Wednesday, November 27, 2019

general lee essays

general lee essays The United States Civil War was the single most greatest war that was fought by our country. Their were 3 million that fought, and 600,000 the died from both the North and the South. The Civil War was also the only war that was ever fought on American soil, by Americans. The Civil War had many great and historical battles, and the era also had several great leaders. The Union had legendry President Lincoln, and Former General, and former President Grant. The Confederates also had a great leader, Robert E. Lee. General Lee was one of the best Generals that ever lived, with his great leadership qualities, and brilliant mind for winning battles. General Lee was a major factor in why the Civil War lasted as long as it did, because of General Lees greatness, he held off the far superior Union Troops for nearly three years. The idol of the South to this day, Virginian Robert E. Lee had some difficulty in adjusting to the new form of warfare that unfolded with the Civil war, but this did not prevent him from keeping the Union armies in Virginia at bay for almost three years. General Lee though, had a tough time of choosing who to side with when the first of the southern states decided to leave the Union, General Lee is quoted in saying in a letter to his sister, With all of my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and the duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I have therefore resigned my commission in the Army, and save in defense of my native state, with the sincere hope that my poor services never be needed, I hope I may never be called on to draw my sword against my heritage. After General Lee decided to side with the confederate armies, he was cherished by the south, and hated by the north. Onc e General Lee resigned as colonel 1st cavalry of the Union forces, and left to fight for the Confederates, they pu...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Living and Working in France

Living and Working in France One common trait among people who study French is a desire to live and possibly work in France. Many dreams of this, but not many succeed in actually doing it. Just what is it that makes it so difficult to live in France? First of all, like in other countries, France is concerned about too much immigration. Many people come to France from poorer countries to find work- either legally or illegally. With high unemployment in France, the government is not eager to give jobs to immigrants, they want the available jobs to go to French citizens. In addition, France is worried about the impact of immigrants on social services- there is only so much money to go around, and the government wants citizens to receive it. Finally, France is infamous for its extensive red tape, which can make everything from buying a car to renting an apartment an administrative nightmare. So with these difficulties in mind, lets look at how someone can get permission to live and work in France. Visiting France Its easy for citizens of most countries to visit France- upon arrival, they receive a tourist visa which allows them to stay in France for up to 90 days, but not to work or to receive any social benefits. In theory, when the 90 days are up, these people can travel to a country outside the European Union, have their passports stamped, and then return to France with a new tourist visa. They might be able to do this for a while, but its not really legal. Someone who wants to live in France long term without working or going to school should apply for a visa de long sà ©jour. Among other things, a visa de long sà ©jour requires a financial guarantee (to prove that the applicant will not be a drain on the state), medical insurance, and police clearance. Working in France European Union citizens can legally work in France. Foreigners outside of the EU must do the following, in this order: Find a jobObtain a work permitObtain a visa de long sà ©jourGo to FranceApply for a carte de sà ©jour For anyone who is not from an EU country, finding a job in France is extremely difficult, for the simple reason that France has a very high unemployment rate and will not give a job to a foreigner if a citizen is qualified. Frances membership in the European Union adds another twist to this: France gives first priority for jobs to French citizens, then to EU citizens, and then to the rest of the world. In order for, say, an American to get a job in France, s/he essentially has to prove that s/he is more qualified than anyone in the European Union. Therefore, the people with the best odds of working in France tend to be those in highly specialized fields, as there may not be enough qualified Europeans to fill these types of positions. Receiving permission to work is also difficult. Theoretically, if you are hired by a French company, the company will do the paperwork for your work permit. In reality, its a Catch-22. They all say that you have to have the work permit before they will hire you, but since having a job is a prerequisite for obtaining the work permit, its impossible. Therefore, there are really only two ways to get a work permit: (a) Prove that you are more qualified than anyone in Europe, or (b) Get hired by an international company that has branches in France and get transferred over, because their sponsorship will allow them to obtain the permit for you. Note that they will still have to demonstrate that a French person could not do the job you are being imported to do. Other than the above route, there are basically two ways to get permission to live and work in France. Student visa - If you are accepted to a school in France and meet the financial requirements (a monthly financial guarantee of approximately $600), your chosen school will help you to obtain a student visa. In addition to giving you permission to live in France for the duration of your studies, student visas allow you to apply for temporary work permits, which give you the right to work for a limited number of hours per week. One common job for students is an au pair position.Marry a French citizen - To some extent, marriage will facilitate your efforts to obtain French citizenship, but you will still need to apply for a carte de sà ©jour and deal with abundant paperwork. In other words, marriage will not automatically make you a French citizen. As a last resort, it is possible to find work that pays under the table; however, this is more difficult than it might seem and is, of course, illegal.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Stages of the consumer decision process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Stages of the consumer decision process - Essay Example Every business wants to build new consumers and retain the old ones (Chen, 2009). However, these consumers are of negligible value if they do not bring in the desired results in terms of sales for the business. It is important that the consumer decision process is looked upon at from all sides before reaching a consensus as to how marketing and sales domains shall be managed within the business. If the consumer decision process is easy to undertake and the sales are coming in, perhaps there is reason why this consumer decision process has been a successful one over a period of time. On the flip side, there could be a number of survival issues for the business. This paper discusses how the consumer decision process is managed within the tourism industry from a supply perspective. The 5 stages of the consumer decision process involve the recognition of the need, the information search, the evaluation, the eventual decision to purchase and lastly the post-purchase evaluation. These 5 st ages essentially dictate how well the consumer decision process has been reached upon and the kind of success that a consumer has within his ranks to make sure that he buys the intended product or service (Hudson, 2010). Within the domains of the tourism industry which is a combination of both products and services, the need is to understand how well the consumer decision process has been applied. It will then enact ways to reach out to consumers who are more prone to make that much needed purchase which will benefit the business under the ranks of the tourism industry. This is an important aspect and one that requires significance from the people who undertake these businesses in the first place. It gives them an idea