Child Development :: essays research papers

How To Prepare For The Birth Of A Child   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all Don’t be doing stuff that would make you at the risk for being pregnant, consider all alternatives, such as delivery, abortions, and adoption, and make a decision. If you decide to carry the child full term, continue on to the following step Make sure you have the means to pay for the options you choose. You will either need a very rich husband, or medical insurance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vitamins, are very important take some every morning until the end of your pregnancy. If they make you puke, try taking them at a different time of the day. If they still make you sick, call your doctor. Your doctors will tell you to switch to a multi-vitamin from the store. If these changes do not work, you will need to change your diet to make sure you are receive all the vitamins you need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prepare yourself emotionally. You need to change your personal habits and lifestyle based on the knowledge that your unborn child is defenseless, and needs to be placed as first priority. Smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, consuming excessive amounts of caffine, and other such habits should be stopped, or your baby ends up as a crack addict. You need to realize that soon you will not have the body of a supermodel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Start a journals to your child. This increase the bond between a mother and child. This will help you realize more rapid that there is an actual human being growing inside you. Write about important events that are happening during your pregnancy. This may be useful later in the childs life. Tell your baby what it feels like when you lay in bed waiting to count it’s fingers and toes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Take care of your body. Eat health foods and drink a lot of fluids.Drinking milk is a wonderful source of calcium. If you are experiencing morning sickness, start eating small healthy meals frequently, instead of three large meals every day. An empty stomach adds to the nausea. Avoid greasy foods, and foods that may give you heartburn. Heartburn is very common with pregnancy. Elevate your legs higher than the level of your heart as much as you can throughout the day, balanced with time spent walking around. Exorcise regularly. Do not over exert yourself, but try stretching and strengthening your leg and mid-body muscles.

Reflective Paper: Quality Systems, Control and Motivation Essay

Identify functional and dysfunctional control systems within your own organization. Dell believes that an effective strategy for improving quality and that it has achieved results in their organizations. The enterprise faces several issues on the road to long-term continuous improvement. This list of causes provides a checklist of organizational barriers which represent ongoing quality struggles for many quality organizations. This list can be broken down into three categories of quality problems: People problems which cover individuals not performing their jobs effectively, communication breakdowns, lack of teamwork/conflict, poorly trained workers and lack of worker input and commitment. Management problems which include improper supervision, conflicting/unrealistic goals, poor planning and organizing, lack of resources, and lack of top management support. Quality system problems which encompass ineffective corrective action procedures, people not aware that quality problems exist (ineffective feedback mechanisms), ineffective measurement procedures, unrealistic quality standards, and technology/equipment problems (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993). I believe that taken together, long-term quality improvement efforts must address specific people, management and system problems that either develop or persist over time. In reviewing the specific examples of ongoing quality problems presented in the study, it is interesting to note the almost total absence of technical problems. Deming has observed that technical problems are often relatively easier to address where quality is concerned (Deming, 1984). The majority of problems are softer in nature: people and managerial factors. This supports the widely-held view that people and managerial issues are the key to long-term quality improvement and that these issues require an ongoing adjustment (alignment) in an organization’s overall operating culture and management practice. Interpret criteria for developing and evaluating control systems. In reviewing managerial perceptions of quality control and systems of Dell, a number of rather interesting paradoxes and contrasts emerge. First, managers strongly believe that TQM efforts improves quality, yet their organizations are not so likely to implement quality principles fully into their overall management philosophy and strategy. Second, while there are tools such as TQM that are perceived as effective in improving quality, enthusiasm and support for the process diminish with time. Third, while most managers admit that there is still room for improvement and that ongoing quality problems exist, I feel that Dell is less than completely focused on dealing with long-term quality problems. These factors are issues which all quality organizations must strive to address on a long-term basis and organizations would be well-served to consider the following lessons in the development and evaluation of quality control systems: The conduct an organizational audit of the current qualty system. Maturing quality organizations are well served to survey management personnel on the issues identified in their respective organisations to evaluate their present perception of the organization’s quality processes and the consequences of these perceptions. Dell managers should be surveyed first to assess their belief in the quality process and willingness to support this effort in both word and deed. Workers should then be surveyed to elicit their perceptions and input of the organization’s quality process to determining their support and confidence in the system. Such an audit permits