Did You Know You Can Delete ACT Scores How to Do It

Did You Know You Can Delete ACT Scores How to Do It SAT/ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Did you realize it’s conceivable to absolutely erase a lot of ACT scores you don’t like? Poof - simply like that. An awful arrangement of ACT scores can disappear. This is certifiably not a verifiable truth, and in actuality we were shocked to find it ourselves. In any case, it has huge ramifications for how you test, particularly in case you're apprehensive about stepping through the examination too often in light of the fact that it'll look terrible to universities. We will disclose how to erase ACT scores and talk about in which conditions it may bode well. Peruse on for a selective manual for disposing of terrible ACT scores. What Does Deleting an ACT Test Score Do? Erasing a test record implies you are totally deleting the scores from a specific test date. This incorporates both the general composite score and the individual area scores. (For additional on ACT scoring, see our post.) If you do this, those scores will be forever erased and you will never observe them again. You additionally won’t get a discount for that test date. This is not quite the same as dropping scores †dropping prevents the ACT from reviewing a specific test (understudies generally do this on the off chance that they become ill or truly battle on test day). This implies the scores never at any point exist in light of the fact that the test was rarely reviewed. For scores to be erased, the test clearly must be reviewed and scored first. We'll discuss a few reasons understudies may erase an ACT test record underneath. For what reason Would You Delete an ACT Test Record? Essentially, on the off chance that you have an ACT score you’re discontent with and don’t need schools to see, you can erase it. Once more, remember you’re relinquishing the cash you spent to understand that score on the off chance that you do this. This gets you around the prerequisite a few universities need to send the entirety of your current state administered test scores. For instance, both Stanford and Yale expect candidates to send all scores they have from the ACT or SAT. â€Å"Official scores from all test dates must be sent to Stanford straightforwardly from the ACT or the College Board (the announcing organization for the SAT) or both if the candidate has taken the ACT and the SAT. Candidates may not utilize the College Board's Score Choice element or cover up any scores with either testing organization, says Stanford on their affirmations site. â€Å"You must report the scores of the entirety of the SATs and any SAT Subject Tests you have taken, or the entirety of the ACTs and ACT Writing Tests that you’ve taken, says Yale. Be that as it may, in the event that you erase an ACT score, it will no longer exist †making it difficult to send. I talked with somebody at the ACT who affirmed that schools won't see scores you have erased. Is this somewhat of a slippery workaround? Perhaps. However, on the off chance that the ACT gives you the choice to erase your grades, there is nothing amiss with your utilizing that administration. By tolerating the ACT as a state sanctioned test, universities need to likewise acknowledge the ACT’s score approaches, including score cancellation. ACT Test Scores You Can't Delete Despite the fact that erasing ACT scores is conceivable at times, remember the accompanying special cases. To start with, you can’t erase each possibleACT score you have. In particular, you can’t erase scores related with state or locale tests. This is on the grounds that those scores aren’t only for you, they’re used to assess your school and region. Besides, on the off chance that you accept the ACT as a component of locale testing, you didn’t pay for it. The ACT says understudies reserve the privilege to erase their scores in light of the fact that â€Å"students own their test scores.† to put it plainly, erasing just applies to testing that you paid for. A guide demonstrating the states that utilization the ACT as a feature of their testing. Picture by means of ACT State Services. Second, erasing a test record won’t take care of scores that have just been sent to universities. So on the off chance that you had your scores sent to schools directly after you took the ACT, you can't get those reports back. Truth be told, we suggest that you not send those four free score reports that accompany your ACT enlistment in light of the fact that they’re sent before you know your score, which is entirely unsafe. Would it be a good idea for you to Delete Your ACT Scores? Don’t erase a test record before you’re certain about a couple of things. You would prefer not to act too rapidly and totally lose a test record always before you're certain you need it erased. Initially, Where Are You Applying? A few schools, for instance MIT, don’t expect candidates to send the entirety of their scores. â€Å"Students are allowed to utilize the College Board's Score choice and the ACT's choice to present your preferred scores also, they state on their affirmations site. Harvard has a similar strategy: â€Å"You are allowed to utilize the College Board Score Choice alternative or the comparative choice offered by the ACT.† In the event that you are just applying to schools that permit you to utilize score decision †or as such to just send your best scores †you don’t need to stress over erasing awful ACT scores. To check whether a school permits score decision, scan for the â€Å"Standardized Testing† page on their application site. Schools will indicate there in the event that they need the entirety of your scores or if they’ll let you use score decision. In the event that the information isn't on the state administered testing page, check the Frequently Asked Questions. Likewise stay tuned for our post about which schools require all scores. Second, How Low will be Low? In the event that you are applying to schools that expect you to present all scores, or regardless of whether you have a score you don’t figure you would send in the event that you had the decision, you ought to choose if that score is actually too low to even consider keeping. See our manual for good, awful, and astounding ACT scores to check whether the score you’re stressed over is in run for your objective schools. Don’t erase a score except if you’re positive it’s terrible. This is particularly obvious if your composite was lower than you needed, yet you had some high area scores. It’s conceivable that on a retake you could get a higher composite yet have certain area scores go down, and you may need schools to see those high segment scores. For instance, say your first ACT composite was a 26 yet you had a 34 on the Math area. On the off chance that you retake the ACT and get to a 32 composite yet your math score is 30 the second time around, you would lose that high math score. Think cautiously before erasing a lot of ACT scores with any high area scores. Third, Don't Delete Your Score Too Quickly Try not to erase your ACT score until you as of now have accomplished a higher score on a retake. On the off chance that you erase your score before you retake the ACT, what occurs on the off chance that you get an even lower score on the retake? At that point you have lost your higher score and can’t get it back. The best case at that point is retake the ACT a third time, costing you additional time and cash. There is no scramble for erasing your scores, so center around retaking the ACT and getting a higher score before you stress over erasing a low score. Tolerance isn't just an ideals... it can set aside you time and cash. Fourth, When Did You Take the ACT? On the off chance that you took the ACT for an ability rivalry or other program in center school or prior, you don't need to erase those scores, regardless of whether they’re too low. Universities are just worried about state sanctioned testing you took while in secondary school. In the event that anything, support in early ability projects will look great on school applications, so you have no compelling reason to erase a score from an ACT back in center school. So How Do You Actually Delete an ACT Record? To erase a test record, you just need to present a composed solicitation to ACT. Give your name and place of residence and state you wish to erase a test record. Mail the solicitation to: ACT Institutional Services P.O. Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243-0168 USA ACT will at that point mail you a structure to finish and return. After you present the structure, the test record will at that point be for all time erased from ACT’s records. There is no extra expense for this †nonetheless, you are relinquishing whatever you paid to take the ACT on that test date. What’s Next? Have an ACT score you’re not glad for? We have assets to assist you with getting ready to take your retake out of the recreation center. Start by perusing a manual for an ideal ACT score by our 36 full-scorer. Regardless of whether you're not going for an ideal score, these examination standards can assist you with making the upgrades you have to get a higher ACT score. Get methodologies for perusing ACT science entries, ideas you have to ace ACT English, and figure out how to quit using up all available time on ACT Math. We suggest taking in any event one full-length, carefully planned ACT practice test to become acclimated to the test configuration and assemble your endurance. Get connections to free, official tests here. Need to improve your ACT score by 4? Look at our top tier online ACT prep program. We ensure your cash back on the off chance that you don't improve your ACT score by at least 4. Our program is totally on the web, and it tweaks your prep program to your qualities and shortcomings. We additionally have master teachers who can review all of your training ACT papers, giving input on the best way to improve your score. Look at our 5-day free preliminary:

Comparing leadership styles and techniques

Looking at administration styles and methods This examination will appear and close whether this announcement is in fact precise or simply one more hypothetical conviction or belief system among between scholar. In this exposition we will take a gander at the significance of both administration and initiative, how they contrast in idea and in style, lastly finish up whether this announcement is without a doubt precise. What is initiative? Moorhead and Griffin (1998) characterize administration as both a procedure and property. They state, as a procedure administration includes the utilization of non-coercive impact to direct and arranges the exercises of gathering individuals to meet an objective, and a property they portray authority as a lot of qualities credited to the individuals who the individuals who are seen to utilize such impact effectively. As per Moorhead Griffin (1998), Management requires a comprehension of human conduct, to assist chiefs with bettering fathom those at various levels in the association, those at a similar level, those in other association, and themselves. The board is the arranging, sorting out, driving and controlling of hierarchical assets both successfully and productively so as to at last accomplish objectives set out by an association (Moorhead Griffin, 1998; Adair, 2003). Contrasts among initiative and the board: Adair (2003) says, Leadership and the executives are not the equivalent. In industry and business they ought to go together. In government we regularly consider political authority and open help the board, yet the last additionally requires top notch initiative. Adair (2003) at that point keeps on posting the accompanying; Administration is tied in with provide guidance, building groups and motivating others by model and word. You can be designated a supervisor however you are not a pioneer until your character and character, your insight and your aptitude in playing out the elements of authority are perceived and acknowledged by the others in question. This is a crucial contrast. (Adair, 2003; Moorhead Griffin, 1998) Authority and change go together. Overseeing through running an association is progressively suitable where there isn't a lot of progress going on. At the point when change is endemic, as it regularly is these days, supervisors must figure out how to lead it. Pg 71 Overseeing involves the best possible and effective utilization of assets great organization. Great pioneers care about organization, the less great ones dont. The board has the hint of completing targets set somewhere around another person. Additionally, there is nothing in the idea of the executives which infers motivation, making cooperation when it isnt there, or setting a model. At the point when the case motivation and cooperation exist, you may well have directors who are as a result chiefs, particularly in the event that they are the wellspring of the motivation. In any case, it is sadly more frequently the case that administration doesn't ring chimes with regards to individuals. Other unmistakable contrasts brought up by (Adair, 2003) incorporate Heading: A pioneer will discover far forward. The person will create an ability to know east from west. That may include distinguishing new goals, new items or administrations and new markets Motivation: Leadership is connected to motivation. The words and case of a pioneer arouse inspiration Building groups: A pioneer will in general think normally regarding group. Gatherings of people are changed into groups. Similarly, groups will in general search for pioneers instead of managers. Model: Leadership is model. A pioneer will have their own yield or direct commitment to the regular errand, along these lines driving from the front Acknowledgment: You can be named an administrator, yet you are not so much a pioneer until your arrangement is approved in the hearts and brains of the individuals who work with you. An article by Murray, C. (2010) states and records the accompanying, the chiefs work is to design, sort out and arrange. The pioneers work is to rouse and persuade. In his 1989 book On Becoming a Leader, Warren Bennis made a rundown out of the distinctions: The chief regulates; the pioneer advances. The chief is a duplicate; the pioneer is a unique. The chief keeps up; the pioneer creates. The chief spotlights on frameworks and structure; the pioneer centers around individuals. The supervisor depends on control; the pioneer moves trust. The supervisor has a short-run see; the pioneer has a long-extend point of view. The supervisor asks how and when; the pioneer asks what and for what good reason. The administrator has their eye consistently on the primary concern; the pioneers eye is not too far off. The administrator impersonates; the pioneer starts. The administrator acknowledges the norm; the pioneer difficulties it. The supervisor is the great acceptable warrior; the pioneer is their own individual. The supervisor does things right; the pioneer makes the best decision. Moorhead Griffin (1998) set out the accompanying table to outline the differentiation among the board and administration. Movement The executives Administration Making a motivation Arranging and Budgeting. Setting up subtleties steps and timetables for accomplishing required outcomes; allotting the assets important to cause those required outcomes to occur Setting up bearing. Building up a dream of things to come, frequently the far off future, and methodologies for creating the progressions expected to accomplish that vision Building up a human system for accomplishing the plan Sorting out and staffing. Setting up some structure for achieving plan necessities, setting up that structure with people, assigning obligation and authority for doing the arrangement, giving strategies and techniques to help control individuals, and making techniques or frameworks to screen usage Adjusting individuals. Imparting the heading by words and deeds to every one of those whose collaboration might be expected to impact the formation of groups and alliances that comprehend the vision and techniques and acknowledge their legitimacy Executing plans Controlling and critical thinking. Checking results versus plan in some detail, distinguishing deviations, and afterward arranging and sorting out to take care of these issue Persuading and rousing. Invigorating individuals to beat major political, bureaucratic, and asset boundaries to change by fulfilling essential, yet regularly unfulfilled, human needs Results Produces a level of consistency and request and can possibly reliably deliver significant outcomes expected by different partners (for example .for clients, continually being on schedule; for investors, being on spending plan) Produces change, regularly to a sensational degree, and can possibly deliver amazingly helpful change (for example , new items that clients need, new ways to deal with lobar relations that help make a firm progressively serious) Another method of which initiative and the executives could be recognized is through various styles, The executives has three principle classes of styles: absolutist, paternalistic and equitable. Imperious (or tyrant) administrators like to settle on all the significant choices and intently administer and control laborers. Chiefs don't confide in laborers and essentially provide orders (single direction correspondence) that they hope to be complied. This methodology gets from the perspectives on Taylor with regards to how to inspire laborers and identifies with McGregors hypothesis X perspective on laborers. This methodology has impediments (as featured by other inspirational scholars, for example, Mayo and Herzberg) however it tends to be powerful in specific circumstances. For instance. At the point when fast choices are required in an organization (for example in a period of emergencies), while controlling huge quantities of low gifted laborers. Paternalistic administrators concentrate on the social needs and perspectives on their laborers. Chiefs are keen on how cheerful specialists feel and from multiple points of view they go about as a dad figure (pater implies father in Latin). They counsel workers over issues and tune in to their input or assessments. The administrator will anyway settle on the genuine choices (to the greatest advantage of the laborers) as they accept the staffs despite everything need heading and along these lines it is still fairly a totalitarian methodology. The style is firmly connected with Mayos Human Relation perspective on inspiration and furthermore the social needs of Maslow. Vote based style of the executives will place trust in representatives and urge them to decide. They will delegate to them the position to do this (strengthening) and tune in to their recommendation. This requires great two-way correspondence and frequently includes popularity based conversation gatherings, which can offer valuable recommendations and thoughts. Administrators must be eager to empower initiative abilities in subordinates. A definitive popularity based framework happens when choices are made dependent on the greater part perspective on all laborers. Notwithstanding, this isn't plausible for most of choices taken by a business-undoubtedly one of the reactions of this style is that it can take more time to arrive at a choice. This style has close connections with Herzbergs sparks and Maslows higher request abilities and furthermore applies to McGregors hypothesis Y perspective on laborers. Administration styles incorporate the accompanying Transformational administration Is the arrangement of capacities that permit the pioneer to perceive the requirement for change, to make a dream to control that change, and to execute that change adequately. (Moorhead Griffin, 1998) Magnetic authority A magnetic authority style is a kind of impact dependent on the pioneers individual charm. (Moorhead Griffin, 1998) End: Notwithstanding every one of these distinctions one needs to observe that in this new economy its about difficult to recognize the two as the two of them cover each other and work connected at the hip, as it were they supplement one another, as Murray A, (2010) brings up that some time ago the calling of the supervisor and that of the pioneer could be isolated. A foreman in a mechanical time production line presumably didnt need to really think about to what he was creating or to the individuals who were delivering it. Their activity was to follow orders, arrange the work, dole out the correct individuals to the vital assignments, organize the outcomes, and guarantee the activity

