The Tragedy Of Medieval Society - 2295 Words

Medieval society was a society bound by personal relations with an authority based on the twin pillars: classical antiquity and Christianity. Between 1300 and 1800 European society underwent a gradual cultural deconstruction, through the religious reformation, scientific revolution, and development in social relations which broke down the authority of these twin pillars and redefined European society. This was a radical break that marked the 18th century as a critical moment of change in European history. Life in pre-enlightenment Europe centred around the divine, which answered questions that couldn’t be answered by accepted knowledge. Everyday thinking was influenced by the religious linear historical progression that was distinct and†¦show more content†¦People found comfort and commonality between each other in the church, and thus a common, unified cultural and religious identity was shared there. There was also apprehension about their survival, both in everyday life and eternal Salvation, and thus found comfort in the sacred. Thus, the Church was important not just as a place of worship but also as a form of identity and comfort. Community was not only experienced through the church, and the Early Modern period can be characterised as a period of development from â€Å"Space† to â€Å"place† – creating places with meaning for the community. Rural society was a topographical patchwork wherein rich and poor were bound by the harvest quality each year. Only 10 – 20 percent of Early Modern Europeans lived in towns. Towns were the local political, economic, administrative and cultural centres, however the extent of urbanisation differed between states and were dependant on several factors including economic shifts, political forces, and socio-economic diversity. Thus, urban society experienced, accommodated, and influenced social, economic, and cultural change in this period, as towns were the forefront of the major trends. The development of universitas in the 12-13th centuries is crucial in the creation of intellectual culture, and the concept of community in Early Modern Europe. People grouped together for protection, as many were

Benefits of Artificial Reefs Essay - 885 Words

Thesis: When an artificial reef is made many just see trash going into the sea, however there are positive benefits that come from the making of the reef. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of an artificial reef is the creation of a new community for aquatic creatures to live. It is like a developer going out to sea and making a new subdivision out there for fish. This creation of an artificial reef is the most natural way to protect the marine habitat, by providing shelter, a source of food, and an area for mating and reproduction for a numerous amount of creatures. The reason this is so important is because a given area of water can only support so many marine creatures, none of these creatures can live in mid-water where there is†¦show more content†¦The majority of this revenue is created by the tourism that these reefs create. If you don’t know much about diving here is a figure that will help you, a large percentage of all the tourism industries revenue is from these people diving. When these sites are created this is exactly what they have in mind, attracting thousands of divers to these easily accessible sites. These divers come to see these reefs because the sites are known locations and the organisms growing on and the ecosystem around it is a beautiful site that is a joy to partake in. As a matter of fact the view is so spectacular that today the sale of underwater cameras far exceeds the sale of spear guns, which creates even more revenue for local dive shops. This is why divers travel around the world to get a look at these sites. When these divers come into town this is where the revenue comes in from anything such as boat tours/charters, hotel stays, food consumption, and equipment. Many companies have keyed into this market and have started making their own natural reefs. These companies have used them for everything from submarine tours to burial sites for the deceased ashes. 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The Secret Circle The Captive Chapter Ten Free Essays