the firm a chance to determine its status along the quality continuum and provides input on what procedure the firm must undertake to move forward in the quality system maturation process. The feedback garnered from this process can be an invaluable source of information and impetus for change. Dell management support/action is critical to long-term quality improvement. It is a well-documented fact that management support is needed to get any quality effort started. What is not always apparent is the necessity of the continued involvement and support managers must demonstrate to keep quality efforts viable. To this end, top management must make continuous improvement an ongoing priority for managers throughout the organization. Managers’ roles and duties must be specified with continuous improvement as part and parcel of every manager’s job description. Involvement in correction action teams, providing leadership on defining and refining quality standards, providing the resources necessary for improvement, developing and implementing feedback mechanisms and coaching are all critical elements of a manager’s job as a quality leader. Managers must be selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and rewarded on their ability to foster continuous improvement in their areas of responsibility within the organization. Without this focus, managers’ enthusiasm and support for quality will weaken over time creating less than positive role models for the rest of the organization. Remember that people are the key to long-term improvement. Technical problems are dealt with early on in the quality process, overall. Based on Longenecker & Scazzero’s (1993) study, it is   suggested that long-term improvement is built on systematically considering the â€Å"human side of quality†. Towards this goal, employees across levels are required to be aptly led by their superiors. In addition,   employees need to be properly trained to perform their jobs, need to develop effective problem-solving/conflict-resolution skills, need effective communication skills, and to be taught how to function in team oriented cultures. Moreover, employee input must be systematically tapped by managers on issues which affect both continuous improvement and the workplace. Feedback and coaching for the individual is paramount for overall Dell quality efforts to progress. In summary, practice and research indicate that workers are the critical ingredients in long-term quality improvement and that they respond favourably when given proper support and leadership. The human component cannot be shrugged off or neglected without negative outcomes. Dell quality systems must continuously improve TQM. Once an efficient improvement system is established within an organization, quality will be improved. Yet, even the most effective systems must undergo transition and mature with the dynamic demands associated and with changing organizational needs. This indicates that systematic approaches to long-term quality improvement must be occasionally critiqued and feedback provided to improve quality improvement systems. Towards this objective, corrective action procedures must be changed and streamlined, feedback mechanisms must be constantly assessed and enhanced, quality standards must evolve and measurement procedures must be meaningful and cost-efficient. Without adjustments, these quality systems can serve as obstacles rather than assist quality improvement and be perceived as barriers to improvement. Moreover, technical improvements must be made to operating systems to keep them viable and technologically up-to-date. If quality systems fail to practise continuous improvement, the outcomes for the firm will be both negative and ironic. At the individual level, a number of reflective queries are in order for us operating in stable and mature quality international organizations such as Dell: Am I practising continuous improvement on an ongoing basis? Am I encouraging my subordinates to practise the principles of TQM through my actions? Am I providing leadership in addressing ongoing/persistent quality problems? Am I providing leadership to improve our existing quality improvement processes? Are we using corrective action procedures in an effective and efficient manner? (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993) These are issues that TQM managers must be reflect on a personal basis. The responses to these questions are crucial and represent an authentic evaluation of a firm’s leadership commitment to long-term continuous improvement. In conclusion, TQM systems were believed to be effective by practising managers in this global research. And yet, these systems require constant support and leadership to sustain their effectiveness in the long term. Moreover, literature indicate that it is worthwhile to assess the perceptions of practising managers to identify the status and needs for an ongoing TQM process. We can learn that while achieving long-term quality improvement is a noble goal, a host of barriers exist that threaten this process. Without a commitment to eliminate these barriers, and to the practice of TQM, quality improvement for international organisations is threatened. The outcome is a quality improvement process hoped for by competitors that will lose its effectiveness through time. Hard earned quality gains can be futile without constant persisitence and diligence from all organizational members. It is for this reason that quality will always be a strategic tool in the global marketplace because the quality achievements of yesterday mean little to our competitors and customers. Analyze and illustrate the essentials of quality management and the techniques that are associated with it One manager has shared his lament on the practice of total quality management, as follows: â€Å"The problem isn’t that we don’t know what to do but rather that we struggle to do what we know we should do on a daily basis where our quality improvement process is concerned †¦ and we’ve been at TQM for over six years already† (Longenecker & Scazzero, 1993). The exercise of total quality management TQM) as a strategy for gaining competitive advantage has been adopted by an increasing number of international