How to Write a Good Business Plan

How to Write a Good Business Plan WHAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN A business plan is a 30-40 pages long description of how you want to build your company. In the business plan you want to explain what customers you want to target via which marketing channels, what makes you different from competitors, who the management team is, how you are going to make a profit, and what the milestones are for achieving your business plan. So, in a nutshell a good business plan follows the following story.WHY, WHEN AND FOR WHOMWHYWhy make the effort and writing 30-40 pages when you could focus on product development or sales? There are several reasons why with some business models you should only write an abbreviated version of a business plan (we will cover this in another post).INTERNAL REASONSGenerally, while writing a business plan you and your co-founders will think through your business model in-depth. By doing this you will increase the probability to find business model breakers (= factors that will lead your current model fail), s o you can find ways to adjust your business model.The second reason is that when you write a business plan, you set yourself a guideline which to follow. This will increase your focus and get things done mentality as you target your milestones.EXTERNAL REASONSAnother reason for writing a business plan is that most of investors (especially  venture capitalist and banks)  will ask for a business plan  before they will make an investment decision.WHENMost people start working on a rough business plan too late. We recommend that you write a business plan when you have a good business idea. It is totally fine to have a first business plan covering the key business model drivers and milestones you want to achieve on 3-5 pages. Once you learn what customers really want and how to profit then you increase the detail of your business plan (e.g. start with rough marketing assumptions and later distinguish between marketing channels, customer segments, products and regions). Now, you might nee d some funding because you are not profitable yet or because you want to finance a larger expansion (more products, more countries). For this, you will need to write a very detailed business plan which will be the basis for investors to make their decision to invest in your business or not. This fully fledged business plan is what we are talking about in this article.FOR WHOMThe external purpose of the business plan is mainly to receive funding (equity or debt), thus the potential addressees of the business plan can be:Equity investors like business angels and venture capitalistsDebt investors like banksIt is important to frame the information in the business plan to the needs and investment profile of the investors. For pitching equity investors you should focus on the disruptive factors and upside potential of your business while for debt investors you should clearly state the risks and position yourself as a risk minimizer (I mean, your business has no risk it cannot handle, hasn t it ?? ).ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN There are tons of articles and books on how to write a good business plan, but still I get a lot of questions on how to write a business plan effectively. © Shutterstock.com | T. L. FurrerIn this article Ill show you (1) what a business plan is, (2) why, when and for whom to write the business plan, and (3) the elements of a good business plan.WHAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN A business plan is a 30-40 pages long description of how you want to build your company. In the business plan you want to explain what customers you want to target via which marketing channels, what makes you different from competitors, who the management team is, how you are going to make a profit, and what the milestones are for achieving your business plan. So, in a nutshell a good business plan follows the following story.WHY, WHEN AND FOR WHOMWHYWhy make the effort and writing 30-40 pages when you could focus on product development or sales? There are several reasons why with some business models you should only write an abbreviated version of a business plan (we will cover this in another post).INTERNAL REASONSGenerally, while writing a business plan you and your co -founders will think through your business model in-depth. By doing this you will increase the probability to find business model breakers (= factors that will lead your current model fail), so you can find ways to adjust your business model.The second reason is that when you write a business plan, you set yourself a guideline which to follow. This will increase your focus and get things done mentality as you target your milestones.EXTERNAL REASONSAnother reason for writing a business plan is that most of investors (especially  venture capitalist and banks)  will ask for a business plan  before they will make an investment decision.WHENMost people start working on a rough business plan too late. We recommend that you write a business plan when you have a good business idea. It is totally fine to have a first business plan covering the key business model drivers and milestones you want to achieve on 3-5 pages. Once you learn what customers really want and how to profit then you incre ase the detail of your business plan (e.g. start with rough marketing assumptions and later distinguish between marketing channels, customer segments, products and regions). Now, you might need some funding because you are not profitable yet or because you want to finance a larger expansion (more products, more countries). For this, you will need to write a very detailed business plan which will be the basis for investors to make their decision to invest in your business or not. This fully fledged business plan is what we are talking about in this article.FOR WHOMThe external purpose of the business plan is mainly to receive funding (equity or debt), thus the potential addressees of the business plan can be:Equity investors like business angels and venture capitalistsDebt investors like banksIt is important to frame the information in the business plan to the needs and investment profile of the investors. For pitching equity investors you should focus on the disruptive factors and u pside potential of your business while for debt investors you should clearly state the risks and position yourself as a risk minimizer (I mean, your business has no risk it cannot handle, hasnt it ?? ).ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLANThere is no perfect blueprint for a good business plan, but the following elements are definitely part of a good business plan. When you write your business plan you should focus on quality (facts, crisp, simple English), not quantity. As a starting point you can use this or that free business plan template.This means youll have to be very specific about your business model, because investors get hundreds of business plans every month, so make sure your business plan stands out from the crowd. We recommend, you ask your friends and family for input on how to improve your business plan. After each investor meeting, use their feedback for sharpending your pitch and business plan. A good quality business plan will increase your chances of getting funded.1 EXECU TIVE SUMMARYThe executive summary should summarize the main messages from the whole business plan, while the further elements of the business plan should provide the supporting facts for these messages. The executive summary typically is 1-2 pages long.2 MANAGEMENTIn this section you describe the management team and other key people attached to your business (e.g. board of directors, key employees). A potential is mostly interested in what specific industry expertise, technical skills and business network you have in order to drive the business growth. One key skill, I find most people overlook, is that management should master the skill of allocating capital in the most efficient way.Furthermore, you should show that your team is complementary meaning that the management team should have different backgrounds; this helps in making hard decisions as the whole team sees the problem from different perspectives.3 PROBLEM, MARKET, AND COMPETITORSPROBLEMFirst, you need to specify what pr oblem you would like to solve with your business. Be as specific as possible. The more precise you describe the problem, the better your solution will be and thereby you will increase your chances of success.Bad example: People have cancer.Good example: People have cancer and I know why. I found the biological reason for the existence of cancer in chromosome 0815 which is driven by malnutrition in the early childhood mainly caused by visiting McDonalds too often [I totally made this up, I dont have a biology background ?? ]MARKETThen, you need to estimate the current and future market size for solving this problem either via market research reports or a back on the envelope calculation.COMPETITORSLastly, what competitors are out there and how do they tackle this problem? A lost of people think, they dont have competitors. Let me assure you, you have competitors. Either you have competitors that offer a similar product or at least you will competitors who try to solve the customer pr oblem in another way.Example: Imagine you want to sell a super new type of juice which nobody sells. Cool, you dont have competitors! WRONG! Every company that sells any type of drinks (e.g. water, juice, tea, coffee) is competing for satisfying the thirst and taste of customers.Show the investors in your business plan how you will position your business in comparison to the competition.4 PRODUCTHere you describe how your product or service solves the problem. Make sure you describe why your product or service solves the problem in a more effective or efficient way, so you will have a value proposition over competitors.Your business plan should also specify the customer benefits of your product (making something faster, cheaper, more reliable, more effective, more beautiful). This discussion will later help you to pitch your product to potential customers.Briefly explain how you source and produce the product and how this might translate into a competitive advantage. If you have any sourcing or production related partnerships, then state them here. This might also indicate some traction.5 MARKETING AND SALESYou have your product defined and why customers should buy your product.Now, you need to show which advertising and sales channels you want to use for approaching potential customers. You need to show which channels have the lowest customer acquisition cost, amount of customers and product perferences of customers.Generally, you can advertize your product via these advertising channels:Offline marketing; using guerilla marketing techniques,  advertising on public transport, radio and television advertising.Print advertising; putting your advertising on newspapers or magazinesSearch engine marketing, you bid for key words on google, bing and yahoo.Display advertising; you buy ad impressions of larger websites, so that customers can click through to your website.Search engine optimization; your website gets visitors from google co. by ranking high for specif ic key words (e.g. business plan, greatest entrepreneur ever, startups)Retargeting; you try to retarget visitors that have visited your website by showing them specific ads on selected other websites.Paid social media; you advertize your product on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and co.Furthermore, your business plan should state whether you already have some signed marketing or sales partnerships. One technique, I like a lot, is the piggy back. When you have developed a specific product and you can piggy back on a larger distributor to sell your product to thousands of people. Example: If you have developed an amazing web application for entreprise resource planning, then it might make sense to talk to companies like Cisco or HP for promoting your product by having a revenue share agreement with the distributor.6 FINANCIAL PLANAt least one member of your management team should understand the basics of accounting  so you can build a decent financial plan.The financial plan should at le ast include a historical and forecasted income statement so that investors get a feeling for the revenue forecast, margin forecast, and overhead forecast. If you are awesome ?? , then build an integrated financial model that interlinks the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.Next, you should show investors why your business is a good investment. Basically, an investor will assess the risk and return of investing in your business relative to other investment opportunities he might have. I recommend, you help the investor by calculating the IRR fo your business and identifying the mayor business model risks and measures how you tackle those risks.Lastly, the investor wants to know how much funding you need and for what (e.g. marketing, HR, product development, having a party ?? ) you plan to spend it.7 ROADMAP AND MILESTONESIf you dont know where you wanna go, then your chances of getting there are quite low! Therefore, you should specify what actions you want to p erform and what objectives you want to achieve over a specific period of time; this is called a milestones plan.The milestones plan should be categorized by business segments such as product development, marketing, HR, and finance and include the funding need for each milestone.We will look at business plans in more detail in future posts. This article should give you a good introduction what a business plan is and what things you need to consider for writing a good business plan.