â€Å"Yuck,† Deborah said, as they peered out the parlor window again. This delivery guy was skinny, with lank hair and acne. Faye was already moving to the front door. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret Circle: The Captive Chapter Ten or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Pizza? We didn’t order any pizza. I don’t care who you called to confirm it, we don’t want it.† She shut the door in his face, and after a few minutes of hanging around the porch he went away. As his delivery van was pulling out, another one pulled in. The tall, blond guy with the cardboard box kept looking behind him at the receding rival van as he walked to the door. â€Å"Now this is more like it,† Faye said. When they brought the blond delivery guy into the den, Suzan and the muscular one were entangled on the couch. The pair disengaged themselves, the boy still looking foggy, and Faye poured the new guest a drink. Within the next hour, the doorbell rang four more times and they collected two more delivery boys. Suzan divided her attention between the muscular one and a new one with high cheekbones who said he was part Native American. The other new one, who looked younger than the others and had soft-brown eyes, sat nervously next to Cassie. â€Å"This is weird,† he said, looking around the room, and taking another gulp from his glass. â€Å"This is so weird †¦ I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve got deliveries to make†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then he said, â€Å"Gee, you’re pretty.† Gee? thought Cassie. Gosh. Golly. Oh, my God. â€Å"Thanks,† she said weakly, and glanced around the room for help. None was forthcoming. Faye, looking sultry and exuding sensuality, was running one long crimson fingernail up and down the blond guy’s sleeve. Suzan was sunk deep in the couch with an admirer on either side. Deborah was sitting on the arm of an overstuffed chair, eyes slitted and rather scornful. â€Å"Can I put my arm around you?† the brown-eyed boy was asking hesitantly. Boys aren’t toys, Cassie thought. Even if this one did look like a teddy bear. Faye had brought these guys here to play with, and that was wrong†¦ wasn’t it? They didn’t know what they were doing; they didn’t have any choice. â€Å"I just moved up here last summer from South Carolina,† the boy was going on. â€Å"I had a girl back there†¦ but now I’m so lonely †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cassie knew the feeling. This was a nice guy, her age, and his brown eyes, though a little glassy, were appealing. She didn’t scream when he put his arm around her, where it rested warmly and a little awkwardly around her shoulders. She felt light-headed. Something about the incense †¦ or the crystals, she thought. The music seemed to be pulsing inside her. She should be embarrassed by what was going on in this room-she was embarrassed-but there was something exciting about it too. Some of the candles had gone out, making it darker. The warmth around Cassie’s shoulders was nice. She thought of yesterday night, when she’d wanted so much for someone to comfort her, to hold her. To make her feel not alone. â€Å"I don’t know why, but I really like you,† the brown-eyed boy was saying. â€Å"I never felt like this before.† Why not do it? She was already-bad. And she wanted to be close to somebody. , . . The brown-eyed boy leaned in to kiss her. That was when Cassie knew it was wrong. Not the way kissing Adam was wrong, but wrong for her. She didn’t want to kiss him. Every individual cell in her body was protesting, panicking. She wiggled out from under him like an eel and jumped up. Faye and the blond guy were also on their feet, heading out of the room. So were Suzan and her unmatched pair. â€Å"We’re just going upstairs,† Faye said in her husky voice. â€Å"There’s more room up there. Lots of rooms, in fact.† â€Å"No,† Cassie said. A hint of a frown creased Faye’s forehead, then she smiled and went over to Cassie, speaking in low tones. â€Å"Cassie, I’m disappointed in you,† she said. â€Å"After your performance at the dance, I really thought you were one of us. And it’s not nearly as wicked as some other things you’ve done. You can do anything you want with these guys, and they’ll like it.† â€Å"No,† Cassie said again. â€Å"You told me to come over and I did. But I don’t want to stay.† Her eyes were smarting and she had trouble keeping her voice steady. Faye looked exasperated. â€Å"Oh, all right. If you don’t want to have fun, I can’t make you. Go.† Relief washed over Cassie. With one glance back at the brown-eyed boy, she hurried to the door. After last night’s dream, she’d been so frightened†¦ she hadn’t been sure what Faye would do to her. But she was getting away. Faye’s voice caught her at the door, and she waited until she had Cassie’s full attention before speaking. â€Å"Maybe next time,† she said. Cassie’s entire skin was tingling as she hurried away from Faye’s house. She just wanted to get home, to be safe†¦. â€Å"Hey, wait a minute,† Deborah called after her. Reluctantly, Cassie turned and waited. She was braced as if for a blow. Deborah came up quickly, her step light and controlled as always. Her dark hair was tumbling in waves around her small face and falling into her eyes. Her chin was slightly out-thrust as usual, but her expression wasn’t hostile. â€Å"I’m leaving too. You want a ride?† she said. Instantly memories of the last â€Å"ride† she’d accepted flashed through Cassie’s mind. But she didn’t exactly like to refuse Deborah. After Faye’s parting words, Cassie was feeling small and soft and vulnerable-like something that could be easily squashed. And besides†¦ well, it wasn’t often Deborah made a gesture like this. â€Å"Okay, thanks,† Cassie said after only a moment’s hesitation. She didn’t ask if they should be wearing helmets. She didn’t think Deborah would appreciate the question. Cassie had never been on a motorcycle before. It seemed bigger when she was trying to get on it than it had looked just standing there. Once she was on, though, it felt surprisingly stable. She wasn’t afraid of falling off. â€Å"Hang on to me,† Deborah said. And then, with an incredibly loud noise, they were moving. It was the most exhilarating feeling-flying through the air. Like witches on broomsticks, Cassie thought. Wind roared in Cassie’s face, whipped her hair back. It whipped Deborah’s hair into Cassie’s eyes so she couldn’t see. As Deborah accelerated, it became terrifying. Cassie was sure she’d never gone this fast before. The wind felt icy cold. They were racing forward into darkness, far too fast for safety on a rural road. The houses on Crowhaven were far behind. Cassie couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. Everything was the wind and the road and the feeling of speed. I’m going to die, Cassie thought. She almost didn’t care. Something this electrifying was worth dying for. She was sure Deborah couldn’t take this next corner. â€Å"Relax!† Deborah shouted, her voice snatched away by the wind. â€Å"Relax! Don’t fight the way I’m leaning.† How can you relax when you’re plunging at practically a hundred miles an hour into darkness? Cassie thought. But then she found out how: you give yourself up to it. Cassie resigned herself to her fate, and let the speed and the wind take her. And, magically, everything was all right. She was aware, eventually, that they were heading back up Crowhaven Road, past Diana’s house, past the others. They overshot Cassie’s house and stormed around the vacant lot at the point of the headland. Dust sprayed up on either side. Cassie saw the cliff whip by and buried her head in Deborah’s shoulder. Then they were leaning, they were slowing, they were spiraling to a stop. â€Å"So,† said Deborah, when the world was still again, â€Å"what’d you think?† Cassie lifted her head and made her fingers stop clutching. Every inch of her was as icy as if she’d been standing in a freezer. Her hair was matted and her lips and ears and nose were numb. . â€Å"It was wonderful,† she gasped. â€Å"Like flying.† Deborah burst into laughter, jumped off, and slapped Cassie on the back. Then she helped Cassie off. Cassie couldn’t stop shivering. â€Å"Look over here,† Deborah said, stepping over to the edge of the cliff. Cassie looked. Far below, the dark water crashed and foamed around the rocks. It was a long way down. But there was something beautiful, too. Over the vast gray curve of ocean, an almost half-full moon hung. It cast a long wavering trail of light along the water, pure silver on the darkness. â€Å"It looks like a road,† Cassie said softly, through chattering teeth. â€Å"Like you could ride on it.† She looked at Deborah quickly, not sure how the biker girl would take to such a fancy. But Deborah gave a short nod, her narrowed eyes still on the silver path. â€Å"That would be the ultimate. Just ride till you fly straight off the edge. I guess that was what the old-time witches wanted,† she said. Cassie felt a warmth even through her shivering. Deborah felt what she herself had felt. And now Cassie understood why Deborah rode a motorcycle. â€Å"We better go,† Deborah said abruptly. On the way back to the motorcycle Cassie stumbled, falling to one knee. She looked back and saw that she had tripped on a piece of brick or stone. â€Å"I forgot to tell you; there used to be a house here,† Deborah said. â€Å"It got torn down a long time ago, but there’re some pieces of foundation left.† â€Å"I think I just found one,† Cassie said. Rubbing her knee, she was starting to get up when she noticed something beside the brick. It was darker than the soil it was resting on and yet it shone faintly in the moonlight. She picked it up and found that it was smooth and surprisingly heavy. And it did shine; it reflected the moonlight like a black mirror. â€Å"It’s hematite,† said Deborah, who’d come back to look. â€Å"It’s a powerful stone-for iron-strength, Melanie says.† She knelt down suddenly beside Cassie, tossing tangled hair out of her eyes. â€Å"Cassie! It’s your working crystal.