Feminist Principles and Practices in Geography Essay

Feminist Principles and Practices in Geography - Essay Example They explored feminist contributions from ecological movement, black, feminist and gay movements, the forces of nationalism, and so on. They find out that each and every one of these oppositional cultures possessed a distinctive geography, which is a vital part of their ability to survive and contest dominant orders. (Peet & Thrift, 1989, p. 21) So what kind of feminist critical practice does the new geography of identity foster' First, let it be said that feminist criticism has not been and should not be limited to discussions of identity and subjectivity. But since these issues have been so foundational for much feminist criticism, it is important for us to think through the implication of the new geography for work that continues to explore the production and reception of women's writing and the textuality of gender. Second, feminist critical practice focused on questions of identity and subjectivity has already begun to change significantly as a result of the new geographics. The initial incursion of women's issues and feminist analysis into urban geography was an angry one. Early writers argued that geographers had ignored women's activities and that this distorted both the reality of women's lives and the understanding of human-environmental relations. They said that geographers were building models on the basis of family forms and gender-based movement patterns, which no longer existed. Yet this incursion was also a cautious one. As with any attempt to introduce new content into a discipline developed in its absence, people moved warily. They looked for footholds, places in existing frameworks for women's new and unratified patterns. (Peet & Thrift, 1989, p. 111) Existing frameworks did not appear to offer many such footholds. Despite the pioneering efforts of a few humanists and historical materialists, at this point still zealously and often dogmatically explicating their respective philosophies, urban geography was largely a spatial science. It focused on attempts to explain and predict patterns of movement using models, which extrapolated from empirical evidence of human, and commodity movement in the past. The patterns women created were unpredictable and even inexplicable in terms of this kind of science. Demographic predictions foundered, victims of the failure to acknowledge the growing campaigns around fertility control and new family forms. The 'units' of demographic change acquired unexpected political convictions and made themselves known as complex, conscious beings. (Peet & Thrift, 1989, p. 111) Similarly, discussion of residential location and the categorisation of socio-economic status were disordered by unforeseen, two-incom e families. Journey-to-work researchers were perplexed by women's apparently erratic non-maximizing movements, which were punctuated by trips to childcare, shops, and childrens' teachers (Monk & Hanson 1982). Initially, such problems

Social contract ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social contract ethics - Essay Example The idea of social contract originated in philosophical doctrines of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. Even though all of them used the notion â€Å"social contract†, each of them had different understanding of how exactly people conclude the contract. This means that ethical principles of social contract are also different for each theory. Still all of them agreed in one crucial point: to create efficient social contract every individual should follow the terms established in the particular kind of agreement. In fact this means that if people live together they need to sacrifice a part of their personal freedom and restrict themselves in different aspects of their lives (Holcombe 1978). It is quite obvious that any ethics require some sorts of restrictions of human personal freedom. As far as humans are the kind of beings who frequently make certain actions that can be harmful for others who live next to them in society, ethical principles are supposed to teach humans how to act no t to harm. Basically, the main principle of social contract ethics is: do as you would be done by. Otherwise it would’ve been impossible for people to cohabitate together. Hobbes’ doctrine of social contract claims that people need to conclude the kind of agreement because their nature is evil and destructive. According to the agreement people give their personal freedom under someone’s control (either monarch’s or government’s) and the society lives in order following some strict rules established by the dictator.

