How Does Dickens Present the Development of Pip’s Character?

The novel Great Expectations follows the story of a young boy, Pip, who realizes his identity as he strives to be above his social class, and shows the development and changes in his character. Pip's personality traits change through interaction with other people in the course of this story. Although Pip was brought up in a harsh and poor background, with a punishing sister, who had brought him up â€Å"by hand†, he was gentle and kind. However, after his encounter with Miss Havisham and Estella, his perception of the world is drastically altered, and along with this so does his character.The reader first sees how sympathetic Pip is when he meets the escaped convict, Magwitch, in the graveyard. Dickens creates a sense of pathos through Pip’s description of Magwitch â€Å"he hugged his shuddering body in both his arms†, which shows that he is in a terrible state and about to literally fall apart. Here Magwitch is portrayed as vulnerable, injured and not very menac ing. This novel is narrated by Pip; therefore it is Pip that is describing Magwitch in a pitiful state. Consequently, Pip does not see Magwitch as a threat; instead he feels sorry for him and is sympathetic.Pip is very brave, as he faced the convict, Magwitch, who was several times his size and many more times as strong, despite being so young. He was even able to talk to him politely, â€Å"If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn’t be sick, and perhaps I could attend more†. Also, instead of fleeing at once, Pip had wished Magwitch goodnight. This takes a certain amount of courage, and also shows that Pip is well-mannered. Furthermore, Pip is curious about Magwitch and cares about him, as he did not run away as soon as he was freed, â€Å"I stopped to look after him†.This shows that Pip was concerned about Magwitch’s wellbeing, as if he was truly scared of Magwitch and was just going to go home to carry out his errand, he would have run straight home. Staying and watching after Magwitch portrays that Pip has a good heart and has a gentle character. Dickens also demonstrates Pip’s capacity for compassion when he returns to Magwitch of his own free will with food, water and a file, when he could have reported him the police. Pip did not bring Magwitch food and water just because he was threatened to do so, but because he wanted to do this.The reader can see this as Pip brings good food and brandy to Magwitch, â€Å"some bread, some rind of cheese, about half a jar of mincemeat†¦ some brandy†¦ a beautiful round compact pork pie†, and not just simple bread and water. This shows that Pip is generous and considerate, willing to risk being discovered by Mrs Joe that he had stolen a pork pie, just for the convict. Pip and Magwitch share an interesting relationship here, where Pip is the loving, nurturing superior, despite the fact that he is younger than Magwitch.This event shows tha t Pip is tender, nurturing, and has a matured character. The turning point in Pip’s life comes after his first visit to Satis house, when he meets Miss Havisham and Estella. After this visit, he is greatly influenced by them and starts to treat himself and his family very differently. Estella, whom Pip falls in love with at once, has a profound effect on Pip, as he soon starts to despise himself and detest the way he acts and looks, â€Å"I had never thought of being ashamed of my hands before; but I began to consider them a very indifferent pair.Her contempt for me was so strong, that it became infectious, and I caught it. † Estella, who is the ‘tool for revenge’ of Miss Havisham, is the character which causes Pip to start hating himself and wish he was more like Estella than the person he is now. Therefore, Pip has become more self-critical of himself, as he disapproves of his own appearance and behaviour. Pip’s desire for advancement largely over shadows his basic goodness. Not only is Pip changing his attitude towards himself, but also towards his family and friends.He echoes Estella’s words precisely when he is evaluating Joe one day, â€Å"how common Estella would consider Joe, a mere blacksmith: how thick his boots, and how coarse his hands. † This further enforces how Pip aspires to be like Estella, as he is trying to speak like her and share the same views. Also, Joe is a father-figure to Pip, as he tries to protect Pip from his wife's angry outbursts, â€Å"Joe and I being fellow-sufferers, and having confidences as such, Joe imparted a confidence to me†. However, now Pip is looking down on Joe, who was a friend, a brother and a father to him.As well as disapproving Joe, Pip even blames him to an extent for his behaviours, â€Å"I determined to ask Joe why he had ever taught me to call those picture-cards, Jacks, which ought to be called knaves. I wished Joe had been rather more genteelly brought up, and then I should have been so too. † This is quite rude and disrespectful, as Joe had always been kind to Pip. It is not Joe’s fault to have been born into a poor, lower class family and for Pip to blame Joe in such a way is very unfair. Therefore Pip is starting to become ungrateful and snobbish, even to his nearest and dearest. Pip is ashamed now f the life he leads and with whom he leads it with, as he mentions several times that he is â€Å"ashamed of home†. Initially, Pip had many wonderful images of home, â€Å"I had believed in the front door, as a mysterious portal of the Temple of State whose solemn opening was attended with a sacrifice of roast fowls†¦ I had believed in the forge as the glowing road to manhood and independence. † However, he follows this by saying how embarrassed and unhappy he is of his home when he says, â€Å"Now, it was all coarse and common, and I would not have had Miss Havisham and Estella see it on any account . This shows that Miss Havisham and Estella have changed his perception of his quality of life, from believing that he lived in a wonderful world, to believing that he led a worthless life. Pip has changed from being content with living a simple life, to being constantly desiring to improve his status and impressing Estella. As a character, Pip has developed from being a humble, kind boy with an innate goodness about him, into a young man who falls madly in love with Estella, to such an extent where he would do anything to win her over and that it blinds him from everything else.He disapproves of his family and hurts those around him, including himself. As a character, however, Pip’s hopes of a higher position in society often leads him to perceive the world rather narrowly, thinking that by thinking and acting like an upper class individual would automatically make him accepted in those ranks. On the other hand, it cannot be denied that Pip at heart is a very generous and sy mpathetic young man, with an inborn moral nature.

