A poem which depicts a violent incident Essay

TASK: Choose a poem in which there is a dramatic or violent incident. Show how the poet conveys the incident using various poetic techniques. ‘Glasgow 5 March 1971’ by Scottish poet Edwin Morgan effectively conveys a violent incident which occurs on a busy street in Glasgow. The incident captured in this instamatic poem involves a violent attack on a young couple who are pushed through a shop window by thieving youths. The incident is shown vividly through various techniques such as imagery, word choice and structure. Through this poem, Morgan effectively criticises society and our reluctance to help others in need. One of the ways in which Morgan helps us understand the incident is through the use of imagery. The poem begins with a striking metaphor to describe the â€Å"ragged diamond of shattered plate-glass†. The broken glass is being compared to a diamond to help us picture the sharp, glinting edges of the window. This immediately shows how violent the incident is. He goes on to describe the man’s face as â€Å"bristling with fragments of glass†. This metaphor compared the numerous shards of glass on his face to a beard. This again highlights the pain and damage caused to the innocent â€Å"young man†. The serious nature of the injuries is also conveyed by the words â€Å"spurts of arterial blood† which creates the image of blood gushing out of the girl. Her â€Å"wet-look white coat† emphasises the amount of blood and the contrast of red blood on white which creates a strong visual image. The poem then moves on to describe the attackers using effective word choice to convey the lack of compassion shown to the victims. The incident is described as the â€Å"operation† which suggests that this is a purely business-like transaction for these people. There is no emotion. The word â€Å"loot† suggests that the youths’ only care is to grab as many valuables as possible and do it â€Å"smartly†. This highlights the impersonal, business-like manner again, showing a lack of humanity. Again this is done with â€Å"no expression† which shows no concern or care for the couple whose faces show â€Å"surprise† and â€Å"shock†. The word choice used here effectively shows the selfishness of the youths whose only care is to steal with no concern for who gets hurt in this violent incident. . Morgan achieves this by using the present tense, â€Å"a young man and his girl are falling†, â€Å"their arms are starfished†. This creates the effect of seeing the event as a picture rather than an ongoing event. The writer emphasises this with the words â€Å"sharp clear night† which relates to a camera image again. This helps the reader stand back and look at the event objectively without be involved. Morgan is trying to make the point that this is what we do in society when we see violence occurring – stand back and not get involved. This theme of society’s reluctance to help others is shown through the deliberate reference â€Å"in Sauchiehall Street†. This makes it clear that this violent incident took place on a busy street in Glasgow where lots of people would be. He goes on to refer to drivers â€Å"in the background† which again highlights the fact that people do not come forward to help the victims; they â€Å"keep their eyes on the road†. This final line effectively conveys Morgan’s attitude that people turn a blind eye to violence, most likely from fear or lack of compassion. Through presenting this ‘snapshot’ of the incident in â€Å"sharp clear† detail, it makes the reader think about what we would have done in this situation and why people failed to act. In conclusion this poem effectively conveys a violent incident on a busy Glasgow street. Edwin Morgan successfully highlights the lack of concern in our society for others. He achieved this through his instamatic technique, vivid imagery and effective word choice. These techniques helped me visualise the incident well and understand the writer’s message. The poem really made me think about how we treat one another in society as this incident is set in Glasgow in a busy street. It made me wonder if this would actually happen and if people would help or turn a blind eye.

Apple Marketing Strategy Essay

1. Apple Marketing StrategyApple has been so successful in these last years thanks to his fresh, imaginative way to think and do its business: awinning combination of exceptional products, great style and design, great strategy, innovative marketing, sleekand enticing communications.Apple owes its overwhelming success in the last years to the iPhone and to the smart iPod and iTunes productcombination, a combination of a great hardware piece with great style, great software, great performance, userfriendly interface, with a good e-business service. The iPod + iTunes halo effect and new great Mac computers andMac OS software did the rest in increasing Apple revenue stream. In the 5 years between 2003 to 2008 the Apple share value increased 25 times, from $7.5 to $180 per share. At july2008 prices, before the US Financial Crisis, Apple stock market capitalization was $160 billion.In January 2010 Apple shares topped the $210 mark.But even the best companies with the best products have bottleneck factors which often avoid full exploitation ofthe opportunities.The iPod.Few people are aware – and few market analysts too – that for the first 3 years the iPod was an absolute flop. TheiPod was launched in october 2001, and between 2001 and 2004 iPod sales were between 100-200 thousand unitsper quarter, very far from todays 10-20 million units per quarter, and the iPod sales were not even covering theproduct research & development costs. Then, in June-Aug 2004 something happened, and iPod sales began to grow strongly, quarter after quarter. Today,we all know where the iPod stands, and what a remarkable success it is.The iPod made the fortune of Apple, and it stands out as the major turning point in the company growth.Few people know that the iPod + iTunes business idea was not conceived inside Apple, but was proposed to Appleby an outside source, a music lover and Engineer named Tony Fadell.More on Tony Fadell and on the iPod marketing on iPod Marketing StrategyThe iPod marks another outstanding result in marketing:the annihilation of competitors. To know more see the analysis onThe iPod competitorsIt should be noted that, since the second generation of iPods in 2002, the iPods were made compatible not only withthe Mac operating systems but with Microsoft Windows operating systems as well.We should ask ourselves (and to Steve Jobs): how many iPods would have been sold if the iPods would had beencompatible only with Mac operating systems?Where the iPod is manufactured and assembledThe iPhone. The pipeline of new products which came out from Apple in the last years is impressive, and overwhelming. In 2007,with the successful launch of the iPhone, Apple has marked another milestone in its development and growth.And moreover, the iPhone enters a market – the market of mobile phones – a market which is mature, and saturated.Nonetheless, Apple has been able to develop a revolutionary product, and to change the paradigm in the mobile 2. Phone market.The iPhone is 5 years ahead of all its competitors. A wonderful product, amazing user interface, great design. It isnot only a mobile phone, it is a product between a mobile phone and a laptop computer. Even calling it asmartphone is not enough.In July 2008 Apple launched the second generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G.The iPhone 3GS.In June 2009 Apple launched its third generation iPhone: the iPhone 3GS.The iPhone 3GS has a 3 megapixel autofocus camera, video recording and editing capabilities, voice control, longerbattery life, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA internet connection. iPhone 3GS is twice faster than the iPhone 3G. The iPhone 3GSprices: $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for the 32GB model.more on the new iPhone 3GS on the iPhone 3GS page.More on iPhone Marketing on the iPhone Marketing Strategy page.Apple did great. no doubt. However Apple has done some serious mistakes.The most serious mistakes Apple has done concern marketing and distribution strategies in Europe.Apple has overlooked the European markets, and missing big numbers in unexploited sales. With better marketingstrategy, better communication and distribution, Apple could have made 300% more revenues in Europe in the last 4years. Apple Marketing in EuropeWe met with with Erik Stannow, Apple Vice President of Marketing for Europe & EMEA. We have been talking withErik Stannow about the marketing and distribution issues of Apple in the European markets and we gave somevaluable suggestions to improve the Apple marketing strategy and distribution in Europe.Well, it seems that in Cupertino they dont care so much about Europe.Steve JobsIf we talk about Apple success, about Apple great products, we need to talk about Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs has beenand is the great mind behind all this.Steve Jobs is a genius, he is a magician, too. He is the most skilled guy in introducing new products – â€Å"†¦ one morething† – the most skilled in presenting the key features, and he is a great communicator. Even more important, Steve Jobs has Vision. Vision in the strategy, Vision in the product development, Vision in thealliances.Apple Communication Strategy.Apple communication is sober, intriguing, simple, clear, minimalist and clever. And it has a style of its own. Both inthe tv ads, both in print ads, both in the online communications. A lesson to be learned by many companies in theworld. Well, of course when you have great products it is much easier to entice the costumers, but neverthelessdoing it with style and cleverness is a very good point. It boosts sales, but enhances the brand value too.The famous â€Å"I am a Mac, I am a PC† tv ads are a milestone in communications. Smart, simple, effective andhumiliating (for Microsoft †¦).More on Apple Communications and on the Apple Commercials â€Å"I am a Mac I am a PC† on the AppleCommunication Strategy page.