as to where they are going wrong and what corrective measures they need to take in order to bring sanity within the realms of the tourism industry (Betsch, 2004). The consumer decision process does not come about without hard work and thought. The consideration that g oes into its making is something that leaves many astounded since sometimes consumers take a life time to make that vital purchase while at others the whole process is often completed way too quickly. These 5 stages are fundamentally hierarchical because these highlight how strongly the consumer decision process takes place and that too within a sequential feel. The hierarchy comes about in the form of following each one of these stages. One cannot skip any stage and move on to the next one. It has to follow a set line in order to successfully complete the consumer decision process. The sale process of the business will only culminate when all these stages are amicably given the significance that these richly require. Focusing specifically on the tourism industry, it is important to comprehend the amount of energy a business dedicates towards attracting that vital consumer. This means that these consumers form the core basis of the business and without them the tourism industry woul d suffer on a number of different counts (Ekstrom, 2006). The understanding must be derived from the fact that the entire tourism regime shapes up due to the undertakings of the consumers and if the latter do not show any interest, it would be difficult to sustain this industry in essence. The

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Grapes of The wrath Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Grapes of The wrath - Essay Example He is in his late twenties and is highly respected by his family. The story starts off with Tom being released from the prison. He was imprisoned for four years for killing a man in a fight. "Homicide," he said quickly. "That's a big word—means I killed a guy. Seven years. I'm sprung in four for keepin' my nose clean" (Steinbeck 13). This shows that he obviously has certain violent tendencies. He cannot keep his temper in check, can lose his senses at it being crossed. He also seems to be quite powerful physically. The amount of time spend in jail has, of course, changed his personality but he cannot possibly turn a new leave completely and as it is shown later, these former traits come out at different parts of his journey. Tom is also quite blunt; he does not seem to be embarrassed about people guessing about him having a criminal record. He seems to be proud of himself as a person and very sure of himself. He is also determined and wills things to go his way. He does not st rike to be as an educated person and, in fact, he is not. He cannot read or write though he asserts that he could if he wanted to. Tom is sly enough and manages to convince a driver to drop him off near his home, easily keeping up with the conversation. There he comes across a preacher called Jim Casy. They get reacquainted, building a new friendship. Casy is no longer the believer of the things as he was earlier. Later in the story, Casy is shown to be a great influence on Tom with certain repercussions attached to it. The two get closer and Casy makes Tom realise what unfairness and prejudice people are suffering through. "Well, you and me got sense. Them goddamn Okies got no sense and no feeling. They ain't human. A human being wouldn't live like they do. A human being couldn't stand it to be so dirty and miserable. They ain't a hell of a lot better than gorillas" (Steinbeck 221). On one of such arguments with the police, Casy turns violent and is arrested. When he is released, T om goes back to him. Casy is shot dead by a policeman in front of Tom. To avenge the death of a friend, Tom shows his loyalty by killing an officer. Here, the murderer reemerges. On the way to his home, Tom picks up a stray turtle. "An old turtle," he said. "Picked him up on the road. An old bulldozer. Thought I'd take 'im to my little brother. Kids like turtles" (Steinbeck 21). This shows that despite the tough personality he is intent on showing to others, though he has a volatile temperament, he still is in touch with his human side. He has enough affection for his siblings to want to take something for him to make him happy. In the different areas of the text, Tom is shown as fondly remembering his family. He obviously loves them quite a bit. At reaching the house, Tom is informed by Muley Graves the neighbor that his family have left and gone to Uncle John’s, planning to pack up and migrate to California in search of jobs. He finds them, time and time again shows his fon dness for his family. On their road trip to California, his grandparents pass away. Life is not easy in the new city until Noah, the oldest Joad child, gives in and leaves his family. Tom now officially becomes the head after his father. He assumes the responsibilities and is respected by them. It is during these times that Tom starts to look at the conditions in the long run, decides to do something for the others and not just himself or his family. "I climb fences when I got fences to climb," said Tom. Casy

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Mission Statement Essay Example for Free

The Mission Statement Essay In this case study will discuss the strengths, weakness, opportunity’s and threats of the Vertu Nokia mobile phone. How well the company did and what the company will do to be completive in today’s changing world of mobile phones. Synopsis of the Situation The situation of the Vertu is how the company can survive in today’s world of technology changes. Nokia manufactures a unique luxury mobile phone by using precious materials such as diamonds, sapphires, titanium and exotic leather for phone production. Key Issues Nokia has a unique product and although it does well it has been shrinking in the market shares. Nokia hired Stephen Elop as the new CEO was given the task of revamping Nokia’s business and save it. Define the Problem The problem is the drop in share price. The problem faced in the lack of ability to not only produce new products but sustain current innovations within the mobile arena. Another issue is the use of an unproven operating system before understand the effects of a fall that could occur. There is also not a set purpose of the change nor what the company can do for its shareholders. Alternative Solutions The solution present was to phase out the outdated operating system and adopt Microsoft’s Window phone as its principal smartphone strategy. The transition from Symbian which was the outdated operating system to Windows Phone was a major move for Nokia and it could take it further by building a successful Third Ecosystem with Microsoft. Selected Solution to the Problem Due to rapid economic growth in emerging markets like China and India, the Asia-Pacific became the fastest growing region for luxury mobile phones. With new developments the luxury mobile phone market looked promising and attracted new market entrants such as Mobiado, GoldVish and GRESSO. Other well established luxury brands, including Christian Dior, Tag Heuer, Versace and Ulysse Nardin also joined the luxury mobile industry through brand extension initiatives with handset manufactures. Implementation In 2005 Nokia branded 8800 series and a year later a special edition of the Nokia 8800 was introduced. These new editions included ultra-lightweight carbon fibre and 24 carat gold plated versions. Despite these products introductions Nokia continued to empower its Vertu subsidiary to take the lead in penetrating the high end luxury mobile

