Tourism Profile †Greece

The role and significance of major cities Greece is one of the most attractive European countries for tourists from all over the world because of the country’s status as the place where history and myths meet modernity. The capital city of Greece is Athens.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Tourism Profile – Greece specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Before the 2004 Olympic Games, the capital city attracted a lot of tourists who were interested in history, arts, and philosophy because of the possibility to visit Acropolis, the famous Greek temple Parthenon, many museums and galleries. After the 2004 Olympic Games, the city is also known as one of the most visited European capitals. The major cities of Greece have not only the social but also historical significance as the European cultural heritage (Dubin). Thus, the next city which is popular with tourists is the Rhodes City. It can be characte rized by a lot of historical and archeological sites such as the Colossus of Rhodes and the numerous medieval structures in the Medieval City of Rhodes. Thousands of tourists visit the island of Rhodes and the city to see the Acropolis of Rhodes and the Temple of Apollo. Moreover, the economy of Rhodes depends on the city’s nightlife in which tourists take the active part. It is important to note that each country’s region has its main city which plays the significant role in the country’s development and contributes to its economy. Chania with the Samaria National Park and Heraklion are important for the development of Crete (Clark). Tourism in Thessaloniki is influential for the economic sector of the Macedonia region. Economic and social implications of tourism Tourism influences the economy and social life of Greece significantly. Greece is discussed as one of the European countries which have the definite economic problems, and tourism is considered as the way to stabilize the situation in the country. However, it is necessary to realize a lot of improvements in the field in order to maximize the possible benefits.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The dependence of the Greek economy on tourism is explained by the fact that the industrial sector of the country is not developed, and the orientation to the exporting agriculture requires many reforms, focusing on developing new distribution channels. From this point, tourism is important for increasing the Gross National Product of the country (Buhalis and Diamantis). The particular features of the social life in Greece also depend on the development of tourism. Thus, the labor market of the country is closely associated with the seasonal character of tourism in Greece. The migrations of tourists cause the migrations of the workforce within the country. The tourism secto r provides the young population with jobs. Moreover, it is possible to speak about the gender character of distributing jobs because women are mainly employed in the tourism sector. The accents made by the country’s leaders on the development of tourism are significant for the population not only because of the great job opportunities but also because the positive alternations in the Greek infrastructure are connected with the objectives to attract more tourists (Mak). The effects can be observed in the spheres of telecommunications, health services, and transportation. Cultural factors The culture and history are the main factors which attract tourists to visit Greece. The Greek resorts and spa centers take only the second position after visiting the archeological sites and museums of the country. The cultural diversity and uniqueness of Greece depends on the features of its location. This territory is often discussed by historians as the cradle of the European history and c ulture based on the combination of myths, archeological sites, and philosophical works. Many tourists are impressed by the historical and archeological destinations and by different traditions and practices which have various roots, but they are combined at these lands. The major trade ways crossed the country located between the Eastern and Western worlds. The Greek culture is based on the combination of the Christian and Islamic traditions which are the results of the impact of Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire. That is why, the major part of the country’s population is the Orthodox Christians, and the other significant part is the Muslims.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Tourism Profile – Greece specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the examples of the Christian and Islamic cultures can be seen in each city of Greece where magnificent churches are located. However, the Greek culture is not only the combination of definite religious traditions as a result of the years of the empires’ dominance. A lot of tourists visit Greece in order to observe the national customs, food traditions, and pay attention to the measured attitude of Greeks to their life (Bowman and Kerasiotis). Climate and topography The climate of Greece depends on its location and the particular features of the landscape. Many tourists concentrate on the fact that Greece is the country with the significant coastline where a lot of resorts are located. Furthermore, there are many wonderful islands with the mild climate. That is why, a lot of opportunities are provided for diving, sailing, and cruising. Moreover, those people who are interested in mountains can observe the great mountainous landscape at the main territory of the country. The Mediterranean climate is characteristic for Greece. Hot and dry periods of the weather from April till November are good for the development of tourism in th e region. The rainy season is from November till March. The best period for visiting the Greek islands is in June and September to avoid the warmest weather in the region during July and August. However, when the weather is not good for spending time at the beaches, it is possible to do sightseeing. Nevertheless, it is important to note that Greece is also characterized by the Alpine climate typical for the mountainous areas and by the Continental climate at the north of the country (Duke). Demographics The population of Greece is 11 million people. More than 17 million of tourists visit the country each year. The population of the country consists of the Greek majority. Nevertheless, it is important to pay attention to the diversity of the Greek population among which it is possible to determine minorities speaking different dialects.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thus, the population of Greece is inclined to divide itself into Cretans, Maniots, Pontians, and other groups. The demographics of the tourists are also diverse. The majority of tourists are from the European countries, and they mostly visit Athens and Crete. A lot of tourists are from the Americas. In spite of the fact the population of the Asian countries is not interested in visiting Greece, the tendency begins to change in the 2000s (Bowman and Kerasiotis). Major tourist’s attractions The major tourist’s attractions are the historical and archeological sites in the main cities of the country, islands, and resorts located at the country’s coastline. The visitors who come to Athens pay attention to the famous Acropolis, the Kallimarmaron stadium and observe the pieces of history in the National Archaeological Museum. The capital of Greece is discussed as the main tourist’s city with a lot of archeological attractions and remarkable destinations. After v isiting Athens, tourists often go to Delphi, Ithaca, and Olympia to experience the unity with the ancient history. Nevertheless, the beaches of the Greek islands attract more tourists in comparison with Athens in summer. The Greek island Corfu is also popular for many attractions. Tourists have the great opportunity to enjoy the warm waters of the Ionian Sea and observe the wonderful examples of the Venetian-Roman style architecture at the territory of the island. The volcanic island Santorini in the Aegean Sea attracts the lovers of romantic sunsets. It is the best place to see unique black sandy beaches (Clark). Markets and competitive advantages and disadvantages In spite of the fact the economy of Greece is based on the development of the tourism sector significantly, there are a lot of problems which prevent the country from competing effectively with the other European countries. To analyze the market and advantages and disadvantages of the process, it is important to pay atte ntion to the strengths and weaknesses of the sector’s development and management. The advantages of the process are in the fact that tourism sector is based on the definite natural and cultural resources, and it can be characterized by flexibility and the strong local character. However, the supporting markets and industries are not developed enough to compete successfully; the problems are observed in management and marketing structures; infrastructure does not respond to the tourism seasonality (Buhalis). To create the supporting conditions for the development of tourism in Greece and for increasing the sector’s competitiveness within the global market, it is necessary to focus on intensifying the standardization, training of tourism employees, and improving the quality of the services provided. Today, the main problems in the sphere of tourism are connected with increasing the level of infrastructure to the world standards, concentrating on the transportation and ho tel services. It is important to develop a new competitive strategy for managing and regulating the tourism sector in Greece. Existing tourist infrastructure The present-day tourist infrastructure of the country depends on the effects of the 2004 Olympic Games. The developed tourist infrastructure can be observed in the major Greek cities and on the islands where the famous resorts are located. The most luxurious hotels attract visitors in Athens and in the region of Thessaloniki as well as on Crete. The development of infrastructure in Greece is slower than in the other countries, and the standards in hotels can differ from the worldwide standards and tourists’ expectations. The most famous hotels and spa centers are located at the seacoasts to attract more visitors to such Greek destinations as resorts and the mild climate (Wickens). Thus, the distribution of hotels in the country depends on the tourists’ demands significantly. Camps are also popular in Greece along with the traditional hotels. The camp sites can be found in Macedonia and Peloponnese, and they are chosen by the representatives of eco-tourists. Those tourists who visit the mainland territories of Greece and its major cities often choose rental rooms which are associated with a kind of intrusion and certain Greek traditions. To contribute to attracting more tourists, the leaders of the country focused on developing the transportation systems and increasing the possibilities of the Athens International Airport and other international airports. The role of the State Department of Tourism or National Tourism Organization In Greece, the questions of the tourism sector in the country are resolved by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in association with the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO). The Ministry and GNTO are responsible for developing the tourism policy in the country and for controlling the aspects of the policy’s realization. The significance of tourism for the country’s Government can be explained by the fact the economy of Greece is based mainly on tourism. Much attention is paid to planning and implementing the effective strategies for the sector’s further progress. The most controversial issues discussed by the Ministry and GNTO are the questions of the correlation between the public and private sector within the market. Conclusions It is possible to conclude that tourism industry in Greece plays the significant role in the economic development of the country, but definite difficulties in the tourism sector’s progress influence the process negatively. The positive changes in the approach to tourism as the important factor for the country’s economic growth began after the 2004 Olympic Games. A lot of improvements and alternations were realized in the tourist’s infrastructure. Nevertheless, to achieve significant results, it is necessary to pay attention to larger changes in the tourism sector of t he country. The role of tourism in the Greek coastal regions is difficult to be overestimated. Moreover, the tendencies in the tourism sector influence the labor market of the country. From this point, any positive changes in the tourism industry can result in improving the social life of the country because the trends in the tourists’ attracting are closely connected with the rates of unemployment within the country. Tourism industry should be developed in Greece in order to contribute to maintaining the economic stability in the country. It is important to concentrate on the issue that tourism industry develops in various regions of Greece differently, and this fact is also significant for the country’s economic progress. Recommendations to visitors Before visiting Greece, it is important to pay attention to the necessary vaccinations and medications. The vaccinations are not required for the representatives of the USA and Canada. The aspects of the standardization of the Greek hotels differ from the international rules to rate the hotels. That is why, it is important to pay attention to the rate of the chosen hotel with references to the both systems of rating in order to avoid possible problems with determining the required facilities. A lot of tourists can experience difficulties associated with the fact that many people in Greece have the habit to smoke. That is why, it is important to focus on the places which are divided into the areas for smokers and non-smokers and where smoking is forbidden. The choice of the time for travelling in Greece can depend on the season in the country. Thus, many tourists can experience problems while visiting Greece during the rainy season (Bowman and Kerasiotis). Works Cited Bowman, John, and Peter Kerasiotis. Frommer’s Greece. USA: Frommers, 2010. Print. Buhalis, Dimitrios. â€Å"Relationships in the Distribution Channel of Tourism: Conflicts between Hoteliers and Tour Operators in the Mediterran ean Region†. Journal of International Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Administration 1.1 (2000): 113–39. Print. Buhalis, Dimitrios, and Dimitrios Diamantis. â€Å"Tourism Development and Sustainability on the Greek Archipelagos†. Tourism in the Mediterranean. Ed. Georg Apostolopoulos and Dimitrios Ioannides. USA: Routledge, 2001. 28-50. Print. Clark, Richard. Crete – A Notebook: Journeys through a Mystical Landscape. Greece: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012. Print. Dubin, Marc. Greece Athens and the Mainland. Greece: DK Travel, 2011. Print. Duke, Philip. The Tourists Gaze, the Cretans Glance: Archaeology and Tourism on a Greek Island. USA: Left Coast Press, 2007. Print. Mak, James. Tourism and the Economy: Understanding the Economics of Tourism. USA: University of Hawaii Press, 2003. Print. Wickens, Eric. â€Å"Rethinking Tourists’ Experiences†. Motivations, Behaviour and Tourist Types. Ed. Marc Robinson. Sunderland: Busines s Education Publishers, 2000. 455–472. Print. This research paper on Tourism Profile – Greece was written and submitted by user Lily Benjamin to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Serious Social Issue Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Essay Example