organisations, and has somehow evolved to become a competitive mandate. The assumption of TQM is quite apparent: quality improvement can be attained if a firm drafts a management philosophy of continuous improvement and breeds the required best practices (Juran, 1993). Gradually and patiently, majority of international organisations have been effective at the implementation of quality practices during the previous decade, with more than satisfactory outcomes. For instance, United Parcel Service, Motorola, Ford, Cadillac, Nestlà ©, Airbus, Shell, Toyota and Phillips are some of the more popular TQM achievers in the global marketplace. However, it may be worthy to note that their quality practices took substantial time and patience to conceptualise, draft, and implement. Much more so, was the time necessary for these best practices to mature and to be maintained. Quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, Scholtes and Crosby taught that organisations ought to adopt a quality improvement approach from a long-term perspective. They also gave a warning that attaining some quality improvement may somewhat lead to complacency. Moreover, they concur that obstacles to quality may include a whole host of factors, encompassing both novel and current organisationa issues (Walton, 1986). Quality experts contend that majority of quality enhancement research are inclined on concentrating on the initial start-up phase of the improvement process and is somewhat lacking on considering long-term challenges (Mann & Kehoe, 1995). Studies on organisational life cycles and organisational development has apparently illustrated that as firms grow, mature, and grow more stable, several issues are brought forth at each cycle of the phase. Certain quality gurus hold a similar perspective on the   quality improvement cycle that exists as the firm proceeds through an initial start-up, followed by a development phase at which maturity as a quality firm ensues (Harrington, 1987). The initial quality start-up phase necessitates breaking exercises the organisation has been accustomed to, and applying critical quality practices. Moreover, this phase calls for the development of an organisational framework that will allow the systematic resolution of quality issues and building credibility for the improvement process (Harrington, 1987). The TQM development phase necessitates that the firm build on initial successes, expand the degree of organization involvement, developing better â€Å"systems† to support quality improvement efforts and refining corrective action procedures. The TQM maturity phase is distinguished by TQM practices being strongly anchored on in organizational strategy and planning, management decision making, human resource practices and support systems improvement. The foundational practices of total quality management must be focused on and refined at each phase of the TQM cycle for the organization to become increasingly effective at continuous improvement. This enhanced proficiency at improving quality is imperative since quality standards and expectations are constantly increasing in the ultra-competitive global market (Gehari, 1993). Summarizing these points, firms must learn and mature on an ongoing basis to preclude quality processes from being stagnant or even becoming ineffective over time. Deming has argued that management complacency and a lack of organizational discipline can prevent improvement efforts from maturing and developing to the next level (Deming, 1982). Juran has argued that these same tendencies can cause even the best TQM systems to break down with the passage of time and changes in key personnel (Juran, 1988). Previous research has demonstrated the painstaking and labour-intensive challenges of properly implementing TQM practices (Juran, 1988). Once these practices are in place and quality begins to improve, it is easy for an organization to become complacent or lose focus several years into the quality improvement process. Deming (1982) has advocated that effective and long-term quality improvement requires the following: A belief on the part of managers that their TQM process is effective; A belief on the part of managers that there is still a need for improvement; A commitment on the part of all organizational members to practise TQM on an ongoing basis; The ability to focus on and respond to long-term quality problems; Maintaining organizational support for TQM efforts; and Integrating TQM into the organization’s management philosophy and strategy. The manager’s lament in our opening quote succinctly summarized this concern when he stated, â€Å"it isn’t that we don’t know what to do [to improve quality] but rather we struggle to do what we know we should do on a daily basis†. In my work at Dell, I need to continuously ensure that I live quality, especially since I have external customer encounters each day. This is a core facet of my job. These quality principles are vital to the successful performance of my function, and also determines the degree of quality by which I execute it. At a personal level, I strive to live quality both in my professional and personal life; that is, I am keenly aware that the outcomes in my life are determined by the quality of the decisions I make. References Deming, W.E. (1982). Quality and productivity and competitive position. Cambridge, MA: MIT. Deming, W.E. (1984). Out of the crisis. Cambridge, MA: MIT. Gehari, R.R. (1993). Quality value chain – a meta-synthesis of frontiers of quality movement. Academy of Management Executive, 7(2), 29-42. Harrington, H.J. (1987). The improvement process. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Juran, J. (1988). Juran on planning for quality. New York, NY: Free Press. Juran, J. (1993). Made in USA: a Renaissance in quality. Harvard Business Review, July-August 1993, 42-50. Longenecker, C.O., Scazzero, J.A. (1993). Total quality management from theory to practice: a case study. International Journal of Reliability & Quality Management, 10(5), 24-31. Mann, R. & Kehoe, D. (1995). Factors affecting the implementation and success of TQM. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 12 (1). Walton, M. (1986). The Deming management method. New York, NY: Perigee Books.