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me. Free College Admissions Essays: An Experience that Changed Me :: College Admissions Essays College Admissions : Describe an experience that changed you    The black pirate hat danced around in the air, weaving and bobbing to some Disneyland music. Attached to it was my head and the rest of me, being dragged along on this wild ride. The only sounds I heard were ones of trumpets soaring higher and higher, trying to hit an absurdly high note. The pirate hat and the warm Florida night had taken control, and my self-consciousness went right out the window. I danced, not greatly or with any skill whatsoever, but I danced. For that one night, at the end of our trip to Florida and Walt Disney World, I enjoyed life in a way I never have before.       Earlier that evening, I had wandered around the hotel, feeling lonely and bored. My roommate and I had planned on visiting the theme parks, but his father, a chaperon, had taken him out for a surprise birthday dinner. So I was left alone to wander. Feeling in the mood to play some video games, I headed out to the arcade with a crisp ten dollar bill. Fifteen minutes later, I walked out, penniless, after quickly finding out that I should never get behind the wheel of a race car. I don't believe I even managed to complete one lap, let alone finish. On the way back, I ran into some friends of mine, who had returned from dinner to get their tickets for the theme parks. Seeing how lonely I was, they invited me to go with them. I agreed, happy to do anything.       We got our tickets, and decided to go to the Magic Kingdom for the fireworks and the parade. When we arrived there, we walked around, stopping to get some ice cream and pie. The air was constantly filled with the screams of joy from children running around, and every person had a smile on his face. The happy mood was contagious and I began to smile myself. My two friends sat down for a minute to enjoy their ice cream, so I went into a store looking for a souvenir. The pirate hat sat on the table, looking silly even from across the room. I moved closer, a smile and a chuckle coming from me as I thought about what my friends might say. A cartoonish sticker of Captain Hook was on the front brim, and his large smile sold me.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

A Home Depot Analysis

Final Exam Questions 1a. The way that Nardelli laid out his plan for change was one of the reasons I think it was so successful. He came in and addressed the problems that were easy to point out and also the ones that weren’t apparent to other employees. Nardelli needed to rebuild an organization that could easily compete with other big names, and this was relatively easy because the people at Home Depot knew the importance of taking advantage of its growing size. Nardelli did this by implementing a three strategy plan that involved enhancing the core, extending the business, and expanding the market.Nardelli’s first step in the process was enhancing the core. This involved improving the profitability of current and future stores, as well as in existing markets. From the article Heart of Change, I think that Kotter’s first step, increase urgency, relates the most to Nardelli’s first step. Kotter describes his first step like this; â€Å"A sense of urgency , sometimes developed by very creative means, gets people off the couch, out of the bunker, and ready to move† (Cohen and Kotter 690) essay writer life hacks. I think that this is what Nardelli was trying to make happen in his first step for change.He needed the people of the company to see what the issues were, and make a point to say that if we stay where are now, we will fall behind in a few years. This sense of urgency and improvement was the right step to getting Home Depot employees to care and start to make the best change for the company. The first step leads right into Nardelli’s second step which was, extend the business. Nardelli’s purpose with this step was to get employees to come up with ways to better serve the customers. This was to not only enhance customer service, but to become a standout figure among competitors.This was probably one of the most important steps and I think that Nardelli implemented it very well. I related this step to Kotterâ €™s fifth step of empowering action. I chose this because Kotter outlines this step as â€Å"Key obstacles that stop people from acting on the vision are removed† (Cohen and Kotter 697). The obstacle that Nardelli needed to remove was the similarities between his company and competitors. He did this by offering related home improvement services such as tool rental and home installation of products. This set them apart and allowed them to overcome that â€Å"obstacle† and continue to move forward.I think that this was the most important step because it represents the major ‘bump in the road’ that Home Depot needed to overcome in order to continue to keep growing. The final step in Nardelli’s plan was expanding the market. This was one of the easiest steps to correlate to Kotter because I think that it made the most sense, without specifically saying that same thing. Kotter’s seventh step of don’t let up is described as this; â€Å" a change effort will have direction and momentum†¦ build on this momentum and make a vision a reality†. (Cohen and Kotter 700).The whole point of Nardelli’s third step is to take what they have learned and implemented in the company thus far and expand geographically, even serve new kinds of customers. This was his way of carrying the momentum of success out as far as it could go, and making sure that Home Depot didn’t let their success slip through their fingers. This a very good move on Nardelli’s part, and attracting new customers such as commercial contractors and even women, made a huge impact on the overall morale, and success of the store. The only thing that I would have suggested Kotter adds to his plan, was the implementation of metrics.The Home Depot article talks about how in the beginning there was some harsh resistance to the change, â€Å"Resistance to the changes was fierce, particularly from managers: Much of the top executive team l eft during Nardelli’s first year† (Charan 64). Nardelli did use metrics, and they did make a difference. However, I think that if he had made them a part of his plan and used them earlier in the process they would have made an impression on the executives that did end up leaving. If Nardelli had used metrics I think that they would have correlated with Kotter’s fourth step, communicate for buy-in.This is described as â€Å"simple heartfelt messages sent through many unclogged channels† (Cohen and Kotter 697). Those metrics were the heartfelt messages that needed to be expressed to get people motivated even sooner. With my suggestion Nardelli’s plan should have looked like the following: Enhance the Core, Express Metrics, Extend the Business and Expand the market. Overall, I think that Nardelli did an excellent job, and that taking my advice, would have only yielded better results. 1b. When Nardelli first arrived at Home Depot, the culture was one th at was very close-knit and family oriented.I chose this term to describe the culture because the former CEO and chairman were often thought of as father figures by other employees; â€Å"Many employees simply couldn’t picture this company without these father figures† (Charan 63). When reading the article about Home Depot, there was one specific sentence that stood out to me because it described the pre-Nardelli culture very well, â€Å"It was marked by and entrepreneurial high-spiritedness, a willingness to take risks; a passionate commitment to customers, colleagues, the company, and to the community; and an aversion to anything that felt bureaucratic or hierarchical† (Charan 62-63).Looking specifically at this description of the culture, I can find characteristics that relate directly to low-context cultures, as well as to O’Reily, Chatman and Caldwell’s Cultural Characteristics. I came to the conclusion that the culture at Home Depot was a low- context culture specifically because high-context cultures are based largely on hierarchy. According to our class notes on culture low-context cultures are described as â€Å"cultures that focus on that which is explicit. People are specific and clear in their communication† (Culture Notes 1).This description fits the culture of Home Depot, not only because it strays away from hierarchy, but also because it was very much based on entrepreneurship; which requires specific and clear communication. I believe that the entrepreneurial high-spiritedness that is described above contributes to the feeling of a family oriented and close knit company. Relating the culture to the cultural characteristics of O’Reily, Chatman and Caldwell was relatively easy as well. Specifically there were three characteristics that stood out to me: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, and people orientation.I chose these because of the way the culture is described. Innovation and risk taking is described as the degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks. Not only was it said outright that this