How to Write a Good Business Plan

How to Write a Good Business Plan WHAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN A business plan is a 30-40 pages long description of how you want to build your company. In the business plan you want to explain what customers you want to target via which marketing channels, what makes you different from competitors, who the management team is, how you are going to make a profit, and what the milestones are for achieving your business plan. So, in a nutshell a good business plan follows the following story.WHY, WHEN AND FOR WHOMWHYWhy make the effort and writing 30-40 pages when you could focus on product development or sales? There are several reasons why with some business models you should only write an abbreviated version of a business plan (we will cover this in another post).INTERNAL REASONSGenerally, while writing a business plan you and your co-founders will think through your business model in-depth. By doing this you will increase the probability to find business model breakers (= factors that will lead your current model fail), s o you can find ways to adjust your business model.The second reason is that when you write a business plan, you set yourself a guideline which to follow. This will increase your focus and get things done mentality as you target your milestones.EXTERNAL REASONSAnother reason for writing a business plan is that most of investors (especially  venture capitalist and banks)  will ask for a business plan  before they will make an investment decision.WHENMost people start working on a rough business plan too late. We recommend that you write a business plan when you have a good business idea. It is totally fine to have a first business plan covering the key business model drivers and milestones you want to achieve on 3-5 pages. Once you learn what customers really want and how to profit then you increase the detail of your business plan (e.g. start with rough marketing assumptions and later distinguish between marketing channels, customer segments, products and regions). Now, you might nee d some funding because you are not profitable yet or because you want to finance a larger expansion (more products, more countries). For this, you will need to write a very detailed business plan which will be the basis for investors to make their decision to invest in your business or not. This fully fledged business plan is what we are talking about in this article.FOR WHOMThe external purpose of the business plan is mainly to receive funding (equity or debt), thus the potential addressees of the business plan can be:Equity investors like business angels and venture capitalistsDebt investors like banksIt is important to frame the information in the business plan to the needs and investment profile of the investors. For pitching equity investors you should focus on the disruptive factors and upside potential of your business while for debt investors you should clearly state the risks and position yourself as a risk minimizer (I mean, your business has no risk it cannot handle, hasn t it ?? ).ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLAN There are tons of articles and books on how to write a good business plan, but still I get a lot of questions on how to write a business plan effectively. © Shutterstock.com | T. L. FurrerIn this article Ill show you (1) what a business plan is, (2) why, when and for whom to write the business plan, and (3) the elements of a good business plan.WHAT IS A BUSINESS PLAN A business plan is a 30-40 pages long description of how you want to build your company. In the business plan you want to explain what customers you want to target via which marketing channels, what makes you different from competitors, who the management team is, how you are going to make a profit, and what the milestones are for achieving your business plan. So, in a nutshell a good business plan follows the following story.WHY, WHEN AND FOR WHOMWHYWhy make the effort and writing 30-40 pages when you could focus on product development or sales? There are several reasons why with some business models you should only write an abbreviated version of a business plan (we will cover this in another post).INTERNAL REASONSGenerally, while writing a business plan you and your co -founders will think through your business model in-depth. By doing this you will increase the probability to find business model breakers (= factors that will lead your current model fail), so you can find ways to adjust your business model.The second reason is that when you write a business plan, you set yourself a guideline which to follow. This will increase your focus and get things done mentality as you target your milestones.EXTERNAL REASONSAnother reason for writing a business plan is that most of investors (especially  venture capitalist and banks)  will ask for a business plan  before they will make an investment decision.WHENMost people start working on a rough business plan too late. We recommend that you write a business plan when you have a good business idea. It is totally fine to have a first business plan covering the key business model drivers and milestones you want to achieve on 3-5 pages. Once you learn what customers really want and how to profit then you incre ase the detail of your business plan (e.g. start with rough marketing assumptions and later distinguish between marketing channels, customer segments, products and regions). Now, you might need some funding because you are not profitable yet or because you want to finance a larger expansion (more products, more countries). For this, you will need to write a very detailed business plan which will be the basis for investors to make their decision to invest in your business or not. This fully fledged business plan is what we are talking about in this article.FOR WHOMThe external purpose of the business plan is mainly to receive funding (equity or debt), thus the potential addressees of the business plan can be:Equity investors like business angels and venture capitalistsDebt investors like banksIt is important to frame the information in the business plan to the needs and investment profile of the investors. For pitching equity investors you should focus on the disruptive factors and u pside potential of your business while for debt investors you should clearly state the risks and position yourself as a risk minimizer (I mean, your business has no risk it cannot handle, hasnt it ?? ).ELEMENTS OF A BUSINESS PLANThere is no perfect blueprint for a good business plan, but the following elements are definitely part of a good business plan. When you write your business plan you should focus on quality (facts, crisp, simple English), not quantity. As a starting point you can use this or that free business plan template.This means youll have to be very specific about your business model, because investors get hundreds of business plans every month, so make sure your business plan stands out from the crowd. We recommend, you ask your friends and family for input on how to improve your business plan. After each investor meeting, use their feedback for sharpending your pitch and business plan. A good quality business plan will increase your chances of getting funded.1 EXECU TIVE SUMMARYThe executive summary should summarize the main messages from the whole business plan, while the further elements of the business plan should provide the supporting facts for these messages. The executive summary typically is 1-2 pages long.2 MANAGEMENTIn this section you describe the management team and other key people attached to your business (e.g. board of directors, key employees). A potential is mostly interested in what specific industry expertise, technical skills and business network you have in order to drive the business growth. One key skill, I find most people overlook, is that management should master the skill of allocating capital in the most efficient way.Furthermore, you should show that your team is complementary meaning that the management team should have different backgrounds; this helps in making hard decisions as the whole team sees the problem from different perspectives.3 PROBLEM, MARKET, AND COMPETITORSPROBLEMFirst, you need to specify what pr oblem you would like to solve with your business. Be as specific as possible. The more precise you describe the problem, the better your solution will be and thereby you will increase your chances of success.Bad example: People have cancer.Good example: People have cancer and I know why. I found the biological reason for the existence of cancer in chromosome 0815 which is driven by malnutrition in the early childhood mainly caused by visiting McDonalds too often [I totally made this up, I dont have a biology background ?? ]MARKETThen, you need to estimate the current and future market size for solving this problem either via market research reports or a back on the envelope calculation.COMPETITORSLastly, what competitors are out there and how do they tackle this problem? A lost of people think, they dont have competitors. Let me assure you, you have competitors. Either you have competitors that offer a similar product or at least you will competitors who try to solve the customer pr oblem in another way.Example: Imagine you want to sell a super new type of juice which nobody sells. Cool, you dont have competitors! WRONG! Every company that sells any type of drinks (e.g. water, juice, tea, coffee) is competing for satisfying the thirst and taste of customers.Show the investors in your business plan how you will position your business in comparison to the competition.4 PRODUCTHere you describe how your product or service solves the problem. Make sure you describe why your product or service solves the problem in a more effective or efficient way, so you will have a value proposition over competitors.Your business plan should also specify the customer benefits of your product (making something faster, cheaper, more reliable, more effective, more beautiful). This discussion will later help you to pitch your product to potential customers.Briefly explain how you source and produce the product and how this might translate into a competitive advantage. If you have any sourcing or production related partnerships, then state them here. This might also indicate some traction.5 MARKETING AND SALESYou have your product defined and why customers should buy your product.Now, you need to show which advertising and sales channels you want to use for approaching potential customers. You need to show which channels have the lowest customer acquisition cost, amount of customers and product perferences of customers.Generally, you can advertize your product via these advertising channels:Offline marketing; using guerilla marketing techniques,  advertising on public transport, radio and television advertising.Print advertising; putting your advertising on newspapers or magazinesSearch engine marketing, you bid for key words on google, bing and yahoo.Display advertising; you buy ad impressions of larger websites, so that customers can click through to your website.Search engine optimization; your website gets visitors from google co. by ranking high for specif ic key words (e.g. business plan, greatest entrepreneur ever, startups)Retargeting; you try to retarget visitors that have visited your website by showing them specific ads on selected other websites.Paid social media; you advertize your product on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and co.Furthermore, your business plan should state whether you already have some signed marketing or sales partnerships. One technique, I like a lot, is the piggy back. When you have developed a specific product and you can piggy back on a larger distributor to sell your product to thousands of people. Example: If you have developed an amazing web application for entreprise resource planning, then it might make sense to talk to companies like Cisco or HP for promoting your product by having a revenue share agreement with the distributor.6 FINANCIAL PLANAt least one member of your management team should understand the basics of accounting  so you can build a decent financial plan.The financial plan should at le ast include a historical and forecasted income statement so that investors get a feeling for the revenue forecast, margin forecast, and overhead forecast. If you are awesome ?? , then build an integrated financial model that interlinks the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement.Next, you should show investors why your business is a good investment. Basically, an investor will assess the risk and return of investing in your business relative to other investment opportunities he might have. I recommend, you help the investor by calculating the IRR fo your business and identifying the mayor business model risks and measures how you tackle those risks.Lastly, the investor wants to know how much funding you need and for what (e.g. marketing, HR, product development, having a party ?? ) you plan to spend it.7 ROADMAP AND MILESTONESIf you dont know where you wanna go, then your chances of getting there are quite low! Therefore, you should specify what actions you want to p erform and what objectives you want to achieve over a specific period of time; this is called a milestones plan.The milestones plan should be categorized by business segments such as product development, marketing, HR, and finance and include the funding need for each milestone.We will look at business plans in more detail in future posts. This article should give you a good introduction what a business plan is and what things you need to consider for writing a good business plan.

The Monster’s Birth in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay

In the Romantic novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, the selection in chapter five recounting the birth of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster plays a vital role in explaining the relationship between the doctor and his creation. Shelley’s use of literary contrast and Gothic diction eloquently set the scene of Frankenstein’s hard work and ambition coming to life, only to transform his way of thinking about the world forever with its first breath. In this specific chapter, Victors scientific obsession appears to be a kind of dream, one that ends with the creatures birth. Up until this point in the novel, Frankenstein has been playing god; he cannot-- or will not-- recognize that his obsession with â€Å"infusing life† into an inanimate body is†¦show more content†¦In this dream, he sees Elizabeth in the â€Å"bloom of health† enveloped with the â€Å"hue of death† after Frankenstein’s kiss, only to then be replaced by the dead body of his mother (61). This dream contrasts the beauty and health of Frankenstein’s perfect definition of life, embodied by his Elizabeth, against the wretched and â€Å"horrid† fact of death, which we find out that Frankenstein fears on a very visual and shallow level (61). Frankenstein seems to awaken at the same moment his creatures â€Å"dull yellow† eyes open; his own eyes finally being opened to the horror of his project that had kept him blind for so long(60). The use of rhetorical question â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form?†, directly confronts the reader to Frankenstein’s dilemma; Shelley’s use of a question that no one can answer represents Dr. Frankenstein’s seclusion from humanity and society. By endeavoring to ask how to describe his emotions and never being able to get a response, evokes a sense of madness and desperation in the doctor almost as if he is looking to the reader for an answer to his new founded problem (61). 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The Dilemma And Ethical Issues That Nurses Often Encounter...