The Battle of Stalingrad

The Battle of Stalingrad was fought from August 23, 1942 to February 2, 1943. Hitler’s attempt to capture the city ended when the Soviets trapped the 300 000-German 6th army under General Friedrich Paulus. The destruction of the mighty 6th army gave the Soviets a psychological lift and military initiative.For the Germans, the battle signaled the end of the Russian conquest; that is, from a war of conquest to a war of survival. Background On August 1938, Hitler shocked the world by signing a non-aggression pact with his most hated enemy, the Soviet Union.Both powers agreed not to attack each other for a period of 10 years. A secret protocol called for a division of Eastern Europe between the two powers. Confident that the Soviets would not intervene with his military plans, Hitler proceeded to attack Poland. On September 1, 1939, German armored formation, supported by the Luftwaffe, smashed into the Polish borders, trapping thousands of Polish soldiers before they could organiz e a general retreat into Eastern Poland. Two days later, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Two weeks later, Soviet forces occupied Eastern Poland, as part of the Nazi-Soviet Pact.Poland was obliterated from the map of Europe. Hitler now turned his attention to the West. After eight months of interregnum, German forces aided by the powerful Luftwaffe, struck at France, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The British were trapped at Dunkerque. French forces were defeated in a matter of four weeks. With France defeated, Hitler now turned his attention to his hated ally, the Soviet Union. On June 22, 1941, three German army groups, numbering about 3. 1 million men struck at the Soviet Union. The Soviets were caught by surprise.On the first day alone, 1 million Soviets were either killed, capture, or injured; 1400 aircraft were destroyed, 500 guns were either destroyed or captured. After three days, the Soviets lost almost 80% of their armored formations in the East. Four Panzer armies drove towards Moscow. The arrival of the so-called ‘Siberian units’ (numbering about 1 million men) and the harshness of the 1941 winter finally drove the Germans from the outskirts of Moscow. Both sides rested. Hitler, however, planned another campaign in the Southern sector of the front. Operation BlueOn May 1942, German forces smashed across the Southern sector of the Eastern Front. Again, Soviet forces were caught by surprise. The Germans drove into the river Don, and prepared a massive assault on the river Volga (where Stalingrad was located). Two German panzer armies took the Caucasus on the following month. The 2nd and 4th Romanian armies as well as the 8th Italian army aided the German Sixth army in the crossing of the river Volga. By the 1st of August, additional armor was transferred to the 6th Army for the final capture of the city of Stalingrad.Marshal Georgy Zhukov anticipated this and ordered Soviet forces to encircle the 6th Army. Sett ing the Stage for the Battle In the Southern sector of the front, Hitler possessed superior forces. German forces numbered about 1. 7 million men, or about 76 divisions. Operation Blue called for the use of 3 panzer armies; two of which would drove into the Caucasus. One panzer army would drive straight into Stalingrad (refer to map1). On the eve of Blue, Germany still retained the element of surprise. For the Soviets, the defense of Stalingrad and other key cities around the Volga rested on the newly formed Soviet army reserves.Much of the Don steppes (refer to map2) were ideal for armored maneuvers. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock once argued to Hitler that the best way to destroy the Soviet army is to launch a massive attack around the river Volga. Hitler, however, insisted that the main thrust of the attack should be around the Caucasus Mountains. Much of the strength of the Soviet army laid on its newly formed armored formations and the reserve armies, and of course, the channels of defenses around key cities in the Volga region (refer to map 3). Stalin allocated only about 20% of the whole Soviet forces to the Southern sector, expecting an attack around Moscow.At the start of Blue, 10 Soviet armies were hastily sent to the South to counter the 3 panzer armies and the 7 German infantry and satellite armies. It can be argued that whilst the Soviet held the upper hand in the northern and central sector of the front, in the south, the German initially outnumbered the Soviets by almost 3:1. At the start of the battle of Stalingrad, all Soviet reserves were thrown into Stalingrad in a bid to encircle the German 6th army. When the German 6th Army entered the city on August 23, about 5 Soviet tank armies were massing around the river Volga.Only the 4th Panzer Army was in proximity to support the 6th Army in case of a major Soviet offensive. Most of the armor were allocated to the army group in the Caucasus region. The Battle The first phase of the battle of Staling rad involved the direct assault of the German 6th Army and the German 4th Panzer Army to 8 Soviet armies of the Stalingrad front (refer to map4). Fighting in the Don steppes reached its height on the end of July when 2 Soviet tank armies tried to outmaneuver both the 6th Army and the 4th Panzer army. It would take 4 weeks before the German army could liquidate the 2 tank armies.The Soviet army retreated into the interior of the Volga region in preparation of a massive German attack on the Stalingrad. Stalin now reorganized the Stalingrad front. Two infantry armies were reassigned as tank armies. The second phase of the German drive into Stalingrad involved the crossing of the river Volga. The Romanian and Hungarians armies provided the flanks of the 6th Army. The 4th Panzer Army provided the spearhead of the attack. Some armored formations were reallocated to the 6th Army from von Kleist’s 1st Panzer Army. The Soviets retreated to the outskirts of Stalingrad.Consequently, Sta lin ordered the Soviet armies to hold the 6th Army in Stalingrad. He allowed no further withdrawal of the Soviet forces. Between the Don and the Volga, a huge salient was formed occupied by the 62nd and 64th Soviet armies. On August 29, 4th Panzer Army smashed into the southern junction of the 64th Army and headed towards Stalingrad. The 6th Army drove into the northern junction of the 62nd Army (refer to map5). The pressure made by the Soviet 4th Tank Army in the north slowed the progress of the 6th Army, enabling the two Soviet armies to escape encirclement (refer to map6).The third phase of the battle involved a major German assault on the southern sector of the city. The Luftwaffe dropped thousands of bombs in the city. Paulus ordered the 6th Army to make a frontal assault of the city (which was now surrounded on three sides). German artillery pounded on the Soviet defenses on the Volga. Meanwhile, Soviet reserves continued to pour on the Stalingrad front allowing Zhukov to moun t local counterattacks against the 6th Army. As the fight for the city intensified, Stalin reorganized the Soviet fronts, creating the Southwest and Don fronts.Zhukov’s plan for a major counterattack was simple yet ambitious. Three Soviet armies from the Southwest and Don fronts would drive towards the left flank of the German 6th Army. Two Soviet armies from the Stalingrad front would drive towards the junction of the 6th Army and the 4th Panzer Army (refer to map7). This strategy was designed to trap the 6th Army in Stalingrad. On October 1942, storm was unleashed on the Romanian and Hungarian armies (which served as flanks of the 6th Army). They were easily destroyed. The Soviets pounded the city into rubble.Although Hitler promised to airlift supplies to the 6th Army, only 100 tons reached daily, far from the 400 tons daily supplies promised by Hitler. From December 1942 to January 1943, the Soviets reduced the Stalingrad pocket by 50%. Hitler’s insistence for the 6th Army to hold out added to its own destruction. Paulus never ordered a major break out of the 6th Army. On February 1943, the headquarters of Paulus was captured by the Soviets. Paulus surrendered to the Soviets on the day of his promotion as field marshal. Weapons/Advantages/AlliancesMost of the German armor used in Blue and the battle of Stalingrad were Mark III and Mark IV, equipped with 50 and 80 mm. guns. Armor ranged from 80 to 100 mm. The famous 88 mm gun was used both as anti-tank and anti-aircraft gun (it was the only anti-tank gun that could destroy the mighty T-34). German airpower relied on two famous aircrafts: the bomber Junker and the Messerschmitt Bf109 (a powerful fighter). German soldiers were highly trained, far from their Soviet counterparts (also in comparison with Germany’s allies: Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Italy).The Soviet tank armies relied on two powerful tanks: the T-34 (with its 75 mm gun) and the KV100 (a heavy tank). The T-34 tank was su ited on all types of weather and could reach a speed of about 70 miles an hour. The Soviets also employed the IL28, a powerful fighter that could in some cases outfought the mighty Bf 109. The advantages of the Germans were as follows: 1) the efficiency and effectiveness of the German General Staff in operational and strategic planning, 2) the level of training of individual German soldiers, 3) the close coordination of German mechanized units and the air force, and 4) flexibility in command structure.The advantages of the Soviets were as follows: 1) the large size of the Soviet reserve armies, 2) its powerful tank designs (T-34), 3) determination, almost fanatical, of the Soviet armies in defending key cities, and 4) high production of armaments. Situation Report The defeat of the German 6th Army at Stalingrad signaled the end of Hitler’s war of conquest in the East. It initially destroyed the capability of the German to launch another massive operation (except at Kursk). In essence, the defeat gave the Soviets a psychological lift; that is, it was possible for the German army to be defeated.The strategic victory of the Soviets at Stalingrad allowed Stalin to press for a major Allied counterstrike at North Africa. German pressure in the East was partially relieved. Hitler was now faced a war on two fronts, which he initially prevented by signing the non-aggression pact with Stalin. On the area of operations, much of the German activities after the battle of Stalingrad focused on minor offensive posture, in contrast to the Soviets which could mount major operations (Bagration for example).In any case, the battle of Stalingrad shifted the favor of war to the Allies, as did in the battle of El Alamein in North Africa. Bibliography Battle of Stalingrad. BBC. PolyGram Video International, 1994. Beevor, Antony. Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege 1942-1943. New York: Viking, 1998. Irving, David. Hitler’s War and the War Path. London: Parforce, 2002. Seaton, Albert. The Russo-German War, 1941-1945. New York: Praeger, 1971. Toynbee, Arnold. A History of the World. London: London Publishing House, 1964. Wells, Herbert. The Outline of History. London: Garden City Books, 1956.

Analysis on the Conclusion of Tennessee Williams’s Book, A Streetcar Named Desire vs the Film Adaptation

Analysis on the Conclusion of Tennessee Williams’s Book, A Streetcar Named Desire vs the Film Adaptation The endings of A Street Car Named Desire in the movie and in the play by Tennessee Williams are very different. Initially, they both follow the same storyline, which follows Stella’s struggles between choosing Blanche or Stanley. Near the end, Kazan changes the turning point from what Tennessee Williams wrote. The impact of the different endings dramatically changes the reactions from the audience. In the play, Eunice is telling Stella that she cannot believe what Stanley did because her life needs to go on. Stella takes the baby, and she goes back to Stanley, and when the baby stopped crying it is as if life is back to normal. When Blanche is gone they treat their lives no differently than when she was there. In this case, Stanley wins the â€Å"poker game,† because he has a better hand than Blanche. Stella cries frantically and it shows how badly she feels about admitting Blanche into an insane asylum. The end of the play says â€Å"7 card stud.† This tells the audience that the play has gone back to normal. This ending is very different from the movie because Stella makes a different decision than she does in the book. In the movie, Stella does not go back to her normal life. The book has Eunice giving Stella the baby, but in the movie Eunice does not give Stella the baby and as Blanche is being forced to leave Stella thinks about what Stanley has done. It makes her too sick to even think of Stanley, and she says â€Å"Don’t you touch me, don’t ever touch me again.† She relays the amount of hatred she has toward Stanley and it impacts the decision she makes in the end. When Mitch watches Stella being taken away he yells at Stanley and says, â€Å"what have you done to her?† and this skepticism was not shown during the play. The movie does not have life going back to normal and although Blanche did not win the poker game, Stanley did lose. Stella goes back inside to Eunice as Stanley continues to call for her. This change is very difficult to comprehend because the result of the play and the movie are opposite. This ending shows the change between who has won the pot: Sta nley, Blanche or No One. As a result of the alternate endings the audience becomes very confused as to why they are so different. If a change had been made earlier in the movie it would not be as drastic as making a change to the ending. This alters the meanings that can be interpreted by the play and movie. The question that many still wonder is why are the endings different if the movie was produced only a couple years after the book? The alternate endings have a negative impact on how people interpret the endings.