was a characteristic of the company, but I feel as though the close-knit environment promoted this kind of thinking; making everyone feel comfortable and open to sharing their ideas. Attention to detail was not as direct as the previous example, but I related this to the description of entrepreneurial high-spiritedness.Attention to detail is described as the degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis and attention to detail. This definition drew me to lean towards entrepreneurship because I thought that all of the qualities listed are qualities that would be necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. Again, these are all characteristics that thrive in a close-knit family style culture. Finally, I chose people orientation. This is described as the degree to which management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.This definition not only relates to the passionate commitment to customers, colleagues, the company, and to the community part of the description, but it also relates to the definition of low context culture. I know that specifically people orientation talks about people within the company, but I think that part of the reason Home Depot was so successful was that it reached outside of the company to impact people’s lives. Lastly, a major part of the low-context culture definition is that people are specific and clear in their communication, and I believe that people orientation would not be successful if this were not a major factor.The pre-Nardelli culture was very easy to define, and point out specific aspects that made it easy to describe and compare. When talking about the post-Nardelli culture, the only thing that really stood out to me was a difference in the feel of the culture. By this I mean specifically it went from a c lose-knit, family style culture, to a big corporation style that is highly focused on building the organization to take advantage of its outrageous growth. Instead of focusing specifically on the people in and outside of the community, this post culture was a focus on merchandising and collaboration between regional and store operators.Everything was on a larger scale, and even little thinks such as shelf organization and signage were standardized and enhanced, so they were able to stay on the playing field with competitors such as Wal-Mart. While I think that this doesn’t change the fact that it is a low-context culture, because there is still a focus on people and communication and an avoidance of hierarchy, I do think that it changes some of the relatable characteristics of O’Reily, Chatman, and Caldwell’s cultural characteristics.I do not think that they lost innovation and risk taking, attention to detail and people orientation, but simply that the focus wa s significantly diminished. Instead a focus on team orientation and aggressiveness was emphasized. Team orientation is defined in our notes as the degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals. While the pre culture wasn’t so individually focused that it was everyman for himself, it’s that the post culture needed teams to make sure that all of the new projects like, merchandizing and reevaluation of the store environment, were successful.Finally for the post culture, there was a definite lean toward aggressiveness, which is defined in our notes as the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easygoing. I do not think that in the pre culture that they were quite on the level of stability from our culture notes, but that Nardelli promoted an environment that allowed people to be assertive and aggressive towards achieving more growth. For the most part I thought that pre- and post-Nardelli cultures were very si milar, minus the shift in focus from family business, to large corporation.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Why Nations Fail – A Book Review

Why Nations Fall by James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole a book review INTRODUCTION Why Nations Fall Is a non-fiction book by James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole which Is based on the views and Insights from the economic history of each country to be able to answer why nations grow differently, why others succeed while others fall. The stones are linked with a common narrative theme, the adolescently between Inclusive and extractive institutions. The book claims that nations with Inclusive institutions are more successful than those with extractive institutions in the longOther people who have not bumped into this kind of books will most likely foreshadow this work as not so entertaining since most of it, well actually every chapter of this book deals with nothing but politics and economics, but as you go through every chapter of the book, you will find it to be a total opposite to what you expected. It is interesting in a way that you get the chance to know the economic status of e ach country and its reason why it grows differently: others succeed and others fail. As a group, we say yes. We did enjoy the book though we started reading it very late already.Through this, we were able to understand more why economies grow in different ways and what factors causes it to prosper or fail. BOOK REVIEW The thesis made by James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole is about the nation's failure to prosperity. The book answers the big question that has been pondered by many economists for a long time now – Why some societies prosper and others don't? For Darn Guacamole and James A. Robinson, it is the institutions that determine the fate of nations. Both authors claim that a country succeeds when political and economic institutions are â€Å"inclusive†.Inclusive institutions are institutions in which many people are involved in the governing process hence exploitation is either depreciated or absent. According to them, nations fail when institutions are â€Å"e xtractive†. Extractive institutions are those protecting the political and economic power of only small elites that take income from other people. Both authors are qualified to write about the subject because they are both widely respected scholars. Darn Guacamole is a professor of Economics and has been awarded for his great contribution to economic knowledge while James A.Robinson is political scientist and an economist who is conducting a research in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, etc. The authors spent fifteen years researching the reasons why nations and empires rise or fall. They put forth a thesis that explains Africa and Latin America failed to build sustaining governments and economic systems that distribute wealth and power throughout their populace; and why Russia and North Korea have failed to deliver an economy and government that provides opportunity for their populations to thrive.Even before reading the book, it is already obvious of what the b ook is all about. From he title itself, Why Nations Fail, readers would expect that the content is about nation's economic system. The authors draw the complex political and economic systems and their connection to the failure of nations. The book is composed of many examples from human history to support the claim and to show how inclusive institutions enhance the nation's economy better than extractive institutions. It is well written, a powerful narration that explains history's failed civilizations.It will also give the reader insights about today's global economy. But as you go deeper, some of the writings are difficult to understand. Some key points are not easy to comprehend since there are some terms in Economics that ordinary people are not familiar with, like inclusive and extractive society. Those terms were written and were given historical examples, but, the definition was not clearly explained in the book. The authors were able to come up with conclusions and hypothesi s. But, an evidence of the theories they presented are not stated.The authors were not able to present statistics-based evidence to support their theories and claims. The books limitations are that the authors did not include the roles of other factors such as geographic actors, scientific factors etc. Instead, they focused solely on institutions as an explanation. What I dislike about the author's writing style is that in every chapter, thoughts and conclusions are repeated, thus, making the whole write up, unrecognized and redundant. They