Opportunity identification and selection in australia Research Paper

Opportunity ID and determination in australia - Research Paper Example a long time, with rising salaries in Asian and African nations, trade openings have opened up and regardless of the low unit estimations of bread, advancements in handling and protection of these items have made it beneficial for organizations engaged with scone creation to investigate send out business sectors. This report analyzes different outer variables that are assuming a huge job in the bread business, particularly with regards to late turns of events. The preparing division in Australia is contained three essential parts: (a) bread (b) scones and (c) cakes and baked goods (www.daff.gov.au). Residential utilization of bread rolls is higher than sends out and the deals of scone items contribute about 33% of assembling turnover in the heating business. As indicated by the report on the preparing business which was distributed in 2001, 75% of the retail exchange rolls happens through general stores, with the market being concentrated and commanded by the major corporate substances, Arnotts and George Weston Foods; while sends out had bounced to 63 million dollars with over half of these fares being coordinated towards New Zealand (www.daff.gov.au). These patterns seem, by all accounts, to be proceeding in light of the fact that as per an industry overhaul report in 2006-7, the patterns in the scone business despite everything show a dominance of deals through monster general store chains. The scone business has changed fairly in the previous decade. In Australia, the bread business has customarily been confined to the residential markets, however sends out have been expanding. The significant changes in the outside condition which are requiring changes in the activity of scone organizations are (an) expanding computerization of bread make (b) the need to agree to Government guideline (c) changes in examples of buyer sustenance (d) defense and combination and (e) utilization of cost or agreement producing. These viewpoints are examined further underneath, in light of the fact that they are the significant outside commands which have

Effective Administration Essay Example for Free

Compelling Administration Essay Diagram the manners by which the Director of Administration and Corporate administrations and her group can guarantee they gives a viable organization administration to accomplish Accent’s ‘commitment to excellence.’ For the presence and endurance of any business it is appropriate to have dreams, set targets and make methodologies to accomplish these destinations. Since business targets are long haul and in continuum, a hardware is required to structure and execute these plans, this is known as organization. Mullins (2007:414 ) characterizes organization as† a key piece of the board procedure that is answerable for the plan and usage of frameworks and systems impelled by the executives to help meet expressed objectives†. Structure of the Business (ACCENT HOTEL GROUP) The business runs a chain of seven lodgings in significant urban communities and air terminals. These inns incorporate 3 and 4 star lodgings. It has 8 executives on its board and Daniel Rycaart the organizer additionally as the CEO. Every inn maintains a semi-independent key specialty unit and is going by a General Manager. All the SBUs report straightforwardly to CEO. The units headed by the chiefs: - Administration and corporate help (incorporates IT) - Finance - Hospitality and inn administrations - Human Resources - Legal Service (organization Secretary) - Operations and gatherings - Risk Management - Sales and Marketing The inns together offer convenience to around 800 visitors and utilize around 800 staff. As a feature of its pledge to greatness and the arrangement of a quality encounter for all visitors, the lodgings offers administration which include: - Conference suites for day delegates and capacity spaces for wedding gatherings and gatherings - Evening diversion in the bar - Indoor warmed pool - Leisure focus (rec center, sauna, spas, and so on for occupants and individuals) - Outdoor porch - Two bars (one of which offer 24 hour bar suppers) - Two eateries with top culinary experts (individually and self help buffet style) Because of the CEO Vision and business technique, expecting to accomplish ‘100% inhabitance throughout the entire year was accomplished by 40% expansion in net benefits over the most recent four years, due to the group’s ‘commitment to greatness, ‘which has been supported by various key activities, expressed beneath; Culture The Group’s culture has ‘changed’ with the presentation of another administration reasoning which sees everyone’s commitment (not simply those dealing with the lodgings) as key to its prosperity. This more ‘inclusive’ culture allowed all staff a chance to include into the Group’s basic achievement factors and key execution markers (KPIs). These include: Duty to greatness by means of value, gauges of execution and client support Terms and states of business Redistributing and in-house administrations Wellbeing, security and cleanliness Inhabitance Deals and promoting Guaranteeing that KPI were composed into their business and operational plans and targets were set and met likewise would guarantee that the associations dreams and methodologies were imparted and comprehended start to finish through the association. Learning and Development The Group’s duty to being a ‘learning organisation’ and keeping up the status of a ‘Investor in People’ incorporated the setting up of another Learningâ and Development Unit. A learning association as characterized by Peter Senge (1990) are associations where individuals constantly extend their ability to make the outcomes they really want, where new and far reaching examples of reasoning are sustained, where aggregate yearning is liberated, and where individuals are persistently figuring out how to see the entire together. The organisation’s duty to being a learning association will guarantee that the learning and improvement needs of the workers were in accordance with the business destinations of the association. Execution Management A report, dispatched by Daniel, distinguished various irregularities with the obsolete exhibition examination framework, including the way that surveys weren’t occurring at normal interims, singular targets weren’t connected to vital, business and operational plans and a few representatives (counting servers, doormen, chamber faculty and regular and easygoing staff) were not as capable at recognizing their own learning and improvement needs. Execution the executives involves arranging. Hierarchical in general execution relies upon accomplishing results recognized by the arranging procedure. Duty to Excellence Daniel’s vision ‘commitment to excellence’ is the lead behind the group’s achievement. Be that as it may, with the new culture of ‘team work’ and ‘openness’, Daniel is endeavoring to enhance the effectively fruitful ‘quality culture’. Daniels has requested recommendations and thoughts from the two administrators and staff on how administration quality and execution could be improved. By connecting the consequences of the inward criticism to execution the board and recognizable proof of adapting needs will additionally improve the fruitful quality culture through consistent improvement. Standard Operating Procedures In January 2005, another arrangement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were acquainted with help the new culture, explicit operational exercises and great arranging and control inside the Group. The SOPs created included: _ authoritative administration _ corporate administration _ consumer loyalty _ information the board _ re-appropriating Daniel’s vision of ‘a duty to greatness and the arrangement of a quality encounter for all guests’ could be accomplished through successful organization, this could be given through the arrangement of frameworks, methods, administrations and assets to help the business. This successfully will be resolved on how compelling the managerial administration framework set up is. â€Å"Administrative administration can be characterized as the successful and effective administration of the organization work and related procedures that help the association in the accomplishment of its everyday business exercises, destinations and strategies†. (Study Guide, p.49) Fayol’s hypothesis on five capacity of the executives can likewise be utilized by the gathering in its endeavor to accomplish its dreams: 1. Guaging and arranging: This is breaking down the future and drawing a strategy to accomplish set objectives and targets. Creating authoritative targets and objectives, staying informed concerning new improvement in outside condition, decide human asset prerequisite for the capacities and creating regulatory financial plan. 2. Sorting out: It is the administration capacity of guaranteeing that all jobs and obligations are unmistakably characterized. All ability level and preparing necessities are satisfactorily set up. 3. Coordinating: This as an authoritative capacity involves directing to guarantee that organizations’ undertakings are done proficiently and successfully. 4. Planning: This is a significant piece of the board, it involves that all the assets of the association are adjusted to guarantee that info, handling and yield capacities are bolstered. It is imperative to guarantee adequacy and effectiveness. 5. Controlling: Control is a vital piece of arranging process and include estimating and rectifying the exhibition of hierarchical destinations and plans, to guarantee that they are executed proficiently and adequately, inside set timescales andâ allocated assets (Fayol (1916) refered to in study, p151). All in all, the onus is on the executive of organization and corporate administrations to guarantee accomplishment of the group’s achievement in its duty to greatness through cohesiveness, arranging, control and coordination of association exercises through compelling administration abilities and regulatory administration. PART B So as to accomplish ‘commitment to excellence’ and consistently improve their strategic policies and administrations, associations must set up sound business methodologies that must be adaptable in nature to be perfect with the difficulties and directs of the business condition. This powers inside the earth where organizations work have made the requirement for associations to be viable and effective in their asset distribution and authoritative measures, along these lines; the mission for business greatness. Persistent improvement is a continuous exertion to improve items, administrations or procedures. These endeavors can look for â€Å"incremental† improvement after some time or â€Å"breakthrough† improvement at the same time. Persistent Improvement is a vital way to deal with driving a cost serious technique for meeting or surpassing client desires. Notwithstanding client needs, rivalry, or business challenges, a top notch constant improvement program can guarantee the achievement of any association Various models can be utilized to represent and assess how associations can accomplish promise to greatness and consistently improve their strategic policies and administrations. A portion of the generally utilized instruments are distinguished beneath: Peters’ and Waterman’s Eight Attributes of Excellence Subsides and Waterman in their accommodation in 1982 took a gander at probably the best-oversaw organizations in the United States and found that they shared a ton of things for all intents and purpose. They arranged a rundown of eight characteristics that they accepted to be available in the organizations. Despite the fact that not each of the eight were available in each organization, these characteristics consistently stuck out. †¢A Bias for Action: Company completes things; expands information, intrigue, and duties. †¢Close to the Customer: Customer fulfillment is significant all through all the jobs that the business plays. †¢Autonomy and Entrepreneurship: Encourage hazard taking and advancement. †¢Productivity Thro