Myrtle Aydelotte once said, â€Å"Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and the appropriateness of action taken.† In Pediatrics, nurses are faced with many ethical challenges that reflect back to their own personal beliefs and values, in congruent with being able to provide the best quality care both ethically and legally for children without autonomy. When providing care for these patients who do not have autonomy, the nurse’s priority is to advocate and support the child and the families’ needs on a daily basis. The purpose of this ethical paper is to project the dilemma and ethical issues that nurses often encounter involving children, including those who are unable to make decisions for themselves. During my clinical experience in UCLA as a student nurse, I have come across and identified a situation that has ethical implications, which in turn made me reflect on seve ral ethical principles. I had the privilege of caring for a young 4-year-old African American boy who presented with Sickle Cell Disease at birth, and was part of a research. He was being treated in association with UCLA’s study to enhance their knowledge about the disease. This particular study was later published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, with a monetary commitment of $20 Million dollars from the Eli and Edythe Board Foundation in 2007 (Sicklecellgaorg, 2015). 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Self Awareness and the Effective Leader Example

Essays on Self Awareness and the Effective Leader Article Self-awareness and Leadership Self-awareness is key to leadership because leaders must be able to see beyond themselves in order to inspire or create something new. Leaders are individuals that are not obsessed with their own failings or their own strengths (Musslewhite, 2007). Being self-aware means you understand who you are, what your purpose is and how you can contribute to the overcoming of obstacles. People that are not self-aware tend to have a skewed vision of themselves. They either think they are much better at something than their abilities allow, or they feel that they are powerless to enact change because they to not recognize their own inherent strengths. With way, the person that lacks self-awareness is not fit for true leadership because leaders are dynamic and outward looking, not inward dwelling. Leadership and self-confidence are closely related. You absolutely must believe in a course of action if you are going to lead other people down the path that the course follows. This self-confidence needs to be grounded in a firm understanding of your own abilities, and understanding of the tasks that must be accomplished and the setting of attainable goals that will allow you to show progress as a leader. True-self confidence is reserved for people with high levels of self-awareness. Self-awareness and self-confidence are not the same attribute, but they are closely related. Confidence grows out of awareness. As a leader is successful in enacting real and meaningful change, as the leader creates new tools, product and processes, a positive feedback loop is established between a person’s growing self-awareness and their growing self-confidence (Hooper, 2011). This positive feedback is what inspires leaders to keep creating and inspiring others to create. Self-Awareness and Management Self-awareness is one of the most important attributes a good manager can have. Management requires sound judgment, patience and an acute sense of fairness. The manager is not interested in innovation or inspiration. Managers maintain the status quo and provide a sense of direction and stability that is important for the overall health and functioning of the organization. Self-awareness is vital for managers because individuals that are self-aware do not engage in behaviors that disrupt stability and the status quo. Individuals that are self-aware understand their strengths and weakness and take ownership for both in equal measure (Noble, 2012). They do not seek to spread blame when the blame lies with their own decisions. Managers do not engage in petty politics or power struggles if they are self-aware. Managers that are jealous, spiteful or vindictive all suffer from a lack of understanding about their purpose within the organization and what needs to be done in order to be an effective manager. People lacking self-awareness are insecure and often see other people as threats to their position and authority within the organization. Managers need self-awareness just as much as leaders do. We often tend to portray good management as somehow inferior to good leadership. Leadership is dynamic and glamorous, but management is essential to the success of the business or organization. Self-awareness is vital for both types of jobs. Works Cited Hooper, Dennis. "Feedback, Self-Awareness and Confidence." Houston Home Journal (2011). Print. Musselwhite, Chris. "Self Awareness and the Effective Leader - Leading a Company - Employee Feedback | Inc.com." Small Business Ideas and Resources for Entrepreneurs. Mansueto Ventures LLC, 1 Oct. (2007). . Noble, Jeri. "Self-Awareness and Acceptance for Confidence and Self- Esteem." Personal Development and Growth, Life Purpose, Reflexology Foot Chart. HeartCore Corporation (2011). Web. 19 Jan. 2012. .

Teen Suicide Essay Example For Students

Teen Suicide Essay Teen Suicide Essay The Unknown Epidimic Every year, thousands of youth die in the United States, not by cancer, car accidents, and other diseases, but by their own hand. These people make the choice that they want to die and they take there own life. Suicide, the term given to the act of killing oneself, is the third leading cause of death among people that are 15 to 25 years of age. It is estimated that 500,000 teenagers try to kill themselves during the course of one year. During the adolescent years, normal teenagers experience strong feelings of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty, and other fears while growing up. These feelings in themselves are not harmful, but normal. However those who can not handle these situations are ones that are prone to suicide. Many people believe that suicides are isolated incedents, but they are far from that. Suicide among teenagers is indeed an epidimic that should be focused on and dealt with immediately. This essay will focus on the causes of suicide, the signs of a person that is suicide prone, and what one should do for a person who may be a target for suicide. The main two causes for teen suicide is the mental disease of depression and family problems. 90% of teen suicide victims have at least one diagnosable, active psychiatric illness at the time of death, which is most often depression, substance abuse, or behavior disorders. Only 33-50% of victims was known by their doctors as having a mental illness at the time of their death, and only 15% were in treatment at the time of death. The pressures of modern life are greater these days and competition for good grades and college admission is difficult, which are extra stressors on already unsure teens. Some even think its because there is more violence in the media. Lack of parental interest may make them feel alone and anonymous. They believe that their parents dont understand them and when they try to express their feelings they feel that their parents either denied or ignored their attempt to communicate feelings of unhappiness, frustration, or failure. Many children grow up in divorced households or both parents work and their families spend little time together. Even the threat of AIDS is a factor that contributes to higher suicide rate. Stressful life events, such as the loss of an important person or school failure, often encourages suicides. People who have worked with depressed teens see a common pattern of unhappiness, feelings of inner disturbance, chaos, low self-worth, hopelessness and anger. Suicidal teens generally feel that their emotions are played down, not taken seriously, or met with opposition by other people, but it should always be taken seriously. Those who believe in the finality of death (i. e., that there is no after-life), are the ones who advocate suicide and regard it as a matter of personal choice. On the other hand, those who firmly believe in some form of existence after death on earth, condemn suicide and judge it to be a major sin. However, there are ways of watching for warning signs of a suicidal person and depression. Some noticeable signs that are prevalent among people thinking about suicide are talking about suicide, statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness. They may have a obsession with death or suddenly become happier and calmer. They have a loss of interest in things they usually care about. They might stop visiting or calling people that they care about. They even start making arrangements or putting their affairs in order and give away their things. Teens should learn that with treatment, depression ends, but someone who is experiencing deep depression might not be able to think about that. They cant see the way out of the problem and think suicide is the only choice. Some hotlines, and web sites that help with people are Counselors Counseling, Teen Suicide Help, and there are many others that exist. The Ripken Way Essay There are 30,000 suicides that occur every year in the United States and suicide survivors are the ones that are left affected and ruined. The people that are mourning over a suicide victim describe feelings of shock, disbelief, sadness, guilt and anger(Hyde and Forsythe). They have episodes of crying, depression, apathy, anxiety, and sometimes thoughts .

Model United Nations free essay sample

Model UN or Model United Nations. After browsing the internet and MUN’s website, I have found lots of information. Now I am going to share this with you. MUN is an academic simulation of the  United Nations  that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda. Model United Nations simulates United Nations, International Organizations, and governmental bodies such as the World Health Organization, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and government cabinets in which participants are assigned to represent countries, organizations, or leaders in order to debate pressing international issues. Over a series of committee sessions, the delegates have to work together constructively in order to introduce working papers and eventually draft resolutions. The session’s end when the committee votes on all the introduced draft resolutions, generally choosing to adopt a single document that addresses the problem being discussed. The sessions are moderated by a Chair and are (with the exception of some Specialized Agency committees) run under rules of parliamentary procedure. We will write a custom essay sample on Model United Nations or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Participating in Model United Nations is an excellent way to develop one’s negotiation skills, learn  effective communication skills  and form solutions with peers from around the world, as well as to broaden one’s perspective on a variety of international topics. In today’s era of rapid globalization, the leadership, organizational, creative, and personal skills that you develop will be useful for any career! Few university students, let alone business and government leaders, have the opportunity to take part in a conference of this magnitude with this global scale! So, MUN is like an organization where has students as participants. It can be a group not only for students of college and universities in world but also for school students and youth. Its groups are usually formed as a  club, conference, or class. A class can be a full semester class called Model United Nations or just one class period devoted to a short simulation. It organized conferences worldwide and its conferences can be a school-wide, local, regional or international gathering of Model United Nations students who come together over a period between one and five days. There are various formats which are followed in Model United Nations Conferences and the most widely used model was developed by Shivish Soni and has been adopted by various conferences all over the world. Participants research a country, take on roles as diplomats, investigate international issues, debate, deliberate, consult, and then develop solutions to world problems. Now MUN is in Bangladesh. The first  MUN  was organized by UNYSAB (United Nations Youth and Students Association of Bangladesh) in association with UNAB and UNIC- Dhaka in October, 2002 on  terrorism  in observance of the UN day. This all about Model United Nations (MUN).