failed to present proper examples to some terms which are unfamiliar to the readers.Despite of the books downsides, the authors were still able to direct our concentration and attention to poverty, economic system, politics, etc. Overall, the book is brilliant and engaging. The authors wrote the hypothesis clearly and succeeded in making a great sense of history and imparting their views on the factors that affect the rise and fall of nations. CH APTER 1 : so Close and yet so Different James A. Robinson and Darn Guacamole began the first chapter of the book with the comparison of Nonages, Arizona and Nonages, Senora.These two basically come from the same geographical location, the same city but there is quite a big difference between the economies of the two. The authors in this book try to question why Arizona and Senora could be in the same location yet they are so different from each other? one city is prosperous while the other one is not. The authors made an argument in this chapter that Arizona is prosperous because of their policies? Arizona has greatly improved their means of livelihood and they have developed schools, infrastructure, transportation and education.In other words, what caused Arizona and Senoras economy to be different with each other are the policies imposed in their area? Arizona, in the border of the United States, has the rule of law while Senora has an absence of even the basic services in Mexico. The United States utilizes inclusive policies while Mexico has been using extracting policies. CHAPTER 2: Tones that Don't work In this chapter, Robinson and Guacamole tries to discuss the common theories as to why nations fail that still exists today.Here, they dismiss the said theories and claim that the real reason behind the fail of nations is the type of institutions present in the society? whether instructive or extractive. Other people claim that the reason why nation fail is because of its geographical location. Other countries have more resources than others. But, based on the authors, this does not explain the Nonages- Senora economic conflict since these two countries come from the same area. The second theory which was pointed out to be the cause why economy of different countries grows differently is because of the citizens who work hard for their country.But still, it was argued by the authors that this does not explain the situation between Nonages since its resident s have basically the same historical background and culture. The last theory is the one that seems is the most widely accepted today. This theory clearly states that our leaders are too ignorant to choose what policies to impose and implement. Quoted on George Rowel's line on him being skeptical at Joseph Stalin, â€Å"The power in the wrong hands can lead to a cause gone wrong. † CHAPTER 3: The Making of Prosperity and Poverty success or failure of nations.They used the Korean Peninsula as an example. It was said that after the World War II, the Korean Peninsula has been divided into two: the northern and the southern Korea. South Korea, which was backed by United States, eventually adopted inclusive policies that include property rights of the people while the North Korea, backed by Russia, implemented the extractive policies wherein citizens have no rights while only the elites own the lands. The Korean Peninsula is an example where two identical countries can quickly beco me so different because one allowed the empowerment of its people.CHAPTER 4: Small Differences and Critical Junctures This chapter talks about the consequences that a nation may face Just with the small critical Junctures and differences. It either can lead a nation to prosper or to fail. The example of the authors for the small differences that affected the institutional development is the Eastern and Western Europe. In the West, workers were free of feudal dues, fines, etc. In the East, they were also connected in such an economy, but he demand for the agricultural goods came from the West. It was not an inclusive market.The authors have cited many historical vignettes that support their claim on the critical Junctures that can affect the type of institution of an economy? inclusive and extractive institutions. The best example for us is England's adoption of inclusive institutions during the time of the bubonic plague. This critical Juncture led to the industrial revolution causi ng some nations to prosper and some to fail. CHAPTER 5: I've Seen the Future and It Works In this chapter, the authors imply that extractive institutions merely rely on growth cause they need something to extract.They both claim that this growth of the extractive institutions is unjustifiable or unsustainable. One of the examples cited by the authors to illustrate this unsuitability is the Soviet Union. For decades, the Soviet Union has been experiencing great economic growth till the time came when it halted. This led to the country fall in 1991. According to the authors, the extractive institutions had many flaws? only few selected gain benefits while the greater percent of the population suffers from poverty. In this chapter, the book describes how Venice was very inclusive with its economic and political policies.Venice at one point before was a very prosperous nation. The inclusive policies helped make Venice the most prosperous nation at his time. But, Venire's innovations not only gave positive effects but also negative. These innovations weakened the political and economic institutions that were established. To secure their political and economic interest, Venice made extractive policies. These policies turned Venice backward while other nations moved forward. CHAPTER 7: The -running point It was the year 1688 that served as a difficult time in history for the people.The political institutions gradually abandoned power to its people which eventually led to the Industrial Revolution, an important event in history wherein there were new changes in the quality of life. There were major improvements in transportation, metallurgy and steam power, mechanization of textile production and the development of factories to produce these manufactured textiles. There was a reorganization of economic institutions that sided with the innovators and entrepreneurs. CHAPTER 8: Not on our Turf The Industrial Revolution that took place was not warmly welcomed by many nati ons.Many nations were rejecting it while England was unsure of its acceptance of the Industrial Revolution. Two nations, Russia and China was dependent on the belief that it is technology that would weaken the elites. China and Russia were doing the total opposite as they were contracting inwards while the other nations were expanding their territory already. The authors claimed that if only China and Russia could've embraced inclusive institutions and accepted technology, America would have been a different place. CHAPTER 9: Reversing Development Colonialism has caused much effect to different nations.The authors made the spice wars of the Mollusks as an example to this. The authors stated that â€Å"though these nations seem remote to us today, the Mollusks was still then a central to the world trade. † But Mollusks seem remote today since its inhabitants stop producing spices as a response to the colonials. In this chapter, the authors perceived a British penal colony, a f amily without rights and a civil case that leads us to the country that we know today as Australia. This is the time that British convicts were sentenced to death.These convicts were not given the same rights given to other citizens of Britain. This was unheard of at the time and slowly sent Australia and Britain down to different paths of history. CHAPTER 11 & 12: The Virtuous Circle/ These vacuous Circle In this chapter, the book talks about the violent cycles in history. The authors talk in great deal on how vehement the circles are based upon the rule of law. These circles form in a society where no group can control the other and has a lot to lose if they weaken the rule of law. These circles in turn lead to extractive institutions.The authors have shown a lot of examples of violent cycles. One example is demonstrated in the weakening of the audacity systems in Argentina, Venezuela and Cambodia. These countries fall into endless loops of bad decisions by its people more times t han not they are changed. CHAPTER 13: Why Nations Fail Nations fail