of suppliers for the smaller machines, and quite often, they could be manufactured domestically. Special simulators for amusement purposes using proprietary technology were being developed by technology-intensive companies such as Sega Japan and Simex Canada. The park management expertise commonly referred to as the â€Å"software† in the industry was not easily available. Leading theme park companies, such as Walt 9A96M006 Page 7 9A96M006. Disney Company, charged huge licensing fees which were over 10 per cent of the revenues. Also, they were very selective in choosing joint ventures in other countries. Disney went through an extensive market analysis and partner profile analysis for over three years in Europe before finalizing the venue in France with the joint venture partner. Mr. Yu, director-in-charge of the Farmland project, commented: We wanted to go for a joint venture with Walt Disney Corporation. But they somehow were not interested in Korea. So we had to go it alone. It takes a long time for theme park managers to develop service delivery of world class quality. Although Walt Disney offered a number of educational programs to train other managers in the â€Å"Disney Management† style, the know-how seemed to be too sophisticated for the competitors to emulate. Virtual reality (VR) was increasingly becoming a highly lucrative mass-market entertainment phenomenon. A new entry that was due to open in July 1994 was Joypolis, a $70 million interactive theme park owned by Sega Enterprises, with projected revenues of $37 million per annum. Sega had plans to open 50 such parks in Japan, and was negotiating with Universal Studios, California, for its first U. S. installation of a VR theme park. YONGIN FARMLAND Yongin Farmland (Farmland), opened in 1976, was the first amusement park in Korea. It was managed by Joong-Ang Development Company, one of the wholly owned subsidiaries of Samsung with a mission to provide a better quality of life through healthy open-air leisure activities. In addition to the Farmland management, Joong-Ang was responsible for the building maintenance at all Samsung’s offices, as well as maintaining two golf courses. Farmland was located about an hour south of Seoul, and was owned by the Korean conglomerate, the Samsung Group (see Exhibit 1). The 3,700-acre attraction began as an agricultural center to demonstrate how mountainous land could be used productively for growing food products. Mr. Lee of Joong-Ang said, At that time, we had trouble raising enough food for our country. We created a model farm of how to work with an abandoned mountain by building a pig farm and planting fruit orchards. We changed the land use gradually through the years as we added entertainment elements. The Wild Safari was opened in 1980, and the Rose Festival, an impressive rose garden filled with 6,000 rose bushes of 160 different varieties arranged according. Page 8 9A96M006 to various themes, opened in 1985. To provide for winter entertainment, the Sled Slope was opened in 1988. A drastic departure from the traditional theme parks was taken when Yongin Farmland opened a Motor-Park in late 1993. The motor park operations incurred a loss in the first year of operations (see Table 2 for the profit and loss statement). In November 1993, Her took over as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Joong-Ang Development Company. Prior to his assignment to Joong-Ang, Her was the CEO of Cheju Shilla, a luxury hotel on Cheju Island in Korea. Her was credited with developing a world-class sea resort at Cheju Shilla which surpassed in customer service established hotel chains such as Hotel Hilton. Since taking over the reins of the company, Her had focused on improving the customer satisfaction level at Farmland, and had also been developing the plans for Farmland’s expansion. One of the major challenges was to see how the expansion plans for Farmland would match with the corporate strengths of the Samsung group. Her was aware that earlier attempts by previous management to expand Farmland had not met with the approval of the group’s Chairman. There were concerns in many quarters that the theme park industry did not fit well with the â€Å"high-tech† and the â€Å"global† image of the Samsung Group, and also that the profitability might be very low. The theme park industry was still in its early stages in Korea, and had a history of less than two decades. However, indications were that the industry was growing globally, with more players entering. Nevertheless, some of the managers did not see profitable growth opportunity in the theme park industry. One of the managers in Joong-Ang said: Theme parks may be a growing industry worldwide. That does not mean that it should be so in Korea. In Korea, we work five and a half days a week and we have annual vacation of only four to five days a year. Where do Korean people have time for theme parks? FARMLAND CUSTOMERS Traditionally, Farmland focused on the local customers. Most of its customers came from surrounding areas within two hours’ drive (see Table 3). The economic growth in Korea had been a major driving force in industry growth (see Exhibit 2). Despite the early stage of growth in the Korean leisure industry, there were six theme parks in the Seoul area including Farmland. Most notable among these were Lotte World and Seoul Land. Lotte World, started in 1989, prided itself on having the world’s largest indoor theme park with adjoining hotel, department store, shopping mall, folk village and sports centre. Commenting on Lotte’s strategy, one of the managers at Lotte World said: Page 9 9A96M006 We focus on a segment different from Farmland. Since we are located downtown, we cater to a clientele who want to drop by for a shorter period. Typically, we get office people who want to relax after a hard day’s work or couples who would like to spend some time in a romantic environment. Seoul Land, located near Seoul at Kyungkido, was also a key competitor to Farmland. With attendance at 3. 