The Serious Social Issue Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Essay Example The Serious Social Issue Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Essay The Serious Social Issue Of Domestic Violence Social Work Essay Essay from Cardiff, Wales and from Australia, the Interagency Family Violence Intervention Program ( Healey, Frere, Ross A ; Humphrey, 2009 ) . One of the best-known incorporate response theoretical accounts is The Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, known normally as the Duluth Model. This theoretical account derives from the adult females s motion and has developed a powerful ethos based on a feminist apprehension of control and power in relationships between work forces and adult females, which informs all of its work. It coordinates male maltreaters plans and adult females s undertakings in the community and has besides developed awareness-raising, preparation and community development enterprises, all of which are supported by, and work in tandem with, the condemnable justness services ( Mulroney, 2003, p.3 ) . Equally good as the ACT Family Violence Intervention Program, another Australian illustration of a best pattern theoretical account is the Gold Coast Integrated Response. Some of the cardinal characteristics of these plans include: Coordinated responses within a manageable geographic part. Lead bureau to organize and supervise. Schemes including fax back undertakings to promote effectual referrals from Police to back up services for adult females and kids and enhanced communicating and coaction between bureaus. Servicess including group work with each client group: adult females, kids and immature people, and the opprobrious spouse. ( Mulroney, 2003, p7 ) . An of import facet of a coordinated community response to domestic force is about primary bar transforming community beliefs and norms about force against adult females ( Hart, 1995 ) and a common subject throughout the research is that there is a demand for a more long-run incorporate response to domestic force in Australia, which aims to forestall domestic force in the first topographic point with a position to cut downing bing degrees of force. Whilst the IWCADV does non hold any of its plans or services listed on the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse Good Practice database, many of the service s plans are modelled on these illustrations of best pattern. The IWCADV is besides presently trying to develop and implement a Co-ordinated Community Response to domestic force modelled on the Gold Coast Integrated Response. The IWCADV presently presents a preparation session to local constabulary officers during their first twelvemonth. The IWCADV is besides active in showing an instruction plan that operates in local high schools. This is an effectual plan for the bar of future force and is based on the belief the by exposing kids and immature people to non-violent options, supplying them with struggle declaration and choler direction accomplishments alongside a regard for others and tolerance of diverseness, violent behavior in grownups will be prevented ( Carrington and Phillips, 2006 ) .

Udoka corporation case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Udoka corporation case study - Essay Example Operational process is the core area that has to be very efficient to retain the sustainability of a company. Therefore, in order to maintain a higher level of operational process, proper evaluation and controlling activities are inevitable. The evaluation of operational analysis can be done using the financial evaluation techniques specifically the ratio analysis. Besides, the management decisions and future strategies should also be analysed for determining the future growth of company in terms of operational performance. Hence, in this regard necessary information is essential like the financial data and management planning for operational process. However, merely computing the operational ratios will not offer very clear picture of a company’s performance. The results of evaluation must be compared with the peer rivals and with industrial average performance. There are also other financial techniques apart from the ratio analysis like horizontal analysis which is helpful i n comparing company performance in comparison to performances in previous years. As this report aims to evaluate operational performances of Udoka Corporation, outcome from the horizontal analysis can be used to assess improvements or degradation in Udoka’s performance. The primary aim for this analysis to is identify the underlying issues in Udoka’s operational performances and accordingly a set of plausible and specific recommendation will be offered. Brief Description of Udoka Corporation Udoka Corporation is engaged in mobile manufacturing business and technology and innovation is the base of this company. It is operating in a highly competitive business environment where every aspect of performance is crucial for sustaining in such severe competitive market. It is expected that in coming years the industry competitive will be fiercer and hence, it is necessary for Udoka to take necessary action to acquire an upper hand position in the market. The management of Udo ka is considering for investing for ensuring Udoka’s future, and in this process, it is very necessary to make proper decisions based on prevailing condition of finance and based on industry forecast. Analysis of Operational Performance Operational process includes the management cash receivable, cash payable, inventory turnover etc. Using these parameters, cash conversion cycle and operational cycle can be determined. To make better decisions for future growth, the proper evaluation of current status is indispensible which also offer indication of prevailing operational performance (Walton and Aerts, 2006, p.261). Using the financial data of Udoka Corporation, operational performance of the company has been determined. Table 1 represents horizontal analysis of Udoka’s financial statement and the table 2 depict the analysis of its operational performance. Table 1: Horizontal Analysis of Udoka’s Financial Statements Financial Analysis 2011 2,010 2,009    Actual Actual Variance % Actual Variance %    ?m ?m ?m    ?m ?m    Total sales 50,710 45,639 5,071 11% 41,075 9,635 23% Cost of sales 33,337 26,471 6,866 26% 24,645 8,692 35%                         Ratio of CS/Sales 66% 58% 8% 13% 60% 6% 10%                         Gross profit 17,373 19,168 -1,795 -9% 16,430 943 6% Gross margin 34% 42% -8% -19% 40% -6% -15%                         Operating expenses            