Phases of Capitalism - Mercantile, Classical and Keynesian

Phases of Capitalism - Mercantile, Classical and Keynesian Most people today are familiar with the term capitalism and what it means. But did you know that it has existed for over 700 years? Capitalism today is a much different economic system than it was when it debuted in Europe in the 14th century. In fact, the system of capitalism has gone through three distinct epochs, beginning with mercantile, moving on to classical (or competitive), and then evolving into Keynesianism or state capitalism in the 20th century before it would morph once more into the global capitalism we know today. The Beginning: Mercantile Capitalism, 14th-18th centuries According to Giovanni Arrighi, an Italian sociologist, capitalism first emerged in its mercantile form during the 14th century. It was a system of trade developed by Italian traders who wished to increase their profits by evading local markets. This new system of trade was limited until growing European powers started to profit from long-distance trade, as they began the process of colonial expansion. For this reason, American sociologist William I. Robinson dates the beginning of mercantile capitalism at Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492. Either way, at this time, capitalism was a system of trading goods outside of one’s immediate local market in order to increase profit for the traders. It was the rise of the â€Å"middle man.† It was also the creation of the seeds of the corporation- the joint stock companies used to broker the trade in goods, like the British East India Company. Some of the first stock exchanges and banks were created during this per iod as well, in order to manage this new system of trade. As time passed and European powers like the Dutch, French, and Spanish rose to prominence, the mercantile period was marked by their seizure of the control of trade in goods, people (as slaves), and resources previously controlled by others. They also, through colonization projects, shifted production of crops to colonized lands and profited off of enslaved and wage-slave labor. The Atlantic Triangle Trade, which moved goods and people between Africa, the Americas, and Europe, thrived during this period. It is an exemplar of mercantile capitalism in action. This first epoch of capitalism was disrupted by those whose ability to accumulate wealth was limited by the tight grasp of the ruling monarchies and aristocracies. The American, French, and  Haitian Revolutions  altered systems of trade, and the Industrial Revolution significantly altered the means and relations of production. Together, these changes ushered in a new epoch of capitalism. The Second Epoch: Classical (or Competitive) Capitalism, 19th century Classical capitalism is the form we are probably thinking of when we think about what capitalism is and how it operates. It was during this epoch that Karl Marx studied and critiqued the system, which is part of what makes this version stick in our minds. Following the political and technological revolutions mentioned above, a massive reorganization of society took place. The bourgeoisie class, owners of the means of production, rose to power within newly formed nation-states and a vast class of workers left rural lives to staff the factories that were now producing goods in a mechanized way. This epoch of capitalism was characterized by free market ideology, which holds that the market should be left to sort itself out without intervention from governments. It was also characterized by new machine technologies used to produce goods, and the creation of distinct roles played by workers within a compartmentalized division of labor. The British dominated this epoch with the  expansion of their colonial empire, which brought raw materials from its colonies around the world into its factories in the UK at low cost. For example, sociologist John Talbot, who has studied the coffee trade throughout time, notes that British capitalists invested their accumulated wealth in developing cultivation, extraction, and transportation infrastructure throughout Latin America, which fostered a huge increase in flows of raw materials to British factories. Much of the labor used in these processes in Latin America during this time was coerced, enslaved, or paid very low wages, notably in Brazil, where slavery was not abolished until 1888. During this period, unrest among the working classes in the U.S., in the UK, and throughout colonized lands was common, due to low wages and poor working conditions. Upton Sinclair infamously depicted these conditions in his novel, The Jungle. The U.S. labor movement took shape during this epoch of capitalism. Philanthropy also emerged during this time, as a way for those made wealthy by capitalism to redistribute wealth to those who were exploited by the system. The Third Epoch: Keynesian or New Deal Capitalism As the 20th century dawned, the U.S.  and nation states within Western Europe were firmly established as sovereign states with distinct economies bounded by their national borders. The second epoch of capitalism, what we call â€Å"classical† or â€Å"competitive,† was ruled by free-market ideology and the belief that competition between firms and nations was best for all, and was the right way for the economy to operate. However,  following the stock market crash of 1929, free-market ideology and its core principles were abandoned by heads of state, CEOs, and leaders in banking and finance. A new era of state intervention in the economy was born, which characterized the third epoch of capitalism. The goals of state intervention were to protect national industries from overseas competition, and to foster the growth of national corporations through state investment in social welfare programs and infrastructure. This new approach to managing the economy was known as â€Å"Keynesianism,† and based on the theory of British economist  John Maynard Keynes, published in 1936. Keynes argued that the economy was suffering from inadequate demand for goods, and that the only way to remedy that was to stabilize the populace so that they could consume. The forms of state intervention taken by the U.S. through legislation and program creation during this period were known collectively as the â€Å"New Deal,† and included, among many others, social welfare programs like Social Security, regulatory bodies like the United States Housing Authority and Farm Security Administration, legislation like the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (which put a legal cap on weekly work hours  and set a minimum wage), and lending bodies like Fannie Mae that subsidized home mortgages. The New Deal also created jobs for unemployed individuals and put stagnant production facilities to work with federal progr ams like the  Works Progress Administration.   The New Deal included regulation of financial institutions, the most notable of which was the  Glass-Steagall Act of 1933, and increased rates of taxes on very wealthy individuals, and on corporate profits. The Keynesian model adopted in the U.S., combined with the production boom created by World War II, fostered a period of economic growth and accumulation for U.S. corporations that set the U.S. on course to be the global economic power during this epoch of capitalism. This rise to power was fueled by technological innovations, like radio, and later, television, that allowed for mass mediated advertising to create demand for consumer goods. Advertisers began selling a lifestyle that could be achieved through consumption of goods, which marks an important turning point in the history of capitalism:  the emergence of consumerism, or consumption as a way of life. The U.S. economic boom of capitalism’s third epoch faltered in the 1970s for several complex reasons, which we won’t elaborate here. The plan hatched in response to this economic recession  by U.S. political leaders, and heads of corporation and finance, was a neoliberal plan premised on undoing much of the regulation and social welfare programs created in the previous decades. This plan and its enactment created the conditions for the globalization of capitalism, and led into the fourth and current epoch of capitalism.

Why there are gangs in prisons Research Proposal

Why there are gangs in prisons - Research Proposal Example In this case, there is a percentage change of over the years; for instance, another study was conducted and approximately 47,220 male were gang members in 1999 compared to a similar study in 1993 whereby 43,765 men were identified to be gang members in American prisons (Shelden, Tracy & Brown, 2001). However, some states that have been identified with higher number of gangs in their prison population, for example Illinois, sixty percent of the inmates are members of a gang in prison. Nevertheless, due to these observations the paper focuses on determining the reasons behind existence of prison gangs and the way they exist. Surveys conducted in 1999 by prison administrators indicated that gangs were overall around different prisons in America. Moreover, most of the gangs within the same prison harbor rivalry, which is based on their race. However, it has been proofed imprisonment of gang members has been a short-term solution for violence caused by these gangs in the community. In fact, this can result to long rum increase of cohesion between the member of the gang and increased recruitment of more members (Agedorn, 1990). For example, numerous researchers have indicated that many memberships to the gangs are reinforced by the involvement that is considered the opposite intention of incarceration, though there are people how get the chance join the gangs for their first time while imprisoned. The year 1950 marked the beginning of prison gangs in Washington, and later during 1957 in California (Skarbek, 2012). In fact, later during 1969, prison gangs were introduced in Illinois, and by 1970s the states adjacent California and others bordering Mexico had been influenced into the behavior of formatting these groups (Shelden, 2004). In addition, this behavior was transmitted to other states at the north of Illinois, and by 1980s, there were similar organization that were developing in prison systems among regions such as