† A thrill which seemed to come from the stone rippled through Cassie. Holding the smooth piece of hematite was like holding an ice cube, but all the things that Melanie had said would happen when she found her own personal crystal were happening now. It fit her hand, it felt natural there. She liked the weight of it. It was hers. Elated, she lifted her head to smile up at Deborah, and in the chilly moonlight Deborah smiled fiercely back. It was when she was dropping Cassie off at Number Twelve that she said, â€Å"I heard you came to see Nick yesterday.† â€Å"Oh-um,† Cassie said. That meeting with Nick in the garage seemed like centuries ago, not yesterday. â€Å"Uh, I didn’t come to see him,† she stammered. â€Å"I was just walking by†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Deborah shrugged. â€Å"Anyway, I thought I’d tell you-he gets in bad moods sometimes. But that doesn’t mean you should give up. Other times he’s okay.† Cassie floundered, completely amazed. â€Å"Uh-well-I didn’t mean-I mean, thanks, but I wasn’t really†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She couldn’t find a way to finish, and Deborah wasn’t waiting anyway. â€Å"Whatever. See you later. And don’t lose that stone!† Dark hair flying, the biker girl zoomed off. Up in her room, Cassie’s legs felt weak from tension, and she was tired. But she lay in bed for a while and held the hematite on her palm, tilting it back and forth to watch the light slide over it. For iron-strength, she thought. It wasn’t like the chalcedony rose; it gave her no feeling of warmth and comfort. But then the chalcedony rose was all mixed up in her mind with Adam and his blue-gray eyes. Diana had the rose now, and Diana had Adam. And Cassie had a stone which brought a strange coolness to her thoughts, a coolness that seemed to extend to her heart. For iron-strength, she thought again. She liked that. â€Å"And so that’s what Cassie believes, that each of the deaths-even Kori’s-is connected to the skull, and to Puritan ways of killing people,† Diana said. She looked around the circle of faces. â€Å"Now it’s up to us to do something about it.† Cassie was watching Faye. She wanted to see the reaction in those hooded golden eyes when Diana explained about the dark energy that had escaped during the skull ceremony, killing Jeffrey. Sure enough, when Diana got to that part, Faye shot a glance at Cassie, but there was nothing apologetic or guilty about it. It was a look of conspiracy. Only you and I know, it said. And I won’t tell if you won’t. I’m not that stupid, Cassie telegraphed back angrily, and Faye smiled. It was Sunday night and they were all sitting on the beach. Diana hadn’t been able to find out much from her own Book of Shadows about dealing with evil objects like the skull, and she was calling for everyone’s help. It was the first full meeting of the Circle in three weeks, since the day after Mr. Fogle had been found dead. Cassie scanned the faces above thick jackets and sweaters-even New Englanders had to bundle up in this weather- and wondered what was going on in each individual witch’s head. Melanie was grave and thoughtful as usual, as if she neither believed nor disbelieved Cassie’s theory, but was willing to test it out scientifically. Laurel just looked appalled. Suzan was examining the stitching on her gloves. Deborah was scowling, unwilling to give up the idea that outsiders had killed Kori. Nick-well, who could tell what Nick thought? Sean was chewing his fingernails. The Henderson brothers were agitated. For a terrible instant Cassie thought they were going to turn their energy on Adam, blame him for Kori’s being killed. But then Doug spoke up. â€Å"So how come we’re still sittin’ around talking? Let me have the skull-I’ll take care of it,† he said, teeth bared. â€Å"Yeah-let Doug have it,† Sean chimed in. â€Å"It can’t be destroyed, Doug,† Melanie said patiently. â€Å"Oh, yeah?† Chris said. â€Å"Put it in with a pipe bomb-â€Å" â€Å"And nothing would happen. Crystal skulls can’t be destroyed, Doug,† Melanie repeated. â€Å"That’s in all the old lore. You wouldn’t even scratch it.† â€Å"And there’s no really safe place to store it,† Diana said. â€Å"I might as well tell you all, I’ve got it buried somewhere, and yesterday I set up a spell to tell me if the place is disturbed. It’s vital that the skull stays buried.† Cassie had a sick feeling in her stomach. Diana was looking around the group, focusing on Deborah, Faye, and the Hendersons. It would never occur to her to look at me, Cassie thought, and somehow this made her feel sicker than ever. â€Å"Why can’t we take it back to the island?† Suzan said, surprisingly, showing she was listening after all. Adam, who had been sitting quietly, his fine, humorous face unusually moody, answered. â€Å"Because the island won’t protect it anymore,† he said. â€Å"Not since I took the skull.† â€Å"Sort of like one of those Egyptian tombs with a curse on it,† said Laurel. â€Å"Once you break in, you can’t undo what you’ve done.† Adam’s lip quirked. â€Å"Right. And we’re not strong enough to cast a new spell of protection that would hold it. This skull is evil,† he said to all of them. â€Å"It’s so evil that burying it in sand won’t do anything but keep it from being activated at the moment. There’s no way to purify it†-he looked at Laurel-â€Å"and no way to destroy it†-he looked at Doug and Chris- â€Å"and no place to keep it safe.† He looked at Suzan. â€Å"Then what do we do?† Deborah demanded, and Sean squeaked, â€Å"What do we do?† â€Å"Forget about it?† Faye suggested with a lazy smile. Adam shot her a dark look. Diana intervened. â€Å"Adam had the idea of searching for the dark energy again with a pendulum, seeing if there are any new trails,† she said. She turned to Cassie. â€Å"What do you think?† Cassie dug her fingernails into her palms. If they traced the dark energy and it led them straight back to Faye’s house, the place where it had most recently escaped†¦ Faye was looking at her sharply, wanting her to veto the suggestion. But Cassie had an idea. â€Å"I think we should do it,† she told Diana evenly. Faye’s stare turned menacing, furious. But there was nothing she could say. Diana nodded. â€Å"All right. We may as well start now. It’s a long walk to the graveyard, so I thought we might try picking up the trail around here. We’ll go out on Crowhaven Road and see if there’s anything to follow.† Cassie could actually feel her chest quivering with the beating of her heart as they walked off the beach. She thrust one hand into her pocket to feel the cold, smooth piece of hematite. Iron-strength, that was what she needed right now. â€Å"Are you crazy?† Faye hissed as they climbed the bluff and headed for the road. She caught Cassie’s arm in a punishing grip, holding her back from the others. â€Å"Do you know where that trail goes?† Cassie shook the arm off. â€Å"Trust me,† she said shortly. â€Å"What?† Cassie whirled on the taller girl. â€Å"I said, trust me! I know what I’m doing-and you don’t.† And with that she began to climb again. Iron-strength, she thought dizzily, impressed with herself. But she still found it hard to breathe when Diana stood out in the middle of Crowhaven Road-near Number Two, Deborah’s house- and held up the peridot crystal. Cassie watched it, feeling the concentration of all the minds around her. She waited for it to spin in circles. It did-in the beginning. The chain twisted first one way and then the other, like a woundup swing on a playground. But then, to Cassie’s horror, it began to seesaw, pointing up and down Crowhaven Road. Down, the way they’d traveled the first time, the way that had eventually led to the cemetery, and up, toward the headland. Toward Faye’s. Cassie’s legs felt as if they were sinking into cotton as she followed the group. Faye had no trouble holding her back now. â€Å"I told you,† she said vehemently out of the side of her mouth. â€Å"Now what, Cassie? If that trail leads to my house, I’m not going down alone.† Cassie clenched her teeth and choked out, â€Å"I thought we couldn’t trace it at ground level. That energy came out through your bedroom ceiling on the second floor, and it was going straight up. I thought it would be too high to track.† â€Å"You obviously thought wrong,† Faye hissed. They were passing the vacant house at Number Three. They were passing Melanie’s house. Laurel’s house was in front of them; they were passing it. Faye’s house was just ahead. Cassie thought she actually might faint. She was almost unaware that she was clutching Faye’s arm as hard as Faye was clutching hers. She waited for the peridot to turn aside and lead them all to Faye’s doorstep. But Diana was walking on. Cassie felt a violent surge of relief-and of bewilderment. Where were they going? They were passing Number Seven, another vacant house. Passing the Hendersons’, passing Adam’s, passing Suzan’s. They were passing Sean’s-oh, my God, Cassie thought, we’re not going to my house? But they were passing Number Twelve as well. Diana was following the pendulum’s swing, leading them out onto the point of the headland. And there the crystal began to spin in circles again. â€Å"What’s going on?† Laurel said, looking around in astonishment. â€Å"What are we doing here?† Adam and Diana were looking at each other. Then they both looked at Cassie, who came slowly forward from the rear of the group. Cassie shrugged at them. â€Å"This is the place where Number Thirteen used to be,† Diana said. â€Å"Right, Adam? The house that was torn down.† â€Å"I heard it burned down,† Adam said. â€Å"Before we were born.† â€Å"No, it wasn’t that long ago,† said Melanie. â€Å"It was only about sixteen or seventeen years ago-that’s what I heard. But before that it was vacant for centuries. Literally.† â€Å"How many centuries?† Cassie said, too loudly. For some reason she found her fingers clenched around the piece of hematite in her pocket. The members of the coven turned to her, looking at her with eyes that seemed to shine slightly in the moonlight. â€Å"About three,† Melanie said. â€Å"This was Black John’s house. Nobody ever lived in it after he died in 1696.† The hematite burned against Cassie’s palm with icy fire. How to cite The Secret Circle: The Captive Chapter Ten, Essay examples