How to Make Your Own Illustration Essay

How to Make Your Own Illustration EssayFor those students who are doing their first illustration essay and looking for some tips on this topic, this is a good time to introduce the subject. Basically, an illustration essay is intended to inform the reader of some aspect of your work or character, that the author could not otherwise explain. Some illustrations might also be used as research materials for any other study assignments or exams, while others could simply serve as an outline to your art. Even a brief overview would be helpful to potential employers.To do an illustration essay, one should start with a brief description of the artwork used in the essay. In order to do this, you can begin by writing down a short description of the overall theme and feeling of the piece. If possible, choose the illustration that you think best describes your main theme, and refer to it whenever needed.In order to complete your illustration essay, you must understand that it will take some time to create. Start by breaking your work down into smaller pieces and following each individual illustration step by step. This will help you to understand each element as you are building it.Once you have started doing your illustration, ask yourself if you can still use the same design from your previous project. This will help you stay focused on your original goals. For example, if you already had the image already in place in your piece, try to change it up a bit, if possible. In doing so, you'll be able to develop your own personal style.Once you've completed one of your drawings and gotten the brief picture to go with it, you will be ready to move on to the next. You can do this in any order and as long as the images all remain consistent with each other. If you are creating multiple images, be sure to combine the information you've already learned with the new details you've just learned. This will help keep you from overthinking.The best illustration essay I have come across really involves a series of small scenes and details that aren't drawn on paper. If you can make your description interesting, using your knowledge and experience, you can use this information to enhance your subject. In order to do this, you can use your experience to explain how you came to understand the aspects of your work that you think are important. If you do your work properly, you should be able to include lots of detail and explain how you came to realize this idea.As you can see, the illustration essay is something that can be very rewarding. It's also a great way to get yourself more work, because you are making a job that is all yours!

