Assessment and Rating of Learning Outcomes Essay

The assessment process is holistic, with emphasis on the formative or developmental purpose of quality assuring student learning. It is also standards-based as it seeks to ensure that teachers will teach to the standards and students will aim to meet or even exceed the standards. The students’ attainment of standards in terms of content and performance is, therefore, a critical evidence of learning. The assessment shall be done at four levels and shall be weighted as follows: Level Of Assessment Percentage Weight Knowledge 15% Process or Skills  25% Understanding 30% Products/Performances 30% 100% The levels are defined as follows: 1. 1. â€Å"Knowledge† refers to the substantive content of the curriculum, the facts and information that the student acquires. 1. 2. â€Å"Process† refers to cognitive operations that the student performs on facts and information for the purpose of constructing meanings and understandings. 1. 3. â€Å"Understanding† refers to enduring big ideas, principles and generalizations inherent to the discipline, which may be assessed using the facets of understanding. 1. 4. â€Å"Products/Performances† refers to real-life application of understanding as evidenced by the student’s performance of authentic tasks. Levels of Proficiency At the end of the quarter, the performance of students shall be described in the report card, based on the following levels of proficiency: Beginning- The student at this level struggles with his/her understanding; prerequisite and fundamental knowledge and/or skills have not been acquired or developed adequately to aid understanding. Developing- The student at this level possesses the minimum knowledge and skills and core understandings, but needs help throughout the performance of authentic tasks. Approaching Proficiency- The student at this level has developed the fundamental knowledge and skills and core understandings and, with little guidance from the teacher and/or with some assistance from peers, can transfer these understandings through authentic performance tasks. Proficient- The student at this level has developed the fundamental knowledge and skills and core understandings, and can transfer them independently through authentic performance tasks. Advanced- The student at this level exceeds the core requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and understandings, and can transfer them automatically and flexibly through authentic performance tasks. The level of proficiency at which the student is performing shall be based on a numerical value which is arrived at after summing up the results of the student’s performance on the various levels of assessment. The numerical values are as follows: Level of Proficiency Equivalent Numerical Value Beginning 74% and below Developing 75-79% Approaching Proficiency 80-84% Proficient 85-89% Advanced 90% and above What shall appear in the report card is not the numerical value, but the equivalent level of proficiency, abbreviated as follows: B for Beginning; D for Developing; AP for Approaching Proficiency; P for Proficient; and A for Advanced. At the end of the four quarters, the Final Grade for each learning area shall be reported as the average of the four quarterly ratings, expressed in terms of the levels of proficiency. The general average shall be the average of the final grades of the different learning areas, also expressed in terms of levels of proficiency with the numerical equivalent in parenthesis. Promotion and retention of students shall be by subject. Students whose proficiency level is Beginning (B) at the end of the quarter or grading period shall be required to undergo remediation after class hours so that they can immediately catch up as they move to the next grading period. If by the end of the school year, the students are still at the Beginning level, then they shall be required to take summer classes. As a matter of policy every learning deficiency should be bridged even for those students whose level of proficiency is above the Beginning level. Honor students shall be drawn from among those who performed at the Advanced Level. The total time daily does not include off-school learning experiences that teachers may require outside of school hours for the production of products and performances as evidence of transfer of learning. http://bcnhs. com/curricula/k-to-12-basic-education-curriculum/ http://www. gov. ph/downloads/2012/09sep/20120905-DepEd-DO-0073-BSA. pdf.