Product Development and Supply Chain Risks †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Product Development and Supply Chain Risks. Answer: Introduction Murasaki Aircraft Corporation (MAC) is a Japanese aircraft manufacturer that is relatively new in business. The parent company of MAC is Murasaki Heavy Industries (MHI) with 64% of shares and also has Toyota Motor Corporation (10%) and Mitsubishi Corporation (10%) and Sumitomo Corporation and Mitsui Co with minor shares. The company is currently producing regional jets and Lisanne, the CEO of MAC is now aspiring to expand the business. The next set of business activities would include medium sized passenger jets which would enhance the business operations and activities to another level. Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are the two international projects in the same field that can impart the required level of management knowledge to Lisanne and her team. There were many correct and incorrect activities that were carried out in these two projects which can act as a good source of reference for the project that will be carried out at MAC. The report includes the positive and negative aspects associated with the two projects and also includes the key learning that may be adapted by MAC. Airbus is a company that was found in the year 1970 with the major objectives as integration of existing European aircraft sites for establishing advanced and modern manufacturing and production capabilities. Currently, there are over 57,000 employees that are engaged with Airbus. Airbus A380 is one of the large scale projects that was undertaken by the company and was initiated in the year 2000. The aim of the project was to design a super-jumbo jet capable of carrying 853 passengers and crew. The launch date of the project was set up in 2002 (Bbc, 2012). At the same time, it was decided that an administrative re-structuring would be carried out at the company which would include the re-location of the top management from different sites at a common site. It was aimed that such a process would result in minimization of conflicts and would lead to adequate and effective management as a result (Rochfort, 2006). In 2005, there were a number of production issues that began to crop up. This led to the inability to meet the delivery deadlines and the French and German production facilities started the blame game instead of the resolution of the issue. In the year 2006, wiring harness produced in Hamburg plant failed to install while the plane was in the assembly stage in the Toulouse plant. CATIA is a software which is commonly used in the aircraft industry and it was found out that an older version of the software was used in the Hamburg plant. However, the latest version was used in the Toulouse plant. This led to the compatibility issues which led to the failure in the installation process. As a result, the deliveries were postponed and it became necessary to design the wiring system. This led to the delay of two years and the cost also exceeded by 6 billion dollars. It is assumed that the primary reason behind the failure was the software compatibility issues. However, there were a number of problems and mistakes that were carried out by the project management team that contributed as the prime reason of failure of the project (Dorfler Baumann, 2014). There are certain project management phases and guidelines that are required to be followed in each of the projects. The relevance of such guidelines and characteristics increases with the nature of the project. For instance, in case of Airbus A380, it was an international project with a lot of significance. The following characteristics were required to be maintained in the project which went missing. Member Identity: It is the project management characteristic that makes sure that each member identifies with the roles and responsibilities in the project and places his or her selfish interests at the least priority. However, in the case of Airbus A380, the members failed to identify with the project goals and placed their personal benefits at the top. Unit Integration: There are several units and departments that function in an organization that need to integrate with each other for the success of an organizations venture. However, this characteristics was missing in the case of Airbus A380 (Shore, 2009). Conflict Tolerance: There were a lot many conflicts that were observed at the top management level that were not resolved at the advanced project stages which led to the project failure. Also, the software compatibility issues that were encountered could have been detected earlier in the project execution and project control stages. Software testing is an essential activity that is required to be carried out and the effective monitoring and control from the project managers could have also made sure that the issue was detected in a timely manner. Lessons Learned Boeing 787 Dreamliner Boeing is an American multi-national organization that deals in the designing, manufacturing and production of airplanes, rockers and satellites. The company has over 160,000 employees engaged with it. Boeing began the development of 787 Dreamliner in the year 2003; however, the project suffered from numerous project failures and risks in the areas of schedule and budget overrun. The estimated cost of the project was USD 5 billion which exceeded to over USD 17-23 billion (Elahi, Sheikhzadeh Lamba, 2012). There were numerous reasons that contributed in the failure of the project. The technical experts advised the project team to stick to the traditional methods of manufacturing and design. However, in an attempt to bring down the costs, the company decided to outsource many of the project tasks. This went against the project and led to the budget overrun (Mseitif, 2014). The overall management that was applied in the project was also not adequate. There are primarily two lessons that can be learnt from the case study of Boeing Dreamliner. Project Management is a discipline that is required to be included in the project. There are certain phases and guidelines that have been defined that must be followed so that the decision making processes and abilities are adequate. The significance of project control is extremely high as it assists in the verification and validation of the project tasks and activities. The required project control was missing in the case of Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This is because of the outsourcing of numerous tasks which brings down the level of monitoring and control that can be applied (Tang Zimmerman, 2009). It is necessary to carry out feasibility studies and take into consideration the remarks and comments that are provided by the experts. In the case of Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the management did not take into consideration the advice that was provided by the team of technical experts. This led to the incorrect decision making which ultimately led to project failure. Key Learnings for MACs Growth Ambition Project Project Management is one of the most significant and necessary activities that are required to be carried out in case of project. The significance of adequate project management further increases in international projects and activities. There are five phases that are included in any of the project management methodologies that is applied. These phases are as listed below. Initiation Phase: It is the phase in which the high-level project details are specified and the feasibility studies are carried out on different aspects. Some of these aspects include technical, economical, operational and environmental. The result of the feasibility studies is then analyzed to come up with the decision to proceed with the project activities or not. Planning Phase: This is one of the most important phases of project management in which the project plans are developed and implemented. There are several tasks that are required to be carried out in this phase as project budget estimation, schedule estimation, scope definition, allocation of roles and responsibilities, risk assessment and communication planning (Newton, 2015). Project Execution: This is the phase in which all the plans and strategies are brought in action. The design and development activities are carried out in this phase as per the approach and methodology that is finalized. Project Control: This is the phase in which monitoring and control activities are carried out by the management along with the implementation of the project. The project testing activities along with execution of the reviews and inspection processes in order to validate and verify the correctness of the project tasks and activities are included in this phase. Project Closure: This is the last phase in the project life cycle that includes the development of the closure report, acceptance of the deliverables and sign offs along with the final documentation. The above five phases shall be included by Lisanne and her team in the growth ambition project that will be carried out at MAC. There were a number of pitfalls that were associated with Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These pitfalls and drawbacks can be avoided by sticking to the best practices and including the following key learning in the project activities that are carried out. Planning will be one of the most significant tasks that will be associated with the project. The planning activities shall be carried out in such a manner that the estimates and approach that are received are adequate (Amalraj, 2007). There shall be realistic expectations that must be set and promised to the project client. These expectations shall be based upon the results of the feasibility studies, project specifications provided by the client along with the project resources. Risk assessment and management is one of the key activities that need to be carried out during the project in the initiation and planning stages only. This activity must make sure that all of the project risks are listed and highlighted and the risk response is also mapped with every risk. There may be a number of different risks that may emerge during MACs growth ambition project in the form of technical risks, security risks, schedule and budget risks, resource risks etc. All of these risks shall be determined and assessed in advance in terms of the response strategy that shall be applied in order to deal with the same. The response strategy shall include risk mitigation, risk acceptance, risk avoidance or risk transfer. Such an activity will keep the project team to deal with any situation during the project life cycle (Shariff, 2013). The project will include a lot many resources in the project team which may bring up the situation of conflicts and disputes. These situations will be required to be managed by making use of adequate strategy and approach. The top management must never fail to execute the monitoring and control processes in the form of reviews, inspections and walkthroughs. These processes must be carried out at regular intervals to determine the project progress and to highlight any of the deviations. Conclusion There can be a number of success and failure reasons that may be associated with the projects. In case of international projects, it becomes essential to make sure that the project success is achieved by sticking to the set of best practices and standards. Also, project management is a discipline that must be followed in the projects to ensure that the success is ensured. Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are the two international projects in the field of aircrafts that can impart the required level of management knowledge to similar large scale international projects. There were many correct and incorrect activities that were carried out in these two projects which can act as a good source of reference. Murasaki Aircraft Corporation (MAC) is a company that is currently producing regional jets and Lisanne, the CEO of MAC is now aspiring to expand the business. The next set of business activities would include medium sized passenger jets which would enhance the business operations and activities to another level. The project must stick to the five phases of the project management process which include initiation, planning, execution, control and closure phases. Project planning, risk assessment and management, setting up of realistic project expectations, adequate resource selection and allocation along with effective monitoring and control shall be followed in the project. The role of senior management along with the Project Manager also holds a critical importance in the case of such projects. Reference Amalraj, J. (2007). Project Management: Challenges Lessons Learned. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.beg.utexas.edu/energyecon/ua_2007/AB_Project_Mgt_challenges.pdf Bbc. (2012). Factfile: Airbus A380. BBC News. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-11693164 Dorfler, I., Baumann, O. (2014). Learning from a Drastic Failure: The Case of the Airbus A380 Program. Taylor Francis. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13662716.2014.910891 Elahi, E., Sheikhzadeh, M., Lamba, N. (2012). "An Integrated Outsourcing Framework: Analyzing Boeings Outsourcing Program for Dreamliner (B787). Scholarworks.umb.edu. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://scholarworks.umb.edu/msis_faculty_pubs/26/ Mseitif, J. (2014). Boeings Behavior in a Liberalized Marketplace: The 787 Dreamliner Project and Impact on Puget Sound Workers. Digital.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/26912/Mseitif_washington_0250O_13381.pdf;sequence=1 Newton, P. (2015). Principles of Project Management. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.free-management-ebooks.com/dldebk-pdf/fme-project-principles.pdf Rochfort, S. (2006). Delay issues cloud A380 visit - Business - Business - smh.com.au. Smh.com.au. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.smh.com.au/news/business/delay-issues-cloud-a380-visit/2006/11/28/1164476179330.html Shariff, S. (2013). Assessment of Project Management Skills and Learning Outcomes in Students Projects. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042813020363/pdf?md5=16f498b0203d44eb0bb95f5b83d90b6fpid=1-s2.0-S1877042813020363-main.pdf Shore, B. (2009). Airbus A380 - Project Failure Lessons Learned. Globalprojectstrategy.com. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://globalprojectstrategy.com/lessons/case.php?id=23 Tang, C., Zimmerman, J. (2009). Managing New Product Development and Supply Chain Risks: The Boeing 787 Case. Retrieved 30 October 2017, from https://eng.umd.edu/~austin/ense622.d/lecture-resources/Boeing787-Outsourcing2009.pdf