Importance of Mobile phone

Importance of Mobile phone Introduction During the past decades most people have been adopting themselves with the use of mobile phones. This has rapidly grown in different parts of the world and now, exceptionally the use of a mobile phone is as common as wearing clothes. External factors of an organisation are the ones that the business has no control of while the internal ones are under full control of the business. My manager approached me and wanted me to produce a short simple and clear report of the mobile industry. As an employee of the mobile industry it was an obligation for me to obey. This was a big challenge for me and also it was a chance for me to learn a great deal knowledge about the mobile industry. The report was supposed to cover on various external factors that have impacts on the activities of the organisation. It also included the effects on our customers and suppliers and how to improve them so as to ensure better services to the customers. The report will be categorised into different part with each part having a specific importance to the industry. These parts include PEST, SWOT and the market research which talks more about primary and secondary methods of research. Marketing is the process of anticipating, satisfying and analysing customers requirements profitability. It is very important for a business especially in ensuring the success of the business. The purpose of communication is for the organisation to present and exchange information with its stake holder according to its defined objective and to deliver specific results (Lowe 2009) Market research is the process used to describe a full range of business activities (Chisnall 1996) therefore a business carry out a research normally to identify people wants before product launching this is mainly done in order to avoid failure during product launching. Most large companies have their own market research department (Keller 2009) Primary research (Qualitative) this is refereed to as field research. Its the research that is based on quality. It is based on getting the original data about the market and the product. During approaching customers different methods of primary research can be used such as interviews, observations and questionnaires. Questionnaire is conducted by making people answer questions about the product and their views of the product. While conducting a questionnaire you learn peoples attitude, knowledge and preference of the product. During analysing my questionnaires most people where widely interested by latest mobiles with latest inbuilt software programs as this tend to provide help and support to them in the world. Its is very useful as people are able to obtain different source of data just by using their mobile phones and also they use it in many different ways which are very help full to them especially at work. People with good paying jobs tend to use mobile as reminders as well as schedule planner therefore they are always cautious. This research has its advantages and disadvantages, these are very important for a mobile company to take notice of and they will be listed below Advantages 1) it produces quality data as it tend to approach the question directly 2) its very reliable I personally went in few mobile stores to carry out a primary research This was on the 4th of February 2010 at 10:50 Am. Orange mobile store was the place. Luckily i was able to interview about 13 people from the age of 20 to 28, about different mobile requirements, specifications and its purchasing trends. The results where as follows a) Most people prefer product with many features b) People tend to buy products with affordable pricing as well good design and quality Disadvantages 1) the cost of spreading the information is spread between different users therefore it makes it very expensive 2) its very time consuming Secondary research (Quantitavily) this research is based on facts the information is second hand it already exists there fore its referred to as desk research. This data is normally obtained through sources such as newspapers, journals, internet, books and even magazines. This research is very easy and takes a short amount of time but past results can change within time there fore it can be very misleading. My secondary research involved net surfing and basing on facts it clearly shows that peoples taste has changed. More people prefer phones that are technologically advanced as they tend to cope with fashion as well as advanced mobile devices provide a wide range of help and support to customers during completing their tasks. This has different advantages and disadvantages. They include Advantages 1) Its always available and can be acquired at any time. 2) Its very cheap Disadvantages 1) It does not tackle straight away there fore its unreliable 2) Its often out of date Findings PEST analysis this is the macro environment where by the firm has very little control. It mainly consists of factors that are external. Pest is political, economical, social and technological. According to various methods used while conducting this research it was quite a challenge. The research used where primary and secondary. Political This mainly deals with the law of the country where a particular company is located. In UK each and every company must comply with the law. It must be able to comply with new changes in the countrys legal system and companies must provide training this is mainly to provide the required knowledge to the unskilled also to insure safety at work. It also encourages the unemployed to work. High tax rates that the company has to pay are also a law that the company must be prepared to meet up with. Due to this being an external factor the business has no control of but to prepare it self and though even this affect the customers disposable income as it tends to increase the price of product the company has no option but just to advertise for the product so as to encourage customers to make a purchase even though the product price might be high. The company must also be aware that the law is made with action, if not followed it cause problems to the company. Politically stability is an impor tant factor to all company as this makes the company operate in a peaceful manner as it also increase the company security and customers become more confident with the products and thus brand name improves its status. Economical Are those that affect spending patterns and international trade (Chaffey 2003) this consists of factors such as consumers income and many others which affect consumers purchasing power. This affects people spending patens even though it differs from place to place. People with high disposable income such as empty nesters tend to be little affected as they have no responsibilities and they have a high disposable income in contrast parent with young children are more affected because they are dependants. They have to look after their children as the same time they also have to save so as to pay for the childrens education. The company can launch products which mainly target the old population mainly because they have a high income. This mainly deals with money there for a company must know its market before realigns a product. The company must be prepared to respond to changes of people socials attitude and peoples buying attitudes as in different part of the world recession is one of the biggest problem there for the company must know on how to rate their prices. In the UK recession is also a major problem there for the company must understand that most people are out of jobs there for it must know how to deal with this type of situations in order to maintain its customers as most people tend not to buy luxury goods. Inflation is also another external problem thats affecting the company. The company must carefully consider this situation where by money losses its value. The company has no power over this situation because it cannot control the supply of money in a countrys economy there fore it must try its best to provide suitable options for the customers so as to ensure the safety of the company. Social This mainly shows the peoples living styles there fore it is the cultural aspects of the macro environment, the industry needs to ensure product safety as most people have become cautious with their health and also the company should insure proper production methods of the product as to ensure safety of its customers. We can see at present most people are careful about their health where by the company must act in response with these various changes so as to ensure safety in the mobile industry. Social way of life changes from time to time and in the UK at present Scientists claim radiation from handsets are to blame for mysterious colony collapse of bees (www.independent.co.uk) there fore this can end up damaging the environments eco system three fore the company should be aware of such problems and should find means of solving them as this tend to destroy the brand image. Technological This mainly deals with the latest electronic devices and is the most dramatic aspect at the company as technology tends to change from day to day. Technology tends to improve at a very high rate as the phones produced know are much simpler and delicate then in the past decades. The latest mobiles are very complex mobile devices as people tend to cope with fashion. As a company we need to keep up with the day to day improvement of technology as to provide best product quality to our customers. This will also improve the company brand name as customers wont consider us outdated. The launching of new products such as I phone by Apple Company is a major boost in the market there for the company needs to keep track of the fast changing technology in order to keep up with competitors this will improve the companys opportunities. The company should be prepared to invest a sufficient amount of fund so as to cope with the fast improving technology as this will also make them release latest quality products in the market. SWOT analysis refers to strength weaknesses opportunities and threats. They normally show the parts that the business is strong at weak at and also the opportunities that the business is having and that they need to take advantages of and also the threats from competitors as well as the big challenge in the market. Strength and weakness are the internal factors while opportunities and threats are external (www.wordpress.com) Strength These are the advantages that one company have over the other. They are normally the main reason that attracts customers to a particular type of product in the market. Recently most consumers tend to be interested in highly tech mobile devices there fore companies with high tech technology tend to produce a product that most customers desires. The company must make well use of its strength as they are the main reason way customers tend to buy our products. Latest products that were produce by the company include an eight mega pixel camera. The realise of this mobile phones means people no longer have to carry mobile phone together with digital cameras therefore people are able to take high quality pictures and share them at the same time with close group. The company also need to know that the latest touch screen phones are very popular as most people tend to copy with fashion. The phone also has latest software devices that provide high help for business people and also they can acc ess their email address at any time. The main strength include 1) High tech mobile devices with good digital camera 2) Latest mobile phones with provide easy internet access to business people Weakness They are normally the Disadvantages that the business is experiencing. They normally discourage customers in making a purchase. They are internally and the company needs to ensure that all the weaknesses are overcome in order to provide an appealing product to the customers. As one of a big brand in the industry we need to overcome our weaknesses The weaknesses include 1) Maintaining poor quality product by the business without launching a new one 2) Lack of uniqueness in the product in contrast to competitors Opportunities These are external chances that exist for the business and it is very important for the business to take advantage of them so as to ensure product success. Opportunities are strength that exists for the business. This include 1) Fast delivery and cheap product 2) Making the process of buying the product more efficient Threats They are risks that or challenges that the business have. The business might try to overcome their threats so as to ensure safety of the company. Threats include 1) High tax for the products 2) Many competitors with more advanced distribution channel and advanced products Conclusion The company needs to change the product it produces with change in fashion so as to ensure customer safety, this will make us adopt with fashion there fore produce product that suits consumers requirements, in doing so the company must also be able to invest a lot of money in new products without them being sure that the product will be a success in the market. The company needs to carry out market research before launching its new products in the market in order to minimise its risk of product failure. References: Chaffey, B. (2003) Internet marketing, second edition Chisnall, M. (1996) marketing research, fifth edition Kotler,p.,keller,k.,brady,m.,goodman,m.,and Hanse,T.(2009) Marketing management ,first edition,pg 190-191 Http: www.wordpress.com,retrived on 12/02/2010 Http: www.independent.co.uk, retrieved on 12/02/2010 Bibliography: http://www.imparta.com/marketing/marketing_overview?gclid=CK2FtovkjqACFc9i4wodE2dNdA, accessed on 15/02/2010 www.kinesisMarketing.co.uk accessed on 15/02/2010

Cry, the Beloved Country: Change :: Cry the Beloved Country Essays

In undertaking a journey, a person learns and changes. One may change emotionally, psychologically, as well as spiritually. The journeyer is scared at first, then usually goes through some pain and suffering. In the end, however, this journeyer comes out different then they were when they began, with some understanding. Stephan Kumalo, James Jarvis, and Absalom Kumalo undertake this very thing in Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Paton. Stephan Kumalo, a priest from the small native town of Ndotsheni, takes a journey to the great city of Johannesburg. He intends to find his sick sister and his son, Absalom, who has gone away. At first, Stephan has "the fear of the unknown, the fear of the great city"(44) where his loved ones had gone to and not written in months. Not long after he begins, he realizes "this is a bitter journey"(55) upon hearing the occupations and practices of his sister. He goes through pain and suffering, more and more as he learns of his brother's loss of faith in the church, and the murder his son has committed. But, soon enough he comes to an understanding of this world in Johannesburg. He learns why there is so much crime and poverty. He then has hope the success of his daughter in-law and his nephew in Ndotsheni. He gains hope for the rebuilding of the tribe. Stephan Kumalo comes away from his journey changing spiritually and knowing that there is "comfort in a world of desolation"(94). He changes emotionally and becomes stronger. Also, he changes psychologically and learning the troubles of Johannesburg and apartheid, and their various causes. James Jarvis undergoes vast changes during his journey. He is told that his son has been killed, and he leaves for Johannesburg at once. His son, Arthur, was a social activist helping natives in South Africa, trying to get better hospitals and schools for them. These are subjects James Jarvis never thought about much. When he arrives at his son's house, the place of Arthur's death, he reads through some of his manuscripts and books. First, James suffers a lot thinking about his son's death. As he reads through some of his books and papers however, he comes to an understanding how great a man his son was, and what he stood for. "He sat smoking his pipe and was lost in thought"(180) after he reads a manuscript on what is permissible and what is not

Bio Architecture Research Paper

THE PONTIFICAL AND ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS College of Architecture DESIGN 1 Research Paper July 17, 2012 1. Biotecture †¢ Biotecture is the term used to define architecture that is influenced by biology. Biotecture makes use of organic materials such as plants, minerals, and organisms. In biotecture, nature itself is the ideal architectural construct. 2. Sustainable Architecture †¢ Sustainable means something that can be maintained at a certain rate or level. It can also be upheld and defended. Sustainable architecture is the term used to describe architectural designs that have environmentally conscious techniques.In sustainable architecture, the following aspects of building should be considered: atmosphere, longevity, energy, interface, and equity. 3. Zoomorphic †¢ Zoomorphic is the adjective form of the noun zoomorphism, which means â€Å"the use of animal forms in symbolism, literature, or graphic†. Following this definition, zoomorphic architecture is a new wave of contemporary architectural designs based on animals. In some designs, the animal stands as a symbol while in other structures, the design shares some elements of an animal in a more functional manner. 4. Biomorphic Biomorphic architecture is the architecture that has the form of a living organism. Biomorphic architecture uses nature as a model, and designs that are influenced by the structural principles and decorative motifs found in nature. 5. Nanoarchitecture †¢ Nanotechnology is the study of the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Given this definition, nanoarchitecture is the integration of nanotechnology in architecture. Nanotechnology can be integrated into architecture by the use of nano-products, nano-materials, nano-telecommunication, or even nano-shapes. . Biomimicry †¢ Biomimicry simply means to imitate life. This is a new discipline that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Architecture that involves biomimicry is the architecture wherein the designs are inspired by nature. 7. Biomimetic Design †¢ Biomimetic Designs are biomimicry. These designs mimic biologic structure and processes. In scaffold design, biomimetic refers to scaffolds that copy bone structure and function. 8. Organic Architecture The great architect Frank Lloyd Wright was the first person to use the term Organic Architecture. Organic architecture promotes harmony between the man-made structures and the nature that surrounds it. This can be achieved through design approaches which are well integrated making the buildings and surroundings part of a unified and interrelated composition. 9. Biostructural †¢ Biostructural is defined by nature doing the actual construction work and makes direct use of natural systems for architectural purposes.