Book Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Book Report - Essay Example Since its inception, the trend of watching television is growing and evolving. Latest research reveals that the growth in this trend is becoming explosive with new technologies and their prevalent use by youngsters. In her book, â€Å"Television and Child Development,† a psychologist from University of Waterloo, Judith Van Evra presents a comprehensive summary of research about the impact of television and other media on children’s physical, psychological, emotional and social development. She integrates the currently known research from child development, communication and cognitive and psychological domains to present a balanced view that reveals the complications and layers of the relationship between children’s interaction with media and other factors influencing their perceptions. In this comprehensive third edition, Evra has included seven new chapters in addition to updating the previous chapters. Now, the book also includes research about media other than television, for instance, realistic video games, mobile phones, pagers, DVDs, computers, internet, cable and other wireless devices. However, major emphasis is laid on the research with developmental approach towards the interaction between television and children (Bachen, 2007). Newly added chapters explore research methodology, cultural diversity and stereotypes. It includes current perceptions, changing lifestyles, health preferences, nutrition, body image, sexual behaviors, drug and alcohol addiction, internet and media influence on social and behavioral aspects of a child’s development. Two chapters are particularly dedicated to the utilization of modern technology for getting instant and speedy information through internet, influence of internet advertising and entertainment technology, such as music and video games which create gender and social differences, and aggression among children. New addition also covers intervention strategies, media literacy, technological aids,

Identify Gaps or Weaknesses of the Research or Outcomes Essay

Identify Gaps or Weaknesses of the Research or Outcomes - Essay Example Weaknesses refer to the quality of lacking strength or firmness. It refers to a state of having defective or inadequate character. The researcher finds Corporate Social Responsibility as an area of major concern in the society. All people and the government should emphasize on it since it addresses many issues affecting the diverse community. Research shows that there is numerous violations to CSR and the government should undertake measures to curb it. Description of research is unfocused and thus inefficient in describing the purpose of research There are many people who question the validity and authenticity of Corporate Social Responsibility since there is evidence of contradiction between what corporations do and say. This makes the description of the research appear as unfocussed or inefficient in describing its purpose. Despite that companies adhere to the rules governing Corporate Social Responsibility, impunities persist. These include the global economic crisis and other et hical issues involving pharmaceutical companies, child labour, and sweatshops. People, therefore, do not realize the relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility in the society since impunity and corporate abuses is increasing (Westhuizen and Maree, 2009). The hypothesis is doubtful, ill-defined, and unsound as the evidence is insufficient The research does not give comprehensive analysis of a wide range of information to assess the credibility of the information. To determine whether Corporate Social Responsibility is still significant, it carries out a documentary analysis of some articles only. The research should not rely on documentary analysis of articles only but should gather information from different sources. It should gather information from websites, journals, newspapers, research, and other documentaries that will enhance the credibility of the information. This will ensure that the research is thoroughly reliable and appropriate for decision making since it is credible . The research is inconsistent in defining Corporate Social Responsibility and gives various definitions that differ. This is an indication that the research is doubtful, unsound, insufficient or ill-defined since it has inconsistencies that should not exist. This definition makes it ambiguous to decision makers and deters them from assess the impacts of its each dimension to the company (Narayan, 2002). There are various ways that the researchers should design their method of research to overcome the weaknesses or plug the gaps. One of the major ways of achieving this role is by providing sound and sufficient evidence. The researchers should gather information for or against Corporate Social Responsibility from many different sources to avoid ambiguity. They have only relied on a few documentary articles. They do not provide sufficient information that one needs to make a viable conclusion about Corporate Social Responsibility. For a paper to have credibility of information, it sho uld ensure that it should gather information from different sources at different periods (Hoque, 2006). The fact that people question the validity and authenticity of Corporate Social Responsibility makes the description of the paper appear as unfocussed. Companies claim to follow the Corporate Social Responsibility rules, yet impunity is at the highest marked by various ethical problems in the society like child labour. This is an indi

How to build an android application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

How to build an android application - Essay Example Android 1.0 was released in 2008 and featured in HTC dream. In Feb 2009 Android 1.1 update was released for the use in T mobile (Böhmer, 6). On 30th April 2009, cupcake version of android (Android 1.5) was unveiled with more enhancements than the previous version. It had Bluetooth and camcorder support, animation and on screen keyboard. Android version 1.6 Donut was released later in September the same year as the cupcake version. In October 2009, Android 2.0 Eclaire version was released with a few improvements made on the version 1.6. It had an improved user interface, speed, on screen keyboard. The release of versions 2.0.1 and 2.1 (SDK ) followed on 3rd December 2009 and 12th January 2010 respectively. Android 2.2: Froyo was then released on 20th May 2010 with such improvements as home screen widgets, camera control and multilingual keyboard support. On 6th December 2010, Android version 2.3: Gingerbread was released. This version had a more refined user interface which improved simplicity of the UI. The simplified user interface ensured an increased speed. The support for screens with higher resolution was another one of the improvement made in this version in addition to sensor compatibility (Böhmer, 8). Android 3.0: Honeycomb was released on 22nd February 2011 with an optimized user interface specifically for tablets. The on screen keyboard was redesigned for accuracy and speed in the entry. It enables Bluetooth tethering which allowed more devices share network connections. In 19 October 2011 Android version 4.0 : Ice cream sand which was unveiled with refined user interface, wifi direct support , network data control and face unlock among other enhancements. Android version 4.1:Jelly Bean was released on 9th July 2012 followed closely by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean 4.2 on 29th October 2012. A number of ways exist through which android development can be created. For windows, the following steps should

World History Galileo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World History Galileo - Essay Example World History – Galileo During his work in astronomy, Galileo found many things that supported the view of the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus that the earth was not the center of the universe, but a heavenly body that orbited the sun. This was against the belief that the earth was the center of the universe as put forward by Ptolemy and taken as true by the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church declared the Copernican Theory as false. Thus Galileo’s support for the Copernican Theory was against the doctrines of the Church (3). Galileo did not want to oppose the Church, but some of his writings were against Church held views and his opponents made brought these to the notice of the Church to draw the support of the powerful Church in harming Galileo. It is against this background that Galileo wrote the letter to the Grand Duchess Christina. (4). In this letter Galileo defends his position on the support of the Copernican theory, as it is based on his own observations. His opponents are unable to prove otherwise and have fallen back on the support of philosophy and the sayings in the Bible to prove him wrong. Galileo takes the position that a true interpretation of the Bible would enable the world to understand that there is nothing unacceptable with his views on the Copernican theory. â€Å"I think in the first place that it is very pious to say and prudent to affirm that the holy Bible can never speak untruth-whenever its true meaning is understood†.

Where would Globalization be without Outsourcing Essay

Where would Globalization be without Outsourcing - Essay Example Globalization driven by trade has reached at an unprecedented pace (Wild and Han, 2009). It has laid down the path of creating new opportunities that contribute in accelerating economic growth and reduce the level of poverty. The liberalization of some of the developing countries has not translated into qualitative gains. The gains from trade in less developed countries are still not sufficient. The costs of globalization driven by trade may be unsustainable and therefore the inequalities will tend to rise further which is indeed a matter of concern. As a result the countries are becoming prone to external shocks. In order to benefit from globalization a sustainable environment is needed to be created in the context of differentiated trade policy and development landscape. The international trading system has witnessed several changes under the globally recognized challenges. The trading system has recognized the structural as well as the economic challenges that are faced by the dev eloping countries.... The process of globalization called for many multinational corporations and the control of the nation states over the economy kept on diminishing. These corporations integrate the national economies with global linkages. They have expanded drastically and the top 500 companies control a major percentage of global GNP (Lim, 2005). With the advent of new technologies at rapid rates, the whole global economy under the process of globalization is now linked. The neoliberal agenda of globalization offers minimalist for the nation states. It seems that the nation states are left with no other choice but to surrender to the demands of globalization. Some experts disagree on the diminishing role of the states. They opined that the states still play a dominant role in shaping the economy. They put forwarded the view that states implement the policies of opening up the economies to the international markets which indicates the states have the potential to manage the responses to globalization. So it can be concluded the role of the states are limited in shaping economies. Some look at the nation states as pivotal institutions and argue that globalization has only altered the situation under which the states can exercise their power (Held and McGrew, 2007). Recent developments in supra-national institutions The rules of the supranational institutions are considered superior than the national law. The demand for supranational governance tends to rise with the rise in density of international governance. In order to increase the credibility of commitment one of the logical ways is to develop supranational bodies that involves itself in resolving conflicts as well as monitor the regulations. There have been some recent notable

South Dakota Higher Education Funding Policy Essay

South Dakota Higher Education Funding Policy - Essay Example The State of South Dakota should enact a better higher education funding policy to enable more students to enroll in local colleges and Universities. Hook: Did you know, for three years running (2009-2011), the State of South Dakota were fourth from the bottom in graduate school enrollments nationwide? Moreover, out of 26 higher education institutions, only eleven are public schools. Introduction I.  There is a dire need for financial support in most of the public schools in South Dakota due to a shortage in state funding (Pullman, par. 4). II.  The State of South Dakota should enact a better higher education funding policy to enable more students to enroll in local colleges and Universities. Indictment  Ã‚   I. The number of students enrolling into universities in South Dakota has reduced  significantly due to the current higher education funding policy.  Ã‚   A. According to Joy Smolnisky (2013), the State of South Dakota has consistently lagged behind in terms of per-student funding for education compared to surrounding states’ and national average.