Beam Deflection Essay

Summary The primary goal of the experiment was to determine the structural stiffness of two cantilevered beams composed of steel and aluminum while maintaining both beams at a constant thickness and cross sectional area. The experiment also investigated material properties and dimensions and their relationship to structural stiffness. The experiment was divided into two separate parts. The results for the first part of the experiment were obtained by clamping the beam at one end while applying different masses at a specified length across the beam and then measuring deflection. The measuring device was set a specified distance from the clamped end. The following procedure was employed for both the steel and aluminum beam. The second part of the experiment required placing a single known mass at various lengths across the supported beam and then measuring the resulting deflection. This method was only completed for the steel beam. The deflections from both parts of the experiment were then averaged independently to ascertain final conclusions. The first part of the experiment resulted in a much greater deflection for the aluminum beam, with its greatest deflection spanning to an average of 2.8 mm. Moreover, the deflection for the steel beam was much less, concluding that steel has a larger structural stiffness. In fact, the structural stiffness that was found for steel was 3992 N/m, compared to aluminum, which was 1645 N/m. In addition, the theoretical values of structural stiffness for steel and aluminum were calculated to be 1767.9 N/m and 5160.7 N/m, respectively. There was a large error between the theoretical and experimental values for steel, close to 29%. This could have been due to human error, or a defective beam. The second part of the experiment resulted in validating the fact that the values of deflection are proportional to length cubed. It was also determined that deflection is inversely proporti onal to the elastic modulus and that structural stiffness is proportional to the elastic modulus. Despite the fact that there was considerable error between some of the theoretical and experimental values, the experiment still proved to be effective in determining a reasonably accurate value for structural stiffness as well as verifying its relationship between material properties and beam dimensions. Introduction The beam deflection experiment was designed to investigate the structural stiffness of cantilever beams made of steel and aluminum. Cantilever beams are fixed at one end and support applied loads throughout their length. There are many applications for cantilever beams such as bridges, balconies, storage racks, airplane wings, skywalks, diving boards, and even bicycles. Figure 1 shows an example of a cantilevered beam in bridge design. The primary objective of the experiment was to find the structural stiffness for the two cantilevered beams made of aluminum and steel. For the first part of the experiment, various known loads were applied at the same distance from the fixed end of each beam. The second part of the experiment had one point load applied at different lengths. Due to the fact structural stiffness is heavily dependent on dimensions, the two beams were required to have almost identical thicknesses and cross-sectional areas. In addition, structural stiffness was assumed to be proportional to the elastic modulus of the material. It was expected that the steel beam would have a higher structural stiffness than the aluminum beam due to its higher modulus of elasticity. It was also expected that for aluminum to have the same  structural stiffness while being the same length, the dimensions of the aluminum beam would have to be larger to increase the cross sectional area. Figure 1 The Fourth Bridge in Scotland, United Kingdom, an Example of a Cantilever Beam Copyright   George Gastin, at http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/File:Forthbridge_feb_2013.jpg. Theory Deflection is the displacement of a beam due to an applied force or load, F. The figure below represents this deflection for a cantilevered beam, labeled as ÃŽ ´. The figure below represents a cantilever beam that is fixed at point A and has a length, l. Figure 2 Cantilever Beam of Length l, Clamped at One End and Loaded at the Other End The deflection of a beam is given by the equation  ÃŽ ´ = Fl3/3EI in m. (1) E is the elastic modulus of the material, and I is the area moment of inertia. The elastic modulus describes a material’s ability to elastically deform when a force is applied. Elastic modulus is given as stress, ÏÆ', over strain, ÃŽ µ. The equation below represents this relationship. E = ÏÆ'/ÃŽ µ in N/m (2) The area moment of inertia of a rectangle (the cross-sectional shape of the beam) is dependent upon the base, b, and height, h, of the beam and is given by the expression I = bh3/12 in m4 .(3) The deflection of the beam can be rewritten as ÃŽ ´ = 4Fl3/Ebh3 in m.(4) From the following equation, it can be seen that deflection is dependent on force, the elastic modulus, and the dimensions of the beam. Therefore, a larger load that is applied to the beam will result in a larger deflection. A greater deflection will also occur if the length of the beam is increased. Alternatively, a larger width and height (a larger cross-sectional area) as well as a higher material stiffness will minimize the deflection. From equation 4, the force applied, F, can be written as F = (Ebh3/4l3)ÃŽ ´ in N,(5) or, F = kÃŽ ´ in N.(6) Where k is the structural stiffness of the beam, given as, k = Ebh3/4l3 in N/m.(7) From this equation, it can be seen that k increases as material stiffness increases. Dimensionally, the structural stiffness of the beam will also increase with a larger width and larger height and decrease with a longer length. Therefore, a smaller length will result in a larger structural stiffness. The following equation also shows that the larger the structural stiffness is, the less deflection a beam will have. The statistical analysis for the multitude of measurements taken throughout the experiment required two equations. The first equation was the statistical average given by Xave = ∑ xi /n,(8) where, Xave represents the statistical average of the measurements, xi represents the individual measurements, and n represents the total number of measurements. The second relationship was the standard deviation, given by S = (∑i=1→n[(xi – Xave) 2 / (n-1)]) 1/2. (9) The percentage error between the experimental and theoretical values for structural stiffness was calculated using the following expression, % Difference = |xth – xexp|/((1/2)*(xth+xexp)), (10) where xth and xexp represents the theoretical and experimental values, respectively. Test Setup & Procedures The experiment was conducted in a campus laboratory. The experimentation was setup to where two cantilever beams were tested for deflection using TecQuipment’s Deflection of Beams and Cantilever apparatus. The beams were  identical in geometry, but made out of two different metals, one of which is steel and the other aluminum. The beam would be inserted into the apparatus’s clamp and held in place by tightening the screw on the clamp using a hex wrench. After the beam was secured on the apparatus, the Mitutoyo Absolute displacement meter was calibrated by clicking the origin button. Next, the two experiments were conducted. The first experiment tested deflection on each metal by varying the mass while keeping the load placed at a constant length. The second experiment tested deflection using a constant mass while varying the distance of load placement from the fixed end of the beam. Table 1 Equipment List Equipment List Apparatus TecQuipment’s Deflection of Beams and Cantilever CalipersMoore & Wright Range: 0-150 mm Precision 0.1 mm Displacement meterMitutoyo Absolute Mitutoyo Corp Model ID- S1012M Serial No. 33631 .5-.0005 (12.7-0.01 mm) Masses (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) g Aluminum Beam Width: 19.9 mm Height: 4.45 mm Steel BeamWidth: 19.89 mm Height: 4.45 mm Procedures Experiment 1: Experiment 1 began with measuring and recording the width and height of each of the beams using a caliper. A beam was then inserted into the clamp fitting of the apparatus and tightened using the hex wrench. The displacement meter was calibrated to zero by pressing the origin button. A length was selected for the mass to be hung from the beam. Starting from the lowest mass (100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, and 500 g), each mass was hung using the hanger from the selected length. When the hanger and mass  stabilized, the deflection measurement displayed on the meter was recorded. Three trials were conducted for each mass. After the data was recorded, the mass was removed and the meter was recalibrated to zero before hanging the new mass. The experiment was repeated using the second beam. Experiment 2: Experiment 1 setup procedures were repeated for experiment 2. A steel beam was used for this test. For each length (100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, and 450 mm), a 200 gram mass was placed on the hanger. Three trials were conducted for each length. When the system was stabilized, the deflection length was recorded. After each trial and test, the deflection meter was recalibrated for accuracy. Results Experiment 1: The following results were acquired and calculated from the data obtained directly from the experiment. Refer to Appendix (figures 11, 12, 13, and MATLAB Full Calculation Script). Below are the properties of the two specimens, aluminum and steel. Table 2 Test Specimen Properties Note: The length for the two beams was held constant for Experiment One. The first experiment required five different masses to be placed at a constant length on the two beams. The deflections were measured for each mass three times. The average and standard deviation were calculated for each mass’s data set using equation 8 and equation 9, respectively. The theoretical deflection was also calculated using equation 1. The tables below describe these relationships. Table 3 Force and Experimental and Theoretical Deflections for the Aluminum Beam Table 4 Force and Experimental and Theoretical Deflections for the Steel Beam In order to determine the experimental structural stiffness, the average experimental deflections for both beams were plotted. The plots also contain the standard deviation of the experimental results and the theoretical values for comparison. Refer to figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 Load vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Aluminum Figure 8 Load vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Steel The data was fitted using a linear best-fit line to gather further information about the experimental deflections. Using the inverse of the slope from the linear trend lines of aluminum and steel, experimental stiffness was calculated. The theoretical value of stiffness was also calculated using equation 7. Table 5 represents this data. Table 5 Theoretical and Experimental Structural Difference and Percentage of Error for Both Beams The figure below shows a quick representation of the theoretical and experimental structural stiffness’s for the two specimens. Figure 9 Experimental & Theoretical Structural Stiffness for the Steel and Aluminum Beam Experiment 2: Experiment 2 was conducted using various experimental beam lengths and a constant force. Steel was the only material used. The deflections were measured three times for each length and averaged. The theoretical deflection, theoretical stiffness, average, and standard deviation were calculated for each mass using equations 1, 7, 8, and, 9, respectively. Table 6 represents this data. Table 6 Length3, Experimental and Theoretical Deflections, and Structural Stiffness for the Steel Beam The figure below shows the relationship between length3 and displacement. Figure 10 Length3 vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Steel Discussion The final results obtained represent the attempt in experimentally determining the hardness value for as received and annealed AISI 1018 steel. The results revealed that the average experimental hardness for the as received steel, 96.6, is much greater than the annealed steel, 64.76, as seen in figure ##. To further strengthen these results, the measurements for both of the specimens maintained a fairly low standard deviation, showing great consistency and accuracy throughout the individual measurements. In addition, since no biased error was continuously repeated, there were no trends associated with the standard deviation, it was simply scattered. The considerable error, 28.9%, between the theoretical and experimental values of stiffness for steel could have been due to bad measurements or due to the fact that the theoretical calculation is highly idealized (see table 5). The error associated with the aluminum beam, however, was much lower, 7.9%, even with larger standard deviations. The following conundrum begs the question that if the theoretical determination for aluminum was accurate, what caused the large amount of error inherent with the steel beam? For any further non-subjective conclusions to be made the experiment for the steel beam would have to be repeated. Nonetheless, Experiment 1 proved effective in determining fairly accurate values for structural stiffness. In addition, it was also concluded that force was linearly proportional to displacement, as shown in figures 7, and 8. Furthermore, for beams with the same dimensions, the ratio of deflections was equivalent to the inverse ratio of the two material’s modulus of elasticity. In other words, deflection is simply proportional to the inverse of the modulus of elasticity. Alternatively, it can be said that the ratio of structural stiffness between the two materials and the ratio of modulus of elasticity’s are directly proportional. The results of Experiment 1 validated these statements by showing that steel deflected much less than aluminum due to it larger value of E and higher value of structural stiffness (see tables 3 & 4). The derived theoretical  equations agree with both of these statements. Experiment 2: Experiment 2 resulted in data being obtained by continuously changing the length, but keeping the mass and therefore the force constant. The results show that if the length of the beam was increased the deflection increased (see table 6). Furthermore, it is easily seen that the quantity length cubed is directly proportional to deflection, as shown in figure 10. Therefore the final conclusion can be made that structural stiffness is directly proportional to the inverse of length cubed (see table 6). Besides these trends, there was one other trend that was noticed. The standard deviation seemed to increase as the length was increased. This must be due to the fact that there is considerable more error associated in measuring deflection with a longer beam, as seen in table 6. Conclusion Overall, both experiments were effective in validating the primary trends within the derived theoretical equations. The experiment also accomplished the goal of experimentally determining the structural stiffness of aluminum and steel beams given a specific geometry. Though the lab was rather repetitive, it proved to be a simple and great way of supporting some of the theories and techniques acquired from the course of solid mechanics. One recommendation for the lab would be to use multiple samples of steel and aluminum in order to ensure that at least one sample is consistent and that you’re not using a sample that has extensively been tested by prior labs. This may ultimately reduce the error associated with the steel beam and the overall accuracy of the experiment.

Why has the strategic bombing offensive against Germany in World War Essay

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In your journal discuss whether and why you agree or disagree with Jared Diamonds assertion about agriculture - Essay Example I agree with Atkins that Science is not discriminatory. Science has no boundaries in terms of culture, religion, continent, or race. As Atkins argues, I believe that Science is trans-national, trans-racial, and trans-cultural. The interests between individuals in lines of race, culture, or religion do not influence science; hence, I can convincingly argue that it is consistent. In addition, Science is open to modifications. This creates room for young scientists to become famous. However, fame does not promote customized research. I believe that in the thirst to become famous, young scientists conduct rational experiments to test a phenomenon and come up with an objective study; hence, the modification of science. In the exchange, I believe that Pinker is justified to argue that for a scientific mindset, it is prudent to have an empirical verification for each empirical proposition. On the other hand, Wieseltier roots for a two-state solution. According to my understanding, I believe that Wieseltier has the best argument. In the contemporary world, I think it would be prudent to assert that science and humanities are complements rather than substitutes. As such, I believe that both a scientific and humanistic mindset is required; hence, promoting the two-state solution. I believe that Wieseltier does not discriminate sciences as much as pinker discriminates humanities. In an attempt to promote the two-state solution, I believe that Wieseltier is against the belief of scientism. It is also prudent to agree with him that scientific analysis may not be applicable in the entire physical world. In this case, I think the exchange lies on the fact that how much can science explain. Pinker attempts to promote science as the sole verification for empirical propositions. I believe that Wieseltier is not for humanity as the sole verification but counters the thought