International law Essay

International law can be divided into two main branches; public international law and private international law. According to Corel University Law School, Legal Information Institute; public international law, oversees matters of rights between nations and citizens or subjects of other nations whereas, the latter deals with conflicts between private individuals arising out of circumstances of key importance to more than one nation. Over time the line between private and public international laws has been growing thinner with issues of private international law now linking with those of public international law. This is because the international community finds many matters of private international law of significance to them. In a nutshell, international law governs human actions and interactions at the global heights. For a long time since its inception in the 16th Century, international law consisted of policies and regulations governing interactions between nations until recently when the law was redefined to incorporate relations between states and individuals as well as relation between international institutions. International law has received its share of criticism with the emergence of a school of thought holding that it was mechanism designed by developed countries purposefully for colonization in the modern world. In his book; Imperialism, Sovereignty and the making of International Law Anghie argues that â€Å"the colonial confrontation was central to the formation of international law and, in particular, it’s founding concept, sovereignty. He goes ahead to argue that international law is a modern way of governing non-European people, that economic exploitations and cultural erosion that resulted from the same were strategically important for the discipline. Contrary to Anghie’s thinking, international law would otherwise be a benevolent undertaking had it not been demonized by powerful states to achieve 21st century colonialism. The concept of international law obviously conflicts with the fundamentals of sovereignty which also means independence. This is to say that a sovereign state should be free to run its domestic affairs free from hindrances by outside authority. The proponents of international law may have worked on the assumptions that the sovereignty of a state is not only founded on the self-governing will of its sovereign, but also on its position in relationship to several other states. This implies that if a certain country comes up with policies which are likely to affect its neighbors or other countries then its sovereignty can be subject to violation when international law intervenes. Nonetheless, the general belief is that a state should be able to do whatever it pleases within its territories. It is important to mention that sovereignty of a state means it is free to use its resources for its own prosperity without interference from outside powers. However, developed states have in many occasions meddled in the economic affairs of third world states. It is by right that a third world states control all that is within their territories without interference from developed countries. International law, through international business law paves way for exploitation of third world countries by their developed counterparts. Interdependence is a word strategically coined by developed states to cover up for their deeply buried conspiracy aimed at reaping resources from developed countries under the cover of globalisation. Hopefully, out of their own efforts, third world states may eventually grow to the level of being powerful. In the contrary, world super powers are not stupid to let third world countries grow to be as powerful as them. Because of this insecurity, they invent laws and lie to third world states that it is for the good of the world when the underpinning motive is to increase dependence by developing countries on the world powers. Even if these countries develop, they will be under control of developed states. A good example is the claim by developed countries in favor of their investors on foreign territories. The claim by capital-exporting countries is intended to limit a country’s sovereignty to impose limitations on foreign investors (Sornarajah 136). This may sound as a generous thought to open up equal playing grounds for signatories of international law. However, consider the fact that capital-exporting countries are the world superpowers hosting numerous billionaire investors just looking for places to multiply their billions. Some of these multibillion businesses are state owned corporations. With this kind of law, the world powers will establish multibillion corporations in third world territories in the pretext of privately owned investments. They will offer employment opportunities, good health facilities, education, housing, infrastructure to millions of natives of third world states. Because most third world governments are unable to offer basic needs for their populace, these international corporations will win the hearts of many in third world states. Although political rule will be retained by the hosting governments, such multibillion corporations will have unprecedented control not only over citizens whom they will have won their trust, but also over government policy decisions. By that time, third world states will be literally foreign territories of developed states. Of course a few rich individuals from developing countries will have benefited from this law and established businesses in developed countries. However, because their native governments will be lacking both economic and political powers, their activities will be highly controlled by the host governments keeping them from making any breakthroughs. This treaty might also limit a state’s ability to use domestic legal facilities on foreign investors who break the law since they will be under protection of international law. This is based on the belief that any grievance against an investor operating under international law is an injury to his native country. International law therefore was only formed with the excuse of interdependence between signatory states with the hidden purpose to reintroduce a modern style of Colonialism being witnessed today. In the modern world, economic sovereignty is paramount to any form of sovereignty. Political sovereignty in the 21st century is worthless without economic independence. It is because of this that developed countries continue to come up with selfish policies with the excuse of interdependence. For this reason most third world countries brag of political independence but when they cannot provide for their citizens, they seek shelter from the economic giants who do not offer anything without conditions. Developed countries will always do this through economic sanctions such as freezing donor aid which when implemented cripples the operations of third world states. Nye states that although the potential for benefits in interdependence exist, the potential for tragedy exists as well (179). Nye goes to the extreme to refer to the negative results of interdependence not merely as losses, which would be the opposite of benefits, but tragedy. Tragedy can also be a disaster, catastrophe or misfortune. The after effects of a disaster are usually devastating and repairing the mess requires extraordinary measures usually taking a longer period of time. The shocking thing is that whereas developing countries are obeying international law, developed countries can violate it and get away with it. Israel has been in the headlines for many years over Gaza strip conflict with Palestine’s. The attacks have led to serious violation of human rights and international law. Atrocities committed along Gaza Strip are worrying and one would wonder why Israel is being excused from war crimes trials. Up to date, the international judges still seem to be wondering if Israel has committed enough crimes to be subjected to trials. On the other hand, the United States of America reciprocated against Afghanistan after the September 11th attacks on America’s soil and many innocent lives were lost. Most worrying is human rights violations by US soldiers against war prisoners and terrorist suspects at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. In 2001, hundreds of Taliban prisoners of war were suffocated to death after they were imprisoned inside metal containers by US military in the Afghan town of Kunduz. Instead of being charged with human rights violations, the world superpower arrested Saddam Hussein and had him hanged to death for war crime charges during his regime. Meanwhile the international law is in full force in developing countries. International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest against Sudan’s re-elected leader Omar alBshir over war crime related charges. Currently, the ICC is also investigating human rights violations during the 2007 post election chaos in Kenya and is expected to take in suspects by September 2010. Efforts by the ICC to arrest perpetrators of violence are all in good faith, but how about the rich countries which commit the same crimes? Whereas it will be extremely difficult for a country which has cut off itself from the rest of the world, international law deprives nations from exercising their sovereignty within their territories with respect to the locally prevailing circumstances. The international law in large part works in favor of the developed countries and does not result in the desired interdependence which will empower weak nations. Nations should be empowered to be able to independently and decisively handle their economic, political and legal activities without interference from outside forces which may not understand the prevailing circumstances. It is only when they are empowered that they will be able to have the bargaining power which is critical for interdependence at the international level.