37 million, Seoul Land ranked 23rd in the â€Å"Top 50 theme parks worldwide. † Mr. Woon, one of the managers at Seoul Land, remarked: The park has a good reputation for quality special events and the people enjoy coming to the park because of its fresh air, beautiful scenery, and easy access. Despite the competition from other parks, Farmland had the highest growth rate within the Korean industry (Table 4). The seasonal nature of the theme park industry affected all the competitors, not necessarily in the same pattern (Table 5). PRICING Farmland was also going through a major change in its pricing structure. The pricing strategy in place (Table 6) was a combination of â€Å"pay-as-you-go† and â€Å"pay-one-price† system. Users had the option of paying the admission fees and buying separate tickets for rides (pay-as-you-go), that were available as coupons (Big 5 for five rides). Membership in the park was available for a price, which provided free admission for a year. The other option was to buy a â€Å"passport† (termed as â€Å"pay-one-price†) that provided admission as well as unlimited rides for one full day. The passport users were estimated at 17. 4 per cent of the attendance in 1993, and the membership holders were estimated at 75 per cent. Farmland wanted to switch gradually to the pay-one-price scheme, which was the most common pricing scheme in the leading markets. The prices across the major competitors were comparable. In 1993, average admissions and ride fee per person was 6,667 Won in Farmland, 7,279 Won in Lotte World, and 6,494 Won in Seoul Land. Theme parks also monitored the amount a visitor spent on food, beverages, and souvenirs. In 1993, average percapita expenditure on food and beverage in the three parks was 2,874 Won in Farmland, 2,017 Won in Lotte World and 1,804 Won in Seoul Land and merchandise sales per capita were 996, 1,319, and 722 Won, respectively. Page 10 9A96M006 OPERATIONAL ISSUES While there was some indication that the Samsung Group would be willing to consider a proposal for expansion of the Farmland, Her had to contend with a number of operational issues at Farmland. Based on discussions with a number of managers and customers, Her had some idea of the various issues involved in the operation of Farmland. Transportation One major issue was accessibility to the park. Yongin was 60 kilometres south of Seoul, and during peak hours, it took as long as two hours to drive from Seoul to Farmland due to traffic jams. One resident who lived very close to the Yongin area said: Actually, it should take only 15 minutes to drive from my home to Farmland. But the traffic jam is so intense that if I go to Farmland, it may take almost an hour of crawling in the traffic. That’s one main reason why I have not visited it so far. One of the managers in the marketing group commented on the critical nature of this problem: In Korea, we work five and a half days a week. Most of the time on the working days the travel time is long. All the house chores have to be done only on the weekends. Given this fact, it is only to be expected that Korean customers would not be so keen to travel on a Sunday or on a holiday if the traffic is heavy. However, many managers in Joong-Ang believed that the accessibility problem was only a temporary issue. Mr. Yu, Director of Personnel at Joong-Ang, commented: Travel difficulties are part of our life in Korea, given the small land and the large number of people. The government has plans to bring the subway up to Yongin, in which case Farmland would have a subway terminal, which will provide a lot of convenience to our people. This was echoed by one of the visitors to Farmland, who commented: I hate sitting inside my house all day. I have to get out somewhere. Seoul is too crowded and I would like to go to some place to breathe some clean air. Beaches are closed most of the season, and Page 11 9A96M006 if I want to go for some mountains or Pusan, it is too far away. So, I don’t mind driving down to Yongin to spend a relaxed day. I will skip the rush hour by leaving early from the park. Parking Another related issue was parking. Farmland had ample parking space for about 8,000 cars at one time around the four sides of the park. One of the managers who conducted an extensive analysis of the parking space said: What we have now is more or less enough for the time being. We have enough space for about 8,000 cars and at four people per car we can accommodate about 32,000 people. If we assume the lot turning over at 1. 7 times a day (at an average stay of six to eight hours), we can handle a peak attendance of 52,000. But the real problem is the seasonality. On peak days, we may get more visitors and quite often people may spend more time. If we are going to expand, this will be a major bottleneck. Part of the expansion plan included augmenting the parking spaces and also providing a â€Å"Park and Ride† scheme for visitors so that they could travel comfortably from the various car parks to the entrance. Environmental Issues Expanding Farmland meant taking over more of the land mass available in the Yongin valley. A farmer living in the Yongin valley, who was vehemently opposed to the expansion ideas, said: They (Samsung) just want to expand their business. But they don’t realize that one of the problems with cutting down the trees and leveling the ground will cause potential flooding in the surrounding region. This will damage all our crops. How will they compensate us? Organizational Inertia It was also a challenge