How Marketing has changed because of the development of technology Essay

How Marketing has changed because of the development of technology - Essay Example The author of the essay "Change of Marketing due to Technological Advances" assumes that in the present situation of ever advancing technology, a focus on marketing is needed. The identification of best plans to acquire market share and defeating competitors also should be included in marketing strategy. The creation of essential components of the product and market strategy is needed. Making a product nearer to the customer is also a compulsion in the competitive market. After the advent of information technology, the marketing took new turn and the clients are being contacted through internet or the network of the companies. The marketing strategy inherent in the internet or web based services is making the customer’s work easy to contact the vendor, manufacturer or service provider. This makes the producer or the service provider’s work easy of searching a customer. For example, Cisco Systems and Bay networks turned into a billion dollar networks or companies within a short span of time. Similarly Sony company has shipped ten million CD players in sever years before 1992 and after that they have shipped same number in 7 months by the advent of internet or web services in marketing. This induced speed in the marketing strategies, by establishing a contact between customer and the manufacturer or the service provider. In this paper the author analyses internet marketing, and in the end of the essay gives an action plan and time table that requires three years period.

If you could choose to live in any world you wanted to, what would Essay

If you could choose to live in any world you wanted to, what would that world be like - Essay Example These issues would not be allowed within my own world as I believe these in essence mar the basis of development and growth amongst humans. My world would be different in the fact that it will have a more adequate space for understanding one another. There would be openness amongst people and camaraderie all round so that bitterness would not make the rounds of one another’s minds. People would be forthwith in their dealings and there would be respect for the elderly and love for the young ones. In short, my world would entail a character of its own making. It will make us all proud that we could actually live in harmony without any such issues coming to the fore. My world would have economic relief for everyone. There would not be problems for the people who are less affluent and the ones who essentially cannot afford to buy the most glamorous products on display. The economic well-being of the people would take into account their spending patterns, the manner in which they could afford their true basis within the complexities of life and in essence their salaries, which they get from their respective jobs and undertakings. The rich would not get richer by the day and same would be the case for the poor people within this world. In fact there would be an open ground for the rich and the poor to link with one another and thus interact on a level playing field. Similarly, the government of the time within this world would comprise of individuals who are honest with the masses, have proven track record of doing things right and are known to be steadfast in their respective areas of strength. Citizens will have a say in the affairs of the govern ment so that there is accountability from top to bottom and no such issues of treating people in an undignified manner come to the fore. The middle aged adults would be encouraged to join politics so that they could give somewhat constructive back to the society. One should believe that this is a very enticing