Battle of Leyte Gulf in World War II

Battle of Leyte Gulf in World War II The Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought October 23-26, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945) and is considered the conflicts largest naval engagement. Returning to the Philippines, Allied forces began landing on Leyte on October 20. Responding, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched plan Sho-Go 1. A complex operation, it called for multiple forces to strike the Allies from several directions. Central to the plan was luring away the American carrier groups that would be protecting the landings. Moving forward, the two sides clashed in four distinct engagements as part of the larger battle: Sibuyan Sea, Surigao Strait, Cape Engaà ±o, and Samar. In the first three, Allied forces won clear victories. Off Samar, the Japanese, having been successful in luring away the carriers, failed to press their advantage and withdrew. In the course of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Japanese suffered heavy losses in terms of ships and were unable to mount large-scale operations for the rest of the war. Background In late 1944, after extensive debate, Allied leaders elected to begin operations to liberate the Philippines. The initial landings were to take place on the island of Leyte, with ground forces commanded by General Douglas MacArthur. To assist this amphibious operation, the US 7th Fleet, under Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid, would provide close support, while Admiral William Bull Halseys 3rd Fleet, containing Vice Admiral Marc Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force (TF38), stood further out to sea to provide cover. Moving forward, the landings on Leyte commenced October 20, 1944. Admiral William Bull Halsey. US Naval History and Heritage Command The Japanese Plan Aware of American intentions in the Philippines, Admiral Soemu Toyoda, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, initiated plan Sho-Go 1 to block the invasion. This plan called for the bulk of Japans remaining naval strength to put to sea in four separate forces. The first of these, Northern Force, was commanded by Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa, and was centered on the carrier Zuikaku and the light carriers Zuiho, Chitose, and Chiyoda. Lacking sufficient pilots and aircraft for battle, Toyoda intended for Ozawas ships to serve as bait to lure Halsey away from Leyte. With Halsey removed, three separate forces would approach from the west to attack and destroy the US landings at Leyte. The largest of these was Vice Admiral Takeo Kuritas Center Force, which contained five battleships (including the super battleships Yamato and Musashi) and ten heavy cruisers. Kurita was to move through the Sibuyan Sea and the San Bernardino Strait, before launching his attack. To support Kurita, two smaller fleets, under Vice Admirals Shoji Nishimura and Kiyohide Shima, together forming Southern Force, would move up from the south through the Surigao Strait. Japanese battleships at Brunei, Borneo, in October 1944, photographed just prior to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The ships are, from left to right: Musashi, Yamato, a cruiser and Nagato. US Naval History and Heritage Command Fleets Commanders Allies Admiral William HalseyVice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid8 fleet carriers8 light carriers18 escort carriers12 battleships24 cruisers141 destroyers and destroyer escorts Japanese Admiral Soemu ToyodaVice Admiral Takeo KuritaVice Admiral Shoji NishimuraVice Admiral Kiyohide ShimaAdmiral Jisaburo Ozawa1 fleet carrier3 light carriers9 battleships14 heavy cruisers6 light cruisers35 destroyers Losses Allies - 1 light carrier, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort, approx. 200 aircraftJapanese - 1 fleet carrier, 3 light carriers, 3 battleships, 10 cruisers, 11 destroyers, approx. 300 aircraft Sibuyan Sea Beginning on October 23, the Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of four primary meetings between Allied and Japanese forces. In the first engagement on October 23-24, the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, Kuritas Center Force was attacked by the American submarines USS Darter and USS Dace as well as Halseys aircraft.  Engaging the Japanese around dawn on October 23, Darter scored four hits on Kuritas flagship, the heavy cruiser Atago, and two on the heavy cruiser Takao. A short time later, Dace hit the heavy cruiser Maya with four torpedoes.  While Atago and Maya both sank quickly, Takao, badly damaged, withdrew to Brunei with two destroyers as escorts. Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, 24 October 1944 Japanese battleship Yamato is hit by a bomb near her forward 460mm gun turret, during attacks by U.S. carrier planes as she transited the Sibuyan Sea. US Naval History and Heritage Command Rescued from the water, Kurita transferred his flag to Yamato. The next morning, Center Force was located by American aircraft as it moved through the Sibuyan Sea. Brought under attack by aircraft from 3rd Fleets carriers, the Japanese quickly took hits to the battleships Nagato, Yamato, and Musashi and saw the heavy cruiser MyÃ… kÃ…  badly damaged. Subsequent strikes saw Musashi crippled and drop from Kuritas formation. It later sank around 7:30 PM after being hit with at least 17 bombs and 19 torpedoes. Under increasingly intense air attacks, Kurita reversed his course and retreated. As the Americans withdrew, Kurita again changed course around 5:15 PM and resumed his advance towards the San Bernardino Strait. Elsewhere that day, the escort carrier USS Princeton (CVL-23) was sunk by land-based bombers as its aircraft attacked Japanese air bases on Luzon. Surigao Strait On the night of October 24/25, part of the Southern Force, led by Nishimura entered the Surigao Straight where they were initially attacked by Allied PT boats. Successfully running this gauntlet, Nishimuras ships were then set upon by destroyers which unleashed a barrage of torpedoes. In the course of this assault USS Melvin hit the battleship  FusÃ…  causing it to sink. Driving forward, Nishimuras remaining ships soon encountered the six battleships (many of them Pearl Harbor veterans) and eight cruisers of the 7th Fleet Support Force led by Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf. USS West Virginia (BB-48) firing during the Battle of Surigao Strait, 24-25 October 1944. US Naval History and Heritage Command Crossing the Japanese T, Oldendorfs ships used radar fire control to engage the Japanese at long range. Pounding the enemy, the Americans sank the battleship Yamashiro and the heavy cruiser Mogami. Unable to continue their advance, the remainder of Nishimuras squadron withdrew south.  Entering the strait, Shima encountered the wrecks of Nishimuras ships and elected to retreat. The fighting in the Surigao Strait was the last time two battleship forces would duel. Cape Engaà ±o At 4:40 PM on the 24th, Halseys scouts located Ozawas Northern Force. Believing that Kurita was retreating, Halsey signaled Admiral Kinkaid that he was moving north to pursue the Japanese carriers. By doing so, Halsey was leaving the landings unprotected. Kinkaid was not aware of this as he believed Halsey had left one carrier group to cover the San Bernardino Straight. At dawn on October 25, Ozawa launched a 75-plane strike against Halsey and Mitschers carriers. Easily defeated by the American combat air patrols, no damage was inflicted. Countering, Mitschers first wave of aircraft began attacking the Japanese around 8:00 AM.  Overwhelming the enemy fighter defense, the attacks continued through the day and ultimately sank all four of Ozawas carriers in what became known as the Battle of Cape Engaà ±o. Samar As the battle was concluding, Halsey was informed that the situation off Leyte was critical. Toyodas plan had worked. By Ozawa drawing away Halseys carriers, the path through the San Bernardino Straight was left open for Kuritas Center Force to pass through to attack the landings. Breaking off his attacks, Halsey began steaming south at full speed. Off Samar (just north of Leyte), Kuritas force encountered the 7th Fleets escort carriers and destroyers.   Launching their planes, the escort carriers began to flee, while the destroyers valiantly attacked Kuritas much superior force. As the melee was turning in favor of the Japanese, Kurita broke off after realizing that he was not attacking Halseys carriers and that the longer he lingered the more likely he was to be attacked by American aircraft. Kuritas retreat effectively ended the battle. Aftermath In the fighting at Leyte Gulf, the Japanese lost 4 aircraft carriers, 3 battleships, 8 cruisers, and 12 destroyers, as well as 10,000 killed. Allied losses were much lighter and included 1,500 killed as well as 1 light aircraft carrier, 2 escort carriers, 2 destroyers, and 1 destroyer escort sunk. Crippled by their losses, the Battle of Leyte Gulf marked the last time the Imperial Japanese Navy would conduct large-scale operations during the war. The Allied victory secured the beachhead on Leyte and opened the door for the liberation of the Philippines. This in turn cut off the Japanese from their conquered territories in Southeast Asia, greatly reducing the flow of supplies and resources to the home islands. Despite winning the largest naval engagement in history, Halsey was criticized after the battle for racing north to attack Ozawa without leaving cover for the invasion fleet off Leyte.