to introduce a dynamic environment within the Farmland organization. In order to succeed in the industry, Farmland had to go through a major reorientation in its organizational style. Farmland had initiated customer satisfaction surveys recently and it was brought to the attention of the management that the customer satisfaction levels were lagging behind the key competitor, Lotte World. As one of the marketing managers noted: Page 12 9A96M006. Repeat business is very important to our survival. If we don’t satisfy our customers, they won’t come back and we won’t have any business left. But, it is not in our Korean nature to smile at strangers. We are very serious people. So it becomes all the more difficult to get the type of service you can see at Disneyland. Mr. Yu, who had pioneered a number of changes within the organization, recalled one event which demonstrated the type of organizational inertia the management had to deal with: Previously we had the head office at Seoul and we were managing the Farmland by ‘remote control. ’ We were faxing information and directives up and down. But I somehow did not see that this would be the best way to work. I insisted that the head office had to be located where our products are and only after much persuasion could we move to this place. Among other things, management was also considering a change in the recruitment process. Traditionally, Farmland had gone after the â€Å"academically best† graduates and students, which was the standard practice at Samsung. The management felt that they needed more service oriented people. The management wanted to recruit more female workers, the level of which at that time was below 25 per cent, but anticipated problems since most Korean women stopped working after marriage. Mr. Yu said: I think times are changing. For that matter, even if we have a high turnover, it may be good for us since fresh blood always brings in fresh ideas and we would be able to preserve some dynamism in our organization. THE MASTER PLAN Based on a detailed survey (Table 8) and tentative analysis, the management had put together a master plan to invest about $300 million in revamping Farmland. There were also suggestions of changing the name to provide a better image of the company. A master plan, for a phased investment of about $300 million dollars over the next two years, was being developed. Everland, Green Country, and Nature Land were some of the names proposed for the new â€Å"mountain resort. † Included in the master plan were: A waterpark to be built adjacent to the existing theme park, at an estimated cost of US$140 million, with a Caribbean theme. A Global Fair, a fun-fair indicative of the major countries in the world, at an estimated cost of $85 million. Page 13 9A96M006 Expansion of existing zoo, and parks including a night time laser show and a fable fantasy garden at an estimated cost of $50 million. The funding would come mainly from the parent, Samsung Group, and also through corporate sponsorship of the other companies within the Samsung Group. The master plan also indicated that if the first phase was successful, a second phase of developing a resort town in Yongin, with luxury hotels, golf courses, and resort accommodations would occur. (Exact budget for the second phase was not available at that stage.) A number of managers within the company who were closely involved in developing the master plan felt strongly that the theme park expansion was not only a priority but also would be a profitable venture. The General Manager of the planning group commented: What we want to create is a destination resort town and a residential community where people can come, relax and enjoy themselves in a low-stress environment. Samsung employs more than 180,000 people here in Korea. This will give them a place to come and be proud of. There will be plenty here for all members of the family as they grow. We feel it is time to change from a farm-oriented name to a name which represents our new mission, which is to create a zeal for long-lasting life that is combined with the harmony of nature. If this plan is approved, we will become the prototype destination resort town in the entire world. We have visited them all, and when we’re finished, there won’t be any better! Her wanted a comprehensive analysis of the theme park industry to ascertain the profitability of the industry. He wanted to present to the chairman of the Samsung Group a clear rationale why Samsung should invest in this industry. The Richard Ivey School of Business gratefully acknowledges the generous support of The Richard and Jean Ivey Fund in the development of this case as part of the RICHARD AND JEAN IVEY FUND ASIAN CASE SERIES. Page 14 9A96M006 Table 1 TOP 50 AMUSEMENT/THEME PARKS WORLDWIDE (1994) Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Park Location Tokyo (Japan) DISNEYLAND MAGIC KINGDOM of Walt Disney World, Florida, United States DISNEYLAND, Anaheim, California, United States JAYA ANCOL DREAMLAND, Jakarta, Indonesia. EPCOT at Walt Disney World, Florida, United States EURO DISNEYLAND, Morne La Voltee, France YOKOHAMA (Japan) HAKKEIJIMA SEA PARADISE, Japan DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS, Walt Disney World, Florida, United States UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA, Orlando, Florida, United States BLACKPOOL (England) PLEASURE BEACH, England YONGIN FARMLAND, Kyonggi-Do, South Korea UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD, California, United States SEA WORLD OF FLORIDA, Florida, United States LOTTE WORLD, Seoul, South Korea CHAPULTEPEC, Mexico City, Mexico HUIS TEN BOSCH, Sosebo, Japan TOSHIMAEN AMUSEMENT PARK, Tokyo, Japan KNOTT’S BERRY FARM, Fuona Park, California, United States SEA W.