Analyzing the impact of Chinese FDI Africaa and Ghana Essay

Analyzing the impact of Chinese FDI Africaa and Ghana - Essay Example ping countries of the world to attract foreign direct investment as a way to spark production and manufacturing capabilities within the country, while hopefully benefitting the region as a whole in terms of economic development. Foreign direct investment is not easy to attract. Because such sources of capital often come from individuals or companies, stakeholders involved expect a reasonable return on their investment, along with management and control interests with minimal risk. This is even more important when the source of foreign direct investment comes from a country that must answer to the local taxpayer. In such situations, concessions will need to be made to insure that the investments are properly handled and become beneficial for both parties. Unfortunately, the developing countries of the world often lack the political stability to make this happen. In addition, there are logistical, cultural, and economic barriers that cause many investors to be hesitant when asked to provide direct aid to a particular country or region. In order to open up opportunities, countries such as those in Africa will need to examine existing economic policy and find ways to make investment in their countries more attr active moving forward. Ghana and Nigeria serve as the focus for this project because of the complementary economies. In addition, they are two developing nations that have seen recent success in attracting foreign direct investment. In order to provide a model for other developing nations to observe, it is important to determine the benefits that are being realized from these increased investments and what has been done to further spark the economic growth in the region. The country of focus, from an investment standpoint, is China. China has been willing to fund various projects within this West African region, in exchange for benefits received back home. The study discusses how the partnership is faring and what Ghana and Nigeria can do to attract