The Effects Of Media Violence On Violent Entertainment

Discussion The attraction or appeal of violence in media entertainment is a topic that has received consistent but quiet academic attention, while the effects of media violence continues to draw primary focus from the public and scholars alike. This discrepancy perhaps lays in the difficulty of the question or rather the reality of the question; how can the same people who develop, and by and large, abide by established moral and criminal codes condemning violence choose to engage in violent films, television programs and video games and actually enjoy it? Several theories have been posited; some with more merit than others, since non-fictional and fictional violence first hit the small (and big) screen. Research has shown that personality is a significant contributing factor to the enjoyment of violent entertainment. This is an important finding as it not only distinguishes between those who enjoy violent entertainment and those who do not but also draws attention to the different reasons why different people enjoy violent entertainment. The identification of trait aggression and anti-social tendencies as predictors for enjoyment of violent entertainment is especially important. Given the widely accepted positive correlation between exposure to violent entertainment and aggressive or violent behaviour the current finding should encourage further research into practical and clinical recommendations to mediate the attractiveness of media violence to people alreadyShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Media Violence On Behavioral Violence916 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Media Violence on Behavioral Violence in Young Adults in America The influence of mass media has progressively increased in American society, but can the media have effects beyond mere entertainment and impartial information? American culture has become saturated with online news reports, social media, and media entertainment. Technology has become a major factor in America’s social environment. Much of the information gained from digital sources involves or portrays violence, andRead MoreViolence on Television Can Have Negative Effects on Children1210 Words   |  5 PagesWatching repeated violence on television desensitizes children to violence, and similarly incorrect portrayals of sex on television may contribute to adolescent sex. Violence, and sex on television negatively impacts todays youth, and adolescents. In fact, a main contributor to these negative effects on children are caused by parents. Some parents pay little to no attention to the ratings of television shows, or movies, or the amount of sex, and/or violence their child sees on television. StudiesRead MoreIs Media Violence Pernicious?983 Words   |  4 PagesIs Media Violence Pernicious? In recent decades, the emergence of television and the internet have made information and entertainment alike more accessible than ever before. By extension, this increased availability encompasses violent entertainment as well. As access has risen, media violence has become a rather contentious issue. There is currently a stark division surrounding the topic between those who believe that violent media is pernicious, and those who believe it is harmless, or even catharticRead MoreViolence in The Media: Societys Regression to a Barbaric State1221 Words   |  5 PagesViolence in The Media: Societies Regression to a Barbaric State Violent behavior is something that is innate to the human brain. It has been an instinct of humans since the beginning of our creation or our evolution from a primal state in order to primarily survive and maintain our supremacy atop the hierarchy of all living organisms. We are naturally violent creatures, and this natural tendency for us to exhibit violent behavior isn’t helped by the extreme lack of shelter from and glorificationRead MoreNegative Impact of Media Violence on Children1704 Words   |  7 PagesViolence in entertainment is as old as civilization itself. In the earlier centuries Romans would delight themselves by cheering on gladiators fought themselves to death. Dramatic theater was also full of jealousy, retribution, and violence. Although entertainment violence is not new it wasn’t until the twentieth century that heavy doses of violence were made available to vastly everyone. Over the past one hundred years, as mass media has become more prevalent, it has also become more violent. InRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On Child Development1510 Words   |  7 PagesViolence has progressively increased in the past decades, at an alarming rate in the United States. The top three leading causes between adolescent and youths are unintentional injury (accidents), homicide and suicide according to the World Health Organization. Media and entertainment play a huge part in child development, as technology has seemed to overpower today’s generation. Nearly, forty percent of the human populations have access to an Internet connection at home via any device type and connectionRead MoreEssay on Media Violence: Censorship Not Needed1591 Words   |  7 PagesMedia Violence is a Menace, but Censorship Not Needed      Ã‚  According to John Davidsons essay Menace to Society, three-quarters of Americans surveyed [are] convinced that movies, television and music spur young people to violence. While public opinion is strong, the results of research are divided on the effects of media violence on the youth in this country. Davidson wrote that most experts agree that some correlation between media violence and actual violent acts exists, yet the resultsRead MoreShould We Blame Television1210 Words   |  5 PagesTelevision? The amount of violence shown in the media has posed a lot of controversy. Many video games, television programs, adverts, films and music lyrics depict different forms of violence. Some people feel that there is too much violence exposed in the media. Many studies have made the claim that the media is responsible for much of the violence seen in the world we live in. However, people have choices and responsibilities, we cannot allow ourselves to blame the violence in the world on such thingsRead MoreEssay on Violent Media...Good for Kids? 970 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"Violent Media is Good for Kids† Gerard Jones introduces us to his fearful and lonesome childhood. He lived in a world where he was taught to be the violence fearing, and passive boy his parents wanted him to be. But, when one of his mother’s students gave him a Marvel comic book, his fearfulness was transformed into inspiration. He found a way to escape these discouraging feelings through the  "stifled rage and desire for power† (Jones 285) that he had newly found. The popular comic book heroRead MoreProfessional Wrestling: A Trend among Children1263 Words   |  5 Pagespeople especially children. Leng et al in a literature review from their article their article (pg 45) explain profession wrestling as more of a source of entertainment than a sport where there is a portrayal and dramatization of good versus evil. My paper will focus extensively on television violence with respect to professional wrestling and its effects on children; it will also assert sexuality with in professional wrestling. According to statistics from Monday Cable Ratings, WWE Raw on Monday nights

Clinical Aspects Of Psychology Borderline Personality...

Clinical Aspects of Psychology APP3037 Assessment 2: Critical Review Topic 4: Borderline Personality Disorder Tutor: Vidanka Vasilevski Matthew Lemon Student No. 3926094 Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe Axis 2 mental illness distinguished by a common pattern of mental impulsivity, interpersonal dysfunction, disrupted self-image, and self-harming behaviours (Chanen Kaess, 2012; Leichsenring, Leibing, Kruse, New Leweke, 2011). Between 0.7% and 2.7% of the population suffer from BPD, and 70% of BPD sufferers are reported to be female (Bateman, Krawitz, 2013; Coid et al., 2006; Grant et al., 2008). Whilst BPD is predominantly seen as a disorder of the female gender, it is suspected that males are grossly underrepresented as male BPD sufferers are often found in substance rehabilitation facilities as well as in the prison system (Grant et al., 2008). It is also understood that due to the often comorbid nature of BPD, its symptoms are most often exacerbated by the presence of other mental illnesses (Commonly Axis 1 disorders) such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse (Bateman, Krawitz, 2013). To provide some indication of the extent of BPD’s comorbid nature, it is estimated that 88% of people with BPD also suffer from anxiety disorders, between 71% - 83% suffer from depressive disorders, 47-56% from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 34-48% from panic disorder, and 50-65% from substance or alcohol dependence over the course ofShow MoreRelatedPathological Psychology : Abnormal Psychology1204 Words   |  5 Pagesabnormal psychology. Abnormal psychology focuses on atypical sequences of conduct, feelings, and ideas. Since disorders are any form of interruption in the methodical functioning of an individual, it can be viewed upon as abnormal. A branched area of abnormal psychology includes personality disorders, which indicates a mental disturbance. These particular types of disorders lead to a fixed form of judgement, operation, and action. In order to serve the population of those who deal with borderline personalityRead MoreApplication of Clinical Pychology1243 Words   |  5 PagesApplication of Clinical Pychology PSY/480 Application of Clinical Psychology Clinical psychologist are often treating people with mental illness and patients who suffer from severe psychiatric disorders. Clinical psychologist are involved with helping people with abnormal behavior and who may be suffering from psychological distress. Patients are often individualized by psychological, biological and social factors of their case. Clinical psychologist work very close with their patients toRead MoreBorderline Personality Disorder ( Adhd )1479 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Borderline Personality Disorder was first listed in the DSM in 1980. It is classified as a cluster B personality disorder. Before then it was unsure if it was a disorder on its own, if it only coexisted with other disorders, or only mocked other disorders. Most people suffering from BPD have problems regulating emotions and thoughts, have impulsive and reckless behavior, and have unstable relations with others. High rates of comorbidity occur with this disorder including; depressionRead More Personality Disorders Essay example3944 Words   |  16 Pages Personality Disorders Personality disorders indicate the presence of chronic rigid and maladjusted personality traits, through which the persons interpersonal or professional functioning is negatively affected, or which lead to personal unhappiness and problems (Louw, 1990). Discuss this statement from a biopsychosocial frame of reference and refer to one personality disorder in any cluster to illustrate your answer. The BiopsychosocialRead MoreBorderline Personality Disorder ( Adhd )1659 Words   |  7 Pagesenigmatic condition. The term â€Å"Borderline,† coined by Adolph Stern in 1938 (Optimum Performance Institute), refers to the behavior exhibited by these patients who are on the borderline between neurosis and psychosis. The oscillating nature and unknown concrete cause of this disorder makes it difficult to treat. Due to this, Borderline Personality Disorder, or BPD, has become one of the most controversial disorders to work with in the psychiatric community. Often time Borderline patients are avoided entirelyRead MoreA Discussion of Disco Di1712 Words   |  7 Pagesis the sense of harmony and balance for the individual. Aspects associated with the individual include self-worth, sense of accomplishment, and a positive identity (Fontaine, 2009), where as mental illness is the disharmony someone is experiencing. This disharmony affects not only the individual but their friends a nd family as well as the surrounding community. This disharmony causes the person to be unable to function properly in many aspects of their life (Fontaine, 2009). Disco Di started to displayRead More The Effects of Sport on Levels of Mindfulness and Experiences of Flow: A Comparison of Contact, Non-contact and Team, Non-team Activities1695 Words   |  7 Pagesthat will be of focal concern is conscious awareness in relation to the concept of ‘mindfulness’. In addition to this, analogous research surrounding the topic area will be integrated, with particular attention being paid to an important aspect of sport psychology known as ‘flow’. Mindfulness has its roots in ancient spiritual traditions, namely Buddhism (Keng, Smoski, Robins, 2011), and is commonly defined as â€Å"the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present momentRead MorePsychology1499 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology Name Course Tutor Institution Psychology Discuss the rationale why each disorder applies to the patient and each AXIS that goes with each disorder. Signs and symptoms indicate that Smith is suffering from clinical disorders. All the signs and symptoms she is positive and hence indicating that she is suffering from adjustment disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder and the acute stress disorder. She suffered fromRead MoreWith New Discoveries That Are Made Every Day, The Science1134 Words   |  5 Pagesmade for the field of Psychology. Compared to its early establishment, the schools of thought have expanded tremendously. While each school has its own topic of focus, their ideals at times can overlap with one another. When it comes to psychological disorders, the list of possible diagnoses has exponentially increased from the original general categories. Likewise, as psychology as a practice exposed the dimensions of the human mind, it established the fine–tuned disorders that be found in DiagnosticRead MoreNon-Suicidal Self-Injury among Female Adolescents Es say1491 Words   |  6 Pagessuggested that it is important to develop a good and non-judgmental understanding of the function of the self-harming behavior for the client (Kress, 2008) (Muehlenkamp,2006). Literature also suggests that involvement of family can be an important aspect of treatment. Finally, there is new research to show that Mentalization-Based Treatment is more effective than standard treatment methods for individuals who are self-harming (Russouw, 2012). 2. Information about NSSI: Individuals struggling with