What Makes For a Bad College Recommendation

What Makes For a Bad College Recommendation SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Generally speaking, no one is going to purposely hurt your college application and write a negative recommendation (that'd be an oxymoron). If for some reason someone feels like they can't honestly recommend you, they likely would decline or suggest someone else. That being said, there can still be bad recommendations from writers with good intentions. And admissions officers can spot them from a mile away. These letters certainly don't help your application, and they could even hurt your chances of getting accepted. Let's take a closer look at what features make for a "bad" recommendation. A Bad Letter is Lukewarm Again, I'd like to think that no one would agree to provide you with a letter of recommendation and then write damaging, critical things behind your back. This would be unethical, and a pretty mean thing to do. As long as you choose your recommenders carefully, you shouldn't have any concerns about that. The more common problem occurs if the letter writer comes off as unenthusiastic or lukewarm in her recommendation. To admissions officers who have read hundreds, if not thousands, of letters, it's pretty easy to separate the mediocre letters from the great ones. Mediocre letters might be short and generic. They might not express admiration of your academic ability or personal qualities, or express much confidence in what you'll do at college and beyond. Rather than revealing new insights into who you are, bad recommendation letters might just state facts and figures. When I was in high school, I asked a history teacher for a college recommendation. To my surprise (and disappointment), he gave me a generic letter and told me to go through and change the "he's" to "she's" to "customize" it. Needless to say, I quickly asked someone else. In this case, it would have been a good idea to seek advice from my counselor or others about which teachers take the time to write strong letters and which ones use a form letter for all their students. Admissions officers expect you to be thoughtful about who you ask for your recommendation. If you present a letter that reads as though the writer didn't have much to say or was unmotivated to recommend you, then it suggests that you either didn't put much thought into your rec letters or, worse, that this was the best recommendation you could get. If you're limited in your options for recommenders because your school has large class sizes or counselor caseloads, there are still things you can do to connect with your recommenders, like setting up meetings, writing a detailed brag sheet, or sending a supplemental recommendation. Some phrases that could come off as lukewarm include "above average" or "relatively good student." A recommender might communicate that you still have room to grow (who doesn't?), but focusing on this could also communicate that she's not too impressed with what you've done so far. This introduction is an example of a lukewarm start to a letter that doesn't sound too animated, interested, or like the writer tried to say much beyond the obvious. I'm writing to recommend Sylvia for admission to your undergraduate program. I had Sylvia in my 11th grade chemistry class. She was an above average student with an interest in science. Sylvia participated well in class and was reliable with her homework and other assignments. She performed above average throughout the year. Poor Sylvia. Her recommender didn't even say "strongly" or "highly" recommend. This introduction sounds unimpressed and unspecific. Another feature of a letter that's ineffective is that it doesn't go beyond your resume. A Bad Letter Repeats Your Resume A recommendation letter is not supposed to copy your resume. This is a common mistake of recommenders, simply listing out your grades, rank, clubs, and/or awards. Admissions officers already know all this, though. They see it in your application, or maybe you've talked about a particularly significant involvement in your personal essay. If this was all they wanted to see, then there would be no point to requiring recommendation letters. Instead, a letter should add to your story by illustrating who you are, including your values, motivations, and goals for the future. It can describe meaningful observations and interactions that give insight into your character. It adds nuance to your story, speaking to your attitude towards learning and to your personality. Plus, a strong recommendation letter shows that you've connected with your teachers and contributed to your school community. This indicates that you'll do the same once you arrive to college, a positive sign for admissions officers looking to build a dynamic and harmonious class. Here's an example of a recommendation that relies on facts and figures, but doesn't go much beyond the information that's already present in the rest of your application. Tom played football throughout all four years of high school, winning the honor of Most Valuable Player in junior year. When he wasn't practicing football, he was in Woodworking Club, which he participated in during junior and senior year. Tom has challenged himself with college prep and honors classes, earning a GPA of 3.5. He was recognized for his effort by his 10th grade English teacher, who awarded him the Best Effort certificate. Outside of school, Tom works part-time at his father's car dealership. Admissions officers should already know all this by reading Tom's Common Application. This letter just turns bullet points into full sentences. Another feature of an ineffective recommendation is that it comes off as unspecific and unsupported. About as helpful as using Apple Maps. A Bad Letter is Unspecific As discussed above, a recommendation letter should go beyond the obvious and reveal something about your commitments and character. A letter that speaks in generalities doesn't accomplish that, nor does it paint a picture of you for its readers. While it may use general adjectives to describe you, like driven or