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa

Human Rights In A Democratic South Africa In the South African Constitution, citizens are given many different rights. The right to education is specifically important because it builds and largely determines the future of the next generation. Since I am in a privileged position regarding education, attending a private school, I have decided to research the right to education of all South Africans. My aim is to find whether the right to education which are guaranteed in our constitution to both children and adults are realised in the daily lives of all South Africans. My research is focused on high school education (i.e. Grade 8 to Grade 12). This is the phase which forms the foundation for Matric results. Analysing the Grade 12 results across all sectors of our population along with other primary and secondary sources will give a good indication of whether the right to Education is realised in South Africa. I predict that the rights to education are not fulfilled across all races and income groups in South Africa. Review of Literature The research done on existing information regarding the right to Education in South Africa has been studied and is discussed below. The following secondary sources include a combination of angles ranging from the Bill of Rights, the Popular Media (focusing on the recent Limpopo textbook crisis) and Education Statistics of the last few years. There are many different viewpoints regarding Education in South Africa, some highlighting the corruption and inefficiency, some focusing on the transitional phase we seem to be in, and others looking only at the successes. Education is perceived in such different ways because different audiences look at different aspects of the whole, i.e. the teachers, the pass rates or governmental management. Looking holistically at the entire situation will produce a clearer and more objective result. Source 1: The Constitution of South Africa, 4 February 1997, Chapter 2 Bill of rights, Section 29 Education When a careful study is made of the rights to education as stipulated by the South African Constitution, one finds that every child and adult has the right to basic education as well as further education. The state is primarily responsible to provide the infra-structure in which its citizens could be educated. This implies that the state should provide sufficient school buildings, enough capable teaching staff to ensure a healthy teacher-learner ratio, textbooks and other educational materials. The education system should be free from discrimination on the basis of race, gender and language. Education should be made available in all the official languages where at all practically possible. The education system should also make room for independent institutions which are registered with the state and provide standards comparable to that of public educational institutions. Source 2: Articles by Greg Nicolson from the Daily Maverick 2.1 Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption It is vitally important to have an education system which can be trusted. This article deals with explaining the politics behind the Limpopo textbook crisis. During a tender process advertised by the Limpopo education department there were 23 possible tenders of which 22 were immediately disqualified on the basis of technicalities. From this there was later found that the one which was accepted, EduSolutions, had been pocketing money from the government throughout the process and has left the Limpopo schools without the necessary textbooks and learning materials. 2.2 SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books A recent discrepancy in the Limpopo education department has exposed the education system as corrupt and incompetent. However while the issue is being investigated and addressed a large amount of Limpopo students were left without textbooks and were unable to continue any learning. The seriousness of this situation lies not only in the fraud but the inadequacy of the manner in which students were left without any means to education until the middle of the school year. While the whole event has become a political issue there is still no answer to the problems which the students face in their battle for proper education. Source 3: Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right? April 10, 2011  · by Akanyang Merementsi  · in Media, Society This article discusses education in the world and in South Africa and compares the standard of education between South Africa and the world. Not only is focus put on the importance of education as a human right but it also makes the reader aware of the large high school dropout rates and the negative effects thereof. The article discusses A4 as a model of assessment which the education department needs to adopt in order to function effectively. A4 is Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability. These four traits are vital in the department of education in South Africa. Source 4: The South African Department of Education Action plan 14 June 2003 and Strategic Plan 9 March 2011 In 2003 the South African education department confessed to a failing education system and set up a plan of action in order to rectify and improve the education system. It set guidelines in order to help in areas which through community debate and school statistics had been found wanting. However, it is now almost 10 years later and this Action Plan is still needed. Similarly a Strategic Plan has recently been drawn up for education in 2011 to 2014 (published on 9 March 2011). The need for both of these plans highlights the shortcomings in the South African education system; fortunately there is a plan to fix them. For this plan to be effectively deployed, the basic education system needs more than paperwork. What ultimately happens to the children in South African schools is that they are left without means to further education while administrative issues are being addressed. The plans are there, but they are simply not being carried through. Source 5: Reinvent local education now by Jon Tullett, Editor: News analysis, 11 Jul 2012 This source uses several points ranging from the Limpopo textbook crisis to our educational world rankings to discuss the importance of a reinvented education system and the current lack of basic education in South Africa. Certain issues are addressed and possible solutions mentioned in order to move South Africa forward in education using its resources and technology. Recently South Africa was ranked out of 142 countries In the World Economic Forums Global Competitiveness 2011-2012 report. South Africa is in position133 regarding the quality of the education system and in position138 for the quality of maths and science education. These are not good statistics and clearly show a fault in the education system. As we are behind countries such as Zimbabwe this quote from the article relates to many South Africans: When you think of some of the poverty-stricken, war-ravaged, desolate countries in the world, it is sobering to think they are all better than us. Source 6: Education statistics 2010 Published by the Department of Basic Education February 2012 6.1 Ratios, indicators, page 6 Statistics can be used to deduce several facts; in this case ratios are presented to show the effectiveness in numbers of the education department in South Africa. Specifically the ratios are the learner-educator ratio (LER), learner-school ratio (LSR) and educator-school ratio (ESR). The LER in 2010 was 29.3:1 and unfortunately increased to 32.2:1 in 2011. In 2010 the LSR was 474:1 which then also increased to a ratio of 484.5:1 in 2011. In 2011 the ESR had decreased to 16:1 from 2010s 16.2:1. These ratios (The LER, LSR and ESR) are that of the Public and Independent schools throughout South Africa. 6.2 National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rates When considering whether the right to education is fulfilled in South African high schools it is vitally important to look at the level of education provided from the beginning and throughout the course of Grade 8 to Grade 12. Nonetheless, the level of education can only really be clearly seen through studying the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate pass rates and related statistics. The overall national pass rate in 2010 in the NSC examination was 67.8%. Although throughout the country more females than males wrote the NSC examination, the pass rate for males was higher than that for females. There has been an increase from 62.5% (2008) to 70.2% (2011) in Grade 12 final results in the last 4 years which is a good statistic but considering the level of education it is debatable that pass rates are higher due to a lowering in education standards as will be discussed below. Source 7: Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education 18 July 2012, Varsity SA The main purpose of the South African education department should not be merely educating students but to equip learners with that which is necessary to not only pass Grade 12 but also to be educated enough for further studies. This is important because it is these students who will be responsible for carrying the country and taking over the South African economy thus students need further education and they need to be well enough equipped for further education. This article from Varsity SA raises concerns about the lowered NSC standards which have led to an increase in pass rates. It is currently required that a student only receive 30% (thus knowing only 30% of the syllabus) in order to pass the NSC. Universities have become very unhappy with the large gap in standard between Grade 12 and first year of University studies. This has a large impact on the country as a whole. According to Statistics South Africa there are 4.24 million unemployed people in South Africa. If the standard of basic education continues decreasing it will result in unemployment increasing and not decreasing as expected by government. Unless the education standards are raised the target set by government will not be achieved. Methodology When referring to the topic of Basic Education as a human right in South Africa at high school level, it is clear that research should range across all provinces and schools. Results obtained from a few questionnaires would not clearly and honestly propose a result to the hypothesis of education as a Human Right. Therefore, other means of information, specifically secondary sources, needed to be collected and analysed. The secondary sources collected provide a wide range of ideas and opinions about the education system as well as facts and statistics from a variety of sources. The secondary research conducted was from newspaper articles and internet research. South African education has been the focus of many newspapers, magazines and of the community as a whole, especially with the Limpopo textbook crisis and statistics which were released this year. Gathering research thus became a daily job of listening to news reports, social debates and community discussions. Most of the research ideas come from discussing the topic with people, be it teachers, students, parents or any other South African citizen. Education touches every single South African in one way or another thus it is vitally important to hear what South Africa has to say about education and how it impacts their lives. Articles seen online and in newspapers were recorded and every time a new issue about education was raised the topic was recorded. Then internet research was done on the list of information and the articles found. More online research was done in order to gather other sources and specifically statistics from done surveys and from Statistics South Africa. Both quantitive and qualitive data is used; quantitive data such as statistics and ratios and the qualitive data include reports, articles, opinions, interviews and other literature. Considering the large gap between high school education and university education it was important to have first hand research of the level of students entering university. A senior accounting lecturer of the University of Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, was contacted and an interview set up. Here further insight into the shortcomings of the education system was revealed. Interview questions: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? Why or why not? Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? If so, why? What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Processing of findings The majority of research material is secondary sources. Therefore conclusions and results need to be taken from the literature, graphs and ratios used. From this graph it is clear that by far the majority of learners in South Africa attend Public Schools. For this reason it is vitally important that the South African Education System is successfully fulfilling the basic right to Education as set out in the Bill of Rights. Below all the sources from the Literature Review are analyzed and interpreted in order to determine whether this right is fulfilled throughout the country. Studying the Limpopo textbook crisis, it is quite clear that corruption and a lack of integrity caused learners to suffer great loss in terms of learning materials and eventually in terms of time wasted. There is still no clear plan of action for the successful delivery of learning materials for 2014. Ultimately both articles prove the point that government officials are more concerned about playing politics than about the actual education of learners, who in turn become the victims of dishonesty. The Education Department should have a careful look at their priorities and put the learners first. When comparing South African Education to the rest of the World, South Africa has the fifth worst education system of all the countries reviewed. This puts us behind a country such as Zimbabwe, which in itself should raise grave concern. The current education system disappoints in terms of delivery of results as well as in terms of development. It is quite clear that the academic discussion of the problem has been done and the answers are on the table, however, the implementation of the Strategic Plan calls for responsible individuals to be monitored by the system. The SA Education Department has the tights ideas but has not succeeded in bringing them into action. This in itself might be a result of inferior teacher training procedures and highlights the need for proper education on a secondary and a tertiary level. Too much time is spent on the administration and discussion of the problem, and too little on the actual implementation and monitoring of the system. When analyzing the current education situation it is important to interpret ratios and statistics. Between 2009 and 2010 the Learner Educator ratio increased which means that teachers had bigger classes and more learners had less individual attention from the teacher. The Learner School ratio also increased, highlighting the need for more school buildings. The Educator School ratio decreased, showing that although learner numbers increased, the amount of teachers decreased. These ratios are an indication of the negative development of the entire system, adding unnecessary stress and workload to teachers. The Grade 12 results of 2009 and 2010 are displayed below. At first glance the increase in pass rate looks positive. However, the actual number of students who performed better did not increase, but the requirement to pass decreased to a lower standard and therefore the pass rate increased. In an interview with a senior accounting lecturer from the University of the Witwatersrand, Mrs. Belinda Breytenbach, the following information emerged: High School education is not adequate and many learners are taught by unqualified teachers. Lecturers sit with the problem of students not having the necessary language or mathematical skills to understand the work content. This makes teaching very difficult and emphasizes the need for better education on a higher standard. One of the biggest problems is a lack of English proficiency. When looking at the university dropout rate and the level of comprehension of these students, it is certainly cause for concern. Dropout rates are high and pass rates are low among first year students. When looking at Mrs Breytenbachs answers to the questionnaire, the deduction is made that Education on a tertiary level is severely hampered by inferior teaching on a secondary level. Interview Response: Do you believe that the right to education in South Africa for high school students is being fulfilled? No. Why or why not? Several factors contribute but among them is the inadequacy of education, the need for schools and qualified educators. The textbook crisis is another example. Is it true that there is a growing concern regarding the cognitive abilities of first year students who have completed the NSC? Yes, First year accounting pass rates are low. The mathematic and english skills of the students are below the required standard. Could you describe the academic level of the first year accounting students in general? It is definitely below the expected level at University. We find that most students are on about a Grade 10 and 11 standard and this makes teaching more difficult. What would you say is the single biggest need among students academically? English reading and writing skills. Students struggle with writing and have extreme difficulty with their comprehension skills. How high are the university dropout rates and do you believe that they are increased due to the education students receive in high school? Yes I do, the dropout rate is relatively high for university (+ 30 40%). Is there cause for concern about the lowered standards which increase the pass rates of learners writing the NSC? Yes, people are less equipped to pass at University. With English being the medium of instruction how would you rate the proficiency of the average first year student? English is poor. The majority of students are not first language English speakers. What do you believe are the main areas of concern in the basic education system of South Africa? The education and qualifications of the teachers themselves along with the fact that many learners are passing to the next grade/level without actually having the required knowledge. Do you encounter difficulties in your field of work which is due to the lack of proper education for high school student? Yes, they cannot grasp the accounting concepts due to a lack of English skills along with basic mathematical and accounting knowledge which although required is not actually present. Do you believe that education in South Africa is viewed more negatively due to stereotypes? Yes, but it is not only due to stereotypes. The lack of proper education is a problem I deal with on a daily basis at the University. Are there enough opportunities for students who do not receive university acceptance? Yes, the opportunities exist but students are not equipped well enough and simply do not always use the chances they are given. Do you think that the large amounts of students who after receiving the NSC do not receive university acceptance directly increase the unemployment rate and affect the South African economy? Yes If so why? Many students have passed grade 12 and have received the NSC but the level is too low and thus students cant get university acceptance and are not well enough prepared to be able to work as part of a growing economy. What would you suggest the South African Department of Education do to further the education system? Ensure that teachers are properly qualified. Try to focus on separating politics and education in all aspects. Provide more schools and opportunities. One way of doing this is by joining in on projects similar to one we run at the University of Witwatersrand, it is called the Wits Soweto schools project and it is where university lecturers go to help tutor school children in rural or underprivileged areas. Conclusion Having studied the education system in South Africa over a period of month and with the help of primary and secondary sources, a conclusion has been reached. As predicted in the hypothesis the human right to basic education in South Africa is not fulfilled on a satisfactory level nationally. There are not enough school buildings, there are not enough qualified teachers, learning materials do not always reach the learners and ultimately the level of education is too low to prepare learners for tertiary studies. There are many different reasons for the current problems within the Education System, and one of the biggest reasons is that unqualified teachers teach, which perpetuates the problem. This national problem needs to be addressed with a long term view, creating opportunities for staff development, improved teacher training and careful administration of resources and programs. The strategic plan should be actively enforced and the priority of the South African Education Department should be the learners. The system needs to be constantly reviewed and adjusted in the light of international standards. It is imperative that weak learners should be supported and helped to achieve, rather than to lower standards in an effort to increase pass rates. The biggest limitation of the above discussion is that there is no reference to children who are not even part of any schooling system and not accounted for in any statistics. Several of the secondary sources could be biased as it is written from an individuals perspective although facts and statistics were used. Doing this research project has opened my eyes to the complexity of the South African situation with particular reference to the education system. It does not have a simple solution; neither does it have a single contributing factor. There are numerous problems interlinking causing even bigger problems and one would need great wisdom, huge resources and a lot of determination to even begin addressing these problems. Great leadership is needed in this regard. Reference List Newspaper articles: Nicolson, Greg. 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. 18 July 2012 Nicolson, Greg. 2012. SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick. 17 July 2012 Websites: Merementsi, Akanyang. 10 April 2011. Is South Africa fulfilling right to free education for all right?. Media Society. http://akanyangafrica.wordpress.com/2011/04/10/is-south-africa-fulfilling-right-to-free-education-for-all-right/. 6 July 2012. Nicolson, Greg.17 July 2012.SAs education crisis: Limpopo STILL without books. The Daily Maverick.http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-17-sas-education-crisis-limpopo-still-without-books. 1 September 2012. Nicolson, Greg. 18 July 2012. Limpopos education crisis: The price of incompetence and corruption. The Daily Maverick. http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-07-18-limpopos-education-crisis-the-price-of-incompetence-and-corruption. 1 September 2012 Right to education project © 2008. The Constitution of South Africa. Right to education project.http://www.right-to-education.org/country-node/522/country-constitutional. 22 June 2012 The South African Department of Education. 14 June 2003. Action plan. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket =IBMz%2FjGelkc%3Dtabid=390mid=1124. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. 9 March 2011. Strategic Plan. The South African Department of Education.http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket= %2F%2BBILaBJ7ak%3Dtabid=80mid=585. 4 September 2012. The South African Department of Education. Feb 2012. Education statistics 2010. The South African Department of Education. http://www.education.gov.za/EMISSTATISTICS /StatisticalPublications/tabid/462/Default.aspx. 22 June 2012. Tullett, Jon. 11 Jul 2012. Reinvent local education now. It web. http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option =com_contentview =articleid=56651. 13 August 2012. 18 July 2012.Rippling effect of the lowering of standards of basic education. Varsity SA. http://varsitysa.co.za/fun-stuff/articles/rippling-effect-of-the-lowering-of-standards-of-basic-education/.7 September 2012. Interview: Senior lecturer of Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand Belinda Breytenbach. Tel:0832934350