Dream Act free essay sample

Under the first major provision, the DREAM Act would allow unauthorized immigrant youth to obtain the status of Conditional Permanent Resident for an initial period of six years, and then apply for permanent residence and eventual citizenship, if they have met certain criteria. The law gives undocumented immigrants a break on in-state tuition rates if they attend a Maryland high school for three years and if they or their parents can show they filed state income taxes during that time. The effects on college acceptances for American citizens will be effected by the act applies to access to community college first, which is open enrollment, so no slots of Maryland students are at risk. Students who complete 60 credits at a community college and qualify for acceptance to a four-year public college/university also do not influence other in-state applicants. The legislation specifically addresses this issue by indicating the in-state: out-of-state ratio maintained at each college/university should count students admitted under the Dream Act towards the out-of-state allotment. We will write a custom essay sample on Dream Act or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Students admitted under the Dream Act cannot be counted in the ratio of in-state students and therefore are not taking seats at our four-year institutions from other Marylanders. In the United States, the Dream Act calls for an increase in state aid for community colleges of $778,400 for the next fiscal year. The fiscal note does not reflect estimates of how this act will assist in the collection of tax dollars or a net increase in students paying tuition who would not have otherwise been able to afford and attend. When I voted on November 6, I voted in favor of the Dream Act. In my opinion, I feel that if immigrants have been in the United States and have been paying taxes should be allowed to go to a university. The process of becoming a United States citizen is a long and extremely difficult one. I think that every person deserves a chance if they are working for the right to become a part of society. In 2003, Barbara Grutter alleged that her Equal Protection rights were violated when the University of Michigan Law Schools attempt to gain a diverse student body resulted in the denial of her admissions application. Getting into law school is not an easy task to be admitted to, and Grutter felt that she was not being treated equally. The Supreme Court disagreed and held that institutions of higher education have a legitimate interest in promoting diversity. Grutter applied with a 3.8 undergraduate GPA and an LSAT score of 161. She was denied admission. Additionally, officials must look beyond grades and scores to so-called â€Å"soft variables,† such as recommenders’ enthusiasm, the quality of the undergraduate institution and the applicant’s essay, and the areas and difficulty of undergraduate course selection. I feel like the Supreme Court was correct. The ability to have a diverse class is crucial. Colleges and universities have a legitimate interest in promoting diversity.

What are seen as barriers to widening participation in Higher Education How might they be overcome Essay Example