Leadership Skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Skills - Assignment Example A classroom would become a fish market if a teacher does not lead it. A home would run out of finances if the parent/parents don’t control the expenditures of the children. A company would lose track of the project scope, time and quality if the employees are not led by the manager. People vary in their scope of leadership, yet they have to execute certain leadership skills irrespective of the scope of leadership or the circumstances in which they have to execute the leadership. Three Leadership Skills Three of the most fundamental leadership skills are planning, controlling and resolving the conflicts. They are discussed below: Planning Planning is the first and the foremost necessity of leadership. A leader has a plan according to which he/she directs the followers. This plan is made with a view to achieving the goal that is of interest not only to the leader, but also to the whole team. People would not follow a leader until they see something coming out of it that they val ue. Planning is defined as choosing the course of action. From among a variety of plans, a leader is entitled to select such a plan that maximizes the benefits and convenience both for himself/herself and for the whole team and minimizes the cost of operation and the problems and risks. Since the entire project is based on the plan selected by the leader, an individual must be extremely skilled in choosing the right plan in order to be an effective leader. Controlling Controlling is the second most essential skill every leader should have. Controlling essentially means making the followers conform to the instructions of the leader. A leader has hundreds of ways to control the followers, but the most effective of them requires the leader to be least authoritative and dictator in his approach and nature. A leader can best control the followers by earning their confidence. Leadership exists only as long as the trust of the followers sustains. The moment that trust is shattered, the lea der is gone. In order to gain that trust, a leader should make the followers aware of his/her plans and the reason he/she wants the followers to act in a certain way. Once the project has been started, the leader should make sure that the followers are provided with all materials, resources and funds they need to execute the project. Thus, a leader needs to control the expenses and resources. There has to be a balance in the cash flow and the use of resources. The leader must know what resources to release in what amount and at what time. Being at the right place at the right time is the key to effective controlling. Conflict Resolution Whenever there is a team, conflicts are bound to occur. Conflicts may be functional or dysfunctional. Functional conflicts are those in which the team members argue with one another in an attempt to identify the most suitable course of action. Dysfunctional conflicts are those in which the followers fight with one another over matters that are of no significance to work. A leader must ensure that the functional conflicts do not change into the dysfunctional ones and the dysfunctional conflicts do not occur at all. A leader can achieve this if he/she has adequate conflict resolution skills. There are certain exercises that can help a leader resolve conflicts among the followers. The leader should design process groups for the work and allow the followers time to spend with one another

Systems Case Study Essay Example for Free

Systems Case Study Essay The subway network can be split into 4 main sub systems, those being design, manufacturing and maintenance, operation and customers. The design process initially involves designing the desired rail network, however once the entire system in in operation the design sub system involves the constant re design of features and parts caused by arising issues as well as updating the system to use newer technologies. This subsystem requires many disciplines of engineering including electrical which designs many of the electrical features including the main power system responsible in powering  of the overall system [1], civil which designs structures such as stations, bridges and tunnels underneath the city [2] and mechanical which is involved in the design of railway vehicles [3]. The manufacturing and maintenance subsystem involves the building of everything required for the system to function from manufacturing the trains themselves to constructing the network of rails, tunnels and stations they travel through. This is all continuously maintained to assure it is reliable and fully functioning to allow for the system to be operated. One important engineering discipline involved in the manufacturing subsystem is manufacturing engineering which with the aid of many other engineering disciplines is able to turn raw materials into new products such as train carts, railway tracks etc [4]. The operation process is the subsystem that the customers or users of this system rely heavily upon. The operation of this system involves using all the parts of this system in order to fulfil its function of transporting its users. The operation process involves constant monitoring of the system in order to allow for a schedule as well as maintain safety and assure the system is functioning correctly. This all requires many operators such as traffic controllers, drivers and conductors. Software Engineering is a very important part of the operation process as it is responsible for developing software to track rail carts, display arrival times and operate automated train supervision [5]. The final subsystem of this system is the customers or the users. This system includes all the users of the rail system and as the main purpose this system is to provide customers with transportation this subsystem like every other relies heavily upon all the other subsystems in order to allow the rail system to function. The main subsystems or the systems key elements interact strongly with each other and rely heavily upon each other in order for the system to function. The whole purpose of the rail transportation system is to create a more efficient, convenient and more simple way for people to travel to and from a desired location. A high level of intelligent communication and interactions between the subsystems allows the system to meet its desired outcomes. As transportation is the users need there is a strong interaction between the customers and the operation subsystems. In order to meet customers’ needs the operation of this system needs to be working efficiently, this requires all the parts involved in this subsystem to be running proficiently as any dilemmas within this subsystem can impact the customers causing problems such as delays and accidents which can lead to many complications with the system as a whole [6]. In order to meet customers needs there is a strong interaction between the operation and the manufacturing and maintainance subsystems. In order to operate the system there initially needs to be parts that have been manufactured such as tracks, stations and trains. However once the system is running constant maintenance on parts as well as the manufacturing of new parts are needed in order to allow to allow for the operation of the system to run efficiently [4]. Problems in the manufacturing and mainanace system can furthur lead to operation issues that can have a devastating impact on the customers. To assure that apropriate parts are made the manufacturing and maintainance subsystem relies on the design subsystem. This subsystem is extremely important in assuring that features of the system are designed  apropriatly eliminating any potential risks during the manufacturing and operating stages [7]. Finally the customer subsystem has strong interaction between all the other main susbystems. Actions and the behaviours of the customers infuluences and changes the ways all the subsystems interact. More users require more operation which leads to the need of more manufacturing, maintainence and design. Less users can potentially reverse this effect. In order to create a sustainable system the key elements need to rely heavily upon each other [8].

Euthanasia Essay Example for Free

Euthanasia Essay In his accounts, Gay-Williams raised important arguments with regard to euthanasia. Being a serious point of debate for many decades now, there are people who approve of it claiming it provides humane death for someone otherwise not capable of living a normal life anymore. On the other hand, there are others who stay conservative and disapprove of euthanasia believing that in no way can people decide should another person is already bound for death or not. One point of contention is the differentiation between active and passive euthanasia, which further segments the population. Gay-Williams assert that active euthanasia is illegal yet passive euthanasia can be morally favored. Some do not believe on the differentiation and say that whether it is active or passive, euthanasia should be regarded as illegal. Gay-Williams also argued that euthanasia takes out the hope in a patient. This further proves the negative notion on euthanasia. This along with the argument that euthanasia is a practical choice for medical practitioners is raised by the author and was explained in detail. This paper aims to discuss these arguments and evaluate their strength, which may prove or otherwise disprove the motions of Gay-Williams. In developing the paper, it hopes to evaluate euthanasia in light of its moral viability; the distinction cited between active and passive euthanasia and their moral statures, and two arguments that embody mercy killing: the argument that states how euthanasia affects the will to live and survive as well as how it may be used for practical applications—rather surprising conclusions that were taken by Gay-Williams which are worth a lengthy point of discussion, evaluation, and comparison. Passive and active euthanasia Gay-Williams stated that there is a big difference between passive and active euthanasia. In phrases, passive euthanasia is letting die while active euthanasia is killing. It should be noted that passive euthanasia happens when a person was not given relief from a certainly fatal situation which is otherwise medically alterable. For instance, a person with extreme difficulty in breathing who can still be resuscitated but was not given an apparatus or aid for the purpose may die under the circumstance of passive euthanasia. This is often done when there is an order by the patient or the family that the patient should not be resuscitated. Alternatively, the situation can be the other way around. The patient may be in a dying situation, but still technically alive. For some circumstance such as the thought that the patient is constantly in pain, hopeless, or if the patient himself can no longer bear the pain, there may become a request or a suggestion for the pain to be stopped—rather permanently. At this point poison may be intravenously given to end the suffering of the patient. According to Gay-Williams, this big difference between the two is obvious in light of their moral statures. The first one which let the patient die without medical intervention is acceptable as there was no effort in ending the life of the patient. Divinely, the patient may still be saved. On the other hand, the latter-described procedure deliberately put an effort in ending the suffering and the life of the patient. The author stated that this is killing even if the purpose of the act is to save someone from a lengthy and costly suffering. The thought of euthanasia Every one of us is gifted with survival instincts. When the going gets tough, they say the tough gets going. And so when an illness hits someone and he is tough enough, he finds hope rather than despair. He focuses on the positive rather than the negative and strives to find a way to battle the sickness and eventually win it. Thus, when the mind says that it wants to live, the body and the person will most likely follow. (How to live a longer and healthier life, 2007) This is the same argument raised by Gay-Williams as an issue of euthanasia. He states: knowing that we can take out our life at anytime (or ask another to take it) might well incline us to give up too easily. The will to live is strong in all of us, but it can be weakened by pain and suffering and feelings of hopelessness. This will to live is essential as many doctors have proven. Gay-Williams himself stated that there are many miraculous survivals that occur which even medicine cannot fully explain. Many shows, testimonials, and books have discussed how people in the brink of death were able to miraculously survive. Some were from serious illnesses or were declared in comatose. Some claimed to be back from dying. This relationship between the will to live and getting well has been the premise of many studies. Doctors started incorporating psychological therapies to their patients’ treatment plans hoping to get better results. Often, the results even exceed their expectations. This led many doctors to adapt the concept, to the relief and advantage of thousands and maybe even millions of patients around the world. As Gay-Williams says: The very presence of the possibility of euthanasia may keep us from surviving when we might. Euthanasia and practical effects Gay-Williams state that doctors and nurses’ main thrust and aim in their professions is to save lives, and that when a patient dies in their care it becomes a personal failure which may not be too easy to accept. Thus it is not surprising if the author argued that euthanasia is a practical way for practitioners to avoid this quicksand. If they endorse or support euthanasia, any impending deaths in their care can be pre-empted—no one will ever die in their responsibility again. Euthanasia is a product of free will. It takes the patient and/or his family into a higher level of decision-making whereby they choose whether to prolong the patient’s illness and let live or end the suffering and let the patient die in peace. Its proponents agree that approving euthanasia as a social policy lets the people exercise the freedom of will that was given to them by the divine and the constitution. This is true in that even if euthanasia becomes a social policy, it still boils down to the decision of the person if euthanasia should be chosen or not as a way of getting out of one’s suffering. If a patient or his family does not want to exercise it, it is also for them to decline. However, Gay-Williams claim that euthanasia will bring an all new low in the quality of healthcare where euthanasia is acceptable. The quality will be sacrificed because if practitioners know an easier way out of an untreatable disease rather than letting the patient die naturally in their hands, the process may be taken in non-serious cases as well. In connection, Gay-Williams stress that as a social policy euthanasia will bring worse concerns. For one, it can permit authorities to eliminate those who are hopelessly ill, the way those who are mentally ill are sent in mental hospitals—a comparison Gay-Williams was clever in making. Conclusion So did Gay-Williams’ argument win or lose? The argument revolved around the innate willingness to live by people, especially the sick. It played up the fact that the will to live is a fragile characteristic inherent to everyone. It further stated that euthanasia blotted onto this inherent character; that the provision of a choice to end life gave people the reason to end life; that giving patients, their families, and the doctors an easy route out of the situation gave them the authority to take this easy route out as well. With these arguments, Gay-Williams reiterated that whether as a social policy or an open option for patients, families, and medical practitioners, euthanasia is a slippery slope where no one wins. Gay-Williams, theoretically speaking, was able to deliver his points well. It is true that euthanasia is an exercise of free will, but the fact that free will is given and thus the idea of euthanasia is suggested to a patient is already initially detrimental to the patient. It entails responsible choices to be made by the patient, the family, and the doctors. It requires a full understanding of life, and the willingness to allow life to take its course. The doctors can suggest this graceful exit option to the patient or the family but if the patient or the family’s will to live or let live is stronger than the will to end everything, euthanasia becomes out of the options and medication can continue. But if the patient or the doctors already have the way out it will be too tempting to resist. (A plea for beneficent euthanasia, n. d. ) Even if euthanasia is unwise for conservatives, it is a matter of choice and conscience. For the unbelievers, they can go through life without considering it. For modernists, it is an available choice. In the end, one should never and can never decide for another. Gay-Williams failed to include this in his distinctions. It is true that it can be used by doctors as a practical way out of a medical case, or disillusion patients, but it should still be a choice given for all.