Alara Agri Case

1. Should Taner engage in consumer research for Alara Agri’s prepackaged cherries or should he attempt to persuade German and Belgian retailers to conduct some test marketing in their stores? Taner should engage in consumer research for Alara Agri’s prepackaged cherries because throughout the case, German and Belgian retailers were very pessimistic of the idea of prepackaged cherries, believing that the packaging would deter the consumers in their countries from buying because it does not give the â€Å"farm fresh feel. The German and Belgian retailers also stated that their consumers were more price sensitive, and would not be prone to packaging unlike other countries such as the UK which is an island. German and Belgian retailers were under the assumption that the UK consumer would pay more for packaged goods because they are an island, and it is not as easy to obtain such fruits and vegetables all year round.After reading studies, a Belgian report showed, â€Å"an in-store survey revealed less than 40 percent of consumers are able to state the correct price of a jar of mayonnaise immediately after purchase, more than 20 percent having no idea at all of the price charge. † A German study of consumers at supermarkets found a staggering number of just under 70 percent of purchases were made at the point of sale, and that brand meant a lot, because it distinguished quality items from not. 2. If you think consumer research is appropriate, what are the specifics of your research plan?The specifics that would be most appropriate for the research plan, would have to be having a brand/label test, as well as a price test. The ultimate goal is to propose the plan to the German and Belgian retailers, which is already touchy. The plan is to show a minute cost increase but with a return far greater with the idea of longer shelf life, as well as a brand that would stick. The challenge to overcome is to figure out how to convince the German and Belgian retailers that the cost of convenience and quality would catch on quickly as it did in Europe.The research plan will also include test marketing in the stores, perhaps with a credit to the retailers whose shelf space was wasted as a result of a failed attempt to gain a new base of consumer. All in all, getting the brand name out and getting it to stick with the meaning of quality, with an offering of good faith that if the attempt fails, the retailers would be reimburse to the fullest. 3. If you think test marketing by retail customers is appropriate, what are the specifics of your research plan?Test marketing is absolutely appropriate by retail consumers, because it allows a company to not throw all of their eggs in one basket only to have it fail. It gives the company an opportunity, as well, to determine whether or not it would be appropriate to make such a drastic change in an already established market. In order to do this, we would need retailer willingness of shelf space for any certain amount of time. We would also have to implement a consumer report of customers who picked through cherries, as opposed to customers who picked up the â€Å"punnets† of cherries.This type of comparative data would allow us to show the Belgian and German retailers an analysis of growth, profit, and gross margin, ultimately convincing, or proving the Belgian and German retailers correct. 4. Do you have any other recommendations for Mr. Taner? My only other recommendations is that Mr. Taner prove his brand and quality meet the expectations of those he is trying to convince. Rightfully so, Mr. Taner has all of the tools he needs in order to perform a thorough study which should allow him to obtain shelf space in German and Belgium, on the pretense that his changing of the market is an actual success.

The Later Years and Last Words of John Adams

The Later Years and Last Words of John Adams Thomas Jefferson still survives. These were the famous last words of Americas second president of the United States, John Adams. He died on July 4, 1826 at the age of 92, on the same day as President Thomas Jefferson. Little did he realize that he actually outlived his former rival who turned into great friend by a few hours.   The relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams started cordially with both working on the draft of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson often visited with Adams and his wife Abigail after the death of Jeffersons wife Martha in 1782. When both were sent to Europe, Jefferson to France and Adams to England, Jefferson continued to write to Abigail. However, their budding friendship would soon come to an end as they became fierce political rivals during the early days of the republic. When new president George Washington was to choose a Vice President, both Jefferson and Adams were considered. However, their personal political views were quite different.  While Adams supported a stronger federal government with the new Constitution, Jefferson was a staunch advocate of states rights. Washington went with Adams and the relationship between the two men began to wane.   President and Vice President Ironically, due to the fact that Constitution did not originally differentiate between president and vice president candidates during presidential elections, whoever received the most votes became president, while the second most voter became the vice president. Jefferson became Adams Vice President in 1796.  Jefferson then went on to  defeat Adams for reelection in the  significant election of 1800. Part of the reason why Adams lost this election was due to the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. These four acts were passed as a response to the criticisms that Adams and the federalists were receiving by their political opponents. The Sedition Act made it so that any conspiracy against the government including interference with officers or riots would result in a high misdemeanor. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were fiercely opposed to these acts and in response passed the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. In Jeffersons Kentucky Resolutions, he argued that the states a ctually had the power of nullification against national laws which they found unconstitutional. Right before leaving office, Adams appointed a number of Jeffersons rivals to high positions in the government. This was when their relationship was truly at its lowest point.   In 1812,  Jefferson and John Adams  began to rekindle their friendship through correspondence. They covered many topics in their letters to each other including politics, life, and love. They ended up writing over 300 letters to each other.  Later in life, Adams vowed to survive until the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Both he and Jefferson were able to accomplish this feat, dying on the anniversary of its signing. With their death only one signer of the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll, was still alive. He lived until 1832.

Corpus Callosum and Brain Function

Corpus Callosum and Brain Function The corpus callosum is a thick band of nerve fibers that divides the cerebral cortex lobes into left and right hemispheres. It connects the left and right sides of the brain allowing for communication between both hemispheres. The corpus callosum transfers motor, sensory, and cognitive information between the brain hemispheres. Function The corpus callosum is the largest fiber bundle in the brain, containing nearly 200 million axons. It is composed of white matter fiber tracts known as commissural fibers. It is involved in several functions of the body including: Communication Between Brain HemispheresEye Movement and VisionMaintaining the Balance of Arousal and AttentionTactile Localization From anterior (front) to posterior (back), the corpus callosum can be divided into regions known as the rostrum, genu, body, and splenium. The rostrum and genu connect the left and right frontal lobes of the brain. The body and splenium connect the hemispheres of the temporal lobes and the hemispheres of the occipital lobes. The corpus callosum plays an important role in vision by combining the separate halves of our visual field, which process images separately in each hemisphere. It also allows us to identify the objects we see by connecting the visual cortex with the language centers of the brain. In addition, the corpus callosum transfers tactile information (processed in the parietal lobes) between the brain hemispheres to enable us to locate touch. Location Directionally, the corpus callosum is located underneath the cerebrum at the midline of the brain. It resides within the interhemispheric fissure, which is a deep furrow that separates the brain hemispheres. Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is a condition in which an individual is born with a partial corpus callosum or no corpus callosum at all. The corpus callosum typically develops between 12 to 20 weeks and continues to experience structural changes even into adulthood. AgCC can be caused by a number of factors including chromosome mutations, genetic inheritance, prenatal infections, and other causes that are unknown. Individuals with AgCC may experience cognitive and communication developmental delays. They may have difficulty understanding language and social cues. Other potential problems include vision impairment, lack of movement coordination,  hearing problems, low muscle tone, distorted head or facial features, spasms, and seizures. How are people born without a corpus callosum able to function? How are both hemispheres of their brain able to communicate? Researchers have discovered that the resting state brain activity in both those with healthy brains and those with AgCC look essentially the same. This indicates that the brain compensates for the missing corpus callosum by rewiring itself and establishing new nerve connections between the brain hemispheres. The actual process involved in establishing this communication is still unknown.