What are seen as barriers to widening participation in Higher Education? How might they be overcome? Essay In recent years the Government has put a lot of effort into increasing participation in Higher Education, using a wide variety of methods including a lot of media advertising. Although this may account for a large proportion of an increase in the diversity of present student populations, changes in British society have also had significant impacts on the variety of students in British universities at present. In todays society there are a lot of attributes that have affected the types of students entering into university, both as students out of school, and also mature students looking to widen their qualifications. An increase in mature student participation is mainly due to a lack of career stability, and so people are having to re-train in other fields in order to obtain jobs. Preece (1998) notes that the trend for a more diverse student population has generally been stimulated by the upskilling needs of a fast changing world and demographic age population shifts. As well as changes in the way society is operating, there are other changes, and improvements that have led to students who earlier would not have even considered higher education, now being able, and encouraged to enrol in higher education. An improved welfare state has meant that disabled people may be better supported during their early education. As a result, more young people with special needs are achieving the entry re quirements for university. In addition, increased material wealth has led to higher aspirations in terms of education. Parents have high expectations of their children and perceive university degrees as an essential to entering the jobs-market. We will write a custom essay sample on What are seen as barriers to widening participation in Higher Education? How might they be overcome? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What are seen as barriers to widening participation in Higher Education? How might they be overcome? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What are seen as barriers to widening participation in Higher Education? How might they be overcome? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In her article Student retention in higher education: the role of institutional habitus Liz Thomas studies the economic barriers that affect students while they are at university. Finance was discovered to be a major problem for students, and also led to a large proportion of them thinking of dropping out of university before they had finished their degrees. Thomas found that this problem consisted of three issues. A general lack of money and concern about future debt A comparative lack of money especially in comparison to friends in full time employment The need to work while studying and the pressure this adds to the student One student, in her study, worked out that during their time at university, four years, they will have spent a total of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½41,000. This is a large figure for someone who is in the process of gaining qualifications in the hope to acquire full time employment. Thomas found that the majority of students that she surveyed (87.5%), at some point, felt that they worried about finance. The second issue is more connected to how the student feels in comparison to either friends who, instead of going to university, have joined full time employment and are earning good money, or comparing the students past employment, if any. One student, in the study, commented: Its difficult if youve got mates at home who are working and theyve got jobs and youve got nothing. The third issue involves a lot of students, and is linked with the other two issues as well. Due to financial difficulties, students are in need to work to supplement income. These can either be undertaken during term time or during the holidays when students are at home. These jobs mainly consist of bar work, call centre staff or secretarial and administrative jobs. Unfortunately, though, these employers know the desperation of these students, and so also know they only have to pay minimum wage. The hours that students work varies during term time between 30-40 hours per week, but Thomas found some students working between 50-60 hours a week during holidays, in order to control the debt that had built up during the term. This also brings about the problem of managing time during term time. Even with working hours between 30-40 hours per week, students are left with little time for university work such as essays and reading. These problems affect mature students just as much as younger students. In Thomas study there was one mature student who, after working full time for eight years, had returned to university. He was having to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200 to pay back debt from his working life, before he started paying anything towards university life. In the end he was forced to obtain the hardship loan to help his situation. Even with this extra loan, however, he was still left with about à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20 per week to spend on himself. This illustrates how many students simply have no idea of the magnitude of these debts and also how they can affect life in higher education. Surprisingly, in this study, 36% of the students who had had an idea of the debt situation said that this did not affect their decision on whether to go to university or not. Also, of the students that did not realise how much of a problem debt would be, 80% said that if they had known of these problems it still would not have changed their thoughts of going into higher education. With an increase in student diversity, universities have to acknowledge a variety in student backgrounds as well. The styles of teaching that the students will have experienced before university will have been different from the teachings of other students. For example, the skills needed to gain grades at AS and A level exams differ greatly from those that are needed to obtain NVQ or HND qualifications. The teaching methods which are familiar to young people in todays schools are very different from those which mature students and, indeed, most university lecturers, will have been familiar with. For many students returning to study the use of technology in learning is unfamiliar and confusing while others find word-processing easier than writing. Language-related factors, especially verbal, can be a major source of misunderstandings in communicating with international students. (De Vita, 2000) Cultural and language barriers may also hamper the communication of teachings between stude nt and lecturers. Students may be fluent in conversational English but may struggle on more technical, or subject specific lexicon. Having gained an insight into the pre-university experience, university staff may then consider programme design and delivery, particularly for first year students. Course content may have been established on the basis that students are expected to have a common starting point for study. As a wider range of pre-university qualifications become available this may become a less realistic expectation. Academic staff can ensure that barriers are not created in the first few weeks by familiarising themselves with the content of pre-university courses and developing a syllabus which can dovetail with students prior knowledge. The delivery of taught sessions is often dependent on the student having an understanding of the appropriate vocabulary. This can often form a barrier for those for whom English is a second language or those who have had a break from education. The production of a glossary of academic terminology pertaining to the subject may provide an appropriate starting point for many such students. The means of assessment can often cause a lot of anxiety amongst students, especially during the first year of studies, when techniques such as referencing are new. Lecturers can ease this transition by stating clear criteria for the assessment, which instils confidence in the student, as they understand what is expected of them. Many students will require modifications to their assessments due to disability. Clear assessment criteria enable support staff such as disability advisers to make the most appropriate recommendations. While the development of such procedures is expected under the Disability Discrimination Act, it can also prove useful in circumstances where students experience particular family problems. Language also plays a disruptive part in assessment issues as some students, who do not have a full grasp on the English language may not understand the full meaning of the questions that are being asked. This can also be a problem when feedback is concerned with misinterpretation of the markers comments. Channock (2000) identified issues surrounding the interpretation of written feedback. Students misunderstand common marking comments and, as a result, comments that were intended to be constructive may be perceived as critical. Most of the problems that raise barriers to student achievement are, themselves, due to and increase in student diversity. This increase in diversity has led to an increase in student intake, which directly leads to lecturers having to teach to larger numbers of students. The teaching methods at university will be very different to what students have witnessed at school, and therefore can seem intimidating. These lectures are often conducted in large lecture theatres, to a large number of students and very impersonal compared to lessons at school. To combat this universities use seminars as a more personal teaching environment, but people with language problems may find it daunting to participate among English speaking peers. It is also very difficult for students to arrange individual appointments with tutors if they wish to discuss drafts of written work. For many students this would have been common practice in their previous courses and they lack the ability to be self-critical. These problems can be limited by the inclusion of extra study skills lessons, but these must be tailored for the individual course and not for the university as a whole. Extra workshops are sometimes used to tackle language barriers. These could involve a tutor to go through work, or lecture slides, and make sure that students have fully understand what has been said. This, however, does require that the tutor has a vast knowledge of the course that is being studied as well as the language spoken by the students. During student inductions, generally freshers week, there can be library inductions to teach students the best ways to research topics as well as referencing properly. Also at this time they are also note-taking workshops to aid students through the transition from school lessons to university lectures, which is a very different form of teaching and learning. Later on in the academic year revision workshops can be very useful for students, to check that they have understood what they have been taught over the last year, and can prepare for the up and coming exams. As well as face-to-face workshops, online support can be beneficial to some students, as long as it is easily accessible. Other students may prefer printed booklets, but whichever form this support takes, the most important thing is that it is directly connected with the course that is being studied. Some of the study support can, sometimes, be seen as remedial and if this is the case students may suffer. With the issues of finance already discussed, it can be hard to see why some students decide to stay within the institution when they are under pressure, whether financial or not. Bourdieus idea of habitus refers to the norms and practices of particular social classes and groups. From this Liz Thomas talks about institutional habitus and how it can be used to determine the way in which difference is dealt with, and thus the way students encountering difference for the first time react. If widening participation is to ensure wider access to higher education, a range of factors must be taken into account. Universities must become more aware of the diversity within the student body. They must also look critically at the assumptions that can be made when designing and delivering courses. By considering student background in conjunction with course design and delivery the barriers which students may encounter can be identified and something can be put in place to solve these problems. If the majority of students find access to the course difficult it may be appropriate to rethink the current approach of providing additional support. While most institutions recognise that students from under-represented groups need to change to survive in an HE environment, fewer are prepared to accept that institutions also need to change. Change to meet the learning needs of access entrants is still resisted on the grounds of defending academic standards. Maggie Woodrow (2000) By gaining in depth knowledge of students universities can implement new methods in their teachings to include more personal and effective learning.