The goals needed in planned change

The goals needed in planned change There are many goals of a planned change. Basically the goals are aimed to improve the ability of the organisation to adjust to changes happening in the environment. Change in employees behavior is expected and these changes to lead to improvement in organizational effectiveness and efficiency. In this assignment we will discuss a case study on the strategic change management in the AEGON Company. As we have discussed in the training presentation the different aspects and reasons of strategic change management and the process of strategic change management involves developing an innovative vision for where the company needs to be, and then developing an equally innovative path for achieving the goal. This can only be done through the combined effort of all the company, its employees and the stakeholders. The discussion of this case reflects the following points: Develop systems to involve stakeholders in the planning of change and develop a change management strategy with stakeholders. Evaluation of the systems used to involve stakeholders in the planning of change. Explanation of what systems and processes would need to be/have been developed to ensure involvement of the stakeholders in the change. Strategy creation for managing resistance to change Review of the effectiveness of management actions to overcome any identified instances of resistance Discussion of the most important features in the successful implementation of organizational change, drawing upon at least two organizational models Plan to implement a model for change and develop appropriate measures to monitor progress. With the changing prospects of customers, organizations persistently require to adapt to stay competitive. Managers might look for situations which are common to them when experience pressures for change. It involves civilizing the traditions in which they function, gradually. This is incremental change. But improving gradually may not be adequate. The need is to adjust to all of the main changes in the surroundings. Lack of it results in strategic drift. When a company undergoes strategic drift, it does not make tough and major decisions to deal effectively with all of the changes in its business environment. Managers within the organization have to accept the change completely to let alone strategic drift. It results in a responsive organisation. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) AEGON Group is one of the worlds largest life insurance and pensions companies. AEGON owns pensions, life insurance, asset management and adviser businesses in the UK. The AEGON Group has 27,000 employees and over 25 million customers worldwide. Its major markets are in the USA and Netherlands. Since 1994, the UK has become another major and increasingly important market. In 1994 AEGON bought a large stake in Scottish Equitable. Scottish Equitable was a strong brand with a heritage that went back to the 1830s. Since then AEGONs UK business has grown both organically and by acquiring other businesses. As most of the acquired companies kept their existing identities, awareness of AEGON in the UK remained relatively low. AEGON realized that such low levels of awareness could impact on its ability to achieve its ambitions. Therefore, it needed to combine the global strength of its parent with the experience and reputation of the domestic company brands, like Scottish Equitable, that made up AEGON in the UK. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) In this assignment well discuss the success that accepting and practicing change has brought to AEGON in the UK. This change is helping AEGON move towards its goal of becoming the best long-term savings and protection business within the UK. Kurt Lewins change model In early 1950s Kurt Lewin a psychologist developed a model of change management. He described the freeze model of change which suggests that change involves a shift from one still condition by means of a state of activity to a different still condition. This involves a three-stage process of managing change: unfreezing, changing and re-freezing. Source: http://www.strategies-for-managing-change.com/kurt-lewin.html Stage 1: Unfreezing This stage implies getting prepared to change. It involves getting to a point of consideration that change is compulsory and getting ready to alter from our current comfort zone. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). Stage 2: Change or Transition The second stage of transition is known as change. Transition is the internal faction or voyage we make in response to a change. This occurs as we accept and make the changes that are required. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). Stage 3: Freezing (or Refreezing) The third stage is freezing, while many people refer to it as refreezing. As the name suggests this stage is about instituting stability when the changes have been made. The changes are acknowledged and turn into norms. People form new contacts and become contented with their routines. This will surely take some time. (Kurt Lewin change management model, n.d.). The 8 steps of John Kotters change model Each stage of Kotters change model acknowledges a key principle identified by him linking to peoples response and approach to change, and in which people see, feel and then change. For change to occur, it helps if an adequate number of people within an organisation want it. By developing a sense of urgency around the need for change it helps management to start the initial inspiration to get things moving. (John Kotters guiding principles for leading change, n.d.). Source: http://www.strategies-for-managing-change.com/john-kotter.html According to John Kotter the major challenge in front of leadership in a change process is just getting people to change their behavior. People modify their behavior when they are motivated to do so, and that can be done when you speak to their feelings. (John Kotters guiding principles for leading change, n.d.). AEGON UK had the following driving forces for organizational change. Financial restructuring in the United Kingdom. Growth in population and changes in demographic attributes. Cultural diversification in the UK. Changes in social dimensions of the United Kingdom. Evolution of political orientation and policies. Increase in the domestic purchasing power. Institutional and policies neglect regarding the financial products. High competitiveness and consequent challenges. Deficient Management practices. Inefficiency in processes The most suitable change model fitting to AEGON UK will probably be Kotters Eight Step Change Model. As it fully prepares the employees of the company before even the vision is created that will eventually helps in the change in the long run. There are some disadvantages as well to this model. This model is mostly suitable for the companies because of its simplicity and applicablity as considerable change is required for the divisions. This will also facilitate in the transition because the division has a long history comparable to rest of the company and people are not as set in the ways, as they would be if the division had been around longer. (Strategic change management, n.d.). AEGON UK strategic planning implies planning for the long-term. The time frame associated with this type of planning is from three to five years into the future. Due to this timeframe, there are several challenges associated with long-range planning. These include: creating a plan that is breakthrough in its orientation rather  than more of the same, getting all stakeholders to commit to the organizations strategies   and   to   follow   through   on   implementation   of   critical   activities,   and decreasing cycle time in the planning process. This sort of orientation necessitates approaches to strategic planning that involve all employees and stakeholders in the planning process and a planning process that can occur within a shortened time frame. The researcher will prefer to adopt Large Group Interventions Technique to address the proposed change in the chosen organization AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). In   case   of   the   AEGON   UK   there   were   many   deriving   forces   that caused   the background   of change   in AEGON   UK. AEGON   UK   was although was bearing international repute but still it didnt had band awareness   by   the   name   of   AEGON   in   the   United   Kingdom.   The philosophy of the financial services products that were being sold by AEGON UK or its competitors were quite difficult to understand by the potential customers. Life expectancy in the United Kingdom has increased in the recent years so people can expect to be retired for  longer age and similarly many individual never think it worthy to plan about their retirement properly, on the other hand there was a derive from the government to reduce dependency on the state in old age so there was a need to make a social awareness among the people for the benefits of having the financial products sold by the AEGON UK to secure   their   fut ure   because   benefit   of   these   investments   usually realized in later years. AEGON was not well recognized in the areas other than pensions. Above stated reasons are the few of those that lead management to introduce change in the corporate structure and strategy of the AEGON UK Limited. (Strategic change management, n.d.). People who are directly affected by the decisions of an organization are the stake holders.   Stake holder may be internal (management, employees etc.) and they may be external (government, suppliers, banks, media, shareholders etc). Every stake holder has different expectations from the organization.   In the process of change, stakeholders can be involved in a number of ways like: Involve them in problem solving. Keep them up to date of standing towards corporate objectives Take actions on feedback received by them Mobilize the correct resources at the right moment to recognize the implementation plan (Strategic change management, n.d.). Involvement of stake holders to the process of change was done by the new chief executive officer of AEGON who carried out the following actions; Simplification of Financial Services The Chief Executive Officer of  AEGON adopted a customer focused approach. The CEO simplified the complex financial services in terms of their understanding and it was now made very simple to understand. The clients which know   that   what   they   are   investing   into   and   what   investment they get back   at   the   end   of   the   contract.   To date back customers have always been disturbed doing complex calculations. Now the customers are happy because they dont need any financial interpreter to understand the ins and outs of the products offered by the AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Workforce Development The most important stake holder of the organization is the employees. These are the people who are practically liable make the change process successful. New CEO took  the employees in confidence and told them about the fact that what AEGON stands today and what AEGON wants to stand in the future. He explained the factors behind this change. The CEO introduced job rotation which involves prospects from one job to the other job.   Hence it provided individual employees with a career path. CEO also arranged a Management Development Program in collaboration with a leading management college for  the training of the workforce. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Creating Distinct Market Place     To let revisit the brand identity of  AEGON into the minds of the people, the CEO carried out an external promotional campaign to highlight the relationship between the locally famous Scottish Equitable and AEGON. The CEO spoke to the media stating the reasons for the change and how the change will be beneficial for the stakeholders. (Strategic change management, n.d.). As we know that the stakeholders are critical to the success of initiating change in the organization. Stakeholder Management Strategy is an important discipline that successful people use to win support from others. Stakeholder Analysis is the technique used to identify the key people who have to be won over. Stakeholder Planning is done to build the support that helps organization to succeed. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The benefits of using a stakeholder-based approach The   opinions   of   the   most   strong   stakeholders   to   shape   change implementation at an early stage. They will support the company as well as their input can also improve the quality of the project Getting support from strong stakeholders can help you to win more resources There are more chance to achieve strategic goals successfully. By communicating with stakeholders early, you can ensure that they fully understand what you are doing and understand the benefits of your  aim. By this they will throughout support you actively. By anticipating what peoples reaction to your project may be, and build into your plan the actions that will win peoples support. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Strategy for managing  resistance to change in the organization Following strategies can be implemented for managing resistance to change in the AEGON. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be a workflow process in order to achieve results for mutual benefits for employees and organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be an Authority Process in order to direct behavior in the interests of the organization and its participants. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There would be a Reward and Penalty Process to induce people to behave in away required by the interests of the organization and its participants and / or to behave in a way making associated activity possible. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There will be a Perpetuation Process to maintain, replenish, and make adequate the quantity and quality of social and natural resources utilized by the organization and its participants. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There must be an Identification Process to develop a concept of the wholeness, uniqueness and significance of the organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There will be a communication process to provide for the exchange of  information, ideas, feelings and values etc utilized in all activities to the stakeholders. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There must be an evaluation process which establishes criteria for and defines levels of utility and value for people, materials, ideas, and activities and which rates them and allocates them to these levels. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Model for implementing  change in the organization Model for change implies towards the overall strategy to incorporate change into the organizational culture. Model of  change is usually implemented into the following steps; Access the necessity of change Forming a powerful alliance Creating an idea for change Communicate the vision Remove barriers Incorporate the change into organization. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The CEO of AEGON implemented  the same model  to inculcate change into the organization. The CEO realized the need for change and he came to the conclusion that the company is not doing well comparable to its competitors. The legislative restriction of price decreased the profitability Lack of brand awareness getting worst And difficulty of the  customers  understanding  the   aim  of  the  services offered by AEGON The above mentioned were the factors that required an immediate change into the organization at a large scale. The CEO conducted a SWOT analysis of the company and decided to develop a new behavioral framework for the staff which was known as 8 behaviors framework and also arranged managerial training for the workforce. He further addressed the stakeholders of the organization to communicate his vision to them by simplifying the financial services, developing a workforce and arranging a brand awareness campaign. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The CEO also communicated to the media about this change process and the reasons for change.   Hence   model   implemented   by   the   CEO   of  AEGON   UK   brought   about evident positive   change   to   the organization and gave it a new line of direction towards the desired goals and objectives. (Strategic change management, n.d.). Implementation of the model in  the organization, expected improvements and appropriate measures to monitor progress The plan for the change was implemented into the different stages like discovery phase to analyze where the AEGON is right now, where it wants to be and what actions are required to meet the objectives set by the head to become the best long term saving and   protection   business   into   the   UK. First phase revealed the reasons for changes and weaknesses and strengths of the organization. After the discovery phase the next step was to involve the appropriate stake holders into the process of change. The head of the AEGON involved various stakeholders in different effective manner as mentioned earlier.   The CEO further redeveloped the organizational behavioral framework and arranged the training of the staff members. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The   outcomes   of   the   efforts   made   by   the   CEO   were   extremely cheering and rewarding for the company. Before the change there was confusion among the people about the recognition of AEGON but after   the   strong   promotion   of   the   brand   AEGON   with   Scottish-Equitable created a more reliable image of the AEGON into the minds of the people. Moreover the brand carried a new more powerful and prestigious look as AEGON Scottish-Equitable. (Strategic change management, n.d.). The behavior of  the employees altered altogether. They behave with more customer oriented  approach.   Now   the   employees   are   concerned   to   provide   beneficial   services   to existing   and   prospective customers and the organization is always doing its level best to do what is really important to their customers.  (Strategic change management, n.d.). AEGON providing the levels of return guaranteed and being liable for any risks associated with doing so it reflects more probability about levels of income for the clients. As a result of the change applied by the CEO of AEGON, the company reconstructed its brand reputation, became more customer  oriented, started to provide more innovative services and became more popular amongst the consumers and finally the business has grown to a huge extent. The CEO planned to develop a new organizational behavior framework  to align the brand values of AEGON. (Strategic change management, n.d.). To entrench this culture, AEGON developed a behavior structure to maintain its brand values. It was intended to persuade how people at all ranks within the organisation might work and make decisions. These behaviors highlight the values of the organisation. They have assisted to build AEGONs culture and have also impacted its performance. AEGON also introduced a Management Development Program, supported by a top Management College. The eight behaviors are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Think customer à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Embrace change à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage excellence à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Act with integrity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Decisive action à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Work together à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learn and grow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relate and communicate. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) Conclusion There is nothing permanent except change. It is continuous. The process of change is an expedition. Business organizations will always be influenced by external factors. AEGON responded to these factors by simplifying, clarifying and strengthening its brand in the UK. As organizations change, their patterns of behavior and business culture flourish. For AEGON, this is a cycle in which the business uses its knowledge to learn from its experiences. This has assisted AEGON as an organisation to move positively towards achieving its full potential and to stay competitive in a progressively difficult market. (AEGON-Embracing and pursuing change, n.d.) AEGON recognized a need to give itself a greater market presence. The change has made the organisation much more customer focused. As a result it is more effective.

The Knowledge is Power Program Essay examples -- Education, KIPP Schoo

The Knowledge is Power Program (hereafter referred to as KIPP) has been the recipient of much praise. In the recent documentary, Waiting for Superman, KIPP was lauded as one of a handful of educational programs for poor children of color that is making a difference in closing the achievement gap. Diane Ravitch wrote in her recent book, â€Å"[T]he charter schools with the most impressive record of success are the KIPP schools† (Ravitch, 2010, p.135). Washington Post Education Columnist, Jay Mathews wrote an entire book on the schools, calling them â€Å"the most promising schools in America.†(Mathews, 2009) So, why is KIPP garnering all of this attention and is it really narrowing the achievement gap? KIPP was started in 1994 by Teach for America alumni David Levin and Michael Fienberg, who had been working in inner-city Houston schools. KIPP was created with a singular goal in mind; to get low-income students of color to college. The data would suggest that these schools have been successful in achieving that goal. During the 2008-2009 academic year, KIPP enrolled 21,831 students, 95% of whom were African-American or Latino (KIPP Foundation, 2009). Of those students who finish 8th grade at a KIPP school, 95% graduate from high school and 88% of them matriculate to college. These compare to national rates of 70% high school graduation and 40% college matriculation for low-income students (KIPP Foundation, 2009). According to a recent study of 22 KIPP schools, within three years, half of all KIPP schools in the study closed one half or more of the black-white achievement gap in math, and one third of the black-white achievement gap in reading. In these KIPP schools, student gains are equivalent to 1.2 years of additional growth i... ...the tools to significantly close the achievement gap, but they won’t likely be responsible for a radical upward mobility of low-income students of color. So, what role can KIPP play in the larger picture? Diane Ravitch offered sage advice in a recent speech at Rice University when she challenged KIPP co-founder Mike Fienberg in saying, â€Å"Don’t compete. Collaborate with public schools. Share whatever you know that works. Work with public schools. Help them get better. We all share the same goal and that is to ensure that every child in America gets a great education† (Ravitch, 2010). Perhaps KIPP schools are best utilized as â€Å"laboratories† where methods are tested, refined and readied for export to the public school system at large and utilized by all students. This collaboration could contribute to real public school reform and be the lasting legacy of KIPP.