Oral Presentation-Washing Vehicle

Hello everyone !! , sulfanilamide n good afternoon to my handsome n beauty customers.. Are u k today Yeah that's good .. First of all?all of u bring motorcycle at polio right ?†¦ So ,that is the reasons why we at here.. L Abdul Hake n this my partner Sit Wadding from Clearer Sad Bad at IIOP , to promote our service is washing motorcycle at this polio. So,I give to my partner to more explaining about our service.This is our business card that have our name Mr. Abdul Hake n I Sit wadding,our intact number 014-2345678 n 012-1122233,our backbone account ,email n bloodspot cellular†¦ So, I want to show to u all our timetable for this service. The reasons why we making the timetable because we also the student at politeness nuke Omar. We must manage time wisely for study n this service. OK,go to the timetable,for on Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday ,customers must go to our place at night only because a day we have a class.. On Thursday,we not working.On Friday,the same time n Monda y,Tuesday n Wednesday but we have to go to customer's house. Is the same meaning house to house. On Saturday also,the same what we do previously but a day n night only. Lastly,on Sunday we rest from 1 pm to 2. Pm. So,' give to my partner to explain about our statistic. HI, I can explain for the statistic,from the timetable n what we do can conclude that 90% customer is come to wash a motorcycle. 4% for who use a car. 5% who comes to our company to washing their vehicle and 1% for who bring bicycle to our company. My conclusion, many customers is who use motorcycles because many student bring motorcycle to politeness and we wash house to house.Other than that, student to avoid from traffic Jam. So,that is the reason many our customers wash motorcycle from other. I want asking to all my lovely customer,why u must choose us Because first, we provide a free Wife for 2-3 customers who comes washing to our company. Second ,we go to customer's house. And lastly ,for the price we so cheap n reasonable. Eve to my partner to explain about our target. So, for our target of course student polio but lecturer is also can and other people in IIOP . That's all Handsome n beauty customers, listen up please!! We have some surprise for all,for upgrade our company we do a new services. The service is housekeeping from house to house. So, support our company. Thank you for lending your eyes n ears. N I sit wadding n this my partner Abdul hake. Our tagging is you like, we work hard again. Oral Presentation-Washing Vehicle By Newspaperwoman

Pumping Up The ECONOMIC GROWTH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pumping Up The ECONOMIC GROWTH - Essay Example This means that enhancing human capital will increase the quality of labor, which will in turn increase economic growth. The third factor that has to be considered is capital, an increase of which will increase economic growth. Capital is best increased by focusing on investment that improves the technology used. This will ensure that capital used in production produces more output with less usage of resources. However, the factors mentioned above have some detrimental effects, for example, using more resources to enhance economic growth results in the depletion of available resources. This means that future generations will have fewer resources with which to benefit themselves. The second detrimental factor is pollution, which usually occurs as resources are used to produce. The third factor is job displacement, which occurs because of an increase in technology that replaces human capital. The last detrimental factor in economic growth is cultural change, where existing cultures are continually replaced as economic growth is

Harvard Style References Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Harvard Style References - Essay Example Its provisions are centred on the basic requirements of a particular component in the building rather than the whole building requirements. Building construction in Qatar can be generally classified into Type II (Non-combustible) if not Type I (Fire Resistive) constructions. Due to the climatic condition in the country in which a temperature of more than 50 ËšC is reached during peak summertime, buildings of Type III (Limited Combustible) and Type IV (Heavy Timber) constructions whose conditions to easily catch fire can be aggravated by the dry summer season are rarely built in Qatar. Application of the NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code, and the Qatar Construction Standard are implemented strictly in Qatar. GDCD implements in full the provisions of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, to establish specific requirements for means of egress. While all concepts incorporated in the code are important, means of egress could be singled out as the most important of them all as this is the last recourse where all of the fire safety strategies (prevention, communication, containment and extinguishment) fail. The ability of the occupants to quickly and efficiently exit the building is often the difference between life and death. NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler System, is the main standard used by QDCD to establish specific requirements for automatic sprinkler system design and installation in buildings. The local fire safety standard establishes the criteria when automatic sprinkler system is required. NFPA 14, Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, is used by GDCD to establish minimum requirements for the design and installation of Standpipes or Rising Mains, the term used in the local Fire Safety Standard. The local fire safety standards prescribe the criteria when standpipe is required and the type of standpipe is required for a particular building. The location or placement

HDev 360 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HDev 360 - Essay Example This is a futile hope. Every fact of the processes of association will not enlighten us of the reason any specific association is constructed by a certain person, will not elucidate the roots of exogamy, the creation of bow and arrow, or of any other cultural attribute with the exception of concepts that are mutually relevant to all (Kroeber et al. 1952). The purported culture of a population, as it is commonly viewed by social scientists, is fundamentally an organized register of all the culturally inherited behavioral patterns which could be manifested in the real behavior of most or all of the members of the group (Naylor 1996). Nevertheless, the actual locus of these mechanisms which, when transformed into an entirety, represent culture is not in a conceptual group of people referred to as ‘society’, because the concept ‘society’ is also a cultural creation which is used by people who exist in important relations to each other so as to aid them in the understanding of particular features of their behavior (Naylor 1996). The actual strength of culture is in the relationships and interactions of certain people and, on the individual level, in the dimension of meanings which each of these people could instinctively adopt for him/herself from his involvement in these relationships and interactions. Immigrant women in Toronto, like Susan, are supposed to improve the lives of their families in Ghana. There is little or no problem when Susan was not yet married and migrated on her own. The difficulty arises with marriage and the harmonizing that emerges between the traditions and needs of her marital family and those of the broader extended families (Walters & Avotri 1999). This phenomenon is referred to as ‘cultural tension’. Researchers, such as Sara Berry, have introduced the persistent importance of kin associations in Africa, explaining how what has usually been thought as useless

Policy discussion paper (social work course) Essay

Policy discussion paper (social work course) - Essay Example those with disabilities, and their guardians, or helpers in assisting them to continue living independently at home, and ensuring their daily basic needs have been met (Government of Western Australia, 2012). Therefore, HACC support services include assistance with daily household activities, assistance in ensuring nutrition independence, strength and safety of these individuals, support to participate in either one-to one or group activities, assistance and support to ensure independent self care such as dressing, and assistance in carrying out essential activities such as banking, shopping, and maintaining in their social contacts (Government of Western Australia, 2012). The Home and Community Care (HACC) program is the main funded of home based care services in Australia. The program provides several services to the old people, the disabled people, and their guardians (Municipal Association of Victoria 2010, 15). HACC program was initiated in 1984 through an agreement with Commonwealth , State and Territories, and the Home and Community Care Act of 1985, in response to a report by the House of Representatives Standing Committee and Expenditure in 1982 (MAV 2010, 15). This program consolidated a number of separately funded State and Commonwealth programs, which include the Home Nursing Subsidy Act of 1957, the State Grants (Home care) Act of 1969, the Delivered Meals Subsidy Act of 1970, and the States Grants (paramedical Service) Act of 1969 (MAV 2010, 15). The program, however, started back in 1885 as the Royal District Nursing Services (RDNS) with a single nurse pertaining visits to homes of the sick poor, providing care to mothers with new born babies, and the frail aged,. Though HACC has a long history, there are two important aspects defining the program. Though HACC is a national program, each state is obligated to have a scope in building and developing their own programs to meet the needs of the state. For example, the Victorian government

Children's behaviour towards undirected recreational play Research Paper - 1

Children's behaviour towards undirected recreational play - Research Paper Example Some of these common play activities include: hide and seek; peek a boo et cetera. Michael (2009) argues that to children, play tends to be instinctive. According to research conducted by American Association for Physical activity (2012), it illuminates that besides play being fun and exciting, it also facilitates the development of a child’s cognition, and motor skills including imagination, problem solving, creativity and social skills. Perhaps, this explains the notion that children who are playful usually tend to be intelligent and emotionally stable. Gray (2008) points out that one way of categorizing child play is directed and undirected play. Directed play is where play is controlled by adults. Gray (2008) further asserts that this mainly occurs in schools particularly early childhood classes such as Early Years, and primary. The adults engage the children in organized activities where the children have to follow the rules outlined by the adults. Moreover, the objective and focus of play, which is mostly to win in accordance to the stipulated rules, is dictated by the adults. Undirected play, on the other hand, takes place without the supervision of adults. In this play, the children are simply left to create their own forms of play. One common instance is during break time in learning institutions where children are left to play on their own. Several research studies have focused on the impact and importance of play among children. However, it will be prudent to focus on the impact and importance of a specific category of play. This main objective of this research paper, therefore, is to determine children’s behavior towards undirected play. To achieve the above objective, a specific objective will focus on identifying the importance and impact of directed and undirected play among children, as well as the behavioral problems. Gray (2008) focuses his literature work on the value of play. He

Critically consider the impact of implementing the new statutory Essay

Critically consider the impact of implementing the new statutory guidence for the new early years foundation stage 2012 across the early years sector - Essay Example It also involves having enabling environment where the experiences and opportunities are tailored to meet the individual needs of the child and lastly the learning and development which must appreciate that a child learns in different ways and rates (Standards & Testing Agency 2014, p.4). The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework avails to professionals a set of common principles and commitments aimed at delivering early education to children in a quality manner and gives childcare experiences that are expected of all children. The framework majorly gives confidence to the parent that whichever place they choose for the early education of their children they are assured that the same principles and commitments provided by the British law shall apply to the experiences of their children in terms of learning and development. The EYFS 2012 emphasizes the need for professionals to spend enough time in interacting with the children in order to promote skills that may help the child be creative think critically and know how to communicate and develop language at an early stage (Soni and Bristow 2013, p.41). It also encourages the parents to e more involved in the development of the child and to give insights on how they can support the development at their respective home s as well as the early identification of the needs of the child that may require special attention or the involvement of healthcare providers. It also aims at equipping professionals with the knowledge of how they can share the progress of children between the ages of two and three and how to refocus the learning and development of children still at the early foundation stages. The aforementioned are assessed through the important areas of learning that address learning and they include personal, emotional and social development as well as the specifics when it comes to the literacy, mathematics, design and expressive arts and understanding of the world. The EYFS

Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Of Mice and Men Essay Friendship is significant as despite being rare in the America that the novel describes, friendship is able to exist between George and Lennie, despite under the crushing forced authority exerted by Curley who attempts to intimidate them and mock them. The forced authority also demonstrates that the trust in American society has been broken, similarly to how the depression resulted in people not willing to help other people out. This lack of trust is built upon. Another view which the reader is given is that in general society, there is a tendency for people to be lonely due to the lack of trust. Evidence of this is given by the appearance of Curley’s wife, who is simply referred to as Curley’s wife, without a name; there is a split in the equality of genders and she is expected to do simple jobs at home rather than working on a farm. Another side shown to the reader of Curley’s wife is her loneliness; the theme of loneliness as a contrast to friendship is repeatedly shown, such as when Candy describes her someone who ‘got the eye’, and that he ‘seen her give Slim the eye’ and ‘give Carlson the eye’. The fact that she is seen to be deliberately staying around George and Lennie, as if to catch their attention suggests the desperation that arose from loneliness, and how far people are willing to go in order to become happy: â€Å"Oh! †¦ You the new fellas†¦? Nobody can’t blame a person for lookin’† The theme of loneliness directly contrasts with the theme of friendship in the text, and in this way the importance of friendship is made significant as the friendship between George and Lennie proves to help them escape from the cycle of loneliness and desperation many other people faced at the time, one example being George’s protective nature when he demands that Lennie doesn’t take ‘a look at that bitch’, care which Lennie would not receive if it were not for friendship and care that other people did not receive. Further evidence of the breakdown in the society of America is given when Slim describes the situation as ‘maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other’, and that it was a rarity for ‘guys (to) travel around together’, showing the lack of friendship. Slim eventually gives further evidence for this, saying that it is ‘funny how you an’ him string along together’, when the people ‘never seem to give a damn about nobody’, and especially when Lennie’s mental capacity is limited yet George insists on travelling with him: â€Å"It jus’ seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart little guy like you travelin’ together†, once again emphasising the significance of George and Lennie’s unique friendship. The unfriendliness in society can be seen building up into physical violence, represented by the fight between Curley and Lennie. Curley, who attempts to intimidate Lennie and eventually results in physically attacking him: â€Å"Curley†¦slashed at Lennie†¦blood welled from his nose†¦George†¦make ‘um leave me alone, George† Another contrast between friendship and lack of friendship is made; Lennie is seen to rely on George in order to help him while Curley is left alone to defend for himself, and this is significant as it proves how their friendship will eventually help them in their struggles. George and Lennie share a unique friendship in which they make up for each other’s flaws. George is presented as the cleverer of the two, while Lennie is presented as the stronger of the two. Despite the hostile society of depression era America, the friendship between the two characters is significant as it is a rarity for two people to be able to continue a friendship in a harsh time period where people were left to fend for themselves, and often had no family to accompany them. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

A Case Study Of Apple Inc

A Case Study Of Apple Inc In the course of this paper, the author discusses about the practices of Reverse Logistics in Enterprise with Apple Inc being the case study of this discussion. This course work will be focusing on the key characteristics, benefits, implementation issues, barriers to implementation and risks of the practice. All the practices of reverse logistics would be correlated with the case study so a clear understanding is achieved on how reverse logistics really works, also a brief history of the case study is discussed herein. In previous years Reverse Logistics has been side lined and never given a serious thought, companies/organizations did not welcome the idea until recently, this was due to the fact that its introduction and implementation was perceived as a cumbersome, mainly because of its broad impact on environmental and human health (Rogers and Tibben Lembke, 1999). However today this is not the case as consumer electronics firms such as Apple, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, etc. are now in stiff competition with each because they all practice a well organised reverse logistics scheme, this is so because such companies have come to a realisation that reverse logistics really does work boost profits, profits being the ultimate goal for every company. Furthermore firms that have not embraced and accepted the importance of an effective RL program are at very high risk of harming their organisations reputation and customers. However before one can understand the term Reverse Logistics we must first know and understand what Logistics is and what it is really all about. Gen.3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 1.2 LITERATURE REVIEW Logistics is the planning and management of the flow of resources between the initial point of manufacture to the final point of sale or destination. These resources can be from manufacture, production, packaging, inventory, transportation, warehousing, information flow etc. (Council of logistics management, 2004) Logistics simply emphasizes the movement of products from one stage to the other (manufactures to customers), it has a number of fields but in the course of this work we will look at just one which is Reverse Logistics. Reverse Logistics is very similar to Logistics, as all the afore mentioned processes are carried out the only difference being that the activities or processes take place in the reverse or opposite direction. Reverse logistics according to Aviral Gupta 2009 can be explained in two simple steps: 1. Removal of new or used products from their original point in a supply chain and this includes, returns from consumers, over stocked inventory, or redundant merchandise. 2. Redistributing products using product return management procedure that will result in maximized value at the end of the products original useful life. Reverse Logistics is the process of removing original or used products from consumers back to the manufacturer; it is the process of moving goods from their typical final destination for the purpose of re-capturing value, recycling or proper disposal. It is the process of removing new, old, unwanted or used products from one point to another, for the purpose of revalue or proper disposal. (REVLOG, 2004) Reverse Logistics is basically the process of returning a faulty, defective or no longer in use products from the customer to the manufacturer in order to recapture value, for example if one was to recycle a bottle or a piece of paper that is taking part in the reverse logistics process. 1.3 PRM and SPM The two important points within any reverse logistics process come under the areas of products return management (PRM) and service parts management (SPM). PRM is based on the receiving, processing, and nature of product that come back from the customer to the manufacturer, while the service part management focuses on having the right inventory and management at the appropriate location to support service repair operations with spare parts. An effective PRM programme offers the possibility for value improvement and cost reduction. (Michael, 2012) CHARACTERISTICS OF REVERSE LOGISTICS Some of the characteristics of a good reverse logistics process are: A reverse logistics operation must have suitable collection and service support points to receive the used products from the customer. Packaging and storage systems must ensure that the remaining value in the used product is not lost due to careless or poor handling. The transportation mode must be compatible with existing forward logistic system. Disposition includes returning goods to storage warehouses, returning goods to the original manufacturer, selling goods in secondary markets, recycling, to get maximum value realization. Landfill has to do with disposal of products or parts that cannot be used. (Aviral,2009) Below is a cycle of the process of reverse logistics. Customer Production Dept Packaging Dept Distributor Testing Disassembling Service Support Receiving Dept Re-use/Re-sell Recycling Remanufacturing Figure 1.1 The cycle explains that the product comes from the customer and goes back to the manufacturer. The customer returns the product, the product goes either to the distributor or the service and support department this then goes to the test and disassembling department when it is tested and when the problem has been diagnosed it goes to the remanufacturing department it is either the product is refurbished and re-sold or recycled and most times when the products cannot be recycled it has to be disposed of (Landfill). Regardless of the issues all products need to be collected and sorted before transporting to the next phase. People return goods for various reasons and these reasons are stated below: Commercial Returns- customers dissatisfaction or due to catalogue sales. Repairable Returns- if the product has defective components. End-of-Use Returns- when the components are no longer useful to the original owner but can be useful to another person. E.g. trade-in End-of-Life Returns- Recalled by the manufacturer LeBlanc, H.M in his PhD thesis stated that there are 5 stages in the processing of returned goods, which are: Product Acquisition Collection sorting, testing Disposition Recovering Redistribution sales. This also agrees with the process in fig 1.1 BENEFITS OF REVERSE LOGISTICS Reverse Logistics is beneficial to both customers and manufacturers, below are some benefits of reserve logistics. (Liz et al, 2000) Consistency Transport costs Improved customer service Labour saving and expertise Increased flexibility and agility through management by exception Improved partner retention and satisfaction. More key benefits are improved inventory management and high revenue by offering new products in place of the old one. (Aviral, 2009).Reverse logistics is a tool to cut cost and improve customer satisfaction; it is also a competitive strategy. The drivers of reverse logistics can act as both benefits/incentive and as barriers depending on the company. BARRIERS TO REVERSE LOGISTICS There are several reasons and explanations why companies in the past did not accept and introduce reverse logistics but today a change in the perception and understanding of RL has been noticed as several companies have not only embraced but also implemented this idea. Change for the better they say is always met with obstacles and barriers, little wonder that such a great idea that would frontier a major positive change production and manufacture has been faced with barrier and implementation issues, it is important to differentiate between these two issues, the main difference being Barriers are legal related whilst implementation issues pertains to issues relating to the company and organization. (Rogers Tibben-Lembke,1999). Some of these barriers are as follows: Legal issues Environmental issues The government has strict rules and regulations about recycling sites and also companies do not want to have to carry the extra burden of paying tax for recycling sites. The major proof of environmental problems comes from the rapid need of waste disposal. Previously the majority of the public wastes disposal was land filled, and this however poses an unacceptable environmental risk because of location of the landfill, which in hindsight have posed hazardous risks to human health through ground water contamination and toxic air emissions. (Gungor, A., Gupta, S. M., 1999) Landfill sites have become a major issue as it pertains to the environment and human health because it has played out that the cons of having a landfill far outweighs its pros, strains on the natural environment as well as sickness from contamination became the order of the day. Hence the government, environmental bodies and individual are very sceptical about Landfill sites. 