How My Local Library Helped Me Get from Jobless and Broke to Six Figures a Year

How My Local Library Helped Me Get from Jobless and Broke to Six Figures a Year In 2008 I had the world I had a good job I loved. I earned a pretty good salary, and was constantly praised What is that old saying about pride going before the fall? Yep, thats exactly what happened. Through no fault of my own, the company I worked for as a high-end retail sales manager went bankrupt. We received no advance notice that they were closing our store. On a Thursday in late June of 2008, it was business as usual. Friday shut down. That was the same year the economy crashed in the United States, creating a perfect storm of financial fear and self-doubt in my life. I sold my car and most of my possessions, so I would have some cash to fall back on in case I didnt find another job right away. To bolster my income as I continued to look for work, I decided to learn about this whole making money online thing. Since I could not even afford a monthly Internet bill, I walked to and from the near I stumbled across a few Internet marketing forums, where I sold articles for as little as $5 or $10. After just over a year of cranking out low-paying work seven days a week, my financial situation slowly began to improve. I persisted. I took online courses and writing classes. That persistence paid off. One of my clients told me I should become a copywriter because my writing converted so well for him. I thanked him, hung up the phone and immediately grabbed my Websters Dictionary. I had no clue what a copywriter was! Almost instantly, I began writing copy instead of content. I realized that copywriting was where I needed to be, and where my natural inclinations and talents belonged. I began offering copywriting services to my clients and cut back on writing content. Fast forward eight long years, and I am on pace to flirt with a six-figure income this year. Whats the take-away from this story? Dont give up when things get tough. Always keep your Big Why in the front of your mind. Ask yourself why you want to earn a living as a writer. Be brutally honest with your answer. Keep asking yourself why, over and over, until you get to the basic motivating factor that drives your writing desires. Was it fun for me, walking in the rain, the cold and the heat, seven days a week to my local library to frequently sit next to some less than desirable people while I taught myself how to make a good living writing online? Of course it wasnt. But it was necessary. Do whatever is necessary to live your dream life. Its not really as hard as you may think. It may take time. It is certainly going to take effort. But the personal empowerment and freedom that the freelance writing lifestyle delivers is worth any cost as long as your Why? is big enough.

The Russian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Russian Revolution - Essay Example Why did the revolution occur and what was the result? This is what this paper is going to focus on. The kind of revolution envisaged by Marx and Engels was to be as a result of workers consciousness or bourgeois intelligentsia. In many countries workers started forming trade unions to fight against employers and the government so as to pass labor legislations that improve their conditions. However, for Beeler and Clark the Russian revolution was â€Å"a natural and inevitable outcome of development of ideas among revolutionary socialist intelligentsia.†1 For them, socialist movements such as the trade unions are not enough to get the kind of social democracy needed otherwise the proletariats attempts would fail just like the first revolution that removed tsar from office did not work. The mistake that socialists such as Alexander Kensky made after seizing power in Russia was failure to confiscate large landholdings and give it to peasants who had fought hard to free themselves from exploitation.2 These leaders were not intelligent enough to lead a revolution like Lenin. In other words, Beeler and Clark would say they lacked revolutionary professionalism thus not revolutionary social democrats. ... The food shortage experienced in 1917 due to the war led to violent street demonstrations and an unplanned uprising occurred and in March 12, 1917 the Duma took over leadership and declared a provisional government.3 This government emphasized equality before the law, freedom of religion, speech and assembly as well as the rights of unions to organize and strike but it shared power with Petrograd soviet of workers and soldiers leading to a state of anarchy.4 The government was also unable to remove Russia from the war thus giving an opportunity to Lenin to wage his campaigns and attract huge masses of people. The provisional government rule was not successful since the leaders lacked leadership skills. For a revolution to be successful it has to be led by professional revolutionaries and not trade unionists or socialist intellectuals. It needs radical revolutionary leaders like Lenin and Trotsky who are always preoccupied with social democratic activities. Lenin called for â€Å"dis ciplined workers who are controlled by small, dedicated elite of intellectual and professional revolutionaries† as opposed to masses.5 The group was referred as Bolsheviks and though they failed in their first attempt to seize power from the provisional government, the army skills of Trotsky and support of soldiers and workers tired of the war made the second attempt to be successful. The Bolshevik majority declared all power for the soviets and Lenin as head of government thus displacing the provisional government.6 However, to end the war he had to sign the Treaty of Brest-Litorsk thus ceding Russian territories to central powers. Civil war ensued thereafter but the

Portfolio management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Portfolio management - Essay Example Categorisation involves grouping potential components in to categories in order to facilitate further decision making. Usually, categories link their components with a common set of strategic goals. In this first step of implementing, it is important to establish what is going to be managed and as such, it is necessary to have an overview   of the extent and variety of potential and available work   and how it maps in to the organisations overall strategy. It is important at this stage to have to be aware of the extent and size of your mandate. This is the stage where one decides the terms, scope and defines the portfolio as well as gaining agreement on the basic portfolio model (Reilly & Brown, 2012). This is where on defines information such as: departments that are going to be covered, the category of work included for example whether the portfolio includes operations or projects, the categorization scheme which aids in balancing the portfolio in areas of importance to allow o ptimization of the overall allocation of resources.   For example, categories may include work that supports the business or grows the business. Work can also be categorised as high, medium or low risk. It is important that for every categorisation defined, some guidelines are set for how work should be balanced. Make sure that projects that are chosen are aligned to the goals and strategies of the organisation and also have the highest value. As such, understand the models that the organisation or department wants to employ.

Analyzing mills saying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analyzing mills saying - Essay Example From the aforementioned statement, the English philosopher suggests that happiness or satisfaction is not the ultimate objective of performing an action or making a decision. This means that he does not quite agree to the principle of utility because he maintains that there would be a difference in the kinds of such individual. Meaning, a thing might be good, acceptable and brings happiness to someone but not to another. For the first person may be happy however, when someone looks deeper into what the former is satisfied about, it could be because that person’s standards are way below what his humanity demands of him. For example, one may find pleasure in sex but another finds it displeasing because the person acts immorally. That certain person acts like an animal which simply satisfies his wants. For Mill, he is likened to a pig. It is known that a pig does nothing but eat, sleep and relieves itself from the heat by swimming in the mud or worse, in its own dirt and it is sa tisfied with such kind of life. Therefore, the philosopher argues that he would rather be an unhappy human being than an animal which acts in such a manner but is still satisfied about itself. For the second person, he might be dissatisfied and unhappy but considers himself of higher morality than the former. This contradicts the philosophy of Bentham who says that a person is moral when his actions bring him happiness. Similarly, Mill believes that it is better to be a dissatisfied wise man than a satisfied fool. It is assumed that he argues that when a wise man is unhappy or dissatisfied about his actions or decisions, it is not only because he has done unacceptable things. Rather, the unhappiness and dissatisfaction might be the result of unmet high standard one has set for himself to achieve. In the same way, one cannot say that a person who is satisfied and happy with