Recycling as a Mandatory Process Research Paper

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Business Ethics - Research Paper Example The factors that contribute to climate change include volcanic eruptions, solar radiation variations on the planet earth and plate tectonics (Schneider et al, 98). This paper describes the roles that governments, businesses and their customers ought to play in ensuring the environment is conserved and the effects of climate change are reduced. The authorities should lead the efforts of conserving the environments by establishing appropriate pieces of legislation to monitor and control our daily activities and the wastes we produce (Pittock 53). Through the intervention of the government, issues like waste disposal may be regulated for the purposes of reducing the amount of pollution emitted to the environment and leaving it clean (Schneider et al, 105). They should lead environmental cleanup efforts by regulating the production of materials which are not recyclable. For instance, the governments around the globe should control the production and disposal of plastic bags since they do not easily decompose and cannot be recycled (Keijzers 145). The regulation of the effluents that come from factories should be put in place to avoid the pollution that they may cause on water masses, the air and soil. The pollution caused by wastes from factories is the major reason that the world’s climate is rapidly changing thereby bringing effects like global warming (Keijzers 143). In conserving their environments, governments should also lead environmental cleanup processes like the going green campaigns while advocating for the use recycle bins and bags that are reusable (Pittock 52). They should also lead efforts aimed at promoting the use of natural forms of energy like solar or wind that have minimal effects on the environment (Schneider et al, 112). By encouraging environmental cleanup and conservation efforts among their citizens, governments will have played a big role in ensuring emissions

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How businesses comply with legislations regarding sales over the Essay

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Banning Smoking in Public Places Essay Example for Free

Banning Smoking in Public Places Essay Millions of nonsmokers all across the globe are in danger of serious health risks because of smoking, banning smoking in public places is the only rational way to avoid such risk. Smoking is the number one leading cause of preventable death. This killer is responsible for painfully taking the life of just under a half million people a year according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov; 2014) People that choose not to smoke have to bear significant health burdens by inhaling the toxic fumes of the smokers by sharing the airspace. This airspace needs to be regulated and shared equally. Smoking in public has many problems associated with it, ranging from health concerns, societal issues to even the illicit trade of un-taxed tobacco. Secondhand smoke is a combination of sidestream smoke, which is smoke that comes from the burning end of cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, and mainstream smoke, which is the smoke exhaled from the smoker. There are no safe levels of secondhand smoke. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2014), there are over 7,000 chemicals in secondhand smoke and 70 of those are linked to cancer. People that live with smokers increase their chance of getting lung cancer from twenty percent to seventy percent. Children are the ones most harmed by secondhand smoke. For them the issues can start in the womb, they can develop a type of liver cancer during gestation. Pregnancies are tougher when exposed to secondhand smoke, lower birth weights, premature deliveries, and even miscarriages can be a product of indirect contact. These are just a few of the ill health effects of being exposed to secondhand smoke, and how harmful it can be Anninos, H., Manolis, A. S. (2014). Everyone has been touched by secondhand in some fashion, nearly every adult has walked by a crowd of smokers and had to breathe in the contaminated air. Science and health professionals agree it is time for a change, the trick is how to make the change. There are semi-valid arguments that oppose smoking bans in public that say it will hurt the bar, restaurant, and club industries economically as pointed out by Craven, B., Marlow, M. L. (2008). They applied the Coase Theory to the subject of economic impact of smoking bans. They propose letting the free market decide for itself when and where such a ban would be implemented. This is a positive and one that should be looked at further. Americans overall want to be healthier, millions of dollars are made by people trying to be fit. If an owner of a bar decides that the bar will be nonsmoking he will attract a certain type of individual, one that is probably more educated and one that is more health conscience. People like that may be more inclined to spend more, therefore driving up profits and keeping his customers satisfied. Another positive aspect to that is the inside of the bar would be cleaner and healthier for his employees. Outright public bans are an option too, however they take a chainsaw to a problem where a steak knife would be better used. One of the main problems with outright public bans is criminalizing the behavior. On one hand the result would be a general public that does not ha ve to deal with secondhand smoke. However the criminal justice system is already hemorrhaging with non-violent offenders and one more law to ban a poor choice is not good policy. With the legalization of marijuana in two states and the decriminalization of the drug in many others, outright bans are not going to be coming anytime soon. The government is doing great work on tobacco education. They employ social media, billboards, TV advertising, and radio spots on tobacco and how awful it is. One powerful commercial shows a fifty one year old bald headed, toothless frail looking woman with a voice box giving tips on getting ready for the day. Commercials like that have direct impact on smokers, and nonsmokers. When nonsmokers become educated on the total cost of smoking they tend to push loved ones to quit. The antismoking campaign also adds a certain amount of shame to lighting up. It can been seen in every parking lot across America around lunch time, people hiding by their car and smoking. There has to be a rational and fair solution for both smokers and nonsmokers. Rights of both groups of people need to be respected when devising a comprehensive smoking ba n. The first policy that can be instituted is to restrict smoking to no closer than fifty feet from any public, or government building. Violations of the buffer rule could be met with punishments that fit the crime, such as community service. The second proposal is to require smokers that have children be educated about the proven devastating effects secondhand smoke has on the youngest of our  population. This could be done through the family doctor or even a referral from the education system. This would be completely for the benefit of the child. If parents know to what degree they are hurting their children, then their logical response should be to stop, or at least be more cognizant of where they smoke and how much exposure the children have. The last, most difficult, but one of the most important course of action is the complete smoking ban in public parks. Parks are meant to be places to connect with nature, nowhere in nature is the air perfumed with the putrid sent of burning paper and tobacco. Parks are a place where adolescents congregate and often smoking is very much a part of the activity. People using trail systems or paths in parks to exercise or go for walks have all suffered by going through the suffocating cloud. Smoking in public needs to be banned, the benefits far outweigh the cost. The victims of secondhand smoke have no alternative, they must to continue to breathe the air that has been breathed before unless the private and government leaders take action and ban smoking in public. References Anninos, H., Manolis, A. S. (2014). Where Smoking was Banned in Public Places, Myocardial Infarctions were Markedly Decreased!. Hospital Chronicles, 9(2), 1-4. Craven, B., Marlow, M. L. (2008). ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF SMOKING BANS ON RESTAURANTS AND PUBS. Economic Affairs, 28(4), 57-61. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0270.2008.00867.x Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) Tobacco Fact Sheet http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/

Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine

Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine Chapter 1 â€Å"He was a man of action, a man of warOn great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm-wine from his first human head.† (Page 10) This quote introduces us of to Okonkwos tradition to drink his palm-wine from a human skull. This shows us the difference between Okonkwo and Ibo. This also shows that Okonkwo admires men who are tough fighters as well. He rejected his father, a man who was afraid of the sight of blood, partially because he never became a fighter. Chapter 2 â€Å"Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.†(Page 13) The quote emphasizes that Okonkwo felt that his father was a failure. According to Okonkwo, his father possessed unsuitable feminine qualities. This is one of the fundamental causes which cause him to commit some silly acts. His actions also results in his eldest son in becoming a â€Å"failure† (in Okonkwos opinion) as well. His son possesses none of the qualities that Okonkwo admires. Chapter 3 â€Å"An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father.†(Page 21) This Ibo proverb shows how much Okonkwo hates his father. He felt that he was a failure and he basically rejects everything that his father stood for. He is ashamed of his father, primarily because of his coward-like qualities, his failure to rise up in society, and his failure to become a warrior. Chapter 4 â€Å"But he was not the man to go about telling his neighbors that he was in error. And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had gone to his head.† (Page 33) In this quote, Achebe portrays Okonkwos character. Okonkwo clearly shows a lack of thought topped by his pretentiousness. He was not a very likable person. Thus, people hated him and his achievements and was respected by very few. Later on in the novel, we also see another characteristic develop in Okonkwo hypocrisy. In those later chapters, he will reject everything he and his tribesman stand for. Chapter 5 â€Å"The Feast of the New Yam was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to these powers. Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plentythe new year.† (Page 36) When we were reading Great Expectations, we were asked to carefully analyze the food present in the novel. The food present in Things Fall Apart is as significant. Yams was the main source of food. In fact, the yams were so highly regarded in the society that they were often called the â€Å"the king of the crops.† Further, people utilized the yams for all traditional celebrations. This food can be linked with the religious and ancestral societal spirits. Certain celebrations such as the New Yam Festival took place to honor certain foods. Chinua Achebe used agriculture to express certain characteristics of each festival and celebration of the Igbo society. Chapter 6 â€Å"The wrestlers were now almost stillin each others grip. The muscles on their arms and their thighs and on their backs stood out and twitched It looked like an equal match.† (Page 50) Although this chapter may seem significant it actually has a very significant common idea the wrestling match. Although wrestling may seem like a brutal sport, it was an integral part of the local culture and society. Tribal customs outline what every member is supposed to do. Without customs, a culture does not exist. Moreover, wrestling matches for the Ibo village signified a boy becoming a man. The only way to prove himself worthy to be a man is to wrestle. This shows the importance of physical strength in the tribe. Chapter 7 â€Å"No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.† (Page 53) Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, is a very gender-role oriented man. When women gained the power to trade, we are made aware that their status in society is progressing upwards. Trade changed basic family relations and the ideas upon which Igbo culture was established. It seems the idea that a man should â€Å"rule his women and children† does not perhaps come from Okonkwo himself, but rather from the Igbo culture itself. Overall, however, this quote symbolizes that women were looked upon as being inferior to men at the time. Chapter 8 â€Å"When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.† (Page 65) The Ibo culture is very different from modern culture as shown by the novel. One clear difference between most modern societies and the Ibo society was that warfare between different clans or tribes does not occur. The Ibo culture praises manliness and parades fighters. Today, society teaches us to honor warriors who fight against other countries, rather than with regional clans. This quote shows that vast difference between the two time periods. Chapter 9 â€Å"For the first time in three nights,Okonkwo slept.He woke up oncein the middle of thenightand his mind went back to the pastthreedays without making him feel uneasy. He began to wonder why he had felt uneasy at all.† (Page 75) In this quote, we see that Okonkwo is noticing something wrong. He feels that something is simply not right, yet he cannot figure what it quite is. Later on in the novel, we will learn that â€Å"things fall apart.† This quote is an indication that something wrong will happen. This shows Achebe using foreshadowing to provide insight into what might happen next. Chapter 10 â€Å"Okonkwos wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the secondegwugwuhad the springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might also have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders who sat behind the row ofegwugwu. But if they thought these things they kept them to themselves.† (Pages 89-90) This quote portrays a scene in much detail while also using humor. The â€Å"thoughtful silence† of the women is extremely ironic. The quote reveals the attitude of women on the topic of power. Here, the women also reveal that they posses more knowledge of reality as compared to what they wish to reveal. Therefore, Achebe seems to recognize the importance and equality of women, something which was not usually regarded in a male dominant society. Chapter 11 â€Å"Go home and sleep, said Okonkwo. I shall wait here.† (Page 108) Okonkwo seems to genuinely love his family. He also seems to have genuine concern over the welfare and wellbeing of his children. In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his concern over the safety of his family. Although some would argue that Okonkwos â€Å"iron fisted† rule clearly shows no love for his family, I would differ. Perhaps, these beatings, instead, represented the way people acted in the society at that time. Physical punishment was very common in the era. Therefore, it is possible that Okonkwo was only using the beatings as a method to teach his children discipline. Basically, Okonwo loves his family, however, he is afraid to show this quality since her fears that it might portray him as being feminine. Chapter 12 â€Å"Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night.† (Page 112) Chapter 12 marks the first time that Okonkwo seems to be tired. This was a quality that he detested. Achebe shows Okonkwos tiredness to conflict with his earlier beliefs. This shows Okonkwos hypocritical nature. The fact that Okonkwo broke his vow is crucial since they were the foundation of his life. This will cause problems for him further on in the novel. Chapter 13 â€Å"The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan.† (Page 124) In the second part of the novel, Achebe uses several incidents that hold back Okonkwo from the commendation of his tribesman, establishing asimilarity towards his own father. This was surprising considering his own hatred for his father. In this quote Okonkwo accidently kills the tribesmans son and then escapes from the village to hide from any punishment. This shows his cowardness, a characteristic possessed by his father. This also shows Okonkwos hypocrisy. After all, he, himself, looked down upon cowards. Chapter 14 â€Å"It was like beginning life anew without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.†(Page 131) Okonkwo, after noticing change in his society, felt difficult to go on with his life. He had to start a news chapter in his life. This quote illustrates Okonkwo as a person who seems to have lost his will to live life. Okonkwos qualitys and his goal in becoming a fighter, unlike his father, fade away and he becomes a different man. Chapter 15 â€Å"Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of your next-door neighbor. Even a mans motherland is strange to him nowadays.† (Page 137) In this quote, Unchendu is telling Okwondo about the past. Although, the quote refers to men interacting within their classes, on a deeper level, it shows the change that has occurred within the society. People are changing and tradations are changing as well. The traditions that the people of the society want to stay the same are changing as well. This will eventually be the â€Å"things† that fall apart. Yet, all of this was expected. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Since everything was going so perfectly, something was bound to happen. Chapter 16 â€Å"The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding areas and villages.† (Page 143) The invasion of the Europeans of Africa was expected. Achebe mentions that the missionaries were moving there. Although, I do not endorse the Europeans coming into Africa, the Europeans coming into the village illustrated a very interesting idea the clashing of cultures. Their invasion of the villages illustrated how the traditional values of the Umuofia society could be so easily changed by this modern theology. This gives everyone a chance to think for themselves, rather than simply following what was traditionally thought of to be right. It gave the people a choice. This choice was taken by Nwoye who made his own path in life. Chapter 17 â€Å"Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.†(Page 153) This quote is metaphor for a very important idea. This comes after Nwoyesrejection of traditional Igbo values and conversion to Christianity. Nwoye, the oldest son of Okonkwo, is lazy and weak (according to Okonkwo). This quote emphasizes the realization of Okonkwo that his behavior leaves powerlessness in others, especially his son. Okonkwo believes the Nwoye and his father posses the same weakness. Chapter 18 â€Å"In the land of his fathers where men were bold and warlike. In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. And so regretted everyday of his exile† (p.163). This excerpt also emphasizes Okonkwos desire for power and status. During his exile, Okonkwo got in touch with the feminine side inside him. Okonkwo is a man who loves courage and Umuofia was full of men who fit that description. It seems that Okonkwo will go back to Umuodia and everything will have changed. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Nothing has â€Å"fallen apart,† yet so something is bound to happen. This idea shows that Achebe, like Charles Dickens, too, uses the idea of foreshadowing. Chapter 19 â€Å"I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.† (Page 167) This quote is told by an elder to Okwondo. Kinship and connections, which have been crucial parts of the Ibo culture, seem to â€Å"fall apart† as the novel progresses. This quote sparks questions in my mind. Was there any fragmentation amongst the Ibo people from colonization? The Ibo people gathered for wrestling matches and other festivities. Okonkwo clashes with his culture very often. Chapter 20 â€Å"The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.† (Page 176) Obierika mourns over the white man coming to Africa. However, at the same time, he believes that it is the Africans fault for letting the white man come. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary, believes that it is necessary to act peacefully in order to convert people. When Reverend Smith replaces him, he goes against the indigenous tribes and treats them badly. Chapter 21 â€Å"He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women† (Page 183) Okonkwo wanted that the ideology of his clan should survive. The society to have several violent attributes. By giving into the Christians, Umuofia broke up and fell apart and turned as â€Å"soft as women.† I believed that Okonkwo did not pay the consequences because he killed the messenger. Okonkwo had killed others before. Okonkwo died because he did it for himself and the beliefs of the clan.The quote above not only shows Okonkwos dismay at the fall of the clan, but also his hatred of feminine qualities, a controversial topic in the novel. Chapter 22 He saw things as black and white.And black was evil.He saw the world as a battlefield in whichthe children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. (Page 184) Mr. Smith speaks against the god Baal. Many struggles against Baal have been mentioned in the Bible. This shows Achebes criticism of racism. Achebe criticizes the â€Å"black and white† idea. Most racism is based on stories rather than any practical events. Therefore, this view has modified reality, something which Achebe seems to be very against. Chapter 23 â€Å"For the first time in many years Okonkwohad a feeling that was akin to happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed to be coming round again. The clan which had turned false on him appeared to be making amends.† (Page 192) This quote symbolizes a change, something which has happened very rarely in the novel. The status of the clan remains somewhat the same in various portions of the novel. However, at this time, the tribe is prosperous which is unlike the norm. However, this happiness will not last for long. After all, the novel has to live up to its expectations which are clearly revealed in the novel something must fall apart. This indicates that perhaps the tribe will disintegrate in the last few chapters. This might lead to a drastic turn in the novel. Chapter 24 â€Å"He knew that that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape† (Page 205). Okonkwos suicide meant more than his own tragedy. It symbolized the finish of his society and all the values that prevailed. I think he killed himself because he felt there was no more hope in believing that his tribe would survive and defend itself. Okonkwo tried to represent that everything his tribe wanted. If the tribe wasnt going to survive with the way people were growing up, then he wanted to die too. If the societys life was going to be taken, his was going to be taken too. Chapter 25 â€Å"He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought:The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.† (Page 209) This quote indicates the racist attitude that the District Commissioner has towards the local tribes. He is a pompous man who thinks he understands the indigenous culture and tribes, while he clearly does not. While he feels that he is bringing peace to the region, he is clearly doing nothing of the sort. He also seems to be very shallow. He makes remarks on â€Å"love of superfluous words† of the villagers. In this, he mocks the language of the villagers.