Ñ‹Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony is one of the most remarkable persons one will ever find in American history. She not only helped in the creation of the first womens rights movement in the United States, she led it tirelessly and brilliantly until her death. She was determined and dedicated, letting no one and nothing stand in her way. She faced opposition and even derision from people who had never met her, and worse, from those closest to her. But she never once faltered in her resolve. Although she did not live to see her greatest goal attained, it is an unarguable fact that her work for The Cause did more to gain women the right to vote than that of any other person. Susan Brownell Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, the second of eleven children (Susan B. Anthony: A Biography, by Kathleen Barry, page 10). Her parents were Daniel Anthony and Lucy Read. Daniel was a Quaker, while Lucy was raised a Baptist. Their unique union was formed against the wishes of the Quaker community in which Susan was raised. Her parents defiance of the social norm set by the sedate Quaker community perhaps served as Susans earliest inkling that sometimes what society said was normal was not always right (Barry, 6). Susan had a very commonplace childhood, with no indication of her future. If anything, she was rather a homebody. But this childhood is precisely why she was an effective womens leader: She understood the situation of the common woman (Barry, 12). In the world in which Susan was raised, women had a very limited role. They were expected to stay at home and work like slaves, but if they went out into the world for a paying job, they were compensated at a fraction of the wages a man would receive for an equal position. A married woman could not own property; Her husband took custody of the property when they married. She also could not draw a paycheck; The money was handed directly to her husband, irrega...

Characteristics of Money to Function Effectively

Characteristics of Money to Function Effectively Explain the characteristics required by money if it is to carry out its functions effectively. What is money? Money is primarily a current medium exchange, for a person to buy goods and services from other person in the form of coins and banknotes (Freeman, 2012). It is critical to have a clear definition between money and wealth. In general, people may tend to use the term â€Å"money† as a synonym for â€Å"wealth†, such as Warren Buffet has a lot of money. However, economists clarify that these two terms are not in fact synonymous. In the side of economics, â€Å"money† is specifically used to refer to the currency, but not an individual’s wealth or assets. Yet, technically anything can be served as money as long as it possesses the following four main functions (Beggs, 2014). First of all, it must have the primarily function of serving as a medium of exchange. People need an item that is able to act as money to undergo the activities of buying and sel ling goods and services. In other words, an item that considered as money must be widely being accepted as payments for goods and services (Beggs, 2014). Money has made the transactions easier as everyone is willing to trade money for goods and goods for money. However without money, the transactions must be conducted through the barter system where exchange can only happen if there is double coincidence of wants. This system will cause inconvenience to the people as they cannot buy what they want or need or the seller may hard to sell his goods unless double coincidence of wants happens. Hence, we can conclude that money has eliminated the inconvenience which was faced in barter transactions by eliminating the double coincidence when purchasing or selling goods and services (UPADHYAYA, 2012). People can buy what they need from the seller and inversely seller can sell all the goods and services to people who need. Besides that, money is able to create efficiency as it eliminates unc ertainty regarding what is going to be accepted as payment by various businesses. With a generally accepted medium of exchange, trades are easier, more efficient, and resources can spend more time doing production (Money Functions, 2000-2014). Besides that, an item must work as unit of value or standard value in order to consider as money. Money is being used as the common benchmark to designate the prices of goods throughout the economy (Money Functions, 2000-2014). Money provides and measures various goods and services with different value that produced in the economy, in the terms of monetary unit. Without this function, money is extremely hard to identify since there is no value in between, and also hard to make a decision on how much volume of goods and services should be given in exchange of a given quantity of a commodity in a barter economy (UPADHYAYA, 2012). However, money has solved this problem by letting people to know the exact value or price of a good. It enables both the suppliers and buyers to make wise decisions about how much to supply for the goods and how much to purchase in exchange (Function of Money, 2013).

Classic Airlines Marketing Solution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Classic Airlines Marketing Solution - Term Paper Example 102). The nine step problem solving model is described as an ideal framework that enables leaders of business organizations and companies with guidelines of understanding problems and how they can deal with them through making the right decisions (Petrolini & Walden, 2000, p. 1). Classic Airlines is faced with a marketing problem which has resulted in the loss of customer confidence and decreased share prices. This problem is worsened by the fact that fuel costs have increased and labor force has become more expensive to acquire and maintain. The airline’s board of directors has thus decided to employ strategies of cutting costs. This has led to reduced motivation to the employees whose morale and attitude towards work has become significantly low. These challenges have had a major impact on the marketing function of the airline which is faced with a problem of increasing the satisfaction of its customers and maintaining their loyalty at the same time decreasing the airlineâ⠂¬â„¢s expenditure. This paper gives a critical analysis and discussion of Classic airline’s marketing problem while using the nine step problem solving model in order to provide the most appropriate marketing solution for the airline. In the nine step problem solving model, the initial step involves describing the situation or the problem that needs an immediate solution (Petrolini & Walden, 2000, p. 7). ... The situation that the airline is in illustrates the need to put more effort in promoting its services through improving quality, efficiency and reducing the costs associated with traveling. Since this contradicts with the Airline’s need to reduce costs, then it is evident that a serious problem exits and thus an amicable solution is required so that the airline’s reputation and success is maintained. Classic airline’s marketing function is involved in trying to help the airline to come out of the problem that it is facing. The board of directors has engaged the marketing department in conjunction with finance and customer services so that a solution is reached. The shareholders of the airline have also shown interest in providing a solution for the company so that they could safeguard their investment. The best solution for the situation that Classic Airlines is facing is to involve the marketing strategies which will lead to enhancing the satisfaction of the co nsumers and in return, this will help the airline to improve its sales. The increased income would be used to compensate the staff and hence motivate them which will further improve the satisfaction of the customers and eventually win their loyalty on the airline. The management of the airline should thus set priorities in coming up with the solution for the marketing problem faced by the airline so that appropriate strategies are devised that would lead it into a lasting solution to the problem. Additionally, it is recommended the management of the airline evaluate the current situation in relation to the desired situation in order to determine how the solution would be reached with efficiency and