Creativity and Innovation Empowerment by the Right Leadership Essay

Creativity and Innovation Empowerment by the Right Leadership - Essay Example This means employers look for people who are creative, innovative and bring in fresh, original and imaginative ideas to boost their products and services. In fostering environments where creativity thrive, stronger overall businesses will emerge. However, the way in which a manager of employees can get optimum creativity from his workforce is not always clear. According to Periperl (2002), creating teams of people inspired by the spirit of creativity will enhance overall performance within a business. This study intends to find the common elements of managerial/ leadership styles that promote employee creativity and innovation in the work environment. Creativity and Innovation In many research studies, the terms creativity and innovation are often used interchangeably, however, there are noted differences between the two. Mumford & Gustafson (1988) contend that creativity has to do with the production of novel and useful ideas, and innovation has to do with the production or adoption of such useful ideas as well as its implementation (Kanter, 1988; Van de Ven, 1986). In any case, organizations need both to be successful in the achievement of its goals. Robinson (2011) contends that in order to maintain a competitive edge, creativity and innovation are necessary to generate new ideas for products and services. ... r, even if an individual has enough appropriate creative thinking skills and expertise, a high level of creativity will not be reached if he or she lacks the motivation to mobilize efforts to use such capabilities (Jung, 2001). A common phrase used referring to creativity is ‘thinking outside the box†. Notar & Padgett (2010) commented that very successful people never appear to have a â€Å"box† from which they ope rate. However, a box is something associated with something that confines one to a finite space. â€Å"Thinking outside the box† then means not thinking in a finite space but opening the minds out to infinite space with endless possibilities. Bernacki (2002) enumerates some attributes related to thinking outside the box as having a willingness to take new perspectives to day-to-day work. It also entails openness to do different things and to do things differently. Creative individuals focus on the value of finding new ideas and acting on them. The y strive to create value in new ways. Although they already have great ideas in mind, they still enjoy listening to others due to their perennial search for better ideas. Creative Cultures/Environments Amabile (1998) suggests that for leaders to foster creativity among their subordinates, they must establish an organizational environment wherein subordinates feel safe contributing their ideas and trying out innovative approaches without fear of punishment for failure. Transformational leaders stimulate their followers to think ‘out of the box’ by enhancing generative and exploratory thinking (Sosik et al., 1998). Such leaders push their followers to bravely think about old problems in new ways, to question their own values, traditions and beliefs, as well as the leader’s beliefs and assumptions (Bass, 1985;

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Paraphrase - Essay Example If a firm is operating at or near capacity, it is not very likely to instigate a price war because it wants to raise its prices to increase profits. Also, a firm may not have the resources to dramatically reduce the price of a significant product. 6. â€Å"Pricing cooperation is more likely to emerge in markets where one firm raises a price and competitors follow suit and market shares remain unchanged. It is less likely to work well in markets where price matching may not leave market shares constant. Evaluate this statement. Can you think of circumstances under which price matching behavior could alter market shares? Greater prices will always benefit a company. Also, it is easier for a company to observe higher prices rather than lower prices. In this instance, the price of a good acts like an identical feature of the market. A firm that could gain a significant market share due to reducing prices would be inclined to employ price matching behavior. Firms that are perceived to produce high quality products may also think about this strategy. 7. Suppose that you were an industry analyst trying to determine whether the leading firms in the automobile manufacturing industry are playing a tit-for-tat pricing game. What real-world data would you want to examine? What would you consider to be evidence of tit-for-tat pricing? The real-world data that I would want to consider would be the advertised price for a product. To get a better understanding of the market, I would compare the current price with the last financial period. 8. Studies of pricing in the airline industry show that carriers that dominate hub airports (Delta in Atlanta, USAir in Pittsburgh, American in Dallas) tend to charge higher fares on average for flights into and out of the hub airport than other, non-dominant carriers flying in and out of the hub. What might explain this pattern of prices? First of all, carriers that

The Role of Religon In Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Role of Religon In Diplomacy - Essay Example Religious leaders can understand the causes of conflicts more clearly than politicians. Religions work on the principles of morals whereas politics work on the principle of utility. In other words, politics always try to exploit as much as from a negotiation whereas religions may give more importance to the settling of disputes even if it sacrifice something. So, culturally motivated politics can be settled more effectively with the help of religions or religious leaders since the dialogues between religious leaders may help both the parties to realize the issue more deeply. At the same time it is difficult to solve all international disputes with the help of faith or religious leaders. There are many conflicts in which both the parties happens to be from the same religion. It should be noted that Iran and Iraq have engaged in a fierce battle few years before even though both the countries are dominated by Muslim religion. The influence of religion in Iranian politics was more than t hat in Iraq few years before. Even though Muslim leaders tried to solve Iran-Iraq conflicts amicably, Saddam’s dictatorship prevented them from doing so. Nobody can argue that Hitler like dictators will even hear the words of religious leaders. In short, settling cultural disputes between countries with the help of faith based diplomacy is difficult in some cases as cited in the above examples. Majority of the religions teach the importance of love in solving problems between people and cultures. Religious leaders should teach diplomats and politicians the necessities of solving cultural disputes based on moral and values rather than selfishness. In the current globalized world, religious leaders can play more useful roles in solving cultural problems. For example, Pope... This paper approves that it is difficult to solve all international disputes with the help of faith or religious leaders. There are many conflicts in which both the parties happens to be from the same religion. It should be noted that Iran and Iraq have engaged in a fierce battle few years before even though both the countries are dominated by Muslim religion. The influence of religion in Iranian politics was more than that in Iraq few years before. Even though Muslim leaders tried to solve Iran-Iraq conflicts amicably, Saddam’s dictatorship prevented them from doing so. Nobody can argue that Hitler like dictators will even hear the words of religious leaders. In short, settling cultural disputes between countries with the help of faith based diplomacy is difficult in some cases as cited in the above examples. Majority of the religions teach the importance of love in solving problems between people and cultures. Religious leaders should teach diplomats and politicians the nece ssities of solving cultural disputes based on moral and values rather than selfishness. In the current globalized world, religious leaders can play more useful roles in solving cultural problems. This report makes a conclusion that faith based diplomacy is essential in solving some of the culturally motivated disputers in this world. Albright’s opinions are extremely relevant and logical when we analyze some of the cultural conflicts existing in this world. Faith based diplomacy with the help of morals and values will be more effective than political diplomacy.

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Paraphrase - Essay Example If a firm is operating at or near capacity, it is not very likely to instigate a price war because it wants to raise its prices to increase profits. Also, a firm may not have the resources to dramatically reduce the price of a significant product. 6. â€Å"Pricing cooperation is more likely to emerge in markets where one firm raises a price and competitors follow suit and market shares remain unchanged. It is less likely to work well in markets where price matching may not leave market shares constant. Evaluate this statement. Can you think of circumstances under which price matching behavior could alter market shares? Greater prices will always benefit a company. Also, it is easier for a company to observe higher prices rather than lower prices. In this instance, the price of a good acts like an identical feature of the market. A firm that could gain a significant market share due to reducing prices would be inclined to employ price matching behavior. Firms that are perceived to produce high quality products may also think about this strategy. 7. Suppose that you were an industry analyst trying to determine whether the leading firms in the automobile manufacturing industry are playing a tit-for-tat pricing game. What real-world data would you want to examine? What would you consider to be evidence of tit-for-tat pricing? The real-world data that I would want to consider would be the advertised price for a product. To get a better understanding of the market, I would compare the current price with the last financial period. 8. Studies of pricing in the airline industry show that carriers that dominate hub airports (Delta in Atlanta, USAir in Pittsburgh, American in Dallas) tend to charge higher fares on average for flights into and out of the hub airport than other, non-dominant carriers flying in and out of the hub. What might explain this pattern of prices? First of all, carriers that