Effects Of Co2 Emission Legislation Economics Essay

Effects Of Co2 Emission Legislation Economics Essay The global climate conditions are incessantly changing which has become a threat and one of the greatest challenges faced by the international community. Transport is amongst one of the main factor causing one fifth of greenhouse gas emissions and also a large share of air pollution and noise nuisance (Braithwaite and Drahos, 2000). Additionally it divides natural areas into small patches that lead to severe consequences on the landscape which makes it detrimental to environmental sustainability. The number of vehicles worldwide is projected to increase from around 700 million at present to 1.1 billion by 2020, so if anything, the problems caused by cars will get worse not better, unless dramatic changes are made (Burns et al 2002). In response to the mounting concerns and substantial evidences over global warning, a suite of climate change legislation has been introduced. According to the Kyoto protocol the European Union must reduce greenhouse gas emission by 8%. International manu facturing is dominated by car industry and the vehicle production is considered as the worlds largest manufacturing sector. With internationally integrated investment, production and sales; the automotive industry has the supremacy to manage environmental damage. The authoritative positioning of car industry spawns two contrasting viewpoints; (i) the industrys products are a major source of global environmental damage; (ii) industrys persistently determined to strike a balance between the imperatives of profitability and environmental sustainability. Safety measures have been introduced and legislations have been put forward by the traditional car producing countries for reducing the specific emission for vehicles and to increase fuel efficiency of cars. The study expounds on the various aspects that encompasses the need for CO2 emission legislation and its pertinent ambiguities. The study further investigates the response of EU car industry by critically analysing its strategic app roach to fight against the challenges it faces due to proposed legislation and constantly evolving economic conditions. 1.1 ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE BY AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY Transport industry is responsible for several activities that one way or another cause environmental damage and these may include; fuel extraction, processing and transport, manufacturing and 90 percent of all carbon monoxide emissions are also cause by cars. In addition to this, cars are also a major cause of acid rain. Following are some facts and figures compiled by examining the existing data that accounts for ample evidence of the environmental damage caused by cars; Amongst all land-based modes of transport, cars are the most energy intensive with petrol-powered cars consuming in aggregate more energy and producing more greenhouse gas emissions than any other type of vehicle (International Energy Agency 1993). Annually seven billion pounds of scrap and waste is produced by international car industry (Elster,1989) Cars are a prime cause of the depletion of the worlds resources (Freund and Martin, 1993). About 25 percent of total CO2 emissions are caused by transportation industry out of which up to 85 percent is caused by road transport (UNEP 2003). On average, road transport accounts for 48 percent of NOx emissions in OECD countries and around 60 percent of this is done by cars (Paterson, 2000). 1.2 ANALYZING THE NEED FOR CO2 EMISSION LEGISLATION The CO2 emissions in the EU grew by 32% between 1990 and 2005 unlike other sectors accomplished to reduce their emissions by 9.5% on average over the same period (World Values Survey, 2003). Earlier, the share of CO2 emissions by transport was 21% in the year 1990 which rose up to 27% by 2005 (UNEP, 2003). Passenger cars and vans are responsible for over half of the CO2 emissions. Kyoto indicates that transport is the worst performing sector that seriously jeopardises the achievement of the targets. Under Kyoto protocol the European Union is committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent by 2008-2012 compared to the 1990 level (UNEP, 2003). Approximately 20% cut in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 has been committed by the EU and around 30% cut provided that the other countries follow suit when a new climate deal is agreed. The EU has also adopted a target of improving energy efficiency in the European Union by 20% by 2020 (UNEP, 2003). The legal implementation of the se targets along with climate and energy package was adopted in December 2008. The package of emissions trading scheme contains laws for carbon capture and storage, renewable energy, transport fuel quality, and car emissions (Held et al, 1999). 1.3 ASSESSING THE LOOPHOLES OF LEGISLATION The enforcement of CO2 emissions legislation will take place through a system of fines. For every g/km a manufacturer exceeds its company target, it has to pay a â‚ ¬95 fine per vehicle sold, in principle. However, there have been some ambiguities in the commandment indicated in several studies and when all these ambiguities are put together in practice then it signifies that the target for 2015 is close to 140 g/km, rather than 130 g/km (Paterson, 2000). The detected loopholes in the law include: For currently unmeasured and undefined eco-innovations, up to 7 g/km credits that could be exchanged for measured reductions; For very low-emission cars there are super credits, which would count for more than one car and hence water down overall CO2 reductions which are based on fleet averages; Much lower penalties for small surpassing of the target until 2018. The penalties for the first, second and third g/km of surpassing are only â‚ ¬5, 15 and 25 per g/km respectively instead of â‚ ¬95; Exemptions for small-volume carmakers. 1.4 EU CAR INDUSTRY VS CO2 EMISSION LEGISLATION In accordance with the CO2 emission legislation it has been anticipated that its implementation would be fruitful enough to gain at least 20% cut in domestic EU emissions and at most 30% is the target to attain (The Economist, 2002). Scientists believe that about 40% targets are essential to hit the EUs maximum 2 degrees warming (The Economist, 2002). The climate policy is going off track where the substitution of reduction in real emission has been counterbalanced by the effort sharing and ETS laws and the renewable energy law on the other hand, allows bio fuels which could cause the transport emissions to intensify. Transport is also critical in the debate on Europes energy dependence. By mid-2008, approximately â‚ ¬1 billion worth of oil has been imported by Europe per day (Leveque, 1996). The noticeable fact is that EU recognises cars as the single biggest consumer utilizing around 4.4 million barrels per day and is also responsible for 40 per cent of imports which constitutes that car MNCs have a very strong and economically powerful position (World Values Survey, 2003). In order to put political pressure on governments against environmental regulations car MNCs have consistently lobbied governments against emission controls to reduce greenhouse gases on the basis that this would lead to severe economic impacts (Bradsher, 2002). PROPOSED STRATEGY FOR THE EU CAR INDUSTRY Despite of the strict regulations by European Commissions that may impose financial loss to the EU car industry, even then they could gain. In accordance with the strategy suggested by Porter, selling poorly performing, unsafe, or environmentally damaging products is not a route to real competitive advantage in sophisticated industry and industry segments, especially in a world where environmental sensitivity and concern for social welfare are rising in all advanced nations (Porter 1990). The proposed strategic model also supports this vision together with the UNEP, World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development; which sees competitive advantages for businesses that voluntarily adopt environmentally sustainable strategies (United Nations Environment Programme and World Business Council for Sustainable Development 2002). 2.1 PESTLE ANALYSIS European Automotive industry is greatly influenced by the global economic circumstances, political scenarios, changing market trends and revolutionizing technological conditions (Hutton, 2002). All these factors put an impact both directly and indirectly upon the subsistence of the industry. This PESTLE analysis is a significant instrument to illustrate the political, economic, socio- demographic, technological and legislative aspects for managers to develop a strategic approach in order to reduce CO2 emissions in compliance with the legislation. POLITICAL The automotive industry is greatly influenced by European Union that will continue to introduce new legislation and modify the existing ones. The political scenario of EU is exacerbated by the fuel tax which is ineffective to address the environmental issues rather working as a tool for governments to raise revenues (Ostrom, 1990). The European Commissions Auto Oil II programme illustrated in the Table 01, indicates the inefficiency of fuel tax CO2 savings if fuel duty was increased by 20% above 1999 UK levels by 2002 which are unlikely for political reasons; Table: 01 Finland -0.43% France -0,43% Germany -0,61% Greece -2,14% Ireland -1,52 Italy -0,54 Netherland -0,52 Spain -1,41 United Kingdom -0,55 Source: European Commission 2.1.2 ECONOMIC There is a vast scope for improvements in efficiency and environmental sustainability within the automotive industry. The increased use of low carbon technologies in accordance with the CO2 emission legislation creates value and offer secure jobs in the automotive industry. Furthermore, it reduces the â‚ ¬30bn fuel bill that Europes businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, currently pay every year to fill up their vans and this account for a net benefit to the consumer (OBrien et al, 2000). Small and medium sized enterprises in particular stand to benefit from the fuel savings resulting from this legislation. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC In future, China and Latin America are expected to account for the bulk of new car sales worldwide and the ability of the EU to enter these markets is restricted. Most of the revenue generated by the big three American firms is through the sales of pick-up trucks and sports utility vehicles (SUVs) which are considered tarnished due to their size, load and high fuel consumption however, European and Japanese manufacturers are producing similar gas-guzzlers to compete for market share in this sector (Storm Clouds over Detroit 2002; Fords Troubles 2003; Bradsher 2002). TECHNOLOGY For developing a low carbon emission strategy for sustaining business competitiveness, the EU automotive industry must enable cost effective reductions in carbon emissions from production, distribution and energy use across the production process (Dicken, 1998). There is a need for well-timed investment in technologies which are eco-friendly and vital enough to minimise the cost of making the conversion and will provide the potential for business to get the most out of market opportunities. LEGISLATION A number of legislative directives and government policies followed by the growing awareness of climate change issues are aimed at reducing the negative environmental impact of the EU automotive industry. The End of Life Vehicles Directive (ELV) is a complex piece of legislation that aims to increase the levels of re-use and recycling of vehicles that are to be scrapped to improve environmental standards and also limit the use of material harmful to the environment in new vehicles (Martin and Raes, 2002). Moving to low carbon fuel will require a technology shift for both fuel and vehicle technology. 2.2 PORTERS FIVE FORCE MODEL To develop a wholesome model for competitive rivalry risk-adjusted rates of return should be invariable across the business. The structure of an industry explains how it may sustain different levels of profitability (Hasenclever, Mayer and Rittberg, 1997). Porters model is a helpful contrivance to develop a well thought out and a competitive strategic plan that congregates the opportunities and threats of the external environment of the organizations. For an ideal stratagem the understanding of industry structures and their ways of evolution is extremely important. The following Porters five force analysis of EU car industry is intended to propose a valuable strategic approach that is profitable and also tends to comply with the CO2 emission regulations. Potential Entrants Supplier Power Buyer Power Competitive Rivalry Substitute of Products 2.2.1 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS A significant proportion of the total number of vehicles in EU will continue to be outside warranty age thus generating business for the maintenance and repair sub-sector of the automotive industry but cars are likely to be less efficient potentially damaging the industrys environmental agenda (OBrien et al, 2000). On the other hand the legislation consents for basing car taxation on environmental characteristics of the vehicle however, suppliers choice is equally important regarding vehicles for development and promotion. To gain an eco-friendly development and promotion policy economic incentives to suppliers is much more effective and the consumers can be framed to meet the required targets. The adapted version of tradable CO2 performance scheme proposed by California could be beneficial to European automotive industry (OBrien et al, 2000). 2.2.2 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS Consumers help to encourage rivalry through their consumption decisions and switching behaviour however, they currently require the data about the environmental footprint of new and existing automotive products to make fully informed choices. Considering the consumers frame of mind a mixture of regulatory instruments and economic incentives should be launched by the automotive industry and attention should be drawn towards the trade of new cars as well as the usage of the vehicle supply. The public procurement directives could be a step forward to institute a lead market for EU automotive industry for environmentally enhanced vehicles. 2.2.3 THREATS OF POTENTIAL ENTRANTS The strict CO2 emission regulations do not unavoidably hinder competitive advantage against foreign rivals (Ordeshook, 1993). The EU automotive sector should situate determined environmental standards for its market as potential new entrants from Asia including China and India adopt EU car emission rules and hence progressive standards will put the EU automotive industry in a leading position to make the first move. 2.2.4 SUBSTITUTE OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Due to the highly technical environment of the automotive sector across the globe; the key challenge for European car industry is to introduce more inventive products in the markets. The revenues of electronics and catalyst firms of the automotive sector will be damaged if compromises are made over environmental standards for vehicles (Green and Shapiro, 1994). Moreover; it is not in the interest of the EU as a whole to become ever more dependent on oil imports. Dominance of the international players like US and China is often considered as a market barrier but the competitiveness of EU automotive industry depends on utilising its potential. It is also imperative to note that he demand for service and mechanical repairs has been evidently reduced due to improved reliability of cars which lead to cutting the labour hours by 32% and the total number of service and repair outlets has fallen by 5,500, to a total of 24,700 in 2004 (Paterson, 2000). 2.2.5 COMPETITIVE RIVALRY The interpretation of competitiveness in EU is heavily prejudiced towards creating monetary benefits for the car industry. The automotive sector of EU must recognise the significance of the soaring competition and rivalry and should adopt the norms of democratic society which demands self-confronting and integrates all stakeholders equally. The competitiveness of this knowledge-based economy can be improved if the car industry gives up its lobbying against the environmental regulations and develop an eco-friendly stratagem (Holliday, Schmidheiny and Watts 2002). CONCLUSIVE REMARKS The introduction of CO2 emissions legislation comes with both negative and positive externalities, information asymmetries and significant uncertainty that subsequently erect barriers. The strategic approach of EU automotive industry to persuade reduced carbon emissions in compliance with the CO2 emission legislation; needs to be addressed in a balanced and appropriate manner taking into account of relevant drivers of change such as market trends, consumer behaviour, the technological conditions and financial facet of the automotive industry. There is an evidence that strong environmental policy, indeed stronger than the rest of the worlds, does not hurt the industry and but improves rather than deteriorates its competitive position and this is illustrated by the voluntary commitments by EU car manufacturers to reduce fleet average CO2 emissions to140g/km by 2008 (ACEA 2002).