ambitious, these adjectives don't mean all that much without examples. Like a persuasive essay where you need supporting examples to prove your thesis, a recommendation letter should relate anecdotes that demonstrate something meaningful about you and provide evidence for its assertions. A bad letter might say, Abby is a hard worker. A stronger letter would say, Abby's hard work and persistence endured throughout her in depth, year long research project on the decline of the fishing industry in 19th century Gloucester. (It might go further into detail describing her long days digging through the local library's archives and how the recommender sees her conducting historical research at her college's library next year.) Without the examples to back it up, the first sentence about Abby being a hard worker doesn't explain what she works hard to accomplish or how her recommender knows this to be true. It also could be about almost anyone. If the recommendation letter does little to differentiate you from other students with similar credentials, then it hasn't done it's job. A Bad Letter Could Be About Almost Anyone That form letter I got from my history teacher wasn't just riddled with male pronouns, it also barely talked about me. It was full of generic statements about doing well in history class, working hard, and being committed to academics. All that was general, unsupported by examples, and could have been about any number of studentswho did well in history class. The truth about college admissions is that there are more qualified students than there are spots in the class, especially when it comes to highly selective schools that only let a small percentage of students in. Some may share similar academic and extracurricular profiles. They might have the same GPA, same class selection, and similar involvements in clubs and sports. That's why the recommendation letters, along with the student's own personal essay, are so important for distinguishing one student from another. Letters that are general, don't share anecdotes, and list out facts and data could be about any students that share a similar resume. They're flat, boring to read, and suggest that the teacher doesn't know anything personal about the student. Maybe the student just gave her a resume, and she turned the bulletpoints into prose. Finally, another red flag for admissions officers could be if the letter is simply too short. Not only did the recommender not have anything personal to add to the student's recommendation, but she also didn't have much to say at all. Aw. A Bad Letter is Too Short A recommendation letter should be a full page. It shouldn't usually go beyond a page, but it also shouldn't be shorter. Just having an introduction, short body paragraph, and conclusion wouldn't be sufficient. It might fulfill the application requirement, but it wouldn't look good or communicate all that much. If your letter's short, this is immediately noticeable to a reader. It suggests you didn't choose your recommender very well, she doesn't know you, and you didn't give her much material to work with. Instead of making the positive impression that a good letter of recommendation can leave, it feels lacking. Since no one wants her application dragged down by subpar recommendation letters, what can you do to avoid a bad one? Are these documents out of your hands, or do you have some say in the matter? Be proactive, be be, proactive! What to Do to Avoid a Bad Letter of Recommendation Before you even begin making requests for letters of recommendation, you should go into junior year (and high school, for that matter) with a proactive mindset. Participate in class, get to know at least one or two of your teachers well, and talk to them about your educational goals. Demonstrate your interest in a subject by taking on an independent project or joining a club of which that teacher is an advisor. If you're planning to apply to a selective school or for a certain major, showing a specific commitment like this will impress admissions officers and your future recommenders. When you're finally ready to ask, be thoughtful about who you ask. If your teacher seems hesitant at all, it's probably a good idea to thank her and then ask someone else instead. If she has reservations, that will show through in the letter. Ask early in case you need to change track, plus some teachers set quotas and have a first come, first served policy for writing letters. Give them time, at least a month, to put thought into your letter, rather than rushing through a copy so you have something to send in ahead of deadlines. As I should have done before my recommendation mistake, ask your counselor for her recommendations on who writes good letters. Seasoned teachers are often a good choice, especially if they have a reputation for helping students get into their schools of choice. If you've forged a good relationship with a relatively new teacher, it might be beneficial to share your thoughts on what could make your letter outstanding. Whether or not it's appropriate to share resources on letter writing with your recommender is a judgment call, as you wouldn't want to insult the person you're hoping will praise you. You can feel out whether it would be welcome to share guides like this one with your recommender, or whether she already has a strong sense of purpose in her letter writing. Apart from participating in class and talking to your teachers, you can also give them a detailed brag sheet. Share important information that you want them to know about you, along with specific significant experiences or challenges in your life that they could potentially speak about in their letters. Tell them what qualities and interests you're highlighting in the rest of your application, so they can complement your story without repeating too much of it. Above all, make sure your recommender is genuinely happy to help you get accepted to college and will put in the time and effort to craft a thoughtful, specific, and customized letter of recommendation. While your brag sheet can help her out a great deal, she should still have enough material and inspiration from having you in class or school to create an insightful letter of support. What's Next? Before you can invite your recommenders on the Common App, you're asked about waiving your right to access. Should you agree to this FERPA waiver? What's this question all about? Learn all about it here. If you're a teacher writing letters for your students, check out our complete guide to writing strong recommendations here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 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:

A busy person Essays

A busy person Essays A busy person Essay A busy person Essay Priestley places his hope in the characters of Sheila and Eric, the next and younger generation, in his play. Sheila accepted her share of responsibility for contributing to the death of Eva Smith. At Milwards, a posh clothes store, Sheila had met Eva when she was trying a dress and it didnt suit her. Eva laughed at her and Sheila didnt like her laughing. And said to the manager of Milwards, if you will not get rid of that girl, Id never go near the place again and Id persuade mother to close our account with Milwards. When she was shown the photo of Eva Smith and told by Goole of the consequences of her actions she reacted by little, cry, a half shifted sob and ran out. She felt ashamed, emotional and responsible for Evas death. We sympathize with Sheila because she learned something, in Act three, page 71 that:- It was anything but a joke. You knew it then. You begun to learn something. And now you are stopped. By the end of the play she has clearly learned her lesson, and shown that unlike her parents, she cared for others and represented a socialist outlook on life. The character of Eric changes as the play progresses. In act one we initially find him to be shy, unconfident and squiffy. He then appears to grow in confidence especially when he stood instead of his father on a number of occasions. Gooles questioning provokes and encourages Eric to confront Mr. Birling. For example in Act one, page 15 Eric accuses his father of throwing out Eva Smith of the job. He could kept her instead of throwing her out, I call it tough luck. He also complains about Evas death because of his father. The part of the play highlights the fact that despite all of the money and wealth with in the Birling family household, they are not happy together and cannot understand or respect each others point of view. This is mainly because Erics view is that of a socialist and Mr. Birlings is that of a staunch capitalist. Eric, like Sheila, accepts their share of the blame A for their behavior that contributed to the death of Eva Smith. Gerald is an interesting character in the play. In the early stages of the play we learn that he is a busy person. He was very suspicious Eric was up to. Evidence to support this opinion is found in Act one, page 9, when Gerald Croft says:- Sounds a bit fishy to me. He is in a difficult position at this engagement party and is under pressure to marry Sheila of Mr. Birling because if he do something wrong it might affect to his marriage with Sheila. It might be fair to say that Gerald had socialist tendencies because when he met Eva Smith in the stalls bar at the palace. She was half drunk and goggle eyed and had wedged herself into a corner. He helped her by giving her money and place to live. But he didnt tell the truth to Sheila and he betrayed her trust. Gerald was very nai ve because after the discovery that Goole was hoax he still believed that he and Sheila would not break their engagement. Gerald thought it easy, just like Mr and Mrs Birling, to pretend that nothing had happened and that he could simply marry Sheila after all. He had not learnt his lesson, he was thinking that nothing had happened and he could still marry Sheila. It is clear that an inspector calls is an effective piece of social criticism because it makes us question how we should try to lead our own lives. Through the character role of Goole, Priestley encourages us to behave properly and respect and care for others unlike Arthur and Sybil Birling. In the bigger picture he is really saying that society can only live together in peace and harmony if people cooperate together and work and support each other. I feel that the play was a very enjoyable theatrical experience. A play is memorable if it keeps you thinking, exciting and to learn a new message. The play had a number of cliff hangings, exciting moments, for example, in Act one, page 10 when the door bell rings and Eric says:- Somebody at the front door. Then Edna says to Mr. Birling. Please, sir, an inspectors called. Also in act three, page 53. I was riveted by Eric when he told that he was going to be a father! And the next time or the time after that she told me she thought she was going to have a baby. She wasnt quite sure. And then she was. Every Act ended with suspense. This made the audience to continue seeing the play. An Inspector Calls also had many examples of dramatic irony. This is when the full meaning of a situation or a speech is understood by the audience but not by the characters on stage. There was also considerable dramatic irony the fact that each of the Birlings and Gerald all seemingly had a part to play in Evas death without even being aware of it, until Gooles arrival. Perhaps most dramatic of all was the ending of the play when the telephone rings and after answering the telephone Mr. Birling says:- That was the police. A girl has just died on her was to the infirmary after swallowing some disinfectant. And a police Inspector is on his way here to ask some questions. This leaves the audience feeling what will happen afterwards. In conclusion, reading and understanding the play made me reflect and think carefully about my own life. The play, the characters and Priestleys message has made me think that all of our lives are connected with one another. If we do something with others it will affect us as well because in reaction they can harm us as well. On the other hand if we do good to others their will be happiness all over the world.