4.1 ISSUES OF IMPLEMENTATION AND RISKS Lack of publicity and knowledge of Reverse Logistics Under-development of recycling technology Misconception Lack of management attention and company policy Companies with little or no knowledge of reverse logistics think that reverse logistics has a high cost of operation and most of these companies have low financial resources. (Kwok, H U. Yiming, W., 2009) Many companies are of the opinion that returns compared to sales generate little or no money but with the introduction and initiative of the internet, sales returns of goods products by customers have improved. (Anindya R, 2003) Forward logistics systems are not designed for reverse logistics system, some companies do not understand this fact and it leads to poor services and eventually to failure. (Laura M. Joseph S, 2002) Poor inventory deployment is also a factor because if the inventory is not managed and organised properly then companies would not know what is in their inventory and what parts they need to ask their suppliers for, when there is lack of knowledge of reverse logistics then there is bound to be risks of failure. But these issues of implementation to reverse logistics were a traditional way of thinking because these days companies have embraced the practice of reverse logistics. Financial risks are also involved when a company does not have the means and financial status to run a reverse logistics practice, practicing a good and organised forward logistics does not necessarily mean that the same company can manage a successful reverse logistics scheme without adequate knowledge and top management planning. Another issue of implementing reverse logistics is the decision to carry out the operation in-house or to outsource, this decision can be based on a number of factors; Volume: if returned goods are low in number then the need to outsource isnt necessary. Cost-control: if the subcontract can perform the tasks more cost effective then the enterprise in question then the need to outsource can be considered. Complexity of Task: if there are varieties of tasks like inspection, testing, repair, repackaging, recycling, refurbishing etc, all these are time consuming for an enterprise that isnt well into the reverse operation then the enterprise can decide to outsource. Other factors of outsourcing may include: accuracy and data control, security etc. (Jade, 2002) REVERSE LOGISTICS: IMPACT ON THE PERMONANCE OF SUPPLY CHAIN The performance of reverse logistics can directly influence the entire supply chain system (Blumberg, 2005). Reverse logistics is better in information sharing between customer, supplier and manufacturers (Curran Ladd, 2000).It improves the flexibility, reliability of the supply chain system (Chopra Meindl, 2001). It helps in product development, shortened product life and development cycles can help companies to improve on their products and services. Reverse logistics helps in operational excellence and expertise, the management of products from manufacturing and into the closing stage which is sales and brings about cost and efficiency benefits of reverse logistics to the supply chain. The result of reverse logistics improves services to customers and better financial performance for the supply chain as a whole and its members individually, it reduces cost, increases revenue and customer services and help to obtain market advantage. (James, 2007) CASE STUDY: APPLE INC. 6.1 A Brief History: Apple Inc is an American worldwide enterprise which was established on April 1, 1976 and founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne with headquarters in California. According to statistics it is the worlds third largest mobile phone maker after Samsung and Nokia (Linzmayer, 1999). Apple manufactures and sells a variety of electronics computers (Mac), phones (iphones), iPods, ipads, application software printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones etc. It is a highly competitive market. Apples brand is driven by 3 elements: confidence, competence and customers, it sells worldwide through its online stores and retail stores, third-party, resellers etc. Apple sold more than 45 million units of iPod according to their annual sales report in 2007, on May 19, 2001 and it opened its first official Apple retail store in Virginia and California. 6.2 Reverse Logistics Operations: Previously their take-back (reverse logistics) program comprised of 2 methods: Customer drop-off Direct shipment to their centralized return centre When customers drop off the products at the service centres the products are merged before being shipped to the centralized return centre and customers do not have to pay for shipping and handling. In recent times Apple has added an online return system, in which a customer fills out the return form and once the application is completed successfully and it meets all required criteria Apple Inc sends a packaging box for the customer to ship the product back to them for either trade-in or whatever the case maybe. A case was published in an SC Digest about a customer who requested for his defective iPod to be returned online at the Apple website. He keyed in relevant information asked and within 12hours he got a mail from Apple confirming that the product was still under warranty and approving the return. Within 2days Apple delivered via express package service a box for shipping the product back to one of its source centres, within weeks a new iPod was delivered to him.( SC digest, 2009) Basically even if a customer goes to a service and support centre of one of the retail centres and asks for a take back or replace, the product is checked and if it is still under warranty or has a defect it is taken and shipped to the testing and disassembling centre for testing, remanufacturing, recycling or disposal if necessary and the customer does not have to pay for shipment. A personal case happened that a customer went to an Apple retail shop with a defective product for a trade-in, the product was tested and within 1week a new phone was sent to the customer. 6.3 Environmental issues and means of improving For many years Apple has been working on means to minimize the impact their products have on the environment. Their first policy was developed in 1990, since then they have been designing new means of energy efficiency, reducing environmental impact via digital consumption. In 2010 Apple introduced the Apple Battery charger for recharging batteries, instead of the disposal alkaline batteries and this reduces waste by 78%. (Apple Inc, 2012). In recent times Apple faced an enormous number of concerns about toxic pollution and industrial unit accidents at an overseas suppliers factory in China, and that environmental examinations would be separate from an independent investigate of working conditions at the overseas factory of the supplier. Apple Inc reviewed this problem and hopes to make public the results of the review. (Kathy, 2012) Greenpeace international campaigned against Apple on various environmental issues regarding a particular chemical called polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and brominated flame retardants BFRs toxins in their products, on the 2nd of May 2007 Steve Jobs released a statement announcing the policy to eliminate the toxins by the end of 2008 (Apple Inc, 2008), the enterprise has since eliminated the toxins from their products becoming the first laptop manufacturer to do so. (ABC News, 2007) Because of the issues about landfill sites Apple has devised a means to meet the energy requirements of their landfill site in Carolina using renewable resources. The energy efficient design element of Apples facility will include a construction process that utilizes 14% recycled materials diverted 93% of construction waste from landfill and sourced 41% of purchased materials within 500 miles of the site (Apple,2012). Apple is devoted to protecting and shielding the environment, health and safety of employees, customers; in fact the whole planet from environmental hazards and this is stated in their environment health and safety policy statement. Apple Inc has a life cycle assessment process that evaluates the effect a product has on the environment throughout its life cycle and the objective of the assessment does is to improve resource efficiency while trying at the same time to reduce the impact the product has on the environment during the activities of recycling, manufacturing, re-manufacturing, distribution, usage and disposal. Apple is market driven, has strong leadership, strong direction, and great software support, has a good financial analysis report so the basic implementation issues like financial issues, lack of knowledge of reverse logistics, misconception etc are not factors for Apple as compared to some other companies. 6.4 Success/benefits of implementation. Apple has mastered the act of reverse logistics and they have success stories in the following fields: impact on supply chain management, relative price performance, product quality, reliability, design innovation, marketing and distribution capacity, service and support, corporate reputation, constant development etc (John, 2010) A previous challenge that Apple had was the consumer mindset about environmental issues but the public have a better opinion about Apple products in recent years because of the extent on how Apple has gone to tackle and improve the environmental issues they had in the past. Reverse logistics has helped to improve expertise and also helped to satisfy customers. According to the table below Apple has a 45% inventory return. source:http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/amr-research-apple-has-the-best-supply-chain-dell-no-2/18791 CONCLUSION: In the course of this paper, the author attempted to analyze reverse logistics activities in the manufacturing/ consumer company. There are several issues in the recycling, reuse, refurbishing, or appropriate disposal of products. The primary barrier to the practice of reverse logistics programs in some organisations is lack of knowledge and misconception. The reasons to implement reverse logistics are very basic; to reuse products and salvage redistributing unsold products. Though initial studies indicate that reverse logistics practises once implemented, yield cost-savings, these examples are far and few between as has been seen with the case of Apple Inc. Information Technology plays a vital role in reverse logistics because its applications are used to trace and track the goods and products on their return trip from the customer to the initial point of manufacture. Apple has grasped this fact and it has enabled them operate in the reverse supply chain channels efficiently.