Sweeney Tod1 essays

Sweeney Tod1 essays Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd is based on the 19th century melodrama about a London criminal. Todd is sort of portrayed as a noble figure driven to crime when Judge Turpin takes his wife and child from him. He is unjustly imprisoned and vows revenge not only to the judge, but also to all the people of London. The theater production began with an awesome staging of eeriness to further the mood of the title itself. My attention was captured as soon as the play began. The thick mist gives way to an entire underworld of Londoners. They come out with their gutter costumes and worn-looking faces. In cut-off laconic phrases they sing verses of the Sweeney Todd ballad. The ballad is important to the play. Every time I heard it, it just reminded me of the evil that was on stage. I think this was the purpose of the songto keep the audiences attention focused on the insanity surrounding Sweeneys killing spree. The band of beggars and street people advance toward the audience in rags and in anger. They are very important in showing Sweeneys personality early in the show. To complete the actors purpose, Sweeney Todd himself rises from the pits below. His face has evil and revenge written all over it. Sweeney Todd was very convincing with his role. He has one of the most inspired roles, yet it is filled with dark humor. In on scene where he is proceeding to slit throat after throat, a customer comes in with his family. Sweeney just looks on in irritation and frustration. It is hilarious. Sweeney allows the audience to experience several emotionsfrom horror and disbelief to sympathy and compassion. Although Sweeney is committing murderous acts, he is acting out of the love of his family. His daughter has been stolen from him and his wifes life has been ruined (although he thinks she is dead). Sweeney makes his rage more frightening with the baritone...

Techno Music in Detroit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Techno Music in Detroit - Essay Example Techno, although seen as the voiceless, computerized machine-music of the 1990s, actually originated in the mid-1980s in Detroit and Chicago where avant garde disco DJs were experimenting with minimalist ‘industrial’ sounds (Reynolds 1998: 2), influenced in parts by disco, Philly soul, and European synth-pop (Hoffmann), Few people associate techno with its African American origins yet the three individuals most closely associated with the birth of Detroit techno as a genre are the "Belleville Three", Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May. These three African American high school friends from Detroit learned and mastered the art of ‘mixing’ electronic music (Reynolds 1998: 2). They soon found to their surprise that their basement music was in dance floor demand, thanks in part to a Detroit radio personality known as The Electrifying Mojo (Reynolds 1998: 2). Mojo not only played their early home grown techno tracks, but also influenced the new sound by playing electronic music from pioneers like Kraftwerk who were based in DÃ ¼sseldorf, Germany. The band Kraftwerk was masterminded by Ralf HÃ ¼tter and Florian Schneider, and have been widely accredited as the major influence on Detroit techno. In particular, their albums `Autobahn` from 1975, `Transeuropa Express` from 1977 and `Die Mensch-Maschine` from 1978, contributed to their reputation as the ‘Godfathers of Techno’ (Reynolds 1998: 2). ... Though, Detroit had a larger African American population, the chcago area, which had segregated black neighbourhoods, produced DJs who had their own individualistic styles. Party holders took advantage of these styles and organised their down town gatherings by inviting the best DJs from both the Westside and the Southside neighbourhoods. These events usually housed up to 5000 young people from both Chicago and Detroit. This meant that the Chicago DJs had more structure and were cutting more than the Detroit DJs (Hoffmann). Eventually Detroit DJs started working on their own tracks and giving it to Chicago's 'Hot Mix people' who started playing it in the various clubs and on radio stations, calling it "the 'house' sound of Detroit". By linking this new sound to Chicago, its DJs controlled how much influence was given to Detroit owing to intense competition and a need to keep the music culture strong in Chicago alone (Hoffmann). However, there were many DJs who were happy to help DJs Juans and Derricks by playing their tracks tracks which were created by mixing and blending music, creating a smoother music compared to the Chicago DJs who had a different beat and a different vocal every eight bars. Although producers in both cities used the same hardware and even collaborated on projects and remixes together, Detroiters traded the choir-friendly vocals of House with metallic clicks, robotic voices and repetitive hooks reminiscent of an automotive assembly line. It is this characteristic of the genre that provides the argument by authors such as Williams (2001: 158) who suggests that Detroit techno was a soundtrack for the evisceration of

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 139

Assignment Example In St. John, people hung out their clothes to dry as compared to Calgary where people use washers and dryers in their households (DeWolf , 2007). The use of clear examples and illustrations in the essay into drawing a conclusion about the topic makes it qualify as an inductive essay. According to the essay, the Christopher uses examples in different cities such as Calgary, St. John, Montreal, and St. Michael to demonstrate the significance of clotheslines. Apart from the aesthetic picture brought about by clothes hanging on the lines, there are a vast range of benefits associated with hanging clothes in the lines (DeWolf , 2007). According to La Presse, the sun is eradicates odours and removes stains from clothes in en effective manner as compared to dryers. There is a wide range of advantages of having clothesline apart from being fashionable, and aesthetic outstanding. The presence of clothesline in various regions brings out traditional aspect of hanging clothes in the open. According to research studies, the sun plays an imperative role in the elimination of odours and stains as compared to the use of dryer. Drying of clothes in the sun is sometimes associated with poverty and class. On this perspective, some governments have implemented legislations that ban individuals from hanging clothes in lines. On the contrary, Ontario environment minister has brought up the idea to eliminate clothesline ban in the region. Clotheslines have myriad benefits to people and the environment in general. According to Christopher, clotheslines have a beautiful and romantic outlook to the surrounding. During the author’s visit at different cities, he observed various aesthetic outlook of clothesline. Clotheslines have traditional and more fashionable way of drying clothes in the open sun. On the other hand, the sun has a crucial role in the elimination of bad smell and stains on clothes. There have been myriad legislations