How to Become More Fun If You Think Youre a Boring Person

How to Become More Fun If You Think Youre a Boring Person In this post we’re going to go through a 5 step process that can quickly turn even the most boring person into a real lively individual. No kidding. We start by tackling your self-identity and then move on to your mortality and chasing fears with a big fat smile on your face. Sound fun? Yeah, that’s part of it. Let’s begin! 1. Step Outside Your Old Personal Narrative This is one of those quotes we all need to write down somewhere and look at regularly until we memorize it. If you want, just read it aloud ten times in a row and chances are you’ll never forget it (the beauty of propaganda): â€Å"I’m not what I think I am. I’m not what they think I am. I’m what I think that they think I am.† Get it? Keep reading it until you do and once that light bulb goes on above your head your life will instantly change. You’ll then realize you can be†¦anyone you choose†¦anytime you choose. Your old personal narrative is the elevator pitch you tell yourself when opportunity comes knocking that keeps you cocooned in a comfort bubble. You are not your past. You are not your future. You are right now. That’s it. That’s all you ever get at once. And, you can begin creating a new self-story as soon as you decide you’re good and ready. If it’s â€Å"I’m an incredibly fun person to be around† and you believe†¦it shall be so. 2. Add Some Spontaneity It’s pretty funny when you think about it, trying to be spontaneous. Here’s the deal, every single day of your life (when you’re not cave dwelling in your room) you’re confronted with tons of choices. Some more spontaneous than others. Those are typically the ones your old personal narrative tries to keep you away from (because they change who you are). Decide to be more spontaneous from this point forward. Decide that you’re going to become an amateur yes-man/woman and start chasing down those spontaneous leads that life keeps giving you. Sometimes just one is all you need to begin down a completely new path. 3. Remind Yourself of Your Mortality Often This always helps. Remember, you’re going to die someday. Really drink that in. Not just in a passing scared kind of way but a completely open and honest acceptance. Your life is going to end. You will one day cease to be and nothing you do or don’t do can change that fact. Period. Well, unless you opt to become a robot or something. But anyways, the next time you feel like a boring person living a boring life, remind yourself that you have a few figurative moments left to take advantage of. 4. Make Your Goals More Fun Maybe your goals are boring? Maybe your vision of the future and what you’re working towards are drab, generic and uninteresting. Not to say they aren’t awesome and great and all that, but perhaps they could use some freshening up around the rough edges? It’s hard to be a fun person when you lead a boring day to day routine. Start adding in the fun to your goals: relationships, business, education, etc. 5. Chase Your Fears Smile Even though this is step 5, these are probably two of the easiest things to understand and do. First, you chase your fears. What are you afraid of? I mean honestly. Are you afraid of success and popularity? Are you afraid of being liked by people? Are you afraid of being well-known or exposed? Once you write out this bucket list of fears, begin to chase them down (within reason, no burying yourself alive or anything). You get the idea. If you’re afraid of heights, go sky diving. Now, the second part is subtle. SMILE! Because we have no idea how we are perceived by others (see step 1), and because we have no idea what we look like while we live our lives, we really don’t take too much notice of the look on our face throughout the day. I tell you this, if you smiled 30% more for the next week you would notice an improvement immediately. Never, ever, EVER, underestimate the power of smiling. We’re drawn to it. Our minds love it. We want to smile more, whether we know it or not. Chase those fears of yours with a smile on your face, sporting fun goals, a new personal elevator pitch and a new sense of spontaneity. Cool? We’d like to hear back from you on this. What do you think?

Accounting field Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Accounting field - Essay Example rategic capability which includes a typical know-how , a set of skills , or a special insight that creates high returns and competitive advantage , fosters organizational agility that is difficult to duplicate.( Bruner, 2004,p.914). A study by McKinsey Consultants has revealed that companies can undertake non-synergic acquisition deals to their advantages. It has found that a diverse group of business organizations like Sara Lee, Thermo Electron and Clayton, Dubliner & Rice have developed astonishingly and seized continued returns of 18 % to 35% per annum by venturing into non-synergic business acquisitions. Further, a study conducted by Harvard Business School also corroborates that companies can venture into non-synergistic advantageously. Hyan (1989) revealed that about fifty percent of all acquisitions are planned to be only partially taxable or to be completely tax-free. Gonzalez et al (1998) held that more probable to be targets of acquisition by foreign companies were undervalued U.S companies. Kish and Vasconcelos (1998) viewed that a formidable relationship existed between exchange rate movements and acquisition activity. (Bruner, 2004, p107). As competitive businesses tackle globalization while attempting to remain competitive and to maintain productivity when confronted with emerging markets, they encounter demoralizing difficulties particularly when attempting to expand internationally. (Sinha , Khanna & Phalepu 2005). Acquisition has become an active strategy nowadays as it enables the fear of being taken over and corporate revitalization keeps managers on their toes. (Japanese firms 2007). (Lloyd, 2006, p1). As per various earlier empirical studies, a business acquisition helps to attain a strategic capability which includes a typical know-how, a set of skills, or a special insight that creates high returns and competitive advantage, fosters organizational agility that is difficult to duplicate. Whether the acquisitions have transformed the