From Rome to Columbia: A Comparison of Jesse Hall and The Pantheon Ess

For much of the last millennia many great architects have looked upon the Pantheon as a staple of classical architecture, as well as a model for many modern day buildings. Created by the Romans, the Pantheon would use many elements better than any other works of architecture to that time. No further than Columbia Missouri is this evident in the construction of what used to be known as the First Academic Building on the University of Missouri campus. The Architects Bell and Binder headed the creation of the new building after the First Academic Building burnt down in 1892. Known today as Jesse Hall, this modern day work of architecture pulls many elements from the Pantheon to create a unique work of public space. The most glaring comparison of both comes from the domes that top both buildings. Each building also shares similar characteristics in their front facades. Yet, while there are many similarities to both works, each contain unique differences in their layout and construction. One of the most defining features of both the Pantheon and Jesse Hall is the larges domes that sit atop their structures. When the Pantheon was created, there was no dome ever created to the scale or size of the one that tops the building to this day. The dome itself sits on a drum like structure that supports the structure. The top is not completely curved like many other domes today. A stepped dome is used near the bottom and begins to curve more towards the top where the oculus sits. This oculus allows any sort of element into the building including sunlight, rain, and snow. The Pantheon, being a space of religious worship when originally created used the dome for many different purposes. In Understanding Architecture, extra contributor David Wat... ...ssional work in Jesse Hall would render this oculus unnecessary if applied. The ways the spaces are used are key to the layout of the interiors of the Pantheon and Jesse Hall. With the Pantheon being built over 1700 years ago, it’s amazing that architects are still using features and techniques from this work of architecture in modern creations. The use of this type of classical architecture will continue to be used in works for public space due to its remarkable exterior appearance and it’s long lasting structural durability. When both Jesse hall and the Pantheon are compared it is possible to see their similarities from the types of domes that top each, their external facades, and their interior plan. While they share many similarities, the differences that Bell and Binder used in their creation make this work of architecture unique to many other public spaces.