The Ego and the Id Essay -- essays research papers

Over the years, people have wondered what goes on in a person\\'s mind that guides them to meet their needs. Sigmund Freud developed a system of personality that boldly attempts to explain the course of personality and what was it origins. Freud theory assumes that one\\'s personality is shaped and some powerful inner forces motivate one\\'s behavior. According to Freud, personality differences commence from the different ways in which people deal with their underlying drives. By picturing a continuing battle between antagonistic parts of personality, Freud was able to develop three systems that make up the total personality. The three systems of personality are the id, ego, and the superego. If the three systems work together in harmony and unite together to form one complete organization, it enables one to create a positive transaction with the environment. If the systems are fighting with each other, one is said to be dissatisfied with himself or the world. By examining the ego, the id, and the superego, one should see how these three systems of personality play an important role in the development of one\\'s personality. In doing so one should understand what conscious and unconscious, and the functions of the id, ego, and superego. Freud did not invent the idea of the conscious versus the unconscious. However, he was responsible for making it popular. What you are of aware of at any particular moment is called being conscious. By being conscious you are aware of certain things such as your present perceptions, memories, thoughts, and fantasies. All of our knowledge is bound up with consciousness. Consciousness is the surface of the mental The Ego and the Id 3 apparatus. All perceptions, whether it is received from both within and without, are conscious. Freud (1960) said \\"that very powerful mental processes of ideas exist which can produce all the effects of the mental life that ordinary ideas do, though they themselves do not become conscious\\" (p. 4). This is an indication that there are other parts of the mind in which thoughts occur. According to Freud (1960), \\"the state in which the ideas existed before being made conscious is called by us repression\\" (p. 4). It is by the theory of repression that the concept of the unconscious is obtained. The unconscious is the largest part of the mind. All the things that are not easily available t... ...e or feelings of guilt or inferiority the superego will take on the role of the parents. It is the super ego that inner restraints on upon lawlessness and disorderly, thus enabling a person to become a law abiding member of society. The ego struggle to keep the id happy. The ego meets with obstacles in the world. It occasionally with objects that actually assists it in attaining it goals. The ego keeps a record of the obstacles and aides. It also keeps a record of punishments and rewards administered out by the two must influential objects in the world of a child, its mom and dad. This record of things to avoid and strategies to take becomes the superego. As stated earlier the primary function of the id is to satisfy its immediate instincts, drive and urges it superego that links the mind to society and reality. As Freud (1960) states \\"superego is however, not simply a residue of the earliest choices of the id; it also represents an energetic reaction formation against those choices\\" (p.24). The id, ego, and superego play a vital role in a person\\'s development of their personality. If thy work together in harmony a person will grow up to be a be a healthy mentally person.

The Descent of Dick Diver in Fitzgeralds Tender is the Night Essays

The Descent of Dick Diver in Tender is the Night    Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald chronicles Dick Diver's long descent (or "dying fall," [Letters 310]) to ruin at the hands of women. Diver, the novel's protagonist and antagonist, seeks to overthrow feminine power. Dick needs to control the women in his life. To him, women want to be dependent; they are weak, lost souls who need the guidance only a man can give. In turn, women are parasites who feed on him and ultimately destroy his genius.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before Diver becomes involved with woman, he is a Rhodes Scholar and a promising young Psychiatrist. By the end of the novel he is a middle-aged drunk chasing young women. Dick Diver, flaw credible, possesses an excess of charm, which leaves him vulnerable to women who lead him to moral and emotional bankruptcy. Diver meets Nicole Warren, the rich heiress. Their relationship is almost incestuous. The unsteady daughter figure/wife/patient seeks approval from her father figure/husband/doctor. The relationship is clearly based on the control Dick Diver has over Nicole. Nicole was already a mess from the sexual abuse she encountered from her father. She was looking for a father figure, someone to take care of her. Her choice of mate was the likely one: her doctor. While Diver does seem to love his patient, he nonetheless "handles" her, always treating her like a patient over whom he has power. During their courtship, the letters he sends her mostly tell h er to "be a good girl and mind the doctors." (130) He is a doctor who has control over his patient while corresponding with her; he knows she will follow his directions and obey his commands. After he weds her, he becomes increasingly torn betw... ...e only two people in the world I care about." (218-219). Later, Cullis tells Diver of the incident involving Rosemary and Bill Hillis on a train. This "image of a third person ... entering into his relation with Rosemary was needed to throw him off his balance" (88). Now Diver has really lost control of things with Rosemary. He is obsessed with her, as evident in his repeating his imagined flashback to the scene; "Do you mind if I pull down the curtain?" (90). The Diver that needs to control, is now controlled by the image of Rosemary with another man; his need to control people has been suffocated as Rosemary rules his emotions since Nicole no longer needs him.    Works Cited: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. Tender Is the Night. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1995. The Letters of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Ed. Andrew Turnbull. New York: Scribners, 1963.