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Discipline in the Behavior of Middle School Students Essay Abstract: While the impact of discipline on middle school students can vary, it is important to investigate into practices and discipline strategies that have been proposed used and for middle school environments. It is becoming increasingly clear that problem behaviors need to be addressed not only by school staff but by the community. The following review outlines the fundamentals of middle school discipline, the strategies used and the effectiveness of each, as well as how to gauge effective methods. Middle school discipline has been a growing concern among school administration, families of the students and communities for over the past ten years. Many articles have stated that middle school students display the most aggressive behavior of all levels of education as well as having the highest bullying rate and discipline problems. Researchers agree that middle school is a breeding ground for negative behavior due to students desiring to find themselves and a place to fit in. Different methods have been implemented with varying results. Some experts have argued that many methods have not been given ample time frames in order to accurately depict success. However all relevant methods concern prevention, and in many cases intervention, when building a successful disciplinary system and improved behavior among students. Literature found on this subject is innumerable; the present review has two purposes: (a) review a sample of literature for its significance in understanding the discipline process as well as the effects it has on students and (b) reviewing and analyzing methods supported by the authors of said literature. The most prominent authors were George Sugai PhD., Robert H. Homer and Jeffrey Sprague; these authors contributed more several articles on disciplinary methods, some of which will be found in this review. The guidelines used when reviewing articles were if the methods of discipline discussed by the authors provided evidence, statistics and viability. The majority of the reviewed articles were found to be significant contributions for the implementation of disciplinary methods in middle school settings. When reviewing the chosen ten articles, the most commonly agreed theory was the need for improving upon the use of general solutions when dealing with negative behavior; such as, suspension and expulsion. The most significant articles explained the need for proactive programs to deter poor behavior as well as the inclusion of tested and approved methods. The following includes brief reviews of ten chosen articles from scholarly journals, the similarities found as well as opposing points of view and the conclusion of the most relevant findings. School-wide Approach to Discipline   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When evaluating a middle school in terms of its discipline procedures and their effectiveness, many times the particular school will find the need for method when dealing with poor behavior. The authors of all the chosen articles agree that a general approach to discipline does not work.   In A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline (Homer, Sugai and Horner, 2000) the authors express the theory of â€Å"a culture of competence† which they explain the importance of being proactive where the school as a whole would foster positive behavior and the expectations of the students to act accordingly. In support of this method several studies such as the High Five Program were discussed, revealing the effectiveness of such programs. Two other theories are expressed, in order to â€Å"address the needs of students at risk of disruptive behavior† the authors suggest that the schools create rapid response methods to support these students and prevent future discipline problems. The third theory is to focus on the students with â€Å"high-intensity problem behaviors†. While I agree with the first two theories, I think it is poor practice to focus on the students with disciplinary problems; while they need support, singling out any student as a problem child could cause further damage. The authors’ goal in writing this article was to persuade readers of the necessity of school-wide methods, where all students and administration are involved in the creation of a safe learning environment. The most informative article was found in Impact journal, the authors of School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success (Horner, Sugai and Vincent, 2005) were thorough in their research and supporting data. The authors report the increase of problem behaviors among students and the need for building a much needed positive social culture. An extension of the school-wide method the School-wide positive behavior support (SW-PBS) method â€Å"is an approach that begins with a school-wide prevention effort† which â€Å"adds intensive individualized support for those students with more extreme needs†. Building from the theory represented in Sungai and Horners first article, where the need to focus on problem students was expressed, this approach provides high risk students with outlets for intervention. The remainder if this program expresses preventative strategies. What was most informative were the â€Å"five core strategies† of the SW-PBS which include: a) focus on prevention b) teaching appropriate social behavior and skills c) acknowledging appropriate behavior d) Gathering and making use of data about student behavior as a guide for behavior support decisions, and finally, e) investing in the systems that support adults in their implementation of effective practices. This method is becoming prominent, â€Å"2900 schools across 34 states are now implementing or in the process of adopting SW-PBS†, primarily in elementary and middle schools. Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety (Sprague, Walker, Golly et al. 2001)The methods examined in this study involve â€Å"†¦a universal intervention package aimed at improving the safety and social behaviors of students in elementary and middle schools. Its goals were to assist schools to provide effective educational services, behavioral supports, and social-behavioral skills teaching to all students in the school†. Like most researchers of modern discipline methods, the authors agree that general and quick solutions have little to no effects on middle school student behavior. By using the Effective Behavioral Support (EBS) Model to evaluate the school’s â€Å"discipline and climate† researchers were able to compare and contrast â€Å"treatment† schools and comparison schools. A very thorough study was performed and the results were consistent with the authors’ objectives, making EBS a viable disciplinary model. A newer method being discussed among schools and education professionals is the family centered approach. Implementing Family-Centered Interventions within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior (Stormshack, Dishion, Light and Yasui, 2005), discussed the change in preventative discipline from a strictly school setting to a family-centered method. As the authors explain, â€Å"despite the clear link between behavior problems at home and at school, mental health service delivery does not usually cross these settings and provide integrative solutions to problem behaviors.† The authors blame lack of â€Å"appropriate interventions†, school staff being trained and operating on an â€Å"individual model of development and service delivery† and shifts in priorities because of public opinion and policy. This particular article is most sensible. These authors believe children’s’ behaviors displayed in school are representative of their home lifestyles. â€Å"Effective family management skills are critical for preventing the developmental difficulties associated with adolescent problem behaviors†. The authors make reference to several studies supportive of their argument for family-centered interventions. The design of the Family Resource Center by the authors was used in studies to provide support. The results reported were positive. James K. Luiselli, Robert F. Putnam and Michael Sunderland were also supporters of school wide intervention and prevention methods. They did however address one problem occurring with the implementation of school-wide practices. It was their opinion that â€Å"effective schoolwide discipline practices have been designed, but in most cases, intervention efficacy has been evaluated in the short term†. That is reasoning behind the report in Journal of Positive Behaviors; Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavior Support Intervention in a Public Middle School (2002). This short term evaluation presented a problem of accuracy in reporting the usefulness of a certain method. â€Å"This report describes a longitudinal (4-year) evaluation of a behavior support program implemented with the entire student population in a public middle school†. This study was unique in three ways: a) it provided a long term rather than short (usually one year) evaluation b) this study, unlike others reported had included the entire population of a middle school; which in this case was in western Massachusetts and possibly the most unique characteristic of this study, c) â€Å"the procedures developed over the four-year period were solely the product of the staff at the school. There were limits (bias) to this study, such as the primary population came from middle to upper-middle class families; a more valid approach would have been to have samples of students from all classes. However, the program created by the staff was successful as reported by the authors. The staff program entailed a reward system for students behaving by the rules and expectations.   