A reflective analysis | Learning with ICT

A reflective analysis | Learning with ICT This part of the assignment is a reflective analysis of my learning with ICT on this module. I am going to review my experience in collaborative learning on this module drawing my attention to the learning experience from the face to face sessions on the unit compared to the classroom sessions. Collaborative Learning Experience There are many ways that people learn in their everyday lives. Learning can take place anywhere at any time wherever you may be. Joel (2003) stated that Learning is a change in behaviour that results from the learners interaction with the environment. Joels statement is linked into the two environments experienced on this module. This module the teaching and learning consisted of face-to-face classroom sessions and online VLE discussions held on a weekly basis for one hour. The topics that were covered in this module are the way you can learn in different ways. Students participated in these discussions about various experiences and reinforced the information to promote further discussion. These discussions were mostly set in groups where we had to work together to complete various tasks. This type of collaborative learning is when two or more people are in a situation to learn something together Dillenbourg (1999). This occurred on two occasions in this module, one was creating a mi ndmap (online) and one was marking a past assignment (face-to-face). Both were instances of learning something new and we were in groups of more than one. Harding (1993) also suggested that collaborative learning usually works when students group together to create a knowledge and understanding of a certain situation. This in my understanding is communication amongst the group. Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is a concept within collaborative learning where it uses technology in the learning environment to facilitate group interactions Mitnik (2009). In my understanding on this module collaborative learning is the completion of any given project or task. According to Miller (1998) successful collaborative tasks have characteristics such as the problem being solved are example of the types of problems found in normal everyday life. Millers statement here links in with the past and current experiences of all students on the course where they have discussed the topic i n hand relating them to their own personal experiences. Miller (1998) also went onto explain that the problem can be solved by a small number of students who have not got the current knowledge and understanding to solve the problem alone but can contribute to it amongst a team. When working with my peers on the collaborative learning tasks I firstly felt as I am the youngest I wont know as much knowledge as the rest of them. However it gave me the opportunity to develop a higher level thinking skill to show my peers I am interested in the subject that we are going to discuss. The task was a positive learning experience which was very active, involved and insightful. When the mind map task was being developed I found that I was learning mostly from the facilities of the software that were available to me. Thanasis (2009) said that the role of the computer is to support users to communicate and structure the learning activity. This was the case in the collaborative task I completed in this module and the use of collaboration here is the idea of learning taking place when peers interact to achieve task outcomes (Thanasis 2009). This collaboration activity of the module was a challenging task as many of us had different ideas. However I felt that we all put our ideas together to find the best outcome. Smith (1992) suggested that this sort of collaborative learning process is not beginning with facts and ideas and then finding out the problem but it begins with the problem to find out the facts and ideas in the first place. We as a group didnt meet up altogether initially but I discussed the task before hand to a member of my peer and just went over what we would want to do. This pre-process helped as I went away and did my own research to find out some ideas I could share. By working in this environment we could cover more ground and get the task done at a quicker pace than doing it individually in which can help by sharing resources and ideas. With my teaching ex perience in my previous school, students working in smaller groups enable them to increase their knowledge and widen their understanding of the task in hand. The task which is given to the students is structured in a way to accomplish the learning objectives set. Giving students individual responsibilities gives a lively and energetic vibe to the classroom and the thought of competition amongst other students seemed common. Stahl (2002) suggested that when using technology to support collaborative learning it enhances peer interaction and facilitates the distribution of knowledge and expertise amongst the group. The different collaborative Learning strategies I used in the classroom were that I created different tasks and activities that were necessary for the group to work together and be dependent on each other. If certain individuals do really well and shine through, it created a more motivated establishment in the group. Communities of practise My experiences of group interaction relates to the work of Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger Communities of Practise (CoP) which we covered in our module. Wenger (1991) defines CoP as a passion of learning something and sharing it amongst a group of people and then establishing how it was done. This is a way of promoting new ideas, developing social means, facilitating and spreading knowledge within a group (Wenger 1991). Wengers definition relates to the module task we worked on. The process of social learning that occurred when a group of students came together to discuss a task was something that we were interested in and collaborated with. Wenger went onto explaining that CoP had 3 main components to it which were domain, community and practice. A domain of interest is a specific subject area, which in our case the multiple intelligence theories. The community is where students gathered together and shared ideas and information about Gardner in the module. The practise is members of t he group who are already helpful in the resources and give common experience encountered. These components were explored more in Part 1 Websipration unit on Microworlds. Effective classroom interaction needs to be managed to help student generate a deeper understanding of the lesson. Harry (1993) describes Moores theory (1984) that this type of management involving three types of learning. Interaction with resources, teachers and peers. With the face to face sessions we encountered on the course I learnt to work with different types of people from different backgrounds. During our lecturers the small group discussions allowed us to reflect and act upon discussions and responses when certain questions were raised by the tutor. These small group interactions on a weekly basis allowed us to have a better understanding on our peers point of view. Downes (1998) states the idea is that learning is not paced so much by the teacher, as it is by the students own capacity to acquire the mater ial. Downes statement is exactly how our module is routined. The tutor has a certain role in the classroom but it is up to the student to obtain and research the necessary information to be prepared enough for the upcoming discussions. This collaboration experience in the classroom and online allowed different students give different responses and established a range of different perspectives on the topic discussed. In MacGregors view he states that Knowledge is shaped, over time, by successive conversations MacGregor (1990). The ability to relate to other students in the face to face session is helpful for other students who find it difficult to communicate in front of others and can benefit their own social skills. However the same goes for the online learning sessions on the module where the learning is catered to individual students and their different learning styles (Downes 1998). As Downes suggested the student can adapt the materials and discussions thrown at them and can re spond in a learning style that suits them. These different learning styles online without seeing peoples faces becomes a centre of excitement and motivation that we all can feel throught the discussions. Maslows theory of motivation describes how human actions are directed toward goal attainment. The esteem needs from Maslows hierarchical pyramid shows a link to the online learning sessions that as students we need the confidence, self-esteem and achievement when working and expressing our views online. To add to this experience it has a deeper impact on me when I answer a question and others respond to it. This built my own self esteem which is described by Maslows theory of motivation as the others were responding to my ideas and encouraged me to give more to the discussion. At times from the online session it was hard getting the topic discussion together as many in the small group didnt want to manage the talk. Gunawardena (1995) suggested that online learning lacks social inter action between students and teachers, as well as within peer groups themselves. I agree with Gunawardenas statement here because it was hard getting everyone to agree with a certain responsibility which slowed down the discussion process. It is difficult to recognise that our group needs a little help and guidance in our conversation but this is not established by the tutor as they are mainly floating between group discussions. I also found that in many of our discussions even though we had a small group, 1 or 2 members would not say anything at all. This then leaves the discussion on 2 people who are the most dominating of characters end up having a conversation between themselves and others are simply sitting and reading. With the online discussions weekly discussions are uploaded on the VLE before the group get together. If the online conversation becomes slow and undirected, I tend to look at a group discussion they placed on the VLE and give my own options on it. This tends to gear the conversation back up and others tend to join in. These posts at times gives me ideas that I hadnt thought of and enables me to respond to their posts so the other students know that other students have acknowledged them. Through the experiences on the online chats I have noticed that this type of interaction allows the opportunity for students to share their own reflections, give critical feedback and comment openly about the topic. If a question is asked from the tutor in lesson its apparent that the same 3 or 4 confident students (including me) will raise their hands and continually answer. The answers are spontaneous commonly on the spot with limited time that we have to discuss. However on the online environment, if the same question is answered its opens a new dimension of read, review and respond method that we have encountered on the course. This VLE learning and online discussions encourage the use of other resources such as internet links, course materials, discuss ions boards at my convenience to help elaborate group discussions. Evaluation ICT has changed dramatically from when ICT as an A level in my experience was simply reading, copying out of a book and then taking the exam. This module has developed my understanding of the intensity of ICT and how ICT can be differentiated in many ways through the range of different virtual worlds software packages. The different activities we entailed in the module were across the board where as I discussed before even different students from different backgrounds could explore. Calongne (2008) explains in his article that Virtual worlds support different learning styles and give students opportunities to explore, discover, and express their understanding of the subject. However the tools capabilities do not guarantee a great learning experience. This was the case on the module, even though there were different virtual softwares we experimented with some were not interesting at all. Only the software I felt I learned the most from were described in part 1 of this report even thou gh most of the software activities were similar to each other. I have learnt a lot about the resources available that I didnt know about and how it can be used in Learning. Applying for my Masters I was worried that I would not have the confidence or techniques to stand up in the classroom again however this module has given me more resources to help me in the future to enhance my lessons using different learning materials. I have always been interested in ICT choosing it at GCSE and A LEVEL and then following it through into my degree and PGCE course. ICT has impacted learning so much that everything is now based around PCs. The online lecturers which were part of the module were accessed at any convenient time and place. This enabled students in the UK and abroad to approach the module without any limitation and express ideas at a pace convenient to them. Online learning as experienced on this module has brought a new dimension to learning and allows the student to engage with oth er members of my class outside the university environment which helps build confidence amongst the group when we got together. The flexibility of not writing quick short hand notes in lecturers but the detail of discussion remains and I can easily read back anything I may have missed. The tutor in this instant can be seen as a guide to the discussions and gives us students the opportunity to express our opinions and comments on other comments. The classroom interactions are more for the students who prefer to gain more knowledge from other people but also establishing new friendships amongst the group and direct contact with the tutor. Within the learning environment from face to face sessions which are rather brief in my experience however it becomes at times a great ice breaker for those who tend to be the much shy students. Our tutor being the certain point in both the face to face and online sessions gives them plenty of experience to help avoid any future drawbacks from these s essions. This enables tutors to grip the potential of collaborative learning and pull together information from the module evaluations to improve the course as a whole. Conclusion Online learning can always have its advantages and disadvantages but technology is there as a tool for learning which is combined with the different teaching methods. It is the way the students respond, review and reflect which was a key aspect of learning in this module. Students explore education in many different ways and the course has allowed us to do this online and face to face. These are only 2 types of learning but more technology will be introduced and more ways of learning will be introduced. This can change how we learn today through the use of student social collaboration methods. As cited in Gibson (2007) Visions without action is a dream; action without vision, nightmare. If only there was a virtual simulation that can visualise the future of education and how a learning environment would look like which could give us an indication of how rapidly technology is changing.

Conrads Obsession with Voice in Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

Conrad's Obsession with "Voice" in Heart of Darkness For the moment that was the dominant thought. There was a sense of extreme disappointment, as though I had found out I had been striving after something altogether without a substance. I couldn't have been more disgusted if I had travelled all the way for the sole purpose of talking to Mr. Kurtz. Talking with . . . I flung one shoe overboard, and became aware that that was exactly what I had been looking forward to--a talk with Mr. Kurtz. I made the strange discovery that I had never imagined him as doing, you know, but as discoursing. Marlow in Conrad's Heart of Darkness The above quotation suggests what has been noted frequently in recent years as damnin...

Sabmiller Sources of Finance

SABMiller should combine those 4 sources of finance: retained profit, issuing shares, bond, debenture and bank loans. Each source of finance has its own advantages and disadvantages: †¢ Retained profit: When SABMiller use retained profit, it do not have to pay any brokerage fees. Retained profit is also flexible and simple. The manager can use this source of finance for different purposes. Because retained profit belong to the whole company, not any individual so there is no dilution of control. Furthermore, ‘all profit from investment belong to shareholders’.However, using retained pro fit could decrease the possibility to pay and paying high dividends to shareholders. †¢ Bank loans: As a new company enters Vietnamese market, SABMiller needs a large sum of capital to bulid its offices, equipments, raw material and invest in potential projects to earn more profit for its first stage of development. Therefore, borrow money from banks is a very suitable source of finance because they can provide a large amount of money. But asking for a loan from banks is so risky. When the company borrow money from banks, it must pay enough interest on time and the interest rate may be very high.Before lending the firm money, banks would look at SABMiller’s characters, ability to pay back, purpose of the loan, the amount of the loan, the repayment terms of the loan and secutity. If the business did not pay back the interest on time, it is nearly impossible for it to borrow money again. †¢ Issuing shares: It could be a long term source of finance when SABMiller is listed in stock market. If the firm has nice reputation and work well, it will motivate more shareholders to buy the shares, so SABMiller could raise a large sum of capital.Moreover, when the company issues share, it is more difficult for SABMiller to lose ownership and have takeover risk. But as well as its advantages, issuing shares also has many limitations. If there is a reduction on in a shareholder’s percentage of controlling a company, the dilution of control will appear. The cost involved may be high, such as floatation cost, brokerage fees, underwritten fees, administrative fees, legal. Furthermore, issuing shares is so adventurous and risky because if the performance of the company go down, the price of shares will decrease, even it might be very low.The business can have backrupt trouble when the price of share go down too much. When SABMiller cannot repay the debt to creditors, it will lead to backruptcy. †¢ Issuing bonds and debentures: These sources of finance could be used in long term. The company could have a less expensive loan from its creditor. However, debenture stock have to compete with gilts to draft investors. And because debenture stock has higher risk, ‘company debentures must generally offer a higher rate of interest than the interest rate of gilts’. Unless the business pay their debt on time, it will lose its assets and money.