Human ResourcesTraining and Development #2 Essay

Human ResourcesTraining and Development #2 - Essay Example SWOT Analysis is an effective tool in identifying the internal strengths and weaknesses and the external opportunities and threats. It helps to develop a plan of action to concentrate on weaknesses and threats and get maximum advantage from the strengths and opportunities it has. The strengths of Abbott Labs are: its great history of innovation, its wide range of products, the great respect it commands in market ratings, and finally its expanding geographical reach opening up new opportunities. These are certainly its strengths to build on. Its overdependence on the anti-bacterial Biaxin and the anti-epileptic Depakote is could be a major weakness for Abbott. Both these products contribute substantially to the company revenues and profits. The challenge for Abbott is to minimize the decline of sale of these two. Abbott has been doing it bests in exploring new opportunities and keeping its position of strength. The new agreements and acquisitions it has had with Knoll Pharmaceuticals, Vysis Inc, and Biocompatible will help expand its product range and its pipeline. The company signed a The price regulation of prescription drugs in various markets by peers and government agencies, strong competition from generic manufacturers, and the expiring patent protection are the major threats Abbott is facing. "Abbott Laboratories' 'Position of Strength'

Leaders in Business Essay -- essays research papers

The business sector in today’s society is increasing rapidly, and with this increase comes the need for more people to manage and lead growing companies. This growing need also raises some potential questions: Can anyone become a leader or a manager? Is there a difference between the two? Can people be trained to become leaders or managers? Just like many other questions that might be asked in business; these questions have no one, definite answer. Let’s begin first by acknowledging the definitions of the two root words; the word â€Å"manage† means to handle, where as the word lead means to go. Similarly as the two words have different definitions, they also have different purposes. To help individuals increase their potentials in business, an internationally recognized motivational speaker by the name of Marc Sanborn has developed certain â€Å"theories† that, much like in science or art, prove some things to be more true than others by providing suppor ting facts to prove the validity of certain ways of thinking. Many of Marc’s theories validate the fact that in general, good managers tend to be good leaders, but good leaders are not always good managers. It is said, "Any company that cannot imagine the future won’t be around to enjoy it." Therefore before any manager or leader can affect changes in their business they have to do what Marc describes as visioning; they must mentally â€Å"look† into what they want to see as the potential outcome of any given situation. Managers are concerned with the problem at hand; they focus on what has to be done. Leaders on the other hand, notice what has to be done, but spend their time figuring out how to get it done. Marc states â€Å"managers vision the destination, leaders vision how to get there†. To be an effective leader it is important to focus on the gritty details of a situation, look for opportunities and how to achieve them. Visioning cannot be taught but can be developed. Marc suggests people start from the end and work backward, or think to themselves â€Å"what will this team accomplish because of me?† Leadership is all about taking an organiza tion to a place it would not have otherwise gone without you, in a value-adding, measurable way. When you vision, you think your way into a situation and it is the approach in visioning that separates managers from leaders. Visioning however is not the only method that separate... ...by now that there indeed is a difference between managers and leaders and it is eventually the approach taken upon certain methods that is the determinant of your leadership role. Marc Sanborn explains that managerial power is positional power; it is power over people whereas leadership is supportive power, and it is power with people. Whether you vision the destination, or the transportation there, whether you try to be efficient or effective, and whether you focus on the speed or the path all come into play as your leadership quality level. These qualities can be improved and developed, if they are all focused on the right things. That is why good managers tend to be good leaders, because they can focus on getting tasks done efficiently and also do it right at the same time. Managers are good disciplinarians; they are able to manage certain objectives while being efficient. However good leaders are more supportive and creative and might sometimes lack the disciplinary quality o f getting the right thing done as efficiently as possible. For the most part, there is a very fine line between good managers and good leaders, but good leaders just aren’t and do not want to be, managers.