today because of conspiracy and bad policy. The authors explain in their interview that the United States has to be diligent to stop conspiracy between big businesses and politics. Large companies have money and power that can weaken political processes.Examples to this are the hindrances to competition. Some countries that have inclusive institutions use political power to change overspent to more extractive institutions. The authors perceived how Argentina and Venezuela weaken their courts and political institutions by giving the president's the freedom to do what they please. CHAPTER 14: Breaking the Mold The authors perceived the challenges that an exclusive nation may/is facing today. The authors say that there are two realistic paths that a nation can take toward more inclusive institutions.One path is an approach where the government gradually changes policy to be more inclusive because of societal pressures. The other is the path of resistance that usually leads to revolt or civil war. The authors believe that it's hard to eliminate poverty while increasing prosperity. They say that the countries that are poor have a high tendency to be extractive institutions and until those institutions change nothing can really be done to fix the problem. People believe that nation building could be a solution but as the authors point out it doesn't fix the underlying issues.CONCLUSION: Why Nations Fail is a very interesting book. From the title itself, it tackles about how a country develops and grows, or the other way around. It doesn't Just focus on the current problems and issues of the society but also goes back to the past and the robbers which are left unsolved for how many decades or even centuries. Economists and politicians would totally be interested to read this book because this is mostly made up of politics and economic-related topics or global economics and politics.In their thesis, t hey have mentioned about different kinds of institutions that failed the country economic system, inclusive and extractive societies. â€Å"Why Nations Fail† is a very important topic since we can see that there are several countries in the world who are experiencing poverty or breakdown of economic system, with role of government or the people themselves as the reasons. The book can be boring to some readers but it was interesting enough to make us finish the book.It can be boring to some because the book is political and economical. It tackles issues of the society that caused the rise or fall of nations. Some readers are not fond of reading this kind of book. But, for those people interested in the economy of nations, then this is a really good read. The authors' thesis was great because it has good citations and examples; however, same thoughts are repeated in each chapter and the book don't have a concrete back up The scholarly work, Why Nations Fail, is a slow-read book .The work contains deep details that must be understood in every chapter for you to be able to connect the whole flow of the thesis. The bright side of the book is the illustrations shown and the tables provided. Data are properly organized or listed in the table and, maps and other figures are well-drawn. Also, there are historical examples given that would add the understandings of the readers. The book is very useful and a substantive book which gives well-explained points on why nations succeed or fail. This book is recommended to anyone who wants to understand how the world works.However, his book is not recommended for those readers who are used to fast-paced narration and cannot tolerate a slow read, this must not be recommended because of the organization of the thesis' points, some of the topics and examples are repeated making it a slow read book. But for those who are in to politics and economics, this book is highly recommended because it contains many interesting histor ical examples and provocative ideas. The main strength of this book is the summary: it is packed, from beginning to end, with historical scenes that are both knowledgeable and fascinating. The book never fails us to think.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

ACT Test Dates Study Plan for Sophomores and Juniors

SAT/ACT Test Dates Study Plan for Sophomores and Juniors SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re a sophomore or junior in high school, it's about time to start exercising your standardized testing muscles. This is especially true if you're hoping to get into very selective colleges or improve significantly from your PSAT scores. Read on for advice on how to create an effective study plan for the SAT or ACT starting in sophomore and junior year. Sophomore Year: SAT Prep Sophomore year is when you can start gearing up for the SAT or ACT by taking experimental practice tests and planning out your studying and testing schedules. I'll go through how to prepare yourself for standardized testing so you have the best chance of success when you take the test junior year. Getting Started By sophomore year, you've most likely taken all the classes that teach relevant information for standardized tests (algebra, trigonometry, and geometry). Now you can start figuring out your baseline score for the SAT or ACT so you know how much studying you’ll have to put in before you take the test. If you’re planning on taking the SAT, take the PSAT to get an idea of what your scores might be.Add a zero to the end of each PSAT section score to see an estimate of its SAT equivalent.You can also take a real SAT practice test if you would rather have a more direct representation of your current score level.If you’re planning on taking the ACT, take an ACT practice test. You should also take time during sophomore year to research colleges and get a sense of how much you need to improve your scores.This is a good time to estimate a target score for the SAT or ACT.Even though you might not know your top choice schools for sure yet, you probably have some idea of which colleges appeal to you and seem like realistic options. Google the names of schools that interest you and â€Å"SAT scores† or â€Å"ACT scores†.The 75th percentile score listed by the school (meaning a better score than 75 percent of admitted students) is what you should be aiming for as a target score. Studying for Your Goals We recommend that you take the SAT or ACT for the first time during the fall of your junior year(the SAT is in early October, the ACT is in mid-September). This way, you'll still have a lot more opportunities to take either test again if you don’t do as well as you hoped. Based on your knowledge about your current score level and target scores, you can start making a study plan during the second half of your sophomore year. Here are some guidelines for score improvement goals versus study hours: 0-30 SAT or 0-1 ACT Composite Point Improvement: 10 hours30-70 SAT or 1-2 ACT Point Improvement: 20 hours70-130 SAT or 2-4 ACT Point Improvement: 40 hours130-200 SAT or 4-6 ACT Point Improvement: 80 hours200-330 SAT or 6-9 ACT Point Improvement: 150 hours+ It’s up to you whether you want to spread out hours and start studying sooner or go with a more intense studying schedule for a shorter period of time. Here are some different examples of how you might plan out your study schedule before you take the test for the first time junior year: Case #1: I'm Planning on Taking the SAT, and I Want to Improve By 200 Points For this level of improvement, you're looking at about 80-100 total study hours.If you start during sophomore spring, two hours a week of studying while you’re still in school in April and May will accumulate about 20 hours. You can plan to study for five hours a week for the three summer months, which adds up to about 70 hours (you have to account for that one week when you will inevitably go to the beach instead).The SAT is in early October, so September can be a review month where you study for an hour a week until your SAT test date. Case #2: I'm Planning on Taking the ACT, and I Want to Improve By 3 Points We could estimate around 40 total study hours for a three-point improvement on the ACT.In this case, since you’re not looking for a huge improvement, you have more of a choice as to how much you spread out your hours.Maybe you decide you want a fast-paced two-month study plan where you study for 5 hours a week in July and August. Alternatively,you could take a more long-term approach and study