The Effects Of Task Based Listening English Language Essay

The Effects Of Task Based Listening English Language Essay In the Malaysian educational context, the main purpose of English language instruction is to prepare learners for effective and efficient communication in English in their social and professional situations (Chitravelu et al, 1995, p.4). In many organizations, English is the main language of communication and one needs to be competent in English in order to succeed and advance in the respective organization. The importance of English language as a global language has always been a major motivating feature in the learning and use of the language in Malaysia especially as a medium to gain information in science and technology, commerce and trade as well as for entertainment and media. In April 2000, there was an issue highlighted in the mass media about the reasons behind the inability of some 39,000 graduates in the country to get a job. Tan Sri Musa Mohamad the Minister of Education at that time as quoted in the New Straits Times stated that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ employers did not just lo ok at ones qualification but also factors like personality, potential, English proficiency and experience. This implies that job seekers should try to achieve certain level of mastery of English to help them secure appropriate jobs particularly in private sector. Besides, job interviews for professional vacancies in critical fields like Law, Accountancy and Engineering are generally understood to be conducted in English (Hanapiah, 2004) In many contexts where English is regarded as a foreign as opposed to a second language, there are many problems in developing real communicative competence in learners including the ability to listen and comprehend properly. Brown and Yule (1983) believe that many language learners regard speaking skills as the criteria for knowing a language. They defined fluency as the ability to communicate with others much more than the ability to read, write and comprehend oral language. However, learning to talk in the foreign language is often considered to be one of the difficult aspects of language learning for the teacher to help students with. Unlike written language, it is also not easy to provide good models of spoken language for the foreign learners. According to Bygate (1987), one of the basic problems in foreign-language teaching is to prepare learners to be able to use the language. How the preparation is done and how successful it will be, are very much depending on how the teachers understand the aim of teaching the language (p.3). The main features of speaking which can be traced to the processing conditions of communication involve the time factor in which the words are being spoken as they are being decided and understood. The fact that the language is being spoken as it is being decided affects the speakers ability to plan and organize the message, and to control the language. Thus, mistakes often occur in the message and in the choice of words during a conversation (ibid. p12). 1.3 Objective The objective of the study is to investigate the effects of task-based listening activities on the speaking performance of FELDAs EFL learners. The difference in students speaking performance before and after undergoing the Task -Based Listening activities would be one of the main concerns in this study. A comparison will be drawn between the TBL and non TBL classes to see whether there is any difference in students speaking performance. Besides, students confidence to speak is another area of interest to be investigated in this study. It is hoped that the study will be able to identify any significant difference in students level of confidence to converse in English after undergoing the Task- based listening activities as compared to those who have not been exposed to the activities. Another objective of the study is to investigate FELDAs EFL learners attitude towards the implementation of the task-based listening activities. Expressions of either positive or negative feelings towards the task-based listening activities will reflect impressions of the effectiveness of the activities in enhancing students speaking skill. 1.2 Problem Statement Speaking is considered one of the most difficult language skills to acquire among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students. In rural setting schools, particularly in the FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) scheme, there is a lack of exposure and communicative use of the English language. Most students regard English as serving very limited function once they leave the classroom and as such they hardly see the need to use it in their daily life. As in the classroom setting most EFL learners rather remain silent or resort to rote learning when they are required to respond to a speaking task. As such, it is a demanding task for language teachers to provide sufficient inputs for students to be competent speakers of English (Bygate, 1987). Students usually feel insecure about their level of English and face problems communicating as well as expressing themselves in the target language. As a result, they rather remain silent as they are in fear of making mistakes and do not show active participation in speaking lessons. Ian G. Malcolm (1987) refers to the guarded and taciturn behavior of students who refuse to speak as the shyness syndrome and that this problem has been reported of Polynesians in New Zealand, various American Indian groups, Hispanics in the United States, Black Americans and Southeast Asians. Malcolm quoting Tan (1976) and Salleh (1981) says that many pupils in Southeast Asian classrooms are bilinguals whose use of the classroom language is hesitant. Yap (1979) also quoted as saying that the frequent complaint mainly in secondary schools is that learners do not respond or take too long to respond, or speak too softly (cited in Gaudart ,2003, p.2) Emphasis should thus be given to address this problem as speaking is an important element in mastering English language. Therefore, it is important to explore new methods of teaching in order to enhance students speaking performance and confidence to use the language. 1.4 Research Questions The study attempts to answer the questions that follow: 1) What is the speaking performance of FELDA learners after undergoing task-based learning activities? 2) Do task-based listening activities enhance EFL students confidence to speak in English? 3) What are the attitudes of the FELDA EFL learners towards task-based listening activities in enhancing their speaking performance? 1.5 Significance of study The findings may provide language teachers with specific language teaching procedures to enhance ESL learners ability and confidence to communicate orally in English. Besides, in a wider scope, the study can also be used as the yardstick in designing supplementary materials to assist teachers in teaching speaking skill more effectively in the Malaysian classrooms. 1.6 Definitions of terms The following terms are significant in this study: 1.6.1 Task-based Listening Activities Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) or Task-based Instruction (TBI) makes the performance of meaningful tasks central to the learning process. The Task-based listening activities which will be used are based on authentic materials used in teaching second language. Nunan (1999) defines authentic materials as spoken or written language data that has been produced in the course of genuine communication, and not specifically written for purposes of language teaching. The materials are based on the real world context outside classroom in situations in which they really occur. Gebhard (1996) suggested some examples of the authentic materials that may serve as source for lesson planning including for listening and speaking class. The authentic listening- viewing materials include TV commercials, quiz shows, cartoons, news clips, comedy shows, movies, soap operas, professionally audio-taped short stories and novels, radio advertisements, songs, documentaries and sales pitches. In this study, the task based listening activities will include the use of audio CDs on selected stories and songs. Throughout the implementation of the activities students are required to respond to certain tasks related to the selected materials following the framework for task-based learning proposed by Jane Willis (1996) which comprise of pre-task, task cycle and language focus. Among the tasks suggested include listing(e.g. brainstorm/ fact finding), ordering or sorting (e.g. sequencing/ ranking), comparing (e.g. matching/ finding similarities or differences), problem solving (e.g . analysing real situation/ decision making), sharing experience (e.g. narrating/opinions) and creative tasks which includes all the tasks mentioned. 1.6.2 Speaking Performance Speaking in a second language involves the development of a particular type of communication skills. Because of its circumstances of production, oral language tends to differ from written language in its typical grammar, lexical and discourse patterns (Tareq Mitib, 2009). A person can be considered to be able to perform well in speaking skill when he is able to speak a language using the components correctly for example by making the right sounds, choosing the right words and getting the constructions grammatically correct. Pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary tasks will focus on the need for practice in language accuracy. At the same time, one also needs to get a clear message across and this involves choosing appropriate content or ideas to suit a situation, e.g. deciding what is polite or what might appear rude, how to interrupt or how to participate in a conversation. (http://www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistant/pdf/Unit4.pdf ) 1.6.3 School Based Oral Assessment Previously the English SPM examination had an oral examination component which was graded based on the candidates comprehension of a dialogue text and the ability to respond to a pictorial stimuli. However, the test was considered to be inadequate since students proficiency in English language continued to drop to the point where prospective employers in private and government sectors complained about the inability of graduates to converse in even the most rudimentary situations (Vinodini Murugesan, 2003). In 2002, the School-Based Oral Assessment (SBOA) was implemented for the first time on Form Four students who will be sitting for SPM in 2003 to replace the old oral assessment and this time it is considered to be in line with the communicative language teaching approach adopted in Malaysian schools. The School-Based Oral Assessment (SBOA) consists of 4 Models. The models are Model 1:Individual, Model 2:Student-Prompter, Model 3:Pair work and Model 4: Group work. Students are to be assessed twice in Form Four (using Model 1 and 2) and once in Form Five (using either Model 3 or Model 4). Marks are given based on students ability to converse on a topic effectively with appropriate responses, speak fluently using correct and acceptable pronunciation, speak coherently, speak the language using a wide range of appropriate vocabulary within context and speak using correct grammar. In some cases, students can actually request to repeat the test if deemed necessary especially when they are n ot satisfied with their mark. The total mark for each assessment is 30. When the students are in Form 5, the best mark among the three assessments will be taken and submitted together with other School Based Assessment Marks for SPM examination to the Malaysian Examination Board (Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia). 1.6.4 Confidence Confidence can be defined as a belief in one own ability to do things and be successful (Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, 7th ed., 2005, p.318). It is ones perceptions of ones own abilities to achieve a stated outcome. ARCS Model of Motivational Design developed by John M. Keller of Florida State University identified Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction as the four steps for promoting and sustaining motivation in the learning process. According to Keller, confidence helps students to understand their likelihood for success. If they feel they cannot meet the objectives or that the cost (time or effort) is too high, their motivation will decrease. Besides, confidence also provides objectives and prerequisites that help students to estimate the probability of success by presenting performance requirements and evaluation criteria. It allows for small steps of growth during the learning process, provide feedback and support internal attributions for success. Not only lear ners should feel some degree of control over their learning and assessment, they too should believe that their success is a direct result of the amount of effort they have put forth (Keller, 1983 and 1987 cited in http://www.learning-theories.com/kellers-arcs-model-of-motivational-design.html.). Confidence in speaking involves ability to speak the target language fluently using the right rules and appropriate choice of words. In speech situation, thinking, listening and speaking go on almost simultaneously and people expect feedback on or response to what they have said almost as soon as they stop speaking (Chitravelu et.al, 1995). Anxiety of making mistakes is one of the major obstacles that learners have to overcome in learning speaking because most of the time learners are reluctant to be judged by listeners. Of all the four language skills, speaking skill is probably the one most affected by personality features. Students who are confident and have experienced success are likely to be more motivated and more willing to try harder. Therefore, teachers have an important role in building up students confidence to speak by being sensitive, sympathetic and encouraging as well as selecting material that is motivating and within the ability of the students (ibid). 1.6.5 Attitudes Attitudes refer to a persons way of thinking or feeling about somebody or something; the way that he or she behaves towards somebody or something actually shows how the person thinks or feels (Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary, 7th ed., 2005, p.85). The measurement of language attitudes provides information that is useful in teaching and language planning (Richards, Platt and Platt, 1997 cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009). In this study the EFL learners attitudes towards the Task-based listening activities will be measured through the use of a questionnaire which will be developed from the findings from focus group discussions. The questions will comprise of an adaptation of Gardners (1985) Attitude/ Motivation Test Battery (AMTB) and Rossett (1982) Needs Analysis questionnaire. 