How Georgias Political, Social, and Religious History has Played A Role on its Current Citizens

How Georgias Political, Social, and Religious History has Played A Role on its Current Citizens Executive Summary The history of Georgia dates back from pre-Columbian time to the present. Georgia is an American state, which was originally inhabited by Native Americans. Its history involves the European exploration, British colonization, the American Revolution, the American civil war and reconstruction.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Georgias Political, Social, and Religious History has Played A Role on its Current Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The state was established in 1732 as a trustee colony, and it later became the royal colony (Thomas, 192-195). This colony was originally against slavery, and there were no slaves imported until 1749, when many slaves started to be imported from, Angola, the Gambia and Sierra Leone. Rules and regulations were adopted in Georgia by 1776, which was considered as the constitution of Georgia. The first president of Georgia was elected in 1788, and i n this time, the state ratified the constitution of the United States. Later on Georgia separated from the United States to join other Southern States to form the confederate states of America history. The history of Georgia has greatly influence the current citizens of this country. The research paper seeks to determine the impact of Georgia’s political, social and religious history to the current citizens. The impact of Georgia’s history to the current citizens John Rocker was a baseball player who played for the Atlanta braves, Texas rangers as well as long island ducks. He is a native of Georgia and he earned popularity because of speaking negatively about diversity in New York (Thomas, 192-195). The people of Georgia are influenced by the country’s political, social, and religious history. John rocker was influenced by the political situations in Georgia, which made him to speak negatively about diversity in New York. This indicates that he is a product of his environment. He made many allegations based on experiences he had witnessed in the New York City. This is very evident when he was answering questions regarding as to whether he would ever play for New York Yankees or the New York Mets.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More His sentiments and responses were considered racist, homophobic and sexist. He said that he did not like New York because of foreigners, and he was wondering how the foreigners entered the country (Thomas, 192-195). He also talked about his view on the New York Mets and their fans. During this interview, he spat on a Georgia 400 toll machine and teased the Asian women. He also described his black teammate Simon Randall as a monkey. In 2002, he was accused of directing slurs towards patrons of Dallas hotel where he was dining with his friends. He was not pleased with the diversity in New York. He was a conservative republican who wanted people in New York to speak English. He campaigned for people in New York to speak English rather than the foreign languages such as Asian, Korean, Vietnamese, Indians and Spanish. He was not happy because of all these foreigners in New York, and that made him to talk negatively about the diversity in New York. This shows that John Rocker was a product of his environment (Numan, 175-180). In the history of Georgia, this can be attributed to various events, which shows that people are products of their environment. Georgia was a trustee colony, which prohibited slavery this was because the native of Georgia did not want foreigners in their colony. They were against integration with people from other places especially Africans, and this was a clear indication that they were against diversity in their colony. During the pre Columbia era, the native people lived according to their culture, and they were against cultures from other places. They establ ished urban societies differentiated with their construction of truncated earthwork pyramid mounds (Kenneth, 321-325). This was also characterized with intensive village based farming, which led to the development of dense populated areas.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on How Georgias Political, Social, and Religious History has Played A Role on its Current Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Some of the mould building sites are still evident today in Georgia. This indicates that the native people of Georgia were greatly influenced by the environment. During the time of European exploration, Mississippian culture people invaded Georgia. They traded in iron tools, guns and cloth. These people believed that their culture was the best, and they were products of their environment. During the period of American Revolution, Georgia changed very fast towards republicanism. This enabled the country to oppose m onarchy, aristocracy and corruption. The people of Georgia ordered for the formation of government depending on the will of the people. They did not like taxation without representation. They spoke about the stamp act and subsequent royal taxes. They were not pleased with way the country was governed and politics at this time greatly influenced their lives. The patriots controlled Georgia and rules and regulations were established. It was no longer a colony, and it became a state with the chief executive. The white settlers forced the US government to expel Indians from Georgia. Georgia sent many soldiers to battle, and this made the state to shift from cotton production to food production in order to be able to feed soldiers in the war. After the war, many black people in Georgia moved to rural areas to participate in the reconstruction of the city. In 1868, a constitution convention took place representing all the citizens in Georgia. This action made several white settlers to be very uncomfortable and they greatly rejected the republican administration. They were against cultural diversity as reflected in the case of John Rocker. This shows that they were a product of the environment they were living in (David, 210-213). They wanted only the whites to be represented but not all the citizens in Georgia. Some of these people became involved in political terrorism in order to sabotage the government’s operations. Others organized and mobilized people to join insurgent paramilitary groups which were against the government. Many cases and assault were reported during this particular time.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The white republicans and the democrats worked together to remove blacks representatives from the general assembly. The white people believed that blacks were not supposed to be represented in Georgia. The blacks were treated as minority people, and this had a great impact on their lives. This can be likened with john rocker’s case where he called his teammate a monkey. During this time and they were not respected at all by the whites. Today the black citizens in Georgia are still racially abused, and this has affected their lives. John rocker was a conservative who was not pleased with foreigners coming to New York. In the history of Georgia, it can be noticed that many whites were conservatives and were totally against the republican administration (Andrew, 273-276). Georgia established a convict lease system in the south. This system made the black prisoners to work for individuals and private enterprises without being paid. They were not protected, and they did not receiv e any salary for the work done. The white conservatives used these prisoners in railway companies, mines and in other manufacturers. They were used to rapidly increase the industrialization process in Georgia. Reports that the convicts were being overworked were ignored. The convict continued to be mistreated, and some were murdered in the process. The most beneficiaries of this system were the Georgia’s capitalists such as Joseph Brown who reaped a lot of profit from the system. The whites in Georgia aimed at establishing social and political dominance at the time of severe agricultural depression. This caused a lot of mob violence, which was directed towards the freed men in Georgia and other confederate states. Between 1872 and 1890, the democrats dominated in the state politics. Most of these democrats were white. During this time, mob killing increased rapidly, and it averaged more than one killing every month. Most of the people killed in this time were blacks. The whit es denied the blacks their rights to vote until they were completely disenfranchised by using political violence. The African American community could not work in juries, and they were not represented in the local, state and federal levels. Poll tax was imposed as a voting requirement which locked out the blacks from voting as they were unable to pay the taxes. This affected the black citizens of Georgia as it lasted for more than 60 years into the 20th century. The blacks were urged to become proficient in various fields such as agriculture, mechanic and domestic service. The black community started attending schools in order to acquire education as much as possible. By this time, nearly 47% of the population constituted of blacks. This made the blacks to fight for voting rights. Black civil right groups fought for the registration of African Americans. In 1965, a civil right movement enabled the government to pass the voting rights act of 1965.Today in Georgia, the blacks have a r ight to participate in any election. This has enabled the black people in Georgia to participate in running of the government. The blacks also moved to the urban areas where they established successful lives as industrial workers (Numan, 175-180). They live there even today, and they are employed in various industries. Religious and social history of Georgia has also played a key role to the lives of the current citizens. Religion prohibited consumption of alcohol in this country. The woman’s Christian temperance union established a law, which prohibited person in rural counties from drinking. This Union was led by the preachers and women mostly the African Americans. In 1907, the anti-saloon league, which took over from the preachers and women, was very effective. It cut deals with the politicians and established a prohibition law. However, it had loopholes, which enabled some people to import whisky from other states (Kenneth, 125-127). The prohibition law allowed only salo ons, which sold non-alcoholics drinks in Georgia. Coca-Cola Company was bought, and it became one of the most lucrative companies