for two hours a week starting in April. Case #3: I'm Planning on Taking Either the SAT or the ACT, and I Want to Improve By...A LOT It's true that you might not have time to study for the 150+ hours recommended above before you take the test junior year for the first time.The good news is, if you're new to the SAT or ACT, it’s easy to pick up dramatic score improvements as you gain familiarity with the questions. View it as an ongoing process - remember that you’ll still have another year before your last chance to take the SAT or ACT during senior fall. Five hours a week of studying is a realistic goal in the 4-6 months before the test your junior fall.Though this might not be enough to get your scores up where you want them to be the first time, you’ll be at least halfway there.You can look at your first official test as a benchmark for you to see how effective your studying has been rather than a scary deadline. It's time to prep the metaphorical ingredients of success on the SAT or ACT with the sharp blade of your brain knife. Junior Year: The Real Deal This is when things get real. It's important to manage your testing schedule wisely and make sure you're seeing consistent improvement. I'll discuss this more in the next couple of sections and include some advice on transitioning to senior year and the college application process. Taking Your First Test At the start of your junior fall, you should take the SAT or ACT for real so you can get an idea of how much your scores still need to improve (or if they need to improve at all). By this point, you probably have a better sense of where you want to apply, so you can be more sure of your target score.Remember that you still have a lot of chances to take the SAT or ACT again if you're not satisfied with your scores yet, so don't sweat it! Evaluating Your Study Strategy and Hours If you are just starting to study junior year, see the Studying for Your Goals section above to get an idea of how much you might need to study.The aftermath of your first test junior year is a good time to take stock of your studying strategies and whether they are working for you. Here are a couple of reasons you might change your study strategy or consider studying for more time: Scenario #1: You Ran Out of Time, but You Felt Pretty Good about the Test Otherwise You may need to force yourself to do more timed practice tests. You should also research some strategies for reducing your time.Here’s advice to help you with this problem on SAT Math, SAT Reading, the SAT in general, and ACT Reading. Scenario #2: Your Scores and Content Knowledge Didn't Seem to Improve Despite Lots of Studying Something is wonky with your studying habits, or you might just need more prep in general.There are a couple of reasons why this might happen: You’re getting distracted too much - You might need to change your study location, turn your phone off, or stop studying with other people (let’s face it, group studying is not real studying). You’ve been taking practice tests but not picking apart your mistakes - You won’t learn much this way because your level of understanding is not changing. See this article on how to review mistakes on practice tests. It takes you a while to learn from mistakes - Studying for more time is probably the way to go. Remember that you still have until your senior fall before your test results are final!Once you have a stronger understanding of your studying needs, you should be able to plan better for the upcoming SAT test dates during your junior spring and senior fall. Looking Ahead to Senior Year Now that you’ve taken your first test, evaluated your studying habits, and know how much you want to improve before you send in college apps, you're ready to craft a new study plan based on this information. You might choose to take the SAT or ACT again during your junior spring, especially if you're only looking for a slight improvement over your original scores (1-2 ACT points or 30-70 SAT points). This will also help you plan your studying for the summer between junior and senior year depending on how well you do. Make sure you keep up a light study schedule between the fall and spring tests, unless you are only looking for a very small point improvement that could happen without more studying (0-1 ACT or 0-30 SAT).Even one to two hours a week can make a significant difference in your scores. Though you still have more chances to take the tests during senior fall, you shouldtry as hard as you can to improve each time you take the test so you aren’t wasting money.Be careful not to depend too much on senior year testing opportunities. Ideally, you will have already reached your goals before then so you can avoid stressing out over simultaneous deadlines for college applications and standardized testing. Especially if you're applying Early Decision or Early Action, you should do your best to get all your tests out of the way before senior year rolls around. If you're planning on taking one of these tests as a senior, the summer before junior year is critical study time. By now, you should know approximately how many hours you need to devote to studying and have made adjustments that account for your personal study habits and time constraints.Spread out your time in the 4-6 months before senior year begins so you can make the most of your last few testing opportunities! Hear that? It's the sound of your rocket to success leaving the launchpad. To Sum It All Up... Sophomore Year Take the PSAT and/or SAT and ACT practice tests Get an idea of how much you need to improve based on target scores Make a study plan for your goals starting in sophomore spring and going through the summer before junior year Junior Year Take the real SAT or ACT in the fall Reevaluate your studying strategies based on your performance and see if you need to make changes Continue a light study schedule throughout junior year Take the test again in the spring Keeping in mind everything you’ve learned, make a final study plan for the summer before senior year What's Next? Plan out your schedule with the help of our full review of the 2016-2017SAT Test Dates. Still not sure whether you should take the SAT or the ACT? Learn about the pros and cons of each test. Or, are you wondering whether or not to retake one of the tests? This guide will help you decide if it's a good idea. Also see our complete study plans for the SAT and ACT for more tips on how to be prepared! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Willis Johnson and the Egg Beater Invention

Willis Johnson and the Egg Beater Invention African-American Willis Johnson of Cincinnati,  Ohio, patented and improved the mechanical egg beater (U.S. pat# 292,821) on February 5, 1884. The beater was made up of a handle attached to a series of spring-like whisk wires used to help mix ingredients. Prior to his eggbeater, all mixing of ingredients was done by hand and was quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. In fact, what Willis Johnson had really invented was the early mixing machine and not just an egg beater. His device was not intended for eggs alone. Johnson had designed his egg beater and mixer for eggs, batter, and other bakers ingredients. It was a double-acting machine with two chambers. Batter could be beaten in one section and eggs could be beaten in another section, or one section could be cleaned while the other section could continue beating. Egg Beater Patent Abstract The object of [the] invention is to provide a machine wherewith eggs,  batter, and other similar ingredients used by bakers, confectioners, c., can be beaten or mixed in the most intimate and expeditious manner. The machine consists, essentially, of  a mainframe within which is journaled a driving-wheel and a pinion or pulley, the horizontal shaft of the latter having at its opposite ends clutches or sockets, with which are engages square or other non-circular arbors at the inner extremities of a pair of beater shafts. These shafts, which are armed with suitable blades, beaters, or stirrers, are journaled in cylinders that occupy detachable trays or racks applied to the opposite sides of the main frame,  hooks, and staples or the convenient devices being employed for retaining said racks in their proper places. As a result of this construction, either one or the other of both cylinders can be readily applied to the racks, and the latter can be coupled to the machine, so as to e nsure  a very rapid revolution is applied to the driving-wheel, as hereinafter more fully described. Other Types of Mixers Stand mixers mount the motor in a frame or stand which bears the weight of the device. Stand mixers are larger and have more powerful motors than hand-held mixers. A special bowl locks into place while the mixer runs.  