Putting the Service †Profit Chain to Work

PUTTING THE SERVICE – PROFIT CHAIN TO WORK Group – 5 Introduction: Factors that drives profitability Investment in people Leadership Vision – Patina of spirituality, importance of mundane Profitability Technology supporting frontline workers Successful service companies: Banc One, Intuit, Southwest Airlines, Service Master, USAA, Taco Bell, and MCI Compensation linked to performance Recruiting and training practices The Service – Profit Chain †¢ Establishes relationships between profitability, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction, loyalty and productivity †¢ Measure and management techniquesSupport services and policies Employee loyalty, satisfaction, productivity Value and service Customer satisfaction Customer loyalty Profit and growth The Links in the Service-Profit Chain †¢The service profit chain is also defined by a special leadership †¢Examples: Herbert Kelleher – Southwest (Patina of spirituality), William Pollard – ServiceMaster (Teacher-learner managers, servant’s heart), John McCoy- Banc One (Uncommon Partnership, system of support) Customer Loyalty that drives Profitability and Growth 5% increase in customer loyalty can produce profit increases from 25% to 85% †¢ Quality of market share in terms of customer loyalty as important as quantity of share in the market †¢ Example: Banc One †¢ Measures of Customer retention †¢ No. of services used by each customer – depth of relationship †¢ Level of customer satisfaction †¢ XEROX Customer satisfaction Drives Customer Loyalty †¢ Polled 480,000 customers per year †¢ Five point scale – satisfaction(product and service) †¢ Relationships between the scores – actual loyalty differed greatly between 5s and 4s apostles †¢ Terrorists – unhappy customersValue drives Customer Satisfaction †¢ Value – related to the total costs (price and other costs incurr ed) †¢ Example: †¢ Progressive – insurance company – Quick processing and payment to claims – Little policy holder effort – CAT (catastrophe) team Employee Productivity Drives Value †¢ Southwest Airlines †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 7th largest US domestic carrier 86% of employees unionized (total 14,000) Employees can perform several jobs Schedules, routes and company practices to enable speedy boarding and deplaning (15 min. 40% more pilot (70hr/month) and aircraft utilization Fare charges 60-70% lower Customer perceptions of value are very high without additional facilities 14,000 employees – marketing research unit Employee loyalty drives productivity †¢ Study of automobile dealer’s sales personnel †¢ More employee turn over more loss Employee Satisfaction drives Loyalty †¢ Propriety study of a property and casualty insurance company †¢ Southwest – highest reten tion (95%) †¢ USAA – Insurance and financial services providerInternal Quality drives Employee Satisfaction †¢ Working environment †¢ USAA – telephone sales and service representatives †¢ Information system †¢ Training †¢ ServiceMaster †¢ Attitudes of people toward one another †¢ Cleaning and maintenance †¢ Importance to mundane Leadership Underlies the Chain’s Success †¢ Corporate culture centered on service †¢ Willingness and ability to listen †¢ Examples Relating Links in the chain for management Action †¢ Few have links in meaningful way †¢ Examples Property and casualty insurance company †¢ MCI †¢ Taco Bell  » Employee participation  » Periodic round table meetings, interviews Service – Profit Chain Audit †¢ PROFIT AND GROWTH †¢ How do we define loyal customers? †¢ Do measurements of customer profitability include profits from referrals? †¢ What pr oportion of business development expenditures and incentives directed to the retention of existing customers?†¢ Why do customers defect? Service – Profit Chain Audit †¢ CUSTOMER SATISFACTION †¢ Are customer satisfaction data gathered in an objective, consistent, and periodic fashion? Where are the listening posts for obtaining customer feedback in your organization? †¢ How is information concerning customer satisfaction used to solve customer problems? Service – Profit Chain Audit †¢ EXTERNAL SERVICE VALUE †¢ how do you measure service value? †¢ How is information concerning customers’ perceptions of value shared with those responsible for designing a product or service? †¢ To what extent are measures taken of differences between customers’ perceptions of quality delivered and their expectations before delivery? Do our organization’s efforts to improve external service quality emphasize effective recovery fro m service errors in addition to providing a service right the first time?Service – Profit Chain Audit †¢ Employee productivity †¢ How do you measure employee productivity? to what extent do measures of productivity identify changes in the quality as well as the quantity of service produced per unit of input? †¢ Employee loyalty †¢ How do you create employee loyalty? †¢ Employee Satisfaction Is employee satisfaction measured in ways that can be linked to similar measures of customer satisfaction with sufficient frequency and consistency to establish trends for management use? †¢ Are employee selection criteria and methods geared to what customers as well as managers believe are important? †¢ To what extent measures of customer satisfaction, loyalty or the quality and quantity of service output used in recognizing and rewarding? Service – Profit Chain Audit†¢ INTERNAL SERVICE QUALITY Do employees know who their customers are? †¢ Employee satisfaction with technological and personal support? †¢ LEADERSHIP – To what extent – – – – – Energetic, creative vs stately, conservative? Participatory, caring vs removed, elistist? Listening, coaching and teaching? Motivating by mission vs motivating by fear? Leading by means personal values vs institutionalized policies? Time spent developing and maintaining culture? †¢ RELATING MEASURES †¢ what are the most important relationships in company’s service profit chain? .

Ablenet Equals - Math Curriculum for Differing Ability

Compare Prices Equals is a special education mathematics curriculum designed for a range of disabilities. There are resources for teaching children with disabilities, like Touch Math, but this is probably the only curriculum designed specifically for children with serious differences. Its strength is the fact that it reflects the breadth of the mathematics curriculum most states cover in their standards. Its weakness is that it is somewhat unwieldy, and really needs the support of training and ongoing leadership from a curriculum specialist or coordinator. Assessment Divided into 12 Chapters the curriculum ascends from attending, to fractions, covering calculation, geometry, problem solving, and functional math skills. Designed to accommodate students from the severely disabled to the mildly disabled, the program can support students alongside typically developing students, possibly entering junior high with similar competencies to their peers. It can also help more severely disabled students to build a basic level of mathematical literacy, without perhaps the same level of skills. Equals provides its own assessment program with flip books and test booklets which can be easily administered and scored. The program also provides guidelines for matching scores to the place were a disabled student will need to begin the program. For children who have acquired some math skills, they may be able to start in chapter 3 or 6. For children with more serious disabilities, they may need to start at chapter 1, and may move more slowly through the curriculum. Differentiation Each lesson begins with a warm up, continues with exploration at the three levels (severe, moderate and mild disabilities.) Each lesson continues with Introduce and Connect which builds on prior knowledge, Teach, Problem Solving and Close, with the lesson presentation providing for each of the three levels. Each lesson is followed by problem solving, work stations (learning centers) and games. The program comes with a complete set of high quality math manipulates and materials. The materials include work mats, designed to structure instruction using the manipulates. Brightly colored and attractive, they provide a good alternative to pencil and paper, as well as accommodating different means of responding, from placing counters on the chart, to using eye gaze to identify the correct response. A printed set is included in the boxed curriculum set, but are also on the CD Rom provided by the publisher. The scope and sequence lay out the differences as well, suggesting a mildly disabled students needs three days to cover a lesson, whereas a severely disabled child might need three weeks to master the same material. Equals also provides strong materials to support functions skills, such as money, time and measurement. Resources The kit includes an attractive set of high quality materials to support instruction. Rather than cheesy, poor quality counters, the kit includes well made items available through Abilification. Obviously, Ablenet wanted to provide materials that should hold up and provide service for years. Which is good, since at $1,700 a kit, this is not cheap materials. The kit also comes with a CD Rom with printable resources: the work mats, the activity cards, all the paper resources required for the program. Obviously new, the CD is not easy to use. When you open the CD its hard to see which icon you should click on: I recommend files. The others require that you save the documents before you can open them. Im sure that this will be worked out in future editions, though its a bit of a challenge now. I hope your district is also willing to invest in a color printer for your desk. I know a lot of districts are trying to save toner costs by making everyone print to a shared laser printer, but these materials will be most attractive for visual learners if you can make them in color. Recommendation This is a great program for a district that is going to make the commitment to support the materials with workshops, training and trained curriculum specialists. Like Everyday Math, the materials provide lots of concrete support to help scaffold the cognitive challenges of math for disabled students. Like Everyday Math, teachers need to understand the different conceptual structures they are using to support deeper math understanding. This is also not cheap materials. At $1,700 a classroom, its a major economic commitment on the part of the district. Still, if a district uses the program to parallel the main curricular materials, it has the potential to bring mildly disabled students to a parallel place with typically developing students by middle school. The disadvantage of Touch Math is that it often locks kids into a single strategy for doing functional math. The strength of Equals is that it provides broad mathematical instruction. But buyer beware: it does not free a special education teacher from the need to collect data and be attentive to functional math skills, especially those needed to thrive in the community. So, if you think Equals may work for your district, and you can get the commitment of your special education director and the powers that be, contact Ablenet and check it out. Compare Prices