1.7 Limitation/ Delimitation Since this study will be carried out within a relatively short period of time on students with average to good proficiency of English, it would thus be interesting to see if using task-based listening activities on a lower English-proficiency group of EFL students with varying time spent would have a different effect on the results. Thus, this study might not be able to represent the whole FELDA scheme students speaking performance because only two groups of students from a school will be selected. Further studies need to be conducted in order to seek similarities or differences on this issue. Chapter 2: Review of Literature 2.1 Relationship between listening and speaking Speech involves communication between people and the rules that apply to all forms of interpersonal behaviour also apply to speaking behaviour (Chitravelu et.al, 1995, p.59). Graham-Marr (2004) mentioned many reasons for focusing in listening and speaking in EFL classroom and one of them is the fact that speaking skills have been found to be a fundamental skill necessary to succeed in life. The ability to speak in the target language has always been associated with the success of learning the language. Before a person can speak the language he learnt, he should first be able to listen and understand the language. Listening should be the first and foremost skill to be acquired in learning a new language because understanding spoken words is prerequisite to speaking, reading and writing; and that comprehension should precede reproduction. Listening skill transfers to other skills and promoting listening skills before focusing on oral skills can result in increased second language acqui sition. (Cheung, 2010). The relationship of listening and speaking skills was further elaborated by Goss (1982) who claimed that listening is a process of taking what you hear and organizing it into verbal units to which you can apply meaning. Applied to speech processing, listening requires that you structure the sounds that you hear and organize them into words, phrases, sentences, or other linguistic units. Bowen, Madsen and Hilferty (1985) (ibid) defined listening as attending to and interpreting oral language. The student should be able to hear oral speech in English, segment the stream of sounds, group them into lexical and syntactic units (words, phrases, sentences), and understand the message they convey (p. 73). Gary (1975) cited in Ghazali, (2003) said that giving pre-eminence to listening comprehension particularly in the early stages of second language teaching and learning contributes advantages of four different types, namely cognitive, efficiency, utility and effective. As such, Doff (1988) added that speaking skills cannot be developed unless listening skill is also developed. In order to have successful conversation, students must understand what is said to them because later on the ability to understand spoken English may be very important for studying, listening to the radio or understanding foreign visitors. To develop this ability, students need plenty of practice in listening to English spoken at normal speed (p.163). A listening lesson gives students the opportunity to listen to native speakers conversations if the related materials are well-chosen, and, listening to the target language a lot can help the students improve in their pronunciation (Gethin and Gunnemark, 1996). Bruton (1997:14-15) argues that students need to listen to prepare themselves for their future listening. They need to listen in order to know how to produce. The better students understand what they hear, the better they will take part in spoken interactions. Although students usually face difficulties to understand the language produced by the native speakers in the listening activities, teachers have to be creative to tackle the problem by exposing students to more of the materials. At the beginning of the listening activities, teachers help may still be needed to explain to the students what is required from them. However, the dependency on teachers can slowly be eliminated later on when the students are working on the act ivities or in their groups. In order to measure the effectiveness of any speaking lesson, students need to be tested. The two main aspects of direct procedures for testing speaking according to Nation and Newton (2009) are the way in which the person who is being tested is encouraged to speak and the way in which the speaker performance is assessed. The first procedure can include interviewing, describing something for someone to draw and discussing while the latter can include rating scale, communicative result and assigning marks for the parts of an outcome (p.171). 2.2 Task-based Instruction in Language Classroom In task-based language teaching (TBLT), syllabus content and instructional processes are selected with reference to the communicative tasks which learners will (either actually or potentially) need to engage in outside the classroom and also with reference to theoretical and empirical insights into those social and psycholinguistic processes which facilitate language acquisition. Among the features identified by Nunan (1991) for this approach is the emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language, the introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation, the provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language, but also on the learning process itself, an enhancement of the learners own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning and an attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outside the classroom. According to Brown (2001), Task- based Language Teaching (TBLT) puts tasks at the centre of the methodological focus. The learning process is viewed as a set of communicative tasks that are directly linked to the curricular goals they serve. The main characteristics of TBLT according to Ellis (2003) include the natural or naturalistic use of language, learners-centred activities rather than teacher-centred, focus on form and tasks serve as the means for achieving natural use of language. Ellis also claimed that the traditional approach of Present, Practice and Produce (PPP) are inadequate. Some critics also supported this and viewed PPP as clearly being teacher-centred and therefore sits uneasily in a more humanistic and learner-centred framework (Harmer, 1988, p.66). Task can be defined in various ways. Nunan (1999) in Bahrami (2010) for example, defined a task as a piece of classroom work that involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is focused on mobilizing their grammatical knowledge in order to express meaning, and in which the intention is to convey meaning rather than to manipulate form. The task should also have a sense of completeness, able to stand alone as a communicative act in its own right with a beginning, middle and an end. (p. 25). Long (1985a) as cited in Nunan (1991) suggests that a task is nothing more or less than the things people do in everyday life like for examples buying shoes, making reservations, finding destinations, and writing cheques. Breen (1987) similarly suggests that a task is any structured language learning endeavour which has a particular objective, appropriate content, a specified working procedure, and a range of outcomes for those who undertake the task. Task is therefore assumed to refer to a range of work plans which have the overall purpose of facilitating language learning-from the simple and brief exercise type, to more complex and lengthy activities such as group problem- solving or simulations and decision making (p. 23). Prabhu (1987) stands as the first significant person in the development of Task-based instructions in language classrooms. He defines a task as an activity which required learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of thought, and which allowed teachers to control and regulate that process (cited in Tareq Mitib ,2009). Nunan (1989) further defines a task as a piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form (p.10). He suggests that in all definitions of tasks, one can see communicative language use where the learner focuses on meaning instead of linguistic structure. Many people have studied the implementation of Task-based instruction in language classrooms and have advised using tasks in language classrooms because students motivation rises through assigned tasks. On looking at the positive results that the use of tasks may bring about in the EFL classroom, it can be said that using a variety of tasks in class gives positive results (Ruso, 2007). Bahrami (2010) examined the influence of four specific types of task-based activities of matching, form-filling, labelling and selecting on the listening ability of 90 senior EFL learners of Sadra English Institute of Darood .The data for the quasi-experimental study included two task-based tests of listening comprehension and a test of language proficiency. The result shows that there was a significant relationship between the three tasks of matching, labelling and form filling on the other hand and listening comprehension on the other. However, there was no relationship observed for the task of selec ting and listening comprehension. In conclusion, not only the listening-comprehension skill of the EFL students tended to improve through exposure to task-based input; it is also proven to be suitable for students of various levels. Similarly, Tareq Mitib (2009) who also adopted a quasi experimental design to study the effects of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) on developing speaking skills among the Palestinian Secondary EFL students from two schools in Israel concluded that the method succeeded in improving the students speaking skills and develop students attitude towards English language. It was found that girls speaking skill improved more than the boys when classroom practice was organized and authentic as in the case of TBLT. Boys on the other hand, did better in the conventional teaching situations. Tareq therefore claimed that task-based language teaching can be the solution for the lack of exposure to authentic English as it enabled students to practise using the language through different activities in real world tasks and in a stress free atmosphere. This finding conforms to Underwood, (1998); Gethin and Gunnemark, (1996) and Kenworthys, (1987) claims, that, exposing students to native speakers o f English Language through listening gives them the opportunities to acquire the correct model of English pronunciation which will eventually leads to intelligibility (cited in Ghazali, 2003). Awang and Md. Supie (2011) stated that, one of the main issues in second language learning is ESL learners who are less proficient in the language opt to avoid speaking in English language classes. Some learners might find speaking English in front of the class as very intimidating. In a way it implies that regardless of how many English classes students have attended, if they do not practise the language, they will not be able to improve their communication skills as well as their self-confidence. Both researchers proposed that task-based speaking activities would enable students to communicate easily as the activities are usually conducted in pair work or group work. As such, a study was conducted in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia(UTM) on 30 second year students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering enrolled for the Advanced English for Academic Communication course in semester 2, 2007/2008. A set of questionnaire was designed and distributed to find out the students perspectiv es on task-based speaking activities in fostering their communication in English. This study also seeks to find out which types of Task-Based Speaking Activities (TBSA) that highly promotes learners communication in English. The types of task-based speaking activities used in the study were problem-solving, information-gap, and sharing personal experience or feelings. Results show that all the 30 participants agreed that task-based speaking activities improved their communication in English because the activities offered opportunities to practise the language. It was also found that students with low level of proficiency in English also participated in the TBSA during English classes and they were not intimidated by their low level of proficiency. As for the activities, problem-solving is found to be the most preferred type of TBSA that encouraged participation and use of English language. Other study related to the use of TBL includes an exploration of the implementation of TBLT in three primary classrooms in Hong Kong by Carless (2001). The subjects of the case study were three female English teachers who implemented task-based innovation over a seven months period in their primary one and primary two classrooms with children aged six to seven. Results reveal that there was a certain amount of interplay between different issues studied like for example, the more positive the teachers attitude towards TBLT, the more likely she was to take time doing the preparation of the supplementary materials for her class or to allocate time for carrying out activities (cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009). Despites many positive feedbacks of using TBL on EFL and ESL students, there are also evidences of sceptical perceptions on its implementation. One of them is in a case study conducted by In-Jae Jeon and Jung-won Hahn on EFL teachers perceptions on the practice of TBLT in Korean secondary School Classroom in 2005. Data were collected through questionnaires from 228 teachers at 38 different middle and high schools in Korea. The overall findings of the survey show that even though majority of the respondents have a higher level of understanding about TBLT concepts, teachers still retain some fear of adopting TBLT because of perceived disciplinary problems related to classroom practice. Other reason for teachers fear to adopt TBLT is related to their lack of confidence. Hence, much consideration should be given to overcome the potential obstacles such as on the part of the teachers before TBLT can really be successfully implemented. 2.3 Theoretical Framework of TBL Task-based learning (TBL) seems to gain currency since the publication of Jane Willis Framework for Task-Based Learning in 1996. N. Prabhu originally popularizes TBL in early 80s and since then has influenced subsequent models of Task Based Teaching such as Willis (1996) who developed a framework for task-based learning. Prabhu (1987) used a task-based approach with secondary school classes in Bangalore, India in his Communicational Teaching Project beginning 1979. Reports on the Bangalore project indicated that a syllabus organized around problem solving tasks and feedback can effectively accomplish and in many ways improve on what a traditional linguistic syllabus provides (cited in Tareq Mitib, 2009, pp. 53). In Framework for Task-Based Learning (1996), Willis proposed a three stages process of carrying out TBL. The stages include: pre-task (introduction to topic and task), task cycle (planning and reporting) and language focus (analysis and practice).The framework can be illustra ted as below: FRAMEWORK OF TBL (Jane Willis, 1996) Pre task Introduction to topic and task instruction (Exposure) Task cycle Use expose to tasks (6 tasks Types), planning (prepare to report outcomes), reporting, post task (optional) Focus on forms Language Focus Analysis: learners focus on form, Ask about language features Practice: teacher conduct activities TASK (Introduction to topic/ task) TASK CYCLE ( Task /Planning /Report) LANGUAGE FOCUS (Analysis Practice) In the Pre-Task stage, the learners and teachers explore the topic and the teacher may highlight useful words and phrases while helping students to understand the task instructions. The purpose of pre-task is to prepare students to perform the task in ways that will promote acquisition. As for the Task Cycle stage, the students perform the task in pairs or small groups while the teacher monitors or facilitate the lesson from a distance. During this stage students will also plan on how to report or present to the class what they have done and how they do it. At the same time teacher should encourage students to communicate in the target language while helping students to prepare w