Improve Own Practice in Learning and Development Essay Example for Free

Improve Own Practice in Learning and Development Essay Why LD practitioners must engage in reflective practice and continue CPD. Analyse own values, beliefs and attitudes and the impact on their practice. Engaging in Reflective practice is associated with the improvement of the quality of care, stimulating personal, professional growth and the closing gap between theory between theory and practice. J Dewey was among the first to consider the questions of psychology and the theory of knowledge, I liked Brookfield (1998) as his concept explained discussing and talking and contemplating through the learner’s eyes. The appeal of the use of reflective practice is that as teaching and learning are complex, and there is not one right approach, reflecting on different versions of teaching, and reshaping past and current experiences will lead to improvement. Schà ¶n’s (1983) reflection–in-action assists practitioners in making the professional knowledge that they will gain from their experience in the classroom an explicit part of their decision-making. Research base practices strongly supports the importance of the teacher/ facilitator being a highly trained, reflective professional. The importance of reflecting on what you are doing, as part of the learning process, has also been empathised by many investigators, for example the second stage of Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle, reflective observation. Reflective observation can be an important tool in practice based professional learning settings where individuals learning from their own professional experiences, rather than from formal teaching or knowledge transfer, maybe the most important source of personal professional development and improvement. Another way to look at it is through Lewin/Kolb’s single-loop learning, and the Argyris and Schà ¶n concept double-loop learning which were mapped from the works of Ashby (1960) while working on cybernetics. Single-loop learning is like a thermostat that learns when it is too hot or too cold and turns the heat on or off. The thermostat can perform this task because it can receive information (the temperature of the room) and take  corrective action. Double-loop learning occurs when an error is detected and corrected in ways that involve the modification of an organization’s underlying norms, policies and objectives. Double loop learning uses feedback from past actions to question assumptions underlying current views. Davies (2012) explained the benefits to reflective practice Increased learning from an experience for situation Promotion of deep learning Identification of personal and professional strengths and areas for improvement Identification of educational needs Acquisition of new knowledge and skills Further understanding of own beliefs, attitudes and values Encouragement of self-motivation and self-directed learning Could act as a source of feedback Possible improvements of personal and clinical confidence . There are a number of ways to monitor your performance regularly, capturing incidental/experienced learning by keeping a self-reflective journal, by reading it over and over again I can begin to analyse achievements however small they seem and develop a greater level of self-awareness. This is where I try to recognise the needs to enhance my own learning so that a bigger benefit for the learner to progress and achieve something in their future. Firstly I identified my own preferred learning style as everyone learns in different ways. There are many ways to establish your preferred way of learning and as supported by Reece and Walker (2009), â€Å"All students are individuals and no two students learn the same way†. To move forward in life, we all need to improve our ideas, broaden relevant knowledge and skills. Getting constructive feedback (for example, learners, peers, mentors and colleagues) are important aspects of reflection. Performance indicators of the organisation are identified, it shows whether I am current with the ways of facilitating and is it having an impact on learners. It will also show how I am performing, what is going well and where I need training or guidance i.e.  learning Microsoft office at college, enabling me to have computing vocational skills. Utilising the S.W.O.T analysis where I am able to identify my strengths: Supportive Judicious Communication skills Imaginative and observant I am able to identify my weaknesses: Inability to refrain from helping Being too talkative Too altruistic This ensures me I am performing to the best that I can and that I am meeting all the standards and expectations within the organisations policies and procedures. The guidance of a mentor is an advantage for they have had similar experiences and understanding of their issues with self-development. There will be times when I will need support and advice to