Development of the Education System and Society

It is been a fact that our educational system has reached far beyond our imagination. Through the development of our educational system, we are able to enhance our technology by inventing new inventions that will be useful and meet the societies’ needs; and thus, these create positive impacts to our society. It helps our society more lively and makes things accessible and a lot easier. Furthermore, as we continue to study this issue, we should try to understand what is an education and learn a little overview which regards to this.Education is the growth and improvement of the capacity of the individual to be useful member of our society through teaching and learning precise beliefs, skills and knowledge. Confidentially, it is the procedure of taking in knowledge of numbers and language which are learned from parents and more members of the culture of the students and concerning the execution of surrounding objects.The magazines, journals, books and digest in the field of educ ation deal with the teaching and learning preparations and trainings which comprise game playing, testing, record keeping, seating arrangements, lectures, interests, scheduling, bullying, computer access and motivation. It is presently established and renowned that the greatest significant elements in some effectiveness of the teacher are the communication with students and the education and the teacher’s personality.The greatest teachers are competent to interpret knowledge of a subject, excellent adjudication, knowledge and wisdom into an important knowledge of a subject which is comprehend and kept hold of by the student. It is their capability to comprehend a subject expertly enough that they can be able to express its quintessence to a newfangled generation of students which is necessary of every teacher. The objective is to be able to establish a knowledge substance base which permits the student to develop as they are laid open into distinct life happenings. The transi tory of knowledge from generation to other generation permits the student to develop and mature into a serviceable member of our society.The purpose of this study is to explore the development of the education system and its impact it had on society.OverviewIt is generally acknowledged that the procedure of education starts at birth and endures during the course of life. There are many perceive and have confidence with that education begins previous than this- as indication by several parents who play music or read to the baby, hoping that it will persuade and motivate the development of the child. Education is frequently making used to denote to â€Å"formal education†. Moreover, it conceals a variety of occurrences since formal learning up to the constructing of understanding and knowledge amidst of our day to day living.Eventually, every situation that we undergo aids or serves as a form of our education. Distinct people study and discover in distinct approaches and severa l things will have to be made clear several times in several distinct approaches before the majority of the students â€Å"gets it†. Several students, unluckily, will never â€Å"get it† in view of the fact that they don’t give any interest on it or have not able to learn sufficiently of the foundation knowledge of a prearranged subject to go forward to the next level. Each one of us receives informal education from several sources (see â€Å"Education†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. August 25, 2006.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education). Thus, this informal education and formal education will lead us to bring change in our society by making new or advancements in our technologies, just like in the field of IT.*Development of the Educational System and its impact it had on Society*Through the progress in our educational system, we are able to improve our technologies which help us connect globally. Advance technology is part of the development o f our educational system. Moreover, it also enhances our economic stability by engaging businesses globally using the advance technology that we have learned through our education.Information technology as defined by Ben Meadowcroft in his study that â€Å"it is the technology that is utilized to store, manipulate, distribute or make information.  Several nonprofit and institutions are keen and enthusiastic to understand either developing technologies and the Internet posses an authentic positive impact on civil society and either nonprofits are taking hold of the chances to utilize technology in groundbreaking procedures in order to fulfill their assignment. On the other hand, technology can be able to utilize to gather together the people internationally around a shared cause to realize and accomplish world-changing outcomes far beyond the assurance of empowering nonprofit organizations in order to perform significant purposes like as fundraising, and recruiting unpaid workers more efficiently.In distinction to several of the undertakings expressed through William Galston, David Eisner declared that: â€Å"the truly transformative impact that the Internet will have on nonprofits is specifically in the area of building community.† James Austin stated that technology is redefining â€Å"community† while it is no longer concentrated on geography but then on another shared qualities which can connect people throughout cyberspace. He recommended a newfangled description of community â€Å"a group of people bound together by shared activities, purpose, and values.† As stated by Eisner, there are four inclinations that are unfavorable to understanding the internet’s influence in creating societiesØ   There are more people who will discover and realize that it is easier to form supplementary associations as outcomes of the internet.Ø   Inquiring each individual to give will become simple and uncomplicated since information an d action can presently be incorporated. Example, contributors can read which regard the earthquake in India and then stretched and offer all at once through the use of internet.Ø   Reports, fundraising, online societies and procedures to lend a hand, which Eisner called the â€Å"cycle of engagement,† will turn out to be frictionless, in view of the fact that the internet empowers people to learn regarding a dilemma and do something without delay and flawlessly.Ø   By mean of networking, people can be able to perform simultaneously more carefully and thoroughly in high-quality information sharing and learning societies.Online interaction gives a strong structural and administrative tool for advocacy operation and promotions. Mike Whitlam stated that â€Å"As a communication tool, as campaigning tool, it’s incredible.† But then, this strong association turn out to be a reality if not, nonprofit organizations posses the capacity to utilize technology. Ei sner stated that:â€Å"What’s really important is even where grants are related to technology,  Ã‚  Ã‚   grant makers need to take an interest in their grantee’s technological proficiency in the same way that they take an interest in their staff capability, their management, and their financial credibility.†Turning to present inclinations in e-philanthropy, Austin declared that same as the Internet business world, the e-philanthropy society (with nonprofit and for profit) is undergoing distress labor pains. As Austin continued that there will be additional terminations and merging, but then the space will not disappear. The internet technology has irrevocably altered the philanthropic capital market. Austin was able to identify the four forces as the precarious shapers of the newfangled technology-based e-philanthropy society. Ant these are economic pressures, mistrust, clashing cultures and technology readiness.An article entitled â€Å"education and Economi c Development† stated that the development of the internet has taken along newfangled chances and enhanced communication to several businesses and people. Globally, IT expenditure is foretold to upsurge by 35 percent in 2010, as stated by the research firm IDC (Worldwide Black Book, 2004). As an outcome, the need will increase for extremely equipped individuals to administer and support IT systems.In United States of America, every year there is an increase in need for those work forces have been the topmost amongst the It sector. Moreover, in several emerging countries, get into training on the newest technologies is either inadequate or unobtainable. An absence of way in to technology and education regarding its use is one issue contributing to the â€Å"gulf† amongst developed and developing economies. The said gulf is known as â€Å"digital divide† (see â€Å"Education and Economic development† http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac227/ac111/cisco_and_socie ty/education_and_economic_development.html).On the other hand, the article entitled â€Å"Science Education System Standards stated that the science education system standards give standard for adjudicating the presentation of the modules of the science education system accountable for giving schools with essential financial and intellectual means. In spite of the recurrent usage of the terminology â€Å"educational system†, the sense is frequently ambiguous. States are element of a national education system and schools are included as elements of a local society which can comprise universities and colleges, parks and museums, laboratories, community organizations, various media, businesses and nature centers.The initial purpose of the science system is to provide society with technically and methodically well-educated citizens. Resources and information invigorate the system. The information’s nature-the greatness of resources- and the tracks along which they move ar e managed and regulated through policies which are limited and controlled in instruments like judicial rulings, legislation and budgets. Systems can be characterized in an assortment of procedures which depend on the intention and the data to be communicated. An example of this is in figure below which portrays the overlap amongst three systems which persuade the preparation of science education. This kind of illustration is a cue that actions done in sole system have insinuations not only in science education but then again for other systems too (see â€Å"Science Education System Standards†. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/8.html).The overlap of three systems which persuade science educationOrganization of performance amongst the systems can work for as a strong and influential force for alteration. But then, if performances are at cross intentions, their results and influences can be refuted and invalidated and make waste and conflict. The overlap in the figure a bove demonstrates that everyday pursuits of science classrooms are persuaded and manipulated indirectly and directly through several organizations that are themselves systems. National organizations and societies, private sector special- interest groups and government agencies at the local, regional, state, and national levels are three amongst many. Organizations have senior manager officer and administering body that eventually are accountable for the activities of the organizations and persuade on science education.The sovereignty of government organizations to persuade classroom science originates from two sources and these are the: (1) legislative, judicial authority or constitutional, and (2) economic and political act.   Since education is not precisely brought up as a federal power in United States Constitution, authority intended for education exists in states or regional. Federal dollars might be sought out for precise usages but since dollars move through state organiza tions to local regions, their usage is lay open to alteration to meet up the state purposes. State education agencies usually have more unswerving effect on science classroom pursuits compared with federal organizations. The science education is also considered as a network to make easy thinking which concerns the system’s several interacting modules.Science education system’s components aid an assortment of purposes which persuade the classroom’s practice of science education. The functions usually made the decision at the state-but there are times that the local will do- level comprises the substance of the school science course, the traits and qualities of the science program, the character of science teaching, and evaluation practices (see â€Å"Science Education System Standards†. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/8.html)Several distinct organizations and trustworthy individuals interrelate. The illustration below portrays in what way is each individual and every agency from distinct systems interrelates in the groundwork, certification and science teachers’ employment. Science education system’s components which have a main influence on teacher’s certificate match in four classifications and these are: (1) professional societies like the American Association of Physics, American Geological Institute, National Science Teachers Association,   National Association of Biology Teachers and American Chemical Society; (2) program-accrediting agencies like the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education which confirms teacher educations programs and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards which confirms teachers; (3) higher education’s organizations functioning within and cross state, local levels and national.Professional societies normally are not supposed of as accrediting agencies but rather their membership criterions explain what a professional is. The illustration bel ow was taken from â€Å"science Education System Standards†. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/8.html.A research study published in February 2005 entitled â€Å"the Impact of the State Higher Education System on the Texas Economy† and written by Carole Keeton Strayhorn explained that â€Å"Higher education has an important impact or effect on the Texas’ economy, increasing the Texas economic engine with 33.2 billion USD each year. Seeing that the system obtains just about 6 billion USD yearly in the state general revenue and regional property tariffs, each dollar capitalize in the higher education system of the state finally returns 5.50 USD to the Texas economy. This is an extraordinary and notable return, even for all-or-nothing technology instigation.But then, when it comes to the Texas higher education system, the risk factors are much higher. In favor of, the investors in Texas are capitalizing in the most significant business enterprise for the pr eparation of the young Texans’ future. With this fundamental role, state higher education funding is bringing up the rear ground to other state service industries. After regulating for inflation, expenditure on public protection and alterations increased 223 percent in the previous 15 years at the same time as real higher education spending increased only 44 percent throughout the same span of time. This study of Carole Keeton Strayton scrutinizes the economic impact of higher education by two extensive avenues. The initial and most direct impact is the supplementary sales, profits and service made by external dollars being brought into the Texas economy.The second is the long-term function higher education participates in escalating the capacity of the economy of the state by a more well-informed and beneficial work force. Her research presented that $3.1 billion in yearly student, investigation and health care-correlated higher education spending from out-of-state possessio ns is spent and re-spent by the Texas consumers and businesses every year to sum up $10.1 billion in economic amount produced. Furthermore, the Texas higher education system frequently links with the private sector to make occupations and enhance the Texans’ quality of life. Seeing together the profits and productivity-based methods, the Texas higher education system finally increases and multiplies the productivity capacity of the Texas economy having the average of 23.1 billion USD every year.Adding together the â€Å"supply-side† of profit to the $10.1 billion impacts from out-of-sate spending take along the sum total impact of the higher education system on the economy of Texas to 33.2 billion USD every year. The contribution of higher education to the Texas economy is considerable and significant than to other businesses. In reality, the totality of three years of the economic impact of the higher education exceeds Texas’ 72 billion USD gas and oil business or 62 billion USD high machinery and equipment business. Eventually, a few of higher education victories demonstrate the function of higher education in expanding and intensifying occupations and the eminence of life in every Texan individual (see Strayhorn, C. K. â€Å"The Impact of the State Higher Education System on the Texas Economy†. February 2005. http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/highered05/).In addition, the Texas higher education system comprises of 145 private and public colleges, health-related organizations and teaching centers and universities, comprising 44 private organizations and 101 state-supported. The admission every in university and college in Texas in 2004’s fall was about 1.2 million and was anticipated to range at least 1.3 million students in 2015.Texas, as one of the most populated states, the students depend heavily upon public instead of the private higher education organizations. As stated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinatin g Board, greater than 90 percent or about 1,064,620 students are admitted at its publicly-funded organizations which comprise universities (483,645), 57 community colleges and other two-year organizations (565,839), 35 and nine public health-related organizations (15,136).   The Texas’ public higher education is funded by a mixture of student fees, tuition, clinic and hospital revenue and other local endowments (see Strayhorn, C. K. â€Å"The Impact of the State Higher Education System on the Texas Economy†. February 2005. http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/highered05). References 1. â€Å"Education†. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. August 25, 2006.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education 2. Meadowcroft, B. â€Å"The Impact of Information technology on work and society†. http://www.benmeadowcroft.com/reports/impact/ 3. Galston, William. â€Å"Creating Vibrant Spaces for Civil Society Organizations on the Internet after E-Commerce†. http://www.independentsector.org/PDFs/factfind4.pdf. 4. â€Å"Education and Economic development† http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac227/ac111/cisco_and_society/education_and_economic_development.html 5. â€Å"Science Education System Standards†. http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/8.html 6.   Strayhorn, C. K. â€Å"The Impact of the State Higher Education System on the Texas Economy†. February 2005. http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/highered05