The Relationship between Divisive Primaries and General Election Outcom

The Relationship between Divisive Primaries and General Election Outcomes Patrick Kenney and Tom Rice’s article explores the effect of primary elections on the general presidential elections. Kenney and Rice attempt to determine whether supporters of losing primary candidates refrain from voting for their party in the general election. In order to better understand this concept of divisive primaries, it is imperative to know its definition. Webster defines divisive as: Creating, or tending to create, division, separation, or difference. However, I feel that divisiveness arises out of the need to superior and the topic of voter turnout and primary significance has been a long running question. According to Kenney and Rice the primary campaign is a struggle between groups, fighting for a â€Å"scarce resource,† the nomination. As research has shown, supporters of a losing candidate have been shown to retain bitterness towards the winning side of a primary. Our authors also mention the introduction of in-group loyalties, and out-gr oup hostilities, which affect a voter’s attitude. The in-group loyalties tend to be formed because of the length of primary elections, thus voters feel very strong and passionate about their candidate, and because the stakes are greater. The out-group hostilities are formed for the same reasons. In general, the longer the campaigns the stronger the in-group and out-group feelings are. With the definition of divisive primaries being k...

Revolution :: essays research papers

Revolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Destruction of statues, screaming in the streets, rash actions, hasty decisions, and adrenaline-influenced outbursts. Prim and proper, fancy meetings, organized schedules, time for tea, and the thought of perfection. Total opposites are bound to clash at sometime or another, and for America, that time was now. The movie â€Å"Revolution† shows us movingly and realistically how the Revolutionary War was led up to, how the years of battles continued, and how finally victory was attained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Poor King George III had no idea what hit him. All of the colonies now had their own governments to lean on, their own Declaration of Independence already being passed out among the people, and their own â€Å"volunteer† army. The famous â€Å"Liberty or Death† was their cry. No more repression for the people of America, they believed that God was on their side, and it was time for freedom.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the battles began, first they were tiny squabbles that were simple and not messy. But as time passed, so did being civilized, anything and everything that would hurt the enemy in any way that could be done, was done. For that reason, on top of others, hospitals were needed. They were lacking in every department except for amputation. But since sanitary conditions were impossible, almost all had their wounds infected, and would die from the aftermath of that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During battles there was always a flag present. No matter what happened, there was always someone carrying the flag. As soon as someone would get taken out, another would run and pick it up to show that you just can’t keep a good man down. Also, when people traveled in and out of battle areas, they would need flags to show their business and whom they supported. For example, if a wagon came in that brought rations for the colonists, they would first need to pay a toll, have an American flag, and a white flag to show they weren’t in battle. But usually, and unfortunately, in the heat of madness and testosterone, those battle codes were not heeded.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fighting tactics were primitive. It usually was to make the other army move back a smidgen, take a break, then try again to kill, kill, kill. For the British, when a battle was won over a colony, they would parade through the streets with the remaining soldiers, the wounded and captured American soldiers. Any person who didn’t support the British was taken prisoner and was used as ‘examples’ for the others.

Public administration evolution Essay

Public administration refers to the rules and processes followed by the government when using public resources. Efficient management of resources, transparency, accountability and good policies ensure that the relationship between the government and the public is based on mutual respect. Significant reforms in the U. S have been achieved in the public administration by the government to achieve the above goals. Public administration should ensure that good ethics are achieved in the financial administration and other offices. Public administration has been said to move from theories competition of interest groups and the electoral, of games, of winners and losers and is taking its focus towards theories of cooperation, institutional building and maintenance, networking and governance. It is moving to deal with daunting problems connected with state disarticulation. This has been termed as repositioned public administration. The government was earlier concerned with issues of maintaining a culture of ‘winning’ on its part but it has taken a great shift into largely incorporating other needs-ranging from the issues of administration to formulation of rules and regulation. Formulation of various Acts to cater for various needs has been successful though with failure in the U. S public administration history. This is in an attempt to improve in terms of public care, business regulation and governance improvements. The Northern Ordinance of 1787 shaped orientation of America to local public administration. This legislation made it possible for direct local democracy and an overarching umbrella of local administrative responsibilities and obligations for essential services like justice, health care, schools, roads and law enforcement under direct local control. Local administration took over all activities except defense, during the nineteenth century. National government didn’t play key role in administration of the locals and the state government left rural administration and policy making to the local administrators. In the nineteenth century, the policy decisions flowed from local levels to top level, the rural communities communicated between or amongst them if there were close proximity and common problem, and policy making was not significantly by the village. Government added and expanded its supervisory and regulative role to rural areas during the first half of the twentieth century, as the rurals were being integrated into the national economy. The needs of the more developed and populous urbanized political centers have been closed to those of the rurals by the leadership amongst the federal and state governments in collaboration with the rural governments over time. The latter part of the twentieth century saw increased government mission and scope particularly growth of the local and state government, and the intergovernmental mandates and demands on local units of government. Eventually, there was the formation of the policies for the federal and state governments and they imposed their demands and priorities in a standard manner with little consideration of these policies in an environment of low population density. A gap between the rural and urban administrating units resulted from the growth of control over the local administrative discretions by the federal and state government. Local governments were falling sort if interest to implement services primarily designed for the urbanized areas and were lacking the personnel and resources to implement them effectively. In the twentieth century, the local administration had little capacity to influence the administration by other governments and the urbanized centers which were the decision and policy controllers. Rural residents often withdrew from governance and rural areas were an issue for federal and state governments to cater for (Audirac, 1997). There was latter devolution of the authority. Provision of services, construction and maintenance The Interstate Commerce Act was passed by the U. S Congress in 1887 to prevent discrimination in the charge rates in rail roads. They charged lesser for competitive long haul than for monopolistic short haul due to competition for traffic in some places. Merchants, communities, farmers and regions who were the pricing practices turned to politics for redress and protesting made several states regulate railroads. Reformers and railroads disliked the ideas in the some of the provisions of this act which also received opposition from California and Northeast. The act established the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Supreme Court denied the commission power to set rates and prevent the abuse in charges for the short and long haul latter in 1897, but again the Congress amended the ICA through the Hepburn act of 1906 empowering the on the setting of maximum freight charges and extend its authority over oil pipelines and express companies. Further powers were given via various acts like the Transportation Act (1920), Transportation Act (1940) and The Motor Carrier Act (1935) after World War 1 and after the World War 2, due to arising competition difficulties from motor and water carriers, further amendments by the Congress were made but failed. By 1970s and 1980s critics declared the Act a failure. Staggers Rail Act of 1980 made competition of railroads with tracks possible and The Motor Carrier Act of the same year deregulated trucking business. In December 1995 the Interstate Commerce Act became dead letter due to carrying out of a proposal by the Office of Management and Budget with the cutting of budget in Washington (Paul, S. Boyer ‘Interstate Commerce Act’ The Oxford Companion to United States History). Cash payments The Sherman Antitrust Act (1890) was amended by the U.  S Congress and declared illegal every contract, combination (in form of trust or otherwise) or conspiracy in restraint of interstate and foreign trade and imposed a fine. It gave power to federal government to institute proceeding against trusts. The Supreme Court ruling prevented federal authorities to use the act for some years. President Theodore politically championed against this and Taft employed it in 1911 against Standard Oil Trust and the American Tobacco. Other acts were formed latter to supplement it or replace it (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition). Employment and Regulation The Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883) gave chance to the system of permanent federal employment based on merit as opposed to the earlier which was based on political party affiliation. A competitive examination by a civil service commission would be used to select government employees. Before then only 10 % were covered by the law but latter on the scope was moved to include more than 90 % of federal employees (Britanicca Concise Encyclopedia). The government has since been involved in the improvement not only of workers employment terms but also their pay.