in Georgia. The current citizens of Georgia have been greatly influenced by this history. Most of liquor companies in this state manufacture non-alcoholic drinks. There are laws that limit alcohol consumption as well as other drugs. Today most of the citizens in Georgia believe in orthodox Christianity (Numan, 175-180). There are also some other religions such as Islam, Armenian apostolic church and roman Catholics. The Georgian apostolic Orthodox Church is categorized as one of the earliest Christian churches. Apostle Andrew the first called started it in the beginning of 1st century. Christianity was accepted as the state religion in the state of Georgia. This has been a sense of national identity embraced by the people of Georgia for many years. It has enabled Georgia to preserve its national identity based on the history. It has remained unchanged for a long time despite many foreigners coming to the state and attempted assimilation. Several religious minorities have existed in this country for a long period, and there has been no religious discrimination until today. Such religious minorities include Islam and Jews (Numan, 175-180). These religions have been there, and the current citizens do not discriminate against them. These ceremonies were still carried out in the ancient time. Various religions have coexisted with Georgian orthodoxy. For instance, a number of people throughout the country practices Judaism, which has existed since the old days. It is mostly practiced in the largest cities in Georgia such as Tbilisi and Kutaisi. Today most of the citizens in Georgia practice Christianity. This can be attributed to Georgia’s Christianity history. Georgia is the second earliest Christian county after Armenia (Thomas, 180-182). The conversion of Georgia into Christianity was the effort of Saint Nino of Cappadocia who w as a daughter of pious and noble parents. The Georgian Orthodox Church was derived from the original church of Antioch. The Christian church in Georgia played a very significant role in the establishment of a written language. Currently the people living in Georgia use this language today. In the early 1970s, opposing leaders criticized the Georgian church because of corruption. Later on, new order and morality was brought to the church, which helped in reviving it (David, 210-213). In the 20th century, religious identity in Georgia was incorporated into the strong nationalist movement. In 1988, most churches were consecrated and reopened. A large scale restoration of churches took place in Georgia by this time. Most of the citizens in the current Georgia believe in Christianity. They attend churches on Sunday, and this has been influenced by the religious history of Georgia (Kenneth, 125-127). Many churches have been constructed due to increase in population of people going to chur ch. Christianity is also taught in schools to make children to understand Christianity and its history. Islam was introduced in Georgia in the ancient times. It continued to spread during the 14th and 15th centuries because of Timurs invasion of Georgia. The Muslim community in Georgia is relatively smaller in numbers as compared to Christianity. The muslim groups are the Georgian ethnic Muslims and the ethnic Azerbaijani Muslims. The Muslim religion is still in existence in Georgia today. They are dispersed in Georgia and other neighboring countries. Their existence in Georgia can be attributed to the religious history in this state. The Jews have also been living in Georgia for a number of years (David, 210-213). Today there is a small number of Jews in Georgia, and they live in Tbilisi. These minority religious groups are not discriminated in Georgia, and the constitution of this country provides freedom of religion. Social history has also influence the people of Georgia. Georgi an society and its people were portrayed in the novels written by recognized writers such as Mary Shelley and Henry Fielding. The paintings done by various artists demonstrated the changing world of the Georgian period. The work of earlier designers is still applied today in Georgia. The building designs used to day in Georgia dates back from several decades ago. This can be seen in poetry, which was characterized with colorful language. Social reforms, which were fought for by politicians, have brought about radical changes in various areas. They helped in the abolition of slaves, prison reforms and social justices. These social reforms have helped in shaping the social life of the current citizens. Philanthropists and writers fought against social ills and helped in starting hospitals, Sunday schools and orphanage. The textiles collection of the Georgian people can be traced back in early days. Most of clothes and costumes used today have been developed from those that were design ed several years ago (Buddy, 193-195). The daily and occasion clothing that represent Georgia were designed many years ago (Arnold, 78-82). Furnishing textiles and other personal accessories can be attributed to history. Textile production is represented by weaving machines and sewing patterns. Personal clothes such as dress for men, women and children are because of what was designed in the early days. Personal accessories such as shoes, hats and jewelry have also some historical attributes. All these are highlighted in the history center’s textile holding. Most of the items are produced from silk and wool. The social history has greatly influenced the lives of Georgian citizens in terms of dressing and other social issues. People of Georgia can be identified based on linguistic traditions and the ethnic linguistic groups. Georgia comprise of several ethnic groups such as Armenians, Greeks, Kurds among others. Such groups speak different languages (Kenneth, 321-325). However , some ethnic groups speak Georgian as a native language. Such ethnic groups include the Jews. These groups have their own cultural identity although their long stay in Georgia influenced them. Georgia is made up of small regional cultural entities with different believes and cultural values. They have different dressing code, customs, and folklore and speak different languages. Most of these groups have maintained their traditions, which have enabled Georgia to preserve its national identity. Most of the citizens in Georgia live in the urban centre. The population of Georgia has greatly increased due to emigration by the ethnic minorities. Most of the people speak Georgian although some groups speak other languages. The Georgian language came from the south Caucasian language group. The main language spoken in Georgia today was used in the historically dominant western kingdom of kartli. There are also some minority languages such as Armenian, Abkhazian, Azeri, and Russian. All the se minority languages can be attributed to historical emigration in Georgia. Today these groups still exist in Georgia, and they speak the minority languages. This has had an impact on the Georgian language because in some places it is diluted (James, 112-114). The Christians in Georgia have been greatly influenced by Muslims in the neighboring areas. Today, most of the cultural values and believes are based on social history belonging to the Georgian community. Cultural unity is common among different cultural groups that live in Georgia. Christianity became a state religion in this country during the era of king martin III who was directed by Saint Nino of Cappadocia. The alphabet used today by the Georgian people was design in the ancient times. In 1453, Georgia became the first Christian stronghold to be established in the region of Muslim kingdom. In 19th century, the Russian empire united the country and that unity is still in existence today (Buddy, 193-195). A social democra tic government ruled republican of Georgia, which embraced social history. The country has different groups of people who speak different languages. These groups were united during the reign of King Parnavaz, and they have remained together until today. There has been a gradual assimilation of the ethnic groups, which has brought about religious unity and unification (Andrew, 273-276). Conclusion The political, social and religious history of Georgia has a very significant impact to the lives of people living in this country today. Most of religious and social practices carried out today can be traced back from the ancient Georgia. History has transformed Georgia to what it is today. The current nation is as a result of political, social and religious history. For many centuries, most of the ethnic groups in Georgia have preserved their cultural identities enabling the country to maintain its national identity. Most of these groups have common cultural identities, which have reduced the chances of cultural conflicts. Despite some little tensions between Abkhaz and Ossetians, today there is harmony among different groups in Georgia. Most of the churches built today in Georgia are mostly replicas of the old historical churches. Urban architecture has strong traces of soviet influences (Kenneth, 125-127). Building designs used today in Georgia resembles the historical building designs. Most food taken in the country includes traditional food such as meat and fruits. Georgia’s political, social and religious history has played a significant role to the current citizens. Most of activities and practices are based on political, social and religious history of the country. As in the case of john rocker, it can be concluded that every person is a product of his environment. Bibliography Numan, Bartley. The creation of modern Georgia. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2003.Print James, Cobb. Georgia. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2008.Print Kenneth, Co leman. A history of Georgia. Athens: University of GeorgiaPress, 2001. Print Kenneth, Coleman. Colonial Georgia:A history. West Virginia: University of Virginia, 2007.Print Arnold, Fleischmann. Politics in Georgia. New York: University of Georgia Press, 2007.Print Andrew, Manis. Macon Black and White:An unutterable seperation in the American century.New York: Mercer University Press, 2004.Print Thomas, Scott. Cornerstones of Georgia history. Athens: The University of Georgia Press, 1995.Print Thomas, Scott. Georgia and the origins of the suburban South:A twentieth-century history. Marietta: Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, 2008.Print Buddy, Sullivian. Georgia:A state history. New York: Arcadia Publishing, 2010.Print David, Williams. From mounds to megachurches:Georgias religious Heritage. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2008.Print