New Venture Creation Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

New Venture Creation Project - Essay Example This is because it influences the manner in which they interact with their peers, and the manner in which they conduct their business operations. For instance, the current century is shaped by the emergence of the social media. People look for friends and associations in sights such as facebook, web2.0, and twitter (Pakroo and Marcia, 20). A large percentage of people access these sights by using the computers. Business men on the other hand peruse through the internet in search of information concerning their business activities (Murthy, 23). Murthy (25) further denotes that business organizations cannot achieve their objectives without using computers. Basing on this background, there is a ready market for computer products. On this note, it is advisable to invest in this sector, and to do this, an entrepreneur must have a business plan. A plan will help in raising funds for the business enterprise, and therefore set directions for the business. For instance, this plan identifies t he computer services and products my business intends to offer, and the location of the business establishment. It identifies the scope of the business operations, and the managerial personnel. It also identifies the marketing strategies of the business establishment, its growth plan, and the expected sales revenues. It also identifies the capital required and whether there is a need for an investor. Products and Services offered: The computer products for sale are all computers hardware and software. This includes hardware components such as central processing units (CPUs), tfts, monitors, and a computer key board. The business also sells products such as Kaspersky’s; an anti-virus. The business concerns itself with the repair of broken computer parts, and the designing of websites for companies, and individual people. A central processing unit is a computer hardware whose main function is to carry the instructions of a computer program through logical and arithmetic operati ons of a computer system (Murthy, 34). It is a core requirement for a computer system to be complete. On this note there, these hardware’s will form a majority of the computer products that my organization will sell. Other products are the TFTS, the monitors, and the computer keyboards. My organization can also assemble these parts for purposes of producing a complete computer system. But this service will only depend on the requirements of the customer. Computer systems are also under attack from viruses, and other computer malwares. On this basis therefore, a computer system needs to have software’s that protects it from such kind of attacks. Basing on this need, my organization will seek to sell anti-virus and anti-malwares software such as Kaspersky. Kaspersky is effective in protecting computer systems from malware and virus attack (Murthy, 27). Basing on this notion, Kaspersky’s is a much sought after computer software, and it will prove to be profitable i f we trade in it. The business establishment will also have a repair unit, composed of highly trained individuals on all manner computer maintenance and repairs (Perryer, 28). I believe this service is essential considering the nature of our business. For example, a customer might buy a product from us, and it becomes defective. The proper way is to repair the product, instead of returning back his or her cash. The business will also concern itself with the designing of websites, for individuals and corporate organizations. In the current