Cake Making

The Event: The mixer beats the egg yolks in a spiral motion, as the sugar is being added to the eggs. Due to the fat content of the egg yolks, the yolks are isolated from the egg whites to avoid the deflation in the rising of the whites. Two separate batters consisting of the egg whites which were whisked until it became frothy and the egg yolks were then mixed together with butter using a spatula in folding motion. After which a sifter was used to add the flour and the cocoa powder into the mixture while it was being whisked in the mixer.The oven was pre-heated to a temperature of 175F. The combined batter was then poured into a buttered spring-form pan which had been smoothly brushed with butter to avoid having the batter stick to the pan. The batter slowly started to solidify and rise higher. The point at which the cake starts to become golden in color is the sign to get the cake out of oven, since it is completely baked. Alongside, the juice of the cherries was being drained and the whipped cream was mixed with the vanilla sugar to form the blobs on the surface of the cake.The chocolate was separately being melted to get the icing ready. The melted chocolate was allowed to cool down and then started the process of assembling the cake. The Process: The success of the cake depends on the measurements used for the ingredients. The measurements needed should be taken carefully to prevent flaws in the outcome of the cake. If for any reason there is a mistake in the measurement of one or more of the ingredients, this may result in batter being too parched or too soggy. In which case, the batter will not be able to bake properly.The perfect outcome of the sponge of the cake depends on the uniformity and width of the batter, which will only be precise if the ingredients are perfectly measured. It is preferable to melt the butter first and then pour the egg mixture into the pan because it becomes easier for the baker to smoothly fold the mixture with the other ingre dients or else the mixture could stick to the pan and negatively affect the rising of the cake. Using a sifter to add in the dry ingredients such as the flour and cocoa powder, will control the amount of air that is in the batter, which is crucial in order to achieve the lightness of the sponge.Also, to achieve the perfect golden color of the sponge and the lightness, the heat of the oven should be set at a perfect temperature. While preparing the batter, the oven must be pre-heated to a temperature of 175F. To be totally ascertained that the sponge has cooked completely, a knife is popped in the centre of the cake, if it comes out without any batter stuck to it that means the sponge is baked and ready to be decorated. The sponge is then cut into three layers. The bottom two layers are sprinkled with kirsch and whipped cream mixed with vanilla sugar.Dried cherries are evenly placed on the whipped cream. The side of the top layer of the cake is then covered with the whipped cream and the surface is coated with chocolate icing. Finally, the blobs of whipped cream are evenly placed on the icing and a cherry is placed on each blob. The Procedure: The baker must have all ingredients measured and ready prior to the baking to ease the process of making the cake. He will then melt the butter in a pan and add the egg mixtures to it by carefully folding it with a spatula to stop the negative effect on the rising of the sponge.The baker will then make use of a sifter to add in the flour and the cocoa powder into the batter and combine the above mentioned dry ingredients. Then, he will pour the combined mixture in a buttered spring-form pan. Then, he will place the pan in the oven, which has been preheated at a temperature of 175F. After the cake is done, the baker will take it out and insert a knife in the sponge to test whether or not the batter has baked thoroughly, if the knife comes out without any batter stuck to it, then the cake is ready to be decorated.The baker will then cut the sponge into three layers and then place kirsch on the bottom layer. Spread the whipped cream mixed with vanilla sugar and place cherries on it and repeat the process with the middle layer. The sides of the top layer are then covered with the whipped cream mix and the surface has chocolate icing applied on it. Then the whipped cream blobs with cherries on top are made on the surface to make it look pretty. The cake is then ready to be served. Ingredients: -butter -175 g sugar – 6 eggs – 145 g flour 40 g margarine – 35 g cocoa powder – 1 jar of cherries – 2 tbs potato starch – 3 tbs sugar – 7 tbs kirsch – 500 ml whipping cream – 100 g chocolate confetti – 75 g chocolate – 8 g vanilla sugar (1 packing) Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven at 175 Â °C. 2. Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder. 3. Stir the sugar and the eggs with a mixer. 4. Melt the butter in a little pan. Pour the butte r to the egg mixture and fold it softly with a spatula. Add the flour and fold it again until you get a smooth mixture.Pour the batter into a buttered spring-form pan. 5. Place the spring-form in the middle of the oven. 6. Bake the cake for 45 minutes. 7. Take it out of the oven, let it cool down and turn it around. 8. Cut the cake horizontally into three layers. 9. Sprinkle these layers with kirsch (6 tbs in total). Drain the cherries and keep the juice. Bring the juice to the boil. Add the potato starch and keep on stirring to mix it. Add 3 tbs sugar, the drained cherries and 1 tbs kirsch to the juice. 10. Beat the whipping cream with the vanilla sugar.Cover the lowest layer of the cake with half the cherries and one-third of the whipped cream. Add the second layer. Cover it with the remaining cherries and the whipped cream. Add the third layer. Spread the side of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. 11. Melt the chocolate on a low fire. Let it cool down. Reheat the chocolat e until 37Â °C (99Â °F). Top the cake with the chocolate icing. 12. Cover the side of the cake with chocolate confetti. 13. Put blobs of whipped cream on the cake and put a cherry on each blob.

Organizational Characteristics Essay

This paper will describe the culture and the organizational characteristics of a chosen organization, Publix Supermarkets. Detailed throughout will be the common characteristics of the organization as it operates on a day to day basis. Specifically the system based on individual units, rules and norms expected of the associates and supervisors as well as the hierarchy will be established for the reader to garner a better understanding. Furthermore, the communication networks, organizational orientation, approaches to and by leadership members, as well as the decision making and communication procedures put forth by members of management will be analyzed. This paper will describe which 4 of these listed characteristics are most influenced by communication between members and levels of Publix Supermarkets. The author has been employed with this supermarket chain for more than 7 years and has ample knowledge and understanding on the organization as a whole. Common Characteristics of an Organization Publix Supermarkets is a grocery chain unlike many others for a variety of reasons. Founded in 1930 in Winter haven, Florida by George W. Jenkins, Publix is known for its customer first atmosphere and pleasurable shopping experience. The grocery chain whose motto states they will never knowingly disappoint their customers operates in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee and currently has more than 1000 stores in operation (Publix.com). Jenkins’ supermarket chain has continued to grow on their customer friendly business sense. Publix has since become a Fortune 500 company and is privately held and owned by its employees. For as well as they treat their customers, the chain treats its associates and management staff just as well if not better. Publix workers who have been with the company a base number of years receive shares of stock for every 1000 hours worked, and can purchase more shares of stock at almost any time during a given year. The grocery chain is also well known for its high ranking employee benefits and treatment in the employment world. Rules/Norms (Written and Unwritten) Outside of the big green P logo, the Publix atmosphere is what customers relate to with the chain more than anything else. Communication with customers is a major asset in following proper Publix protocol. The smiling helpful associates, clean stores, and consumer friendly set up of product is where Publix truly prides itself as an organization. Each experience ends with a friendly cashier and bagger, and the bagger will always bring the customer to their vehicle and help load product into the car for them. Believe it or not this all relates to performance evaluations that are done quarterly, where associates are evaluated on their behavior amongst the customers. Customer intimacy is something Publix takes very seriously. The Publix image extends onto its associates as well. All employees are expected to show up to work on time and be clean shaven in full clean uniform attire. Each department and job class has their own specific uniform; however all include proper hygiene, reasonable hairstyling, and proper equipment to perform their tasks to better serve the shoppers. Publix is an organization that understands how to promote their brand by utilizing all available options to do so. Clean stores and clean happy associates promote the â€Å"Publix Way.† This plays a major role in nonverbal communication between Publix associates and their customers. Aside from dress code and customer relations, two major elements, there are many other standards Publix employees are held to. A good example of one unwritten Publix rule would be: communication between associates when out on the sales floor during business hours must be respectful, and if at all possible must include the customer. Also, outside from positive communication both verbal and nonverbal with customers and fellow associates employees are expected to communicate both effectively and respectfully with management teams as well. Hierarchy The Publix store level hierarchy is something that runs seemingly parallel in each department throughout the store. Each department and sub department have their chain of command as follows: part time associates, full time associates, assistant department manager, and department manager. The two major departments, grocery and customer service, have the most associates, in order to better supervise their employees there is a position called a team leader that fits into the hierarchy between the full time associates and the management team. Publix is a company that only promotes from within. This is a big selling point for associates and applicants alike. Knowing that the opportunity for advancement is always there is a major asset for the associates in the store. Communications between the different levels of the chain of command are fluid. The associates can go to their department managers, or team leaders, with any concern or idea. The department managers at store level then communicate with the store’s assistant manager and store manager about the associate’s ideas and concerns. Communication Networks The information Publix gathers through their retail channels is usually information based on product analysis and placement that they can pass down to the management teams at store levels to assess further. Ultimately the store will take the advice of corporate and try to taper the information in the way it works most effectively for each store. Each store can take the same information and depict it differently. Information about new products, events, or openings may not influence all stores, or influence them all at the same level. There are times, during major events like hurricanes, holidays, or back to school time, where Publix store level employees must take the information sent to them by corporate including sales figures and forecasts in order to build the proper displays and floor models for customers to browse. Having product out that customers take interest in can help drive sales. The communication between the different levels of Publix Supermarkets goes hand in hand with communication networks at the store level. Leadership Approaches A major tool in the line of communication at Publix is how they allow anyone who is willing to step up and be a leader, do so. When every associate feels that sense of empowerment in their employment it urges them to lead in a different way, work harder and do a better job to lead by example. Publix pushes their associates to be role models both in the stores, and in the community. The management teams are in place to ensure guidelines are followed, but showing quality leadership through positive communication means so much more. Communicating with leaders is always a situation associates take very seriously in any industry or business. This is no different in the retail world at Publix. Associates voice their concerns and feelings to their leaders, whether it be management, team leaders, or even fellow associates who take on the responsibility of leading a specific group. At Publix supermarkets the communication had with leadership is always something associates should come away from feeling they were heard out and understood, good virtue for any organization to sustain. Conclusion Publix through the years has become one of the most widely respected organizations in America. This is due to the quality product and customer service put out the grocery chain, but also playing a role in the respect factor is the culture of the organization. This of course starts at store level and works its way to the corporate ranks, and is in large part to do with positive, effective communication. Publix supermarkets are known throughout the world a company that is great to work for, just as much as they are to shop at. Through utilizing all of the common communication characteristics Publix has continued to promote a very associate friendly atmosphere through the years. The supermarket chain takes pride in the fact that each associate understands their value to their company and takes pride in hiring quality applicants. Publix utilizes its rules and norms, hierarchy, communication networks, and strong leadership approach in all day to day activities in order to remain a successful industry leader.