While it would not be this reader’s personal choice of programs, it did work successfully for that particular middle school. Staff Challenges   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What challenges does middle school staff face? The most commonly reported behavioral problem stems from bullying. Since the early 90s, schools have opened their eyes to the devastating effects of bullying. In a self-reported study, researched and reported by David W. McConville and Dewey G. Cornell, the researchers found that the link between aggressive attitudes and aggressive behavior were linked. Their research, found in the Journal of Emotional Behavior Disorders (2003) involved 403 middle school students of a suburban central Virginia school, and reporting via survey their personal â€Å"attitudes towards peer aggression†. Based on the students belief systems, students expressed what they though about bullying, what constitutes bullying and if they have ever fell victim to such students. While bullying is an enormous obstacle in learning institutions, especially middle school, this report was insignificant to the understanding of student aggression. To survey middle school students, who are at the peak of discovering their individuality and alliances with other students, is ludicrous, they can not be expected to answer truthfully for fear of being discovered by fellow students.  Ã‚   A more informative and useful report was found in the January 2006 issue of Middle School Journal. Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention is an in-depth look into the problems of bullying in middle schools. The authors believe that â€Å"school personnel must understand the scope of bullying in the United States as well as characteristics of bullies and victims†.     Both bullies and their victims are at risk of negative futures. The authors are in agreement that â€Å"†¦effective programs are comprehensive, targeting students, schools families and the community. With this theory the authors are combining all relative methods reviewed above. Building awareness, social skills and supportive intervention can improve student behaviors. This article was very informative and thorough in its research. One strategy found in the Middle School Journal relates to a method described in an article found in the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Volume 46. Four Pennsylvania teachers created a program to teach middle school students socialization skills and tolerance. With use of a popular, age appropriate novel, Crash, by Jerry Spinelli (1996, Random House), students engaged in an interactive learning experience. Students went beyond reading with role play, journal writing, â€Å"Readers Theatre† and several other activities to learn the moral of the story about the effects of bullying. The results were overwhelmingly positive. This study is relevant to a behavior support system, where staff is showing support to kids, giving them strength to stand up against bullying, while giving bullies an outlet and a way to stop problem behaviors. In theory, by creating â€Å"safe† classrooms, thus a safe school environment, the effects of bullying will decrease. The Middle School Journal depicted a similar anti-bully program, Bullybusters. The same strategy as using a novel, students are encouraged to participate in a play depicting the roles of students against bullying as well as demonstrating the effects of bullying. This too has excellent results. How Do We Know If It’s Working?   Regardless of the method used or the programs implemented, unless there is an accurate documenting process is which to base results on, the methods are useless. Long term school discipline needs to be in place for a positive change to occur; the only way of accomplishing this is to research, experiment and document. Most importantly a study or program use must be in place for more than one year to see accurate results. Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An Empirical Evaluation of Validity (Irvin, Horner, Ingram, Todd, et al.2006) suggests strategies in which to evaluate the effectiveness of school-wide approach to student discipline. The authors believe that data-based decision making can be beneficial to the social climate of the school and behavior of the students. The authors present an â€Å"empirical study of the validity of one systematic approach to collecting and using such information†, including the information of student behavior when using intervention methods in a school-wide atmosphere. One may question the need for such an extensive report; however, because schools are in need of finding new methods to promote positive behavior and preventative disciplinary measures, it is in the school’s best interest to consider current and relevant studies on method effectiveness. The authors of Using Office Discipline†¦ used surveys and information contained in a â€Å"web-based computer application called SWIS which used for entering, organizing, managing, and reporting office discipline referral data, in order gather information of the effects of School Wide Disciplinary methods. The data provided was useful in determining whether to use a school-wide approach. The study was done locally and surveys can be misleading, the authors admit this, but for its basic purpose as a building block for further studies, it was informative. Terrance M. Scott and Susan B. Barrett suggest using the time spent as staff and student alike when engaged in disciplinary action as a source of evaluation. In Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS (2004), the authors describe positive behavior support (PBS) as â€Å"the application of positive behavioral interventions and systems to achieve social change†. Tracking time and money spent on disciplinary actions is a useful technique in evaluating the effectiveness of a program, this is displayed in studies and statistical data provided by the authors; the results were, for the most part, positive, however the overall evaluation process is in itself time consuming. Conclusion The methods for middle school discipline are numerous, as research has shown, regardless of the method chosen, to have the best effect on the students a school must approach discipline as a school-wide process. After analyzing the above literature, it is clear that a disciplinary model must be used long-term and be followed with an appropriate evaluation. The most appropriate methods, in my opinion, were ones in which used interactive tools, such as a book or play, to engage students in positive behavior. It is clear that the old methods of general discipline have become obsolete. Communities, school staff and researchers have realized the need for a change in the school environment, especially middle schools, which are the highest rated institute for behavioral and disciplinary problems. References Barone, B., Kearns, J., Quinn, K., Stackhouse, S., Zimmerman, M., (2003). Using a Novel Unit to Help Understand and Prevent Bullying in Schools: Bullying Affects Most Children. Reading Activities Helped Middle School Students Become More Aware of This Serious Issue. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46, 582+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. Boland, J., Horner, R., Ingram, K., Irvin, L., Sampson, N., Sugai, G., Todd, A., (2006). Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making about Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools: An empirical Evaluation of Validity. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 8, 10+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Homer, H., Horner, R., Sugai, G., (2000). A Schoolwide Approach to Student Discipline. School Administrator, 57, 20. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from Questia database. Horner, R., Sugai, G., Vincent, C., (2005). School-wide Positive Behavior Support: Investing in Student Success. Impact, Retrieved October 9, 2006 from http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/182/over2.html Luiselli, J., Putnam, R., Sunderland, M., (2002). Longitudinal Evaluation of Behavioral Support Intervention in a Public Middle School. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4, 182+. Retrieved October 13, 2006 from Questia database. McConville, D.W., Cornell, D., (2003). Aggressive Attitudes Predict Aggressive Behavior in Middle School Students. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11, Iss. 3, 1. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Milson, A., Gallo, L., (2006) Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention. Middle School Journal, 37, 12-19. Retrieved October 12, 2006 from http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleSchoolJournal/Articles/January2006/Article2/tabid/693/Default.aspx Scott, T., Barrett, S., (2004). Using Staff and Student Time Engaged in Disciplinary Procedures to Evaluate the Impact of School-Wide PBS. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6, 21+. Retrieved October 9, 2006 from Questia database. Sprague, J., Walker, H., Golly, A., White, K., Myers, D., Shannon, T., (2001). Translating Research into Effective Practice: The Effects of a Universal Staff and Student Intervention on Indicators of Discipline and School Safety. Education Treatment of Children, 24, 495+. Retrieved October 10, 2006 from Questia database. Stormshak, E., Dishion, T., Light, J., Yasui, M., (2005). Implementing Family-Centered Interventions Within the Public Middle School: Linking Service Delivery to Change in Student Problem Behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 723+. Retrieved October 15, 2006 from Questia database.