Heavy-duty commercial versions can have bowl capacities greater than 25  gallons and weigh thousands of pounds. Mixers that are 5 gallons or less are usually countertop mixers, while larger mixers tend to be floor models due to their size and weight.Spiral mixers  are specialist tools for mixing dough. A spiral-shaped agitator remains stationary while the bowl rotates. This method enables spiral mixers to mix the same size dough batch much quicker and with less under-mixed dough than a similarly powered planetary mixer. This allows the dough to be mixed without increasing its temperature, ensuring the dough can rise properly.Planetary mixers  consist of a bowl and an agitator. The bowl remains still while the agitator rapidly moves around the bowl for mixing. W ith the ability to mix a wide variety of ingredients, planetary mixers are more versatile than their spiral counterparts. They can be used to whip and blend.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Golden Temple (Amritsar, India) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Golden Temple (Amritsar, India) - Research Paper Example History of the Golden Temple The Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib which stands for the Temple of God, is regarded as one of the holiest places in the world and the holiest shrine in Sikhism. It is situated in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is located at 31.620045Â ° N, 74.876397Â ° E. Amritsar means ‘Pool of Nectar of Immorality’; this was from a tank that was excavated by the fourth guru of Sikhism in 1577 CE who was later called Amritsar, thus, the name of the city which grew around it (Pletcher, 129). In the process, Harmandir Sahib, an impressive house meant to be the abode of God, grew at the centre of this tank becoming a supreme venue of Sikhism. Civilization during the construction of the Golden Temple This structure was erected in the late 16th century under the governance of the forth and fifth gurus. It was constructed under very strict supervision of the authority that had very great influence on the public works at the time. Construction of the Ha rmandir Sahib The construction of the Golden Temple started in 1574 at a site surrounded by a small lake in some thin forest; the land was donated by the Mughal emperor Akbar, the third of the six Mughals, who was so impressed with the lifestyle in the town that as a result gave a parcel of land and revenues of quite a number of villages in the area. Guru Ram Das expanded the lake and constructed a small town surrounding it which he later named after Guru Ram Das as Guru Ka Chak. Between 1581 and 1606, the construction of the full-fledged gurdwara (temple) was done under the leadership of the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (Brockman, 189). The initiation of the construction of the temple was done by Hazrat Mian Mir who laid the first foundation stone in December 1588 CE. Construction was complete by 1601 but refurbishment and decoration continued over the years up to about 1604. Installation of the Guru Granth Sahib was done in the 1660s. In the middle of the eighteenth century, the tem ple was attacked by some Afghans who were later killed by the Sikh army. The temple had to be reconstructed in the year 1760. Size of the Golden Temple The 40.5 square feet temple was constructed on a 67 feet square platform which is centrally located at the Sarovar tank. It has four doors in the four directions; to the East, West, South and North. It has an arch which located at the shore end of the causeway with door frames measuring eight feet, six inches in breadth by ten feet high. It has artistic decorations at the door panes which open to the bridge and walkway leading to the main structure of the Temple. The bridge is with a circumambulatory path which is thirteen feet wide. This path that leads to Har ki Paure, the steps of God, runs round the main place of pilgrimage. The main building of the Sri Harmandir Sahib, a three storied structure, is 202 feet in length and 21 feet in width. Whole of this structure is technically functional. The first floor has its roof at a height of 26 feet and 9 inches with a front decorated with repetition of cusped arches. The Temple has a four feet parapet rising all round the sides with four Mamtees at all the four corners. The third storey rises exactly on top of the central of the main sanctuary. This small square room with three gates holds a regular recitation of Guru Granth Sahib. A low fluted Gumbaz which has a lotus petal motif in relief at the base and an inverted lotus at the top supporting the Kalash is held up on top of this room.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Teacher accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Teacher accountability - Essay Example It will also argue in favor of releasing these evaluation results to the public. Additionally, the paper will include the arguments that may oppose the inclusions of the above recommendations in the evaluation programs. Evaluation programs The implementation of change has been reluctant as teachers feel their efforts in the classroom are not effectively considered in the evaluation programs (Nathan, 2009). According to Nathan (2009), the activities in the classroom should be vastly included in the evaluation programs. The author further argues that the activities in the classroom can change the level at which students are exposed to quality education. Evaluation programs used in evaluating programs are; I. Classroom activities Classroom activities refer to the tutor initiatives created in the classroom setting. When evaluating teachers, their efforts in the classroom should constitute a majority of the tools used. This is because teachers spend most of their institutional time in cla ssrooms and acquiring instructor skills. This makes it fair for any evaluation process to greatly consider these efforts. Lareau (1987) argues that classroom evaluation should be the only tool to be considered when evaluating teachers; thirty percent inclusion in the evaluation programs would be important in understanding the ways in which tutors perform in classrooms (Lareau, 1987). Classroom activities make ups seventy percent of all the evaluation tools used on students (Nathan, 2009). Classroom activities include: Continuous assessment tests- written or oral test during mid-terms and the beginning of the term Student participation in group projects- this includes assessments on a student’s ability to work in a group and their success in it. Writing projects and research papers- this evaluates a student’s ability to carry out their own analysis on specific topic as guided by the tutor Routine assignments- routine assignments refer to activities assigned by teachers in regards to research question on a specific learning task Creation of assessment personal assessment tools- tutors help students develop personal assessment tools that help then evaluate their classroom progress Daily class attendance II. Feedback from principles In traditional evaluation programs, principals provided all the required information about teachers in a particular institution. A principal’s contribution can be based on friendship or any other social ills. In this case, principals should only provide the curriculum that an institution uses for verification of the teachers’ activities (Nathan, 2009). This is important because value-added data presented by teachers in the classroom are based on the institution’s curriculum which is mostly created and scrutinized by principles. This argument also supports the fact that value-added data should be included in the programs that evaluate teachers. III. Requirements from the curriculum Lareau (1987) argues that teachers rarely operate under their own consent, which means that the curriculum provided to them by the government is what they present to the classroom. The only way to be fair in evaluating teachers is through the consideration of the curriculum and how the curriculum is presented in the classroom. 30% of the value-added data based on the curriculum