The Good Earth :: essays research papers

In the critically acclaimed novel The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck depicts a humble farmer and his obedient wife O-lan. The Nobel Prize winning classic, set in late eighteenth century China, begins with Wang Lung going to the "Great House of Hwang"(49) to collect the wife that was betrothed to him by his father. Wang Lung lived with his father, wife, and five children, one of whom is mentally retarded. Although Wang Lung supplied all the physical needs for his family and upheld all the family traditions, he showed a strong insensitivity through his extra marital affairs. The story continues to portray the trials and tribulations of their life in a time when a persons livelihood came from the earth. From the earth, Wang Lung receives wealth, food, and prosperity. The earth also brought him dispair through natural disasters, but the earth remained his sole source of innerpeace. Wang Lung was sometimes caring and sometimes insensitive, but he always followed tradition. Wang Lung was a caring and compassionate man with a strong sense of family and adaptation to simple life. For example, Wang Lung showed extreme respect and appreciation for his wife in a time when women were considered to be no more then slaves. In the early chapters of the novel when Wang Lung was poor, he gave O-lan four silver pieces so she may return to the House of Hwang in grand style. He also offered to pay five thousand silver pieces for her recovery after he discovered she had a "fire in her vitals"(170). He then spent the rest of her days by her death bed and bought her the best quality coffin. Furthermore, Wang Lung had a special relationship with his first daughter, Poor Fool, his mentally retarded offspring. Poor Fool did not speak and did nothing more Pagliei 2 then twiddle a piece of cloth in the sun. Although Wang Lung had servants and slaves, he personally took care of his daughter after O-lan died. He also yelled at his love Lotus when she called Poor Fool an idiot: Now I will not hear my children cursed, no and not by anyone...For he was most angry of all that Lotus dared to curse this child of his and call her idiot, and a load of fresh pain for the girl fell upon his heart, so that for a day and two days he would not go near Lotus, but he played with the children and he went into the town and he bought a circle of barley candy for his poor fool and he comforted himself with her baby pleasure in the sweet sticky stuff. The Good Earth :: essays research papers In the critically acclaimed novel The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck depicts a humble farmer and his obedient wife O-lan. The Nobel Prize winning classic, set in late eighteenth century China, begins with Wang Lung going to the "Great House of Hwang"(49) to collect the wife that was betrothed to him by his father. Wang Lung lived with his father, wife, and five children, one of whom is mentally retarded. Although Wang Lung supplied all the physical needs for his family and upheld all the family traditions, he showed a strong insensitivity through his extra marital affairs. The story continues to portray the trials and tribulations of their life in a time when a persons livelihood came from the earth. From the earth, Wang Lung receives wealth, food, and prosperity. The earth also brought him dispair through natural disasters, but the earth remained his sole source of innerpeace. Wang Lung was sometimes caring and sometimes insensitive, but he always followed tradition. Wang Lung was a caring and compassionate man with a strong sense of family and adaptation to simple life. For example, Wang Lung showed extreme respect and appreciation for his wife in a time when women were considered to be no more then slaves. In the early chapters of the novel when Wang Lung was poor, he gave O-lan four silver pieces so she may return to the House of Hwang in grand style. He also offered to pay five thousand silver pieces for her recovery after he discovered she had a "fire in her vitals"(170). He then spent the rest of her days by her death bed and bought her the best quality coffin. Furthermore, Wang Lung had a special relationship with his first daughter, Poor Fool, his mentally retarded offspring. Poor Fool did not speak and did nothing more Pagliei 2 then twiddle a piece of cloth in the sun. Although Wang Lung had servants and slaves, he personally took care of his daughter after O-lan died. He also yelled at his love Lotus when she called Poor Fool an idiot: Now I will not hear my children cursed, no and not by anyone...For he was most angry of all that Lotus dared to curse this child of his and call her idiot, and a load of fresh pain for the girl fell upon his heart, so that for a day and two days he would not go near Lotus, but he played with the children and he went into the town and he bought a circle of barley candy for his poor fool and he comforted himself with her baby pleasure in the sweet sticky stuff.

Affirmative Action is Discrimination Essay -- Critical Thinking Essays

Affirmative action is wrong and will not help solve the problems minorities face. The reason it is wrong is because it's discrimination. It has no place in today's society in today's society because it does more bad than good. In addition to that most people don't enjoy the presence of affirmative action. Also, it appears that affirmative action can actually be detrimental to employees health. First of all, affirmative action is discrimination, there is no hiding it. When an employer hires anyone because he or she is a minority, even if someone else if more qualified to do the job, it is discrimination. Just because it is reverse discrimination, when whites are discriminated against and minorities are being discriminated for, doesn't make it right. Affirmative action legalizes discrimination (Steele 1990, 39). "I thought discrimination was illegal in this country (Buchanan 1995, 1)." Also, if this discrimination continues racism in the United States may become worse. Imagine what you would feel like if you couldn't get a job just because you are a white man and not a hispanic man. The racism will become worse because of it, and that is the very thing it is trying to prevent. It is possible that because of affirmative action, racism will grow and continue to grow until we history repeats itself and we end up living under Jim Crow laws again. That is an extr! eme possibility to end up under Jim Crow laws again, but it is a definite possibility to end up somewhere close to Jim Crow laws again. &nb... ...nexperienced people to do work they're not qualified for. In conclusion, affirmative action is just wrong. Affirmative action should be abolished, such an unlawful thing shouldn't even be considered in the United States. If we allow affirmative action to proceed, we are just proving to ourselves that we endorse and accept discrimination in the workplace. There is absolutely no reason why it should exist. Affirmative action lends a bad name to the United States of America. Others may view our fine country as a country with people that are so irresponsible the government has to lower its standard just to get people jobs (DeWit 1996, 2). This indicates that affirmative action should be outlawed because it has no place in our fine country.

Nightmare: Carnival and Read Laser Tag

Just A Nightmare Carnivals are places that you go to have fun, but sometimes these fun places can turn into your worst nightmares. It all began on a night out with my family. We were just out at the mall and when we were coming back home, we passed by a carnival. The carnival looked incredible so my family and I decided to go to the carnival and have some fun as well. We went to the carnival and it looked better up close. There were people and lights everywhere, but the carnival still had a hollow and chilly feeling to it. Wherever I went, I had the feeling that somebody was following me.My brothers and me went on a couple of rides and then I saw a huge sign that read ‘Laser Tag’. That’s when I suddenly got an awkward urge of playing Laser Tag. I told my father and he got a ticket for me. The line was really long and my father did not want to wait in line with me so I told him that I could wait in line all alone and he should come back after 30 minutes to get me. He agreed and left me waiting there. Again this time, I had the chilly feeling that somebody or something was watching me anxiously, waiting to strike. It was finally my turn.I went in with a group of twenty people dressed in laser tag jackets of four different team colors and black laser guns labeled with the same color as their jackets. I was in the yellow team. After all of us got ready, the laser tag employees let us into a dark black-walled maze. I ran away from everyone so I would not get tagged. I ran and ran until I reached a dead end. I looked around and saw a red-labeled jacket and gun making its way toward me. I got my gun ready to shoot whoever it was, but when I pressed on the gun to shoot, the sound it made sent shivers down my spine.It was the boom sound real guns made. I looked in front of me and the red-labeled person fell to the ground. I just stood there, unable to move. I was still trying to make sense of this whole thing and after about five minutes, I got to th e conclusion that I had just killed a person! I was a murderer! I ran, closing my eyes as I got close to the person I had just killed. I clutched the gun tightly in my shaking hands incase I came in contact with more trouble. I ran and ran. I saw other labeled people, but I did not dare lift up my gun. I have to find my way out was the only thing I could think.I saw light far away at the end of the caliginous path. As I got closer, I realized it was some kind of backdoor. I ran through it and now, once again, I was out in the free air, but this time, there was no body to be seen or heard. There was stillness everywhere. It seemed like not even a single leave was moving. I looked around cautiously once again and started to run. I had to get as far away from this place as possible. I ran like a maniac who had some running disease. I got to an empty parking lot. It looked like a ghost town. I saw a dumpster and hid behind it to catch my breath.I was taking long, constant breaths when I heard distant footsteps coming closer and closer. I stopped breathing and got my gun ready again. I did not know what happened to me, but I felt like a walking and talking killing machine. The footsteps started to turn into silent claps that got louder. The footsteps then turned around the corner and their owner was now facing me. He was not a normal person. He was a clown. He was wearing those bright, colorful jester clothes and big red clown shoes. I stood there frozen. I had been scared of clowns since forever, and now my worst nightmare had come alive. Good job on your first kill,† the clown said, laughing hysterically. He got a shiny silver dagger out of the oversized pocket of his jester clothes and brought it towards me. I pointed my gun at him and pressed, but instead of a bullet or boom sound, a laser came out. The clown laughed hysterically again and brought the dagger close to my neck. â€Å"Too bad it’s your last. † And that is when I opened my eyes. I was lying on by bed sweating badly. My heart was beating like a drum. I looked around myself, panicking. â€Å"It was just a nightmare,† I convinced myself. Just a nightmare†¦