Intellectual Autobiography Essay Example

Intellectual Autobiography Essay Example Intellectual Autobiography Essay Sample Intellectual Autobiography Essay Sample All I can remember from my childhood is that I was a quiet child. So quiet that my parents thought my siblings were wiser than I was and, therefore, would favor them at my expense. However, what was their wisdom when they were always fighting with the neighbors, upholding the tit for tat principle. I was different and I knew that. I did not have many arguments with either my siblings or friends. I always thought twice before I did anything. I knew how to manage anger when I was very young and I knew the power of isolation when I was at this tender age. Nevertheless, when I was advanced in years, the surrounding people recognized my power of thinking and capacities. During my education, no child in school could beat my grades. I seemed the best to everyone and they said that my book intellect was something inborn. What they did not understand is that my solitary self had a deeper world and made much more actions than the talkative me. I would visit the galaxies in my mind. Furthermore, I would construct a car, bring peace to our world, and build relationships in my introverted self. What I mean is that I used to think more than my parents could have ever considered. To them, I was a stupid child who could not fight others when wronged like the rest of my siblings. It is at this young age that I developed the real meaning of life. Some of the virtues that I hold today were constructed when I was very young. Everything my inspirers came to do in my life was to strengthen what had been built in me when I was youth. When I was alone, I could think about the ills and the misgivings of life. I would think about the situations from different angles, analyze them, and come up with a certain conclusion. Finally, as it seems today, most of my life choices were correct. The fact that I was not brought up in a religious family nor did I attend any religious gatherings when I was young surprised many. Nevertheless, the beautiful side of life came to be placed in my heart by whoever did so. Most of all, I cherished love though I did not get much of it from my parents given that they admired my siblings more than they loved me. Perhaps the deprivation of love is what came to bring a strong love in my heart. I came to realize that love conquered all evil brought even the fiercest monster into submission. My uncle, whom everyone in the extended family perceived as the black sheep of their family, can serve a perfect example. No one wanted to know the reason he was a drunkard. Everyone, including my siblings, was avoiding him like a plague, except for me. My loving self always showed him that he was a meaningful being. A part of me did this because I pretty much identified myself with my uncle. I was the black sheep of my family because, as seen earlier, most family members thought that my quiet self was because of foolishness. Therefore, there came to be a very strong bond between my uncle and me. The funniest thing is that none of us showed another verbal appreciation, but the deeds spoke volumes. I always listened to his version of his life, to which no one was ready to listen. I came to understand that his wife who took away his children hurt him to an extent that life meant nothing to him. Since then, he became an alcoholic and opted never to marry again because she was the person he loved most in his life. His family, with their imaginations and judgments, thought that he was the one stupid enough to have let his wife and children out of his life. They did not understand the extent of his pain, which made him choose a life of destruction. From my uncles’ experience, I came to understand that love cannot only build, but can also destroy. It was love that destroyed my uncle and I vowed never to allow myself to follow the destructive path. However, it was just a saying. I do not understand the love that my uncle was talking about, but I feel that later, I will become a victim of such a deep feeling. Another example of love and the situation following I could not understand was the situation of relations in our neighborhood. I developed hatred because of the way my family members treated my neighbors. It was expected that when one of us fell for one of our neighbors, we were also supposed to loathe this neighbor and it was the trend in the whole neighborhood. One of my neighbors happened to fall for my eldest sister. This situation turned out very serious because they exchanged words and the two families had to sit down in order to come up with a solution. Unknowingly, long time hatred was born between the whole families, as they developed some strong hatred against each other up to this day. However, I did not understand why the two of them and I chose not to hate anyone of them because of mistakes I knew nothing about. My personal investigations of love helped me in understanding what was inside me. One of the greatest philosophers, Plato, explained different types of love in his dialogs. Therefore, I have always tried to classify what it was that I felt for others, whether it was Eros, Philia or agape love. The latter, as I came to understand, is mostly present among higher deities and influenced by the Divine in our lives. By this time, I was not a believer so any religion or any being did not influence me. Eros is that passionate feeling, which mostly involves sexual desire (Moseley). I guess my uncle and auntie had this type of love since it is the love between lovers. I was not in love with any of the persons in my life and only loved them for who they were and that they were human beings like me. Therefore, I came to conclude that Plato classifies the love I had as Philia. This feeling involves the fondness and the appreciation of others, which I greatly practice up to this day. The only diff erence between the ways I felt for others is that I never held grudges against anyone, never engaged in quarrels, and never gossiped. I have always questioned myself when I was young and have always thought that there must have been a hidden force that worked in that child I was many years ago. In fact, I still miss that child since life has changed me into a more intolerable person. However, up to this day, a philosophy that I started long ago when I was young still holds. Severally, my neighbors have saved my life and have directed me towards the right path. For example, once when I had an accident, my neighbor eagerly helped me as my parents were far away from me. Moreover, my neighbors advised me on the best career path to follow given that they had been in college and high school prior to me. When I was joining college, they helped me in understanding the nature of life in school and the behavior to which I was required to stick as a freshman. Therefore, this life philosophy has assisted me in surviving danger and escaping death. Furthermore, it has helped me in gaining friends across borders and having people in my life who would easily risk their lives for me. In turn, I can also commit the same action, as I am quick to note the humble hearts that are only full of love and nothing but affection. My earlier self that chose to be humble and quiet has also shaped me intellectually. Without realizing it, I found myself reading difficult and challenging books of higher level targeted at high school students. Furthermore, I also engaged in reading books that inspired and encouraged wisdom in all areas. I came to realize that there was some part of wisdom not gained naturally, but from extensive learning and interaction with other people’s deep thoughts. For example, many individuals do not embrace the idea of letting go. However, people who have practiced and written about it present a good way of encouraging others who think that letting go is a weakness. As I explained earlier, religiousness was a distinctive feature of neither my parents nor me. I came to be religious later in life when I sought to understand evil and good. In the midst, I came to know about these two forces. Since I loved reading, I found myself reading the Bible when I grew older. I was not reading it in order to practice what was written, but to know the motives behind the writings and to understand whether the content was applicable. Unknowingly, I started practicing what was written in the book and it started working for me. I was good from the very beginning; thus, it was not hard for me to practice religion and to understand more about the nature of evil. Therefore, I came not only to believe in the existence of God, but also realized that the evil certainly existed. I understood that humans have a role in deciding whom to follow. As I learned, the two beings, good and evil have the capability of influencing a person’s life. However, it can happen only if people fully allow any of the powers to impact them. Unlike others who believe in organized religion, I think that it comes from within. Therefore, people only meet to strengthen what they believe and to distort the beliefs of others. Thus, people ought to choose carefully whom to follow if they want to preserve their original beliefs. I also believe that people are born with different destinies and unless one changes that destiny it is possible to die the way one was born. Some are born with sinful hearts while others are born with good ones. However, all these can change into their opposites as a good person can become a bad person and vice versa. In my case, several things almost changed me from who I used to be. I came across some friends whom I loved, cherished and treated like my brothers and sisters. However, some of them ended up betraying my trust. Life and practice also force someone to shift from the old to the newly acquired self. In my case, real changes came later. As seen earlier, I was more of an introvert but never shy and afraid of speaking in public or in front of a huge audience. My character has changed in high school. Due to the school requirements and assignments, I educated to provide presentations on certain learned things. It meant that I had to upscale my speaking abilities and to change my quiet nature. One day, I was required to speak to a big audience with parents involved instead of the usual class speech, with which I just do away. Moreover, the audience was unusual for me because later only my classmates had served as my listeners and viewers. Therefore, I could not refuse to accept this offer, no matter what, though I knew that I did not like the whole idea. I was informed earlier than usual and for a whole week, I struggled with the idea of me having to speak to a large audience. I was given a large wr iting, which was meant to guide me through and I was required to read it a hundred times in order to understand what was required of me and how I should perform in front of all the parents. I read it many times in order to avoid stammering and going out of topic. Now, I remember the topic I talked about was students’ active involvement in school work and enhancing their creativity. It was not hard for me to understand the topic given because I was a bright and diligent student and had read many books. On this particular day, the school principal introduced me to the large audience. I had never seen so many eyes assembled together waiting for whatever came out of me. At first, it was a shocking site since all the eyes were gazing at me. I felt as if I would pass out, but continued to give myself some motivations that I would make it. I began mumbling some words and I almost lost track of the entire topic. However, my encouraging class teacher was with me and one look at her helped motivate me and also helped gather my insignificant strength. From then onward, I talked with much power and passion that I could hear the audience clapping more than one time. I also learned that interceding with moments of humor was an effective way to keep the crowd engaged. During the entire speech giving experience, I forgot that I had a written speech and talked about whatever ca me to my mind. Unknowingly, that was the beginning of my public speeches to which I am always ready today when given the chance. It was also a beginning of a long chance that allowed me to speak out my philosophies of life. The lack of confidence I suffered from in the beginning turned into a big opportunity, which made me bury my introvert self. By the time I finished the speech, everyone was on their feet, including my parents, who did not know that I possessed such a talent. As seen earlier, I had struggled with my parents since they thought that I was unintelligent simply because I chose to keep quiet in relation to many things that happened in my life. My parents and my siblings expected that I would perform lower in such an activity and the worst or probably the best thing for them was that I did not turn into what they expected. Whatever I had learned from myself and my books came into full force and helped provide me with a subsequent topic during my speeches. Our school principal was very excited to an extent that he rewarded me for the excellent speech given. Since that day, I was the one to give out some notable speeches owing to my diverse audience. On the other hand, my friends and those I cared for demotivated my virtuous nature. For instance, one of my high school friends chose to use me and abuse my good self since she thought that I was good and that I could not deny her anything. I could help her with homework, run her errand, and even help her with some other things. At first, the thought that this time was the last time helped me. However, such a process did not stop. I was forced to take a strong stance against my friends and become an activist for my rights. I learned that not loving but allowing others to use my good nature was a weakness. I realized that this was the reason my parents and siblings always thought I was weak. Up to this day, my transformation still amazes my parents, brothers, and sisters. They also understand that inside me there is a very intelligent person who was hard to ignore and who should be respected by everybody. One of the questions that people constantly ask me is who have inspired me to become who I am; however, I consider the answer is clear. Life experiences have shaped me into my present self. However, I have had several people who have stimulated my thinking, one of them being my uncle. My family, though in the hard way, also contributed to my success in life. Furthermore, my teachers also assisted me because they were quite supportive and helped straighten my paths while others acted as barriers that needed to be overcome in order to learn and survive. My class teacher in the primary school, however, had a large influence on me since she always persisted that I should work hard on my education. She continued following me even when she was not my class teacher and she made sure that I excelled in all ways. She also connected me with the right people in my learning life in order to impact who I was and to strengthen my hidden capabilities. Up to this date, she still insists on knowing a bout my performance and encouraging me to work better than I have been doing given that I can achieve higher results. In conclusion, it is worth noting that my intellectual path has been a long and bumpy one. It started when I was young and is still going on. I have faced the challenges that have helped shape my destiny. I have also experienced some barriers that I have had to overcome in order to be who I am. One thing I know for certain is that the journey is not yet finished since no one stops learning until they are in the grave. Therefore, I still have a long journey ahead of me. The only difference is that I am more knowledgeable than I was in the past.