move my career forward and achieve life goals, so it is best to have an effective relationship. Some factors that help to build an effective relationship; Mutual respect Honesty and direct communication Acceptance and flexibility Commitment Trust Some shared values Willingness, to work through obstacles â€Å"Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills,  improve their performance and become the person they want to be† (E Parsole, The oxford school of coaching mentoring) I believe that all individuals are created equally, thus all have the ability to learn equally. Resisting from a classroom culture of control, with the correct amount of care and tutoring, learners would be able to participate in classes with simplified understanding. Providing adequate feedback is an important aspect, I always try to rephrase a question with learners so not only do they understand and try to answer correctly, they feel great when they receive feedback which motivates them to learn. When I provide learners with time and space to be aware of their own knowledge and their own thinking, student ownership increases. Research shows that metacognition can be taught (Visible Learning, 2009). Using reflective practice I am able to instil values that the learner can use in their life and work.

Solvent Effect on the Interaction of C20 and N2H2

Solvent Effect on the Interaction of C20 and N2H2 Solvent effect on the interaction of C20 and N2H2: A theoretical study Reza Ghiasi*,1, Hanieh Alavi2 Abstract: In this work, the interaction of C20 and N2H2 fragment was investigated in the M062X/6-311G(d,p) level of theory in both gas and solution phases. The influence of solvent on the interaction energy, structural parameters, frontier orbital energies and hyperpolarizability of C20†¦N2H2 complex has been explored. The interaction energies obtained with standard method were corrected by basis set superposition error (BSSE) during the geometry optimization for all complexes at the same levels of theory. The thermodynamic properties of the C20†¦N2H2 molecule at vacuum phase and different solvents have been calculated. Keywords: C20 cage, C20†¦N2H2 molecules, Frontier orbitals, solvent effect, hyperpolarizability. Introduction C20 molecule is potentially the smallest fullerene, and its structure has been investigated theoretically and experimentally [1-6]. This molecules has been generated and characterized in the gas phase [7]. Owing to its attractive structure, this ambiguous molecule has been the subject of many theoretical investigations [8, 9]. Fullerenes are considered as promising candidates for basic elements in nanoscale devices, and several examples of fullerene-based devices have been already investigated both experimentally and theoretically [10, 11]. Modification of C20 is a matter of general interest for experimentalists as well theoreticians to look into the structural as well as electronic properties. As a recent research, for instant, structure and properties of fullerene C20 and its derivatives C20(C2H2)n and C20(C2H4)n (n=1–4) have been studied [12]. These calculations showed that the most stable fullerene C20 and its derivatives C20(C2H2)n and C20(C2H4)n (n=1–3) reveal sig nificant aromaticity, while C20(C2H2)4 and C20(C2H4)4 have no spherical aromaticity. Also, heteroatom impacts on structure, stability and aromaticity of XnC20-n fullerenes have been explored [13]. The interaction of C20 with N2X2 (X=H, F, Cl, Br, Me) have been investigated theoretically [14]. Structure, aromaticity, frontier orbital analysis and the natural bond analysis of C20†¦N2X2 complexes have been explored, and the influence of the basis set and methods on the structure and interaction energies of these complexes have been explored. In the present work, extensive theoretical calculations on fullerene C20 and their interactions with N2H2 have been performed in both gas and solution phases. The Structure, frontier orbital analysis and hyperpolarizability of the C20†¦N2H2 have been explored. We also discuss the influence of the solvent on the structure properties of C20†¦N2H2 molecule. Computational Methods All calculations were carried out with the Gaussian 09 suite of program [15]. The calculations of systems contain C, and N described by the standard 6-311G(d,p) basis set [16-19]. Geometry optimization was performed utilizing with the hybrid functional of Truhlar and Zhao (M062X) [20]. A vibrational analysis was performed at each stationary point found, that confirm its identity as an energy minimum. The interaction energy, IE, can be evaluated from the difference between energy of the complex and sum of the energies of the C20 and N2H2: I.E = E(complex) – [E (C20)+ E(N2H2)] The calculated interaction energies were corrected for basis set superposition errors (BSSE), which were computed for all calculations using the counterpoise correction method of Boys and Bernardi [21]. Geometries were