Psychologists and Psychiatrist

Psychology is a fascinating subject that carries a lot room for interpretation. Psychology being a relatively new scientific arena continues to grow due to exploring of experts into studies of the mind and behaviors directed by the brain. Psychologists and Psychiatrist continue to discover new methods of therapy to treat psychological disorders. Cognitive therapy is the fastest growing and most extensively studied form of psychotherapy in America. † Cognitive therapy emphasis focuses on present thinking problems.The website I chose is: www. nytimes. com/library/national/science/health/011100hth-behavior-beck. html. I chose this website because it contains an article about Dr. Aaron Beck, who is the founder of cognitive therapy. Dr. Beck’s perception of psychological difficulties lies within â€Å"thinking problems. † Unlike behavioristic, psychoanalytic, humanistic, and trait theorists, cognitive theorists believe that psychological problems lie within current tho ughts. Disorders are a result of a patients desire to relish in self-deprecating thoughts.This article explains how Dr. Beck discovered cognitive therapy and decided to leave Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic approach behind. Dr. Beck attended the Philadelphia institute in 1958. There he begin to conquer his fears of blood and pain due to a staph infection from surgery on his broken arm developed due to his mothers overprotective behavior which caused him to restrict his activities as he also developed a phobia of getting hurt. Dr. Beck conquered his fears by teaching himself to recondition his thoughts.Dr. Beck’s cognitive therapy intent is to correct distorted thinking patterns by challenging patients to explore positive and beneficial thoughts. â€Å"He encourages patients to test their perceptions of themselves and others, as if they were scientists testing hypotheses. † The idea of cognitive therapy is to help patients to first realize their how their thoughts can be self-deprecating and then he aims to condition their present thoughts to new thinking. Dr. Beck is methodical about his cognitive therapy. First Dr.Beck listens to the patient and then he asks questions to help them conquer irrational thinking. There are some behaviorist psychologists who appose Dr. Beck’s cognitive theory. These critics feel that thought can not be measured objectively. One Dr. Klein’s position is that cognitive therapy is just a morale booster, and not the therapeutic solutions it promises. My overall evaluation of this website is how well rounded the information covered the subject. It provided an in depth analysis of the cognitive theory; how it was conceived, who will benefit most from it, and the methodology used.I find it fascinating that a person can perform psych therapy on themselves just by simple reconditioning their thoughts. Sometimes I find myself obsessing over small things, and now I can practice to condition myself to refrain from obsessive thoughts. I would really like to learn more about the methodology used to treat cognitively and more details about the results shown with patients. I plan on conducting more research on cognitive theory to find other cognitive theorists and their methodologies.This article has taught me more about myself and how I can improve my relationships by positive thinking. This article has shown me how to identify certain thoughts that I would prefer to refrain from thinking, and how to correct them. | Definitions Deprecate means to deplore something, depreciate means to belittle something or to treat it as unimportant. However, self-deprecating, in the sense ‘disparaging oneself', ‘modestly understating one's own abilities' has become firmly established, although some people deprecate this usage.Berate to rebuke or scold angrily and at length. Prosaic commonplace or dull; unimaginative Precept a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct, an inj unction as to moral conduct Pragmatist a person who is oriented toward the success or failure of a particular line of action, thought, etc Works Cited Goode, E. â€Å"A Pragmatic Man and His No-Nonsense Therapy. † www. nytimes. com/library/national/science/health/011100hth-behavior-beck. html 11 Jan. 2000.

Accounting Information System

Accounting Information System (AIS An  accounting information system  (AIS) is a system of collection, storage and processing of financial and  accounting   data that is used by  decision makers. accounting information system (AIS) consists of: – People – Procedures – Data – Software – Information technology infrastructure What important functions does the AIS perform in an organization? 1. It collects and stores data about activities and transactions. 2. It processes data into information that is useful for making decisions. 3.It provides adequate controls to safe-guard the organization’s assets. Uses of (AIS) * Producing External Reports * Supporting Routine Activities * Decision Support * Planning and Control * Implementing Internal Control Producing External Reports Businesses use (AIS) to produce special reports that follow a required structure established by organizations such as (FASB). These reports include financial stateme nts, tax returns, etc Supporting Routine Activities Managers need an (AIS) for handling routine operating activities during the firm’s operating cycle.Computer systems excel at handling repetitive transaction by many accounting software support these routine functions. Decision Support Information is needed for nonroutine decision support at all levels of an organization. Some information are critical for planning, deciding, marketing functions. Planning and Control An information system is required for planning and control activities as well. Historical data can be extracted from the database and used to forecast growth and cash flows. Planners can use data mining to reveal long-term trends and relationships.Implementing Internal Control Internal control includes the policies, procedures, and information system used to protect a company’s assets from loss and to maintain accurate financial data. It is possible to build controls into a computerized accounting informati on system to help reach these goals. Benefits AIS * Speed The main benefit of information systems in accounting is the speed of processing tasks. Data is entered once and can then be used and reused in compiling reports by literally pressing a button.If a transaction needs correction, it is easily done, with reports generated afterward at speeds never possible with manual accounting systems. * Classification When data is entered in an accounting system, manual or computerized, an accountant needs to classify it in a detailed fashion. For example, a transaction could be a sales revenue or an interest revenue. Using information systems, this classification process is easily accomplished with a drop-down menu from which you choose the proper category.You can also quickly generate reports involving classifications. With a manual system, this process takes much more time. * Safety Once data is entered into a computer, it is safe. The chances of losing data are remote, especially when you perform regular system backups. In manual systems, paper pads can be lost or damaged more easily. You can save data on the Internet, where it will not only be accessible anytime you need it but will also still be secure even if your computer is lost or damaged. One disadvantage of Accounting Information SystemOne disadvantage of Accounting Information System is that this system cannot identify any future loss or wrong transaction entry. As we know that computer is a machine, and it cannot do any activity itself. Therefore, computer cannot give any advice or warning. However, accountants in business are capable to estimate any future loss on the basis of their knowledge and experience. Due to this disadvantage it is important and wise for small and mid-size businesses to have some accountants in their business on permanent basis to avoid future losses. Accounting Information System Accounting Information System (AIS An  accounting information system  (AIS) is a system of collection, storage and processing of financial and  accounting   data that is used by  decision makers. accounting information system (AIS) consists of: – People – Procedures – Data – Software – Information technology infrastructure What important functions does the AIS perform in an organization? 1. It collects and stores data about activities and transactions. 2. It processes data into information that is useful for making decisions. 3.It provides adequate controls to safe-guard the organization’s assets. Uses of (AIS) * Producing External Reports * Supporting Routine Activities * Decision Support * Planning and Control * Implementing Internal Control Producing External Reports Businesses use (AIS) to produce special reports that follow a required structure established by organizations such as (FASB). These reports include financial stateme nts, tax returns, etc Supporting Routine Activities Managers need an (AIS) for handling routine operating activities during the firm’s operating cycle.Computer systems excel at handling repetitive transaction by many accounting software support these routine functions. Decision Support Information is needed for nonroutine decision support at all levels of an organization. Some information are critical for planning, deciding, marketing functions. Planning and Control An information system is required for planning and control activities as well. Historical data can be extracted from the database and used to forecast growth and cash flows. Planners can use data mining to reveal long-term trends and relationships.Implementing Internal Control Internal control includes the policies, procedures, and information system used to protect a company’s assets from loss and to maintain accurate financial data. It is possible to build controls into a computerized accounting informati on system to help reach these goals. Benefits AIS * Speed The main benefit of information systems in accounting is the speed of processing tasks. Data is entered once and can then be used and reused in compiling reports by literally pressing a button.If a transaction needs correction, it is easily done, with reports generated afterward at speeds never possible with manual accounting systems. * Classification When data is entered in an accounting system, manual or computerized, an accountant needs to classify it in a detailed fashion. For example, a transaction could be a sales revenue or an interest revenue. Using information systems, this classification process is easily accomplished with a drop-down menu from which you choose the proper category.You can also quickly generate reports involving classifications. With a manual system, this process takes much more time. * Safety Once data is entered into a computer, it is safe. The chances of losing data are remote, especially when you perform regular system backups. In manual systems, paper pads can be lost or damaged more easily. You can save data on the Internet, where it will not only be accessible anytime you need it but will also still be secure even if your computer is lost or damaged. One disadvantage of Accounting Information SystemOne disadvantage of Accounting Information System is that this system cannot identify any future loss or wrong transaction entry. As we know that computer is a machine, and it cannot do any activity itself. Therefore, computer cannot give any advice or warning. However, accountants in business are capable to estimate any future loss on the basis of their knowledge and experience. Due to this disadvantage it is important and wise for small and mid-size businesses to have some accountants in their business on permanent basis to avoid future losses.