Liberalism and Realism - International Relations Essay

Liberalism and Realism - International Relations - Essay Example Looking from the above text, we can infer the position that realism proposes the understanding that politics is a game played between individuals for their personal gain and that the whole agenda of international politics goes beyond morality, ideology and social reconstructions, and the focus is generally relied upon national security and stability within the political framework of the country. Realism is a pessimistic theory which emphasis the fact that national security and development has to happen due to the competition which the nation state possess from outside its borders, and therefore the need for change and adaptation comes more as a necessity rather than a luxury. A realist sees the world from the perspective of his nation state, where the crucial element is the fact that the nation state has to strengthen its own military and national affairs to compete with the rest of the world as politics is at the state of antagonism. â€Å". A liberal, on the other hand, sees interdependence in the world system, a system in which every state cooperates on some level with other states. This cooperation is facilitated by institutions and established norms and ensures that every state maximizes its gain. Absolute gains, therefore, rather than relative gains, are the focus of liberals.† A liberal is in direct contrast to a realist, as he is an optimistic at heart and sees the nature of politics as a means of building relations with the rest of the world. Liberal internationalism idealises the fact that nation states should intervene in each other’s space with regard to military invasion and humanitarian aid, as well as seeking cooperation with respect to the functioning of the governments in different nation states. The theory emphasises the fact that it is important to have interdependency within the framework of working as nation states and one cannot be isolated it total

Requirement Specification Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Requirement Specification - Case Study Example Due to the increasing requests of people involved in the preparation of question papers, the School is considering the computerization of the process to improve the current system by addressing the issues associated with it, while meeting quality assurance requirements in the preparation of question papers. The Examination and Conferment Unit (ECU) is a department at the Academic Registry of Oxford Brookes University which provides services to the entire university related to examinations, award certificates and conferment of awards, and award ceremonies (Brookes, 2007). The ECU has prepared Guidelines for Examination Paper Preparation and Submission (Appendix 1). At the beginning of each semester, the ECU sends the examination paper template (Appendix 2) to all module leaders in the different academic schools of Brookes, who have an examination at the end of the semester. The template is a Word document which has been laid out to comply with the University's approved format for examination papers. Upon completion of examination paper preparation by the different schools, a camera-ready hard copy of the papers along with additional exam materials such as case studies and formula sheets, should be submitted to the ECU, either by hand or using the secure pouch system. Fiona Parker is the Academic Programmes Administrator at the School of Technology. She is also the designated exam secretary and holder of the secure pouch system at the School. She prepares the TE01 and TE02 forms (Appendix 3,4,5,6) for modules that have examination and modules that only have coursework as assessment, respectively, for distribution to the module leaders at the beginning of the semester and collected together with the papers or coursework schedules. The forms are word documents which work with an excel spreadsheet in a mail merge operation (Appendix 7) which Fiona Parker needs to complete using a tedious manual process (Appendix 8). Generally, a module is taught by more than one member of the teaching staff and because of this, a question paper for a particular module is prepared by more than one member. It is the responsibility of the module leader to put together all the questions prepared by the individual members of the teaching staff. This process is tedious for the module leader as it involves collecting copies of the questions from individual staff members who currently use different editing tools or different formatting. The module leader has to re-work the formatting of the question papers so that it meets the requirements set by the ECU. When the module leaders have completed the initial preparation of question papers and solutions for each module they are responsible for, they complete the sections they are responsible for in the TEO1 and TEO2 forms. The document sets are then passed to the internal checkers in the School of Technology. The internal checkers check the papers, complete the sections they are responsible for in the TEO1 and TEO2 forms and send their comments and suggestions back to the module leaders. The module leaders then disseminate the commented documents to the individual members of the teaching staff who prepared the initial documents for them to make necessary the necessary amendments. The amended documents are then returned to the module leaders who will need to again go through the process of putting together the