optimized at this level of theory without any symmetry constraints followed by the calculations of the first order hyperpolarizabilities. The total static first hyperpolarizability à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ was obtained from the following relation: upon calculating the individual static components Due to the Kleinman symmetry [22]: à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢xyy = à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ yxy = à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ yyx ; à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢yyz = à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ yzy = à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ zyy,†¦ one finally obtains the equation that has been employed: We have studied the solvation effects by using self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) approach, in particular using the polarizable continuum model (PCM) [23]. Using this method, the geometry of the studied complex was re-optimized and the hyperpolarizability was calculated by the same functionals and basis sets. Results and discussion Energetic The computed interaction energies (I.E) and the corrected interaction energies (I.E corrected) for the C20†¦N2H2 complex (Figure 1) in gas phase and various solvents have been gathered in Table 1. It can be expected interaction between C20 and N2H2 increases in the presence of more polar solvents. Figure 2 presents a good correlation between interaction energies values and dielectric constants of solvents. On the other hand, the comparison of interaction energy value in gas phase and solution phase show more interaction between C20 and N2H2 in solution phase. Thermochemical Analysis Thermochemical analysis is studied for all complexes. The values of à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾H, à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾G and K are reported in Table 2 in which the individual terms are referred to a temperature of 298 K. The reaction can be considered as: C20 + N2H2à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ® C20†¦N2H2 As can be verified, the à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾G values increase in solution phase. The equilibrium constants of the all complexes are given in Table 2. This shows that the equilibrium constant is most vacuum phase. Dipole moments The dipole moments of C20†¦N2H2 complex in gas phase and different solvents have been listed in Table 3. As seen in Table 3, C20†¦N2H2 complex has less dipole moment in gas phase. In the solution phase, dipole moments increase with increasing of polarity of the solvents. Also, these values show a good relationship with interaction energies values (Figure 3). Polarizability The isotropic and anisotropic polarizability values of C20†¦N2H2 complex in gas phase and different solvents have been gathered in Table 3. As seen in Table 3, C20†¦N2H2 complex has less polarizability in gas phase. There is good correlation between isotropic polarzability values and dielectric constants of solvent (R2=0.948). Bond distances The NN and C..N bond distances of C20†¦N2H2 complex in gas phase and different solvents have been collected in Table 1. As seen from Table 1, the bond lengths increase in solution phase. There is minor dependence between bond distances and dielectric constants values. The comparison NN bond distances of free N2H2 and complexed molecule show the rising of this bond in C20†¦N2H2 complex. Molecular orbital analysis The energies of the frontier orbitals (HOMO, LUMO) along with the corresponding HOMO–LUMO energy gaps for of C20†¦N2H2 complex in gas phase and different solvents are given in Table 4. Inclusion of solvation effects leads also to changes on the molecular orbital energies (Table 4). In solution, HOMO and LUMO are destabilized, with respect to the corresponding values in vacuum. Also, HOMO-LUMO gap and hardness of C20†¦N2H2 complex in solution phase is more than gas phase. A good relationship between HOMO-LUMO gap and polarity of solvents (R2=0.954). The variations in this property may be illustrated by considering the fact that neutral or charged species enhance their effective radii in solution phase. This signifies that the electrostatic potential q/r will forever diminish from gas phase to solution phase. As a result, solvated species will reduce their effective hardness and subsequently become softer in the solution phase [24]. On the other hand, when the interaction between C20 and N2H2 increases, then the most hardness values have observed. There is a good linear correlation between interaction energies and hardness values (R2=0.949). Electrophilic charge transfer (ECT) of C20†¦N2H2 complex in gas and various solvents has been reported in Table 4. ECT is defined as the difference between à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Nmax values of interacting molecules: ECT = à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Nmax(N2H2) à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Nmax(C20) In this equation à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Nmax is defined as: The positive values of ECT reveal charge flow from C20 to N2H2. On the other hand, these values show the decreasing of charge transfer with increasing of solvent polarity. Hyperpolarizability It is illustrated that solvent polarity participate an important role on the first hyperpolarizabilities in dipolar molecules. The à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢tot , à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢x, à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢y, à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢z values of C20†¦N2H2 complex in different solvents have been listed in Table 5. These values indicate à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢tot values decrease from vacuum to solution phase (à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢total=0.0 for C20). The dependence of the first hyperpolarizability of the studied compound both on the dielectric constant of the media and the Onsager function has been investigated [25]. Figure 4 is typical for a dipolar reaction field interaction in the salvation process [25-28]. Therefore, the electronic reorganization in solution for C20†¦N2H2 complex acts an important effect on the resulting first hyperpolarizabilities. Conclusion: We showed in paper: The interaction energies values increase from vacuum to different solvents. In solution, HOMO and LUMO energies, hardness and chemical potential values are increased, with respect to the corresponding values in vacuum. On the other hand, electrophilicty values have been decreased in solution phase. The largest à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢tot values have been found in more polartity, and these values increase from vacuum to different solvents. References: [1]J. C. Grossman, L. Mitas, K. Raghavachari, Phys. Rev. Lett., 750, 3870 (1995). [2]E. J. Bylaska, P. R. Taylor, R. Kawai, J. H. Weare, J. Phys. Chem. A, 100, 6966 (1996). [3]R. Taylor, E. Bylaska, J. H. Weare, R. Kawai, Chem. Phys. Lett, 235, 558 (1995). [4]Z. Wang, P. Day, R. Pachte, Chem. Phys. Lett., 248, 121 (1996). [5]M. L. M. Jan, J. El-Yazal, J. Francois, Chem. Phys. Lett. , 248, 345 (1996). [6]S. Sokolova, A. Luchow, J. B. Anderson, Chem. Phys. Lett. , 323, 229 (2000). [7]H. Prinzbach, A. Weiler, P. Landenberger, F. Wahl, J. Worth, L. T. Scott, M. D. Gelmont, D. Olevano, B. V. Issendorff, Nature, 60, 407 (2000). [8]J. Luo, L. M. Peng, Z. Q. Xue, J. L. Wu, J. Chem. Phys, 120, 7998 (2004). [9]Z. Chen, T. Heine, H. Jiao, A. Hirsch, W. Thiel, P. v. R. Schleyer, Chem. Eur. J. , 10, 963 (2004). [10]J. Taylor, H. Guo, J. Wang, Phys. Rev. B 63, 121104 (2001). [11]D. Zeng, H. Wang, B. Wang, J. G. Hou, Appl. Phys. Lett, 77, 3595 (2000). [12]C. Zhanga, W. Sun, Z. Caob, J. Chem. Physics, 126, 144306 (2007). [13]M. Z. Kassaee, F. Buazar, M. Koohi, Journal of Molecular Structure: THEOCHEM, 940, 19 (2010). [14]R. Ghiasi, M. Z. Fashami, J. Theo.Comput. Chem (2014). [15]M. J. Frisch, G. W. Trucks, H. B. Schlegel, G. E. Scuseria, M. A. Robb, J. R. Cheeseman, G. Scalman, V. Barone, B. Mennucci, G. A. Petersson, H. Nakatsuji, M. Caricato, X. Li, H. P. Hratchian, A. F. Izmaylov, J. Bloino, G. Zheng, J. L. Sonnenberg, M. Hada, M. Ehara, K. Toyota, R. Fukuda, J. Hasegawa, M. Ishida, T. Nakajima, Y. 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Marriott Corporation and Project Chariot Essay -- Marriott Case Analys

Marriott Corporation and Project Chariot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Marriott Corporation (MC), had seen a long, successful reign in the hospitality industry until the late 1980s. An economic downturn and the 1990 real estate crash resulted in MC owning newly developed hotel properties with no potential buyers in sight and a mound of debt. During the late 1980s, MC had promised in their annual reports to sell off some of their hotel properties and reduce their burden of debt. However, the company made little progress toward fulfilling that promise. During 1992, MC realized that financial results were only slightly up from the previous year and their ability to raise funds in the capital market was severely limited. MC was left with little choice, as they had to consider some major changes within the company if they wished to remain a successful business. Thus, J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman of the board and president of MC, turned to Stephen Bollenbach, the new chief financial officer, for ideas and guidance. Bollenbach, who had a reputation for creating innovative financial structures in the hotel industry, proposed a radical restructuring for MC. Bollenbach’s proposal included breaking MC into two separate entities. The new company would retain the service