Application of Learning Theories to Teaching

Application of Learning Theories to Teaching THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES FOR PLANNING AND ENABLING LEARNING TASK 1 Learning Styles Learning styles impact on every aspect of our lives: how we gather information, how we use it and how we link it together are all determined by our learning style. Nicholls Le Versha 2003, p. 57 Learning styles, or cognitive styles, refer to how individuals learn in different ways and are of particular importance to teachers who wishes to create inclusive and effective learning situation. Learning styles are divided primarily, but not exclusively, into the three groups of visual learners, aural learners and kinesthetic learners. Whilst the first group learns best by seeing information, such as on the board or visually demonstrated, the second group takes in information aurally and needs to hear what is happening. The third group understands best in a hands-on, tactile manner such as holding the materials or practicing working with them. The importance of catering for learning styles links to the importance of understanding how best to cater for cognitive development. Learning style research has its roots in the humanistic social constructivism generated by Vygotsky and his follows. Here the stress is on the interaction of socio-cultural factors in the development of the indi vidual and it is easy to see how necessary it is to make information available to students at a number of levels and thereby take into account their individual approach to learning. Motivation Motivation is a complex area and can have a huge impact on learner achievement and behavior which means that motivational teaching strategies need to be carefully considered. Extrinsic motivation is essentially a behaviourist concept in that certain behaviours are encouraged by rewards, ranging from praise to money. The use of extrinsic motivation in teaching corresponds to Pavlov and Skinner’s early work in that the reward is used to induce certain behaviours, such as praise for completing a test resulting in a positive approach to the next text. Intrinsic motivation is more of an internal driving force that may come from factors as diverse as curiosity to enjoyment. It could be argued that promotion of the former concept tends towards competition whilst the latter is more focused on individual achievement through improvement. Competition is often seen as a negative and seen as ‘undermining student motivation’ (p. 275) in that it de-motivates those who consistent ly fail as well as providing little incentive for those who already make the grade. Therefore, to encourage and inclusive approach means providing sources of motivation that best suit the student but always aim to achieve intrinsic, progress based achievement. Low Literacy At a more pragmatic level, the impact of low literacy (and numeracy) upon student’s confidence and learning can be enormous. Whatever the cause, be it students with English as a second language, or those struggling with work that is beyond their emotional age or cognitive stage, it is essential for the teacher to assess literacy levels through a diagnostic assessment and plan accordingly. It may be that students metalinguistic (how language works) awareness can be built up using the subject, such as working through an understanding of acids and alkali’s as they relate to beauty treatment. The use of IT as well as text to develop literacy has also stimulated a vast body of research (e.g. Larson Marsh 2005). This area deserves far more attention than the brief mention given here, but it is also an area that may benefit from an action research approach whereby the literacy strategies of the class are assessed, observed, analysed and acted upon in an ongoing reflective cyc le. Classroom Environment The learning environment and its impact upon students have also generated a considerable body of literature. Whilst Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs (1970) looked at a generic sequence of responses to environments, a more holistic understanding of the environments that affect a student’s learning have been studied by those such as Bronfenbrenner (1998) who conceptualized a variety of ecological systems, from the micro to the macro. The microsystem involves the individual’s direct interactions with other individuals whilst the macrosystems take into account the socio-cultural values and ‘norms’ (Krause et al. 2003, p. 264) . The classroom environment not only needs to provide a safe, secure and supportive atmosphere, it also needs to provide an inclusive setting for all individuals which means taking factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, age and stage etc into consideration. Alongside these runs the teachers own teaching styles – permissive , authoritative or authoritarian (Whitton et al. 2004, 185) – and how they respond to the students. Effective Planning and Intelligence If the goal of teaching is to provide learning environments that work for all students, then clearly planning is an integral element. To take one part of the teaching cycle, planning, is to look at one aspect of this vast area. In a constructivist paradigm, planning needs to both develop knowledge and play to students strengths. Rather than look at this structurally, as in planning using cooperative groups, whole class or individual working, this section considers interpretations of intelligence such as Gardner’s multiple intelligences (Krause et al 2003, p. 201) and Sternberg’s triarchic model of intelligence (ibid p. 202). As with learning styles, failure to plan effectively in order to encourage a range of cognitive strengths may act as disincentive. Sternberg differentiated between analytic, creative and practical intelligences and suggested applying these to the curriculum. They provide a useful strategy for inclusive teaching. TASK 2 Engagement Theory Whilst this has its roots in distance learning and the use of IT (Kearlsey Shneiderman 1999), the premises upon which it is based appear particularly useful to effective, inclusive planning. One of the primary principles is to plan for authentic learning through student interaction and provision of meaningful tasks. Secondly, this is essentially a constructivist approach aimed at enabling the individual’s translation and internalization of knowledge through guided progression to various zones of proximal development. Thirdly, in common with situated learning, engagement theory is underpinned by a wish to create learning experiences that intrinsically motivate through exposing students to real-world problem solving situations. The levels of engagement also relates to inclusive planning for learning styles and multiple intelligences. With regard to planning for engagement, lessons need to include a range of teaching strategies such as questioning, reasoning, analysing, creating and judging. This involves creating practical, curriculum linked situations and designing the lesson around them. For example, one lesson may involve a scenario, analysis of that scenario, role play of the events, creating alternatives and assessing final comprehension. This methodology allows for an inclusive approach designed to allow information to be made available to students in a variety of ways and formats. Principles of Empowerment This is also a somewhat generic principle yet it applies to teaching very successfully. One of the underlying goals is to set students up for success by ensuring the tasks are age and stage appropriate and that they stretch the student towards their zones of proximal development whilst ensuring successful outcomes. Another aspect of this principle is that students take responsibility for their learning. Ownership of one’s development has been shown to be a powerful motivator and motivation is recognised a key element to learning. Motivation resides entirely in the person motivated. It can be inspired and encouraged by others but not given. Leamnson 1999, p. 54 A third element of this principle refers to student choice. Whilst the learning requirements remain the same, the choice of learning strategy, resource use and methodology may be used to allow students to choose their favored approach. Planning to empower students and therefore engage them in their learning once again means catering for all learning styles and planning for choice. Working in the area of Beauty therapy allows for considerable choice of approach and lends itself to practical training. This does mean that resources and activities have to be well structured and planned before implementation but it also means students can find a number of ways of achieving the required learning. A criticism is that students will not be required to use their less favoured approach and thereby develop areas they feel less confident in. TASK 3 Reflection I find that catering for all learning styles is a far more complex area that needs more consideration. For example, at one level catering for learning styles means providing information in a way that an individual can take in. However, at another level, it also requires a more holistic overview that takes into consideration the students socio-cultural values and ‘norms’. Therefore, integrating this overview within my planning cycle requires several considerations. For example, it requires the allowing of space and consideration for analysing and assessing the student’s background knowledge, understandings and value systems. This will strengthen my understanding of how best to communicate with individual students and support their own sense of value and security within the classroom. It is anticipated that this approach will allow for a better consideration of student comfort and perceptions of security through providing familiar formats and establishing a comfort zone. As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs showed, it is difficult for students to function psychologically at a higher level if they do not feel safe and secure within their environment. Therefore, when planning, I intend to not only cover the various learning styles but to integrate this with socio-culturally and linguistically inclusive practice. Depending on the situation, this can be as diverse as providing materials in more than one language or selecting cooperative groups with common understandings. This is not to say that the expectations will be lessened. These need to be clearly established and provide the working format for the students. For example, they will be expected to achieve certain goals and be able to effectively communicate or demonstrate their learning. Catering for learning styles is an inclusive strategy as is that of catering for different students cognitive strengths. Consideration of practical application of strategies that include the diversity of multiple intelligences appears to be somewhat over-whelming. Sternberg’s triarchic model (Krause et al. 2003, p. 202) simplifies this into a planning procedure that endows each subject with an analytic, creative and practical component. This is particularly helpful for the beauty industry as it encourages an all round interaction both with the information, the practice and the people concerned. As a practical vocation, beauty requires strong communication and practical skills and the tendency is to stress this practical element. However, Sternberg reminds us that a triarchic approach is more inclusive and works better for a wider range of people. I would like to bear this in mind when planning my lessons and appreciate that this will demand constant assessment and reflection i n order to be at its most effective. Professional development The following is a professional development plan involving some of the primary issues looked at in this essay. It is very much an overview and the course titles are purely to provide direction rather than actual titles. It is anticipated that this will change as the reality of working within specific scenarios provides the benefit of experience. This table is also specific to the area of inclusivity and its associated planning. There are many other areas that would also benefit my practice. Professional Development Plan GOALS COURSES EXAMPLE THEORIES PROVIDERS DATE Improve Instructional Process Theory into Practice Learning styles Engagement and Motivation Improve inclusive planning Cultural inclusivity Curriculum links How to Apply Theory to Improved Practice Catering for Learning Styles How to Empower and Motivate Students Planning to include cultural diversity – setting expectations and treating diversity positively Assessment for Planning Curriculum correspondence with inclusive teaching practice SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISM HUMANISM AND BEHAVIOURISM Vygotsky’s social constructivism Piaget’s age and stage theories Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences Sternberg’s triarchic model of intelligence Weiner’s attribution theory Bandura’s behavioural theories of learning Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory Erikson’s psychosocial development stages NB there is considerable interaction between the theories/principles listed here and the list is by no means exclusive. References Bronfenbrenner, U. Morris, P (1998) ‘The ecology of developmental processes’ in R M Lerner (Ed) Handbook of Child Psychology, Vol. 1. Theoretical models of human development, 5th Ed., pp. 535-584, Wiley: New York Kearsley, G. Shneiderman, B (1999) ‘Engagement Theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning’, accessed 28th September 2008, http://home.sprynet.com/~gkearsley/engage.htm Krause, K-L., Bochner, S. Duchesne, S (2003) Educational Psychology for teaching and learning, Thomson: Southbank, VIC. Larson, J. Marsh, J (2005) Making Literacy Real: Theories and Practices for Learning and Teaching, Sage: London Leamnson, R (1999) Thinking about Teaching and Learning, Stylus Maslow, A (1970) Motivation and Personality, 2nd Ed., Harper Row: New York Nicholls, G. Le Versha, L (2003) Teaching at Post-16: Effective Teaching in the A-Level, AS and GNVQ Curriculum, Kogan Page: London Pressley, M. McCormick, C (2007) Child and Adolescent Development for Educators, Guildford Press: New York Whitton, D., Sinclair, C., Barker, K., Nanlohy, P. Nosworthy, M (2004) Learning for Teaching, Teaching for Learning, Thomson: Southbank, VIC.

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â€Å"There’s no magic bullet; there’s no pill that you take that makes everything great and makes you happy all the time. I’m letting go of those expectations, and that’s opening me up to moments of transcendent bliss. But I still feel the stress over ‘Am I thin enough? Am I too thin? Is my body the right shape?† –Anne Hathaway. It seems as if every young girl’s desire is to become a model. Eating disorders affect an increasingly large number of people, especially young women, in today’s modern societies. One study even found that some girls are more afraid of being fat, than of a nuclear war or getting cancer. The most common types of this disorder are anorexia, bulimia, and purging, each having a discrete effect on different people. Right now, one percent of all American women- our sisters, mothers, and daughters, are starving themselves to death. â€Å"I will not eat cakes or cookies or food. I will be thin, thin, pure. I will be pure and empty. Weight dropping off. Ninety-nine... ninety-five... ninety-two... ninety. Just one more to eighty-nine. Where does it go? Where in the universe does it go?†-Francesca Lia Block. Anorexia nervosa is a serious potentially life threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. 90-95% of anorexia sufferers are girls and women. It is one of the main psychiatric diagnoses and is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents. We believe that we have to be a certain weight and ideal beauty in America; it’s pretty much the main priority for teens and college students. Anorexia is mainly caused by a low self-esteem, stress, and cultural influence. Intense fear of gaining weight, loss of menstrual period, denial of food, and excessive workout are only a han... ...ological, psychological, social, and cultural factors. Many individuals with bulimia, anorexia, or binge eating disorder, do not seek help until they reach their thirties or forties when their eating is deeply ingrained and more difficult to change. Bulimia is often treated more successfully that anorexia, partly because bulimia patients usually want to be treated. Aside from interpersonal issues, such as depression and OCD, eating disorders are strongly provoked by television, electronic devices, and in some cases because of the influences presented by one's parents or friends. Many are unaware of the harm media causes toward its targeted audience. Overall, the media has completely taken over our lifestyle and continues to gain more control every day. Eating disorders don’t belong to a specific face, race, or shape. Anybody can fall victim to these sicknesses.