businesses of MC and have the financial strength to raise capital and take advantage of various investment opportunities. On the other hand, the old company would retain the hotel properties and the pressure to sell properties at reduced prices would be greatly lessened. This drastic restructuring proposal, deemed Project Chariot, had to be evaluated by J.W. Marriott before he went before his board of directors with his ultimate recommendation. Thus, Marriott planned to review the company’s past financial history that led to their current position; evaluate Project Chariot’s advantages, disadvantages and value; determine the bond risk involved if Project Chariot was accepted and finally consider alternative recomm endations. Past History of MC By the 1980’s, the Marriot Corporation, founded in 1927, had grown into a financially sound, industry-leading corporation. Although MC went public in 1953 and continued to sell stock to the public, the Marriott family still retained the controlling interest of 25% of the company in 1992. Once J.W Marriott Sr. resigned in 1964, his son, J.W. Marriott Jr., took over the posi... ...th the restructuring proposed by Project Chariot. The Management team of HMC must aggressively restructure its finances in order to alleviate this debt and reduce its risk of bankruptcy or take-over.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also, if possible actions should be taken to ease the worries of existing bondholders and institutional investors. Management may consider sharing the debt more equally between the two divisions in an effort to prevent downgrading of the credit rating and loss of investors. References Answers.com. Leveraged Buy Out. Retrieved July 17, 2005 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.answers.com/topic/leveraged-buyout High yield or â€Å"junk† bonds. Retrieved July 18, 2005 from http://www.finpipe.com/bndjunk.htm http://www.investopedia.com/university/mergers/mergers4.asp. Retrieved July 16, 2005. Ross, S., et. al. (2001). Corporate Finance. McGraw-Hill Companies. Yawson, A. (October 20, 2004). Performance shocks, turnaround strategies, and corporate recovery: Evidence from Australia. Retrieved July 18, 2005 from http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:2aoQ4Wn2y8MJ:wwwdocs.fce.unsw.edu.au/banking/workpap/wp%252010%25202004.pdf+australian+strategies+corporate+restructuring&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Moxy Fruvous :: Music Musical Essays

Moxy Fruvous From their earliest gigs as buskers (street performers) in downtown Toronto, the Canadian pop band Moxy Fruvous has attracted attention with an energetic blend of tight harmonies and witty social commentary (Bush). The band’s first album, 1994’s Bargainville, highlights both these qualities, casting a skewed glance at topics ranging from video stores to the Gulf War. One of the disc’s highlights, â€Å"Darlington Darling,† examines blue-collar love and tells a tale of frustration, both economic and romantic. The first verse introduces the song’s speaker, who works on an assembly line in an auto plant, where he â€Å"slaps on† plugs and distributor caps for Mercuries (1-2). However, we quickly discover that the speaker is unable even to afford the cars he helps to build, noting that â€Å"I can drive. . . but this car’s made for you† (4). This point is underscored by the chorus. As the speaker says that he’d like to buy a car or cars for his love, his wishes are countered by the economic realities of his situation: I’d like to buy her one – (Where you gonna get the money, son?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . An’ I’d like to buy her more Than this blue collar can afford (5-6, 11-12). In the second verse, the speaker’s situation is contrasted with the case of a co-worker who is doing a little better. â€Å"Chipper down the line† sycophantically plies his boss with egg nog at the company Christmas party (13-14). In return, Chipper gets a raise, which he uses to pay for a vacation cottage/â€Å"love nest† on Lake Scugog (a rather unprepossessing man-made lake near Toronto)(â€Å"Lake Scugog†). Although Chipper is willing to let his coworker use the cabin for a weekend, the speaker’s girlfriend is working for nearly the entire weekend (16). Once again, the economic realities of the working class (weekend shifts) interfere with dreams of leisure and love. Also worth noting here is that, during the solo that follows the second chorus, the listener can here a voice berating Chipper, telling him to â€Å"Get back to work, you greaseball!† Apparently, even toadying for the boss only goes so far, and even the better-paid workers are subject to verbal abuse. After the solo and another repeat of the chorus, a final half-verse focuses on the speaker’s love. We learn that she lives â€Å"half a mile from the cooling towers† of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power plant near Toronto (â€Å"Darlington†).