Components Of Disaster Management Management Essay

Components Of Disaster Management Management Essay The occurrence of such disasters has continued to increase in a rapid succession. More than three million lives were lost due to disasters in the last quarter of a century itself. This number does not stop as billions have been affected in some way or the other. The cost of rehabilitation from these disasters has run into thousands of billions alone. The increase in the population of the world only enhances the chance of disaster risk which could cause massive casualties and harm to the human life in large numbers. The six billion mark in world population was reached on the 16th of November in 1999. The annual growth rate was estimated at nearly 1.33 %( seventy eight million every year). There is a greater risk on account of the industrialization and vast urbanization since a lot of people are moving to urban areas which do not have sufficient health care and infrastructure in place. Energy is released after accumulation in the volcanic activity or geological faults which cause seismic waves to bring about movement of the crust which is known as an earthquake. Humans are able to only detect three thousand earthquakes from the total of five hundred thousand earthquakes that occur every year. 7 to 11 out of these 3000 earthquakes cause significant damage to property and human life though this figure has increased the past few years. The toll of death due to an earthquake can range from as less as five to higher than two hundred and forty thousand. One out of two cities in a developed country is susceptible to a natural hazard like earthquake. Seventeen of the twenty largest cities are situated in countries with low resources. Eighty percent of the population of the world will reside in developing countries by the year 2025 according to an estimate. The research on natural disasters is of a lot of significance in case of developing countries. What is a Disaster? Many definitions have been put forward regarding disaster. Samuel Henry Prince started the study related to disasters in 1971 in Canada during the worst disaster witnessed in Canada. The disaster in point is the ship explosion occurred in 1917 in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia. His research and social exploration of the implications of the disaster paved way for further theoretical and empirical research that lasted through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. This saw a change in the way disasters were perceived. The focus shifted from the primary physical agent to the description and definition of disasters related to the social impact caused by it. Various academic disciplines were dedicated to the study of nature and disasters during the 1960s and 1970s. The definition of a disaster can be classified between the national and international level. The working definition of a disaster is designed in way to suit the professional background of the place where it is defined and is closely associated to the studies, work and research that is carried out. The World Health Organization has defined disaster on the base of the resultant health implications post the disaster. They have made use of the terminology called as Health Action in Crises. The International Red Cross has taken into account the factors that cause interference in human life. IN simple words, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes only acquire the status of a disaster when they leave behind a negative and disruptive impact on the living force. Al-Madhari et al in 1997 studied if a universal definition for the term disaster is possible and came up with a definition that takes into account both the factors of economic and health implications. The definition was as follows- an event localized in time and space with one or more of the following consequences occur: 1) Ten or more fatalities, 2) Damage exceeds $1 million, 3) 50 or more people evacuated. This is the basic essence that is found in most definitions of disaster which may carry different views. All the definitions accept disaster as a situation that is beyond the cope of control of the local community which warrants the need of external help. The disasters maybe a result of naturally occurring phenomena like extreme changes in climate or weather, technological and man made threats. Psychological stages of disaster Heroic stage The heroic stage is shown by the community and the individuals within that direct the various levels of energy in the tasks of help, rescue, shelter, clean up and repair. This behaviour is carried out in the span of a few hours to even days if required. Honeymoon stage The optimism characterized by the people in the community is the showcase of this stage in spite of the losses that occur due to the disaster. There is a wide media attention and, flow of resources inwards, and reassurances by personal visits by high profile personalities that look towards the rehabilitation process of the community. They provide the hope and belief that life will return to normalcy and no traces of the disaster will be seen. These resources though tend to exhaust by the third week of the aftermath of the crisis, there is reduced media attention and the real problems in the rehabilitation program start to develop. The energy shown by the survivors in the community gradually starts to fade away and gives way to the next stage of disillusionment. Disillusionment The hard experiences, the lack of necessities and the work needed to be done to restore normalcy creeps up on the person which leads to disillusionment among the survivors. Survivors find that the various types of financial help being offered are in the form of loans instead of grant, home insurance was not the best available option and that politics played a bigger role in the decision making. Signs of disgruntlement is how by means of complaints related to abandonment, betrayal and injustice, incompetency and bureaucracy. Stress is a negative aspect that troubles the survivors which slowly disintegrates any hope that may be left. Recovery All the work for which the base has been setup starts to show results. The applications are passed, loans are approved, and reconstruction is started. The individuals start to work at their normal capacities. People start regaining the state of normalcy with a period of six months after the disaster. Some individuals might take up to thirty six months. There is an overall sense of appreciation to aspects like life, relationship and morale towards tackling problems all owed to the lessons learnt post the disaster. Stages of Disaster Response Preparation stage The main objective of this stage is to improve the healthcare system and the general system that can be improved to the extent that future disasters can be tackled with ease and efficiency. Quick Reponses Stage The main objective of this stage is to make sure that there is a prober health response in case of a disaster strike that may create some needs. Counselling is provided during this stage which is present in the current health system. There should be help sought from external sources to boost the resources that are available in case they are not sufficient to fulfil all the necessary needs. In many cases the local supplies may not be enough to meet the requirement of the community which is why the stock has to be filled with the help of some additional commodities obtained from other external sources. Recovery Stage This stage has to be worked upon continuously and lasts more than a month after the disaster takes place. This stage could go on for years depending on the resources that are available for rehabilitation and the impact and type of the disaster. The needs of the survivors are taken care of by the local providers in this stage. Federal funds may flow in case the disaster is declared as a Presidential Declared Disaster. The funding is given to those in need of individual help. Disaster Management Definition of disaster management A lot of definitions have been put forward by authors on the topic of disaster management. A lot of these definitions merely explain the meaning of the term rather than completely stating the terms of preparation for a disaster. Christopolis, Mitchell and Liljelund regarded efficient and effective abilities and result of disaster response as the main themes of preparation for a disaster (2001). Creating a local response system and providing early warnings is also a big part of preparation (Integrated Regional information Networks, 2005). The definitions by United Nations Development program, McEntire and Twigg have definitions similar in theme with their own take on the preparation for a disaster. The program by United Nations holds hazard easing as the central source for disaster preparation along with the inclusion of planning in the description (2004). Similarly, McEntire and Twigg also consider hazard easing as a crucial aspect in disaster preparation saying that it should be a p art of it (McEntire, 2003 and Twigg, 2002). McEntire talks about different factors relevant for disaster preparation as a local government function that includes vulnerability and hazard evaluation. The lesser highlighted aspects of disaster preparation are also very important. Izadkhak and Hosseni point out education to be the foremost media in the preparation of a community for disasters (2005). The emergency plans, storage of food, securing furniture to walls and creating inventories of storage commodities are a part of this level (Paton, Smith, Johnston, 2003 and Siembieda, 2001). Review of preparation literature The disaster preparedness aspect is basically dynamic in nature which keeps changing constantly. The researches find out new facts with the occurring of new disaster even with respect to the community. The disasters and crisis are consistent but the practises applied in its management still lack the capacity to provide necessary results. McEntire has worked towards some crucial points in disaster preparedness and emergency management in his study. McEntire, Fuller and Johnston and Weber (2002) published an article reviewing the emergency management and the methods related to it. The main concern in the 2002 research was vulnerability while McEntire also finished his research related to disaster preparedness. Dynes also provide his view on emergency planning. His views were based on research instead of military models. The problem solving methods of Dynes emphasizes cooperation and coordination as the key aspects. (1994). This concept has been used in developing many other models as opposed to the earlier practice of using military models and instead switching to a research based and discipline specific model. The best methods of disaster preparedness incline towards discipline specific objectives as in the case of emergency management. A valuable amount of work has been spent for the identification and evaluation of the concepts and principles that are used in disaster preparedness. Some contributions have been made to development of disaster preparedness with the aim of creating a theory based practise and practise based theory (Gillespie and Streeter, 1987). The contributions from most individuals are not aimed at the creation of a complete disaster preparedness technique but individual research has helped immensely in making contributions towards building a complete disaster preparedness plan. A case in point is the research by Kirschenbaum (2002) article based on disaster preparedness from the point of view of Israel. The inferences drawn from his study were found to be applicable in a general environment. Perry and Lindell (2003) based their study on disaster management on the principles of perspective and planning and were able to identify 10 guidelines that should be used in the process of planning. Lindell was more focused on the planning while Kirschenbaum gave more importance to localized applications and principles. Each on his own was able to contribute an important aspect that led to the creation of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan although none of the studies focused on all the aspects on the whole. Components of disaster management Earthquake Risk The risk of earthquake is a seismic risk to the environment and its habitats. The earthquake risk is inversely proportional to the capacity of resisting it. Research based on social learning by May (1994) shows that the more knowledge that is available, the less is the worry and lesser in the rationale for prevention. Knowledge and the use of the knowledge in the best way are required to improve the safety measures today. There is a process known as Earthquake Risk Management that works towards the prevention of threat or danger from an earthquake, reducing risk or consequences of an earthquake. It also deals on topics like preparation for dealing with a disaster, responding to a threat due to natural disaster, capacity building and knowing the effects of the natural disasters. There are the basic points of evacuation, rescuing, relief, rehabilitate and reconstruct that are covered. The population in India was marked at over a billion in 2001 and is estimated to be doubled by the yea r 2050. This calculates to a population growth of 1.61% per annum. The risk of earthquake increases by leaps and bounds in such a scenario. The urban areas are been populated to the extent of being overcrowded and figure in the highest density in the world of 237 people per square kilometre. This only worsens the situation. People in thickly dense areas have no alternative but to live in conditions like low lying areas situated closely near the rivers. This makes it mandatory to keep a full time alert and be ready with a disaster preparedness plan. Gillespie and Banerjee (1993, pp.242) have proposed there is a 5 stage plan which spirals upward with more refined levels including avenues, assessment, knowledge, preparedness and practise. The central point in these levels is considered to be knowledge. As pointed by Srivastava et al (2007), the reduction in disaster risks can be brought about by the proper use of information. Disaster management planning for earthquake In the past few decades, a high level of importance has been attached to the effective and efficient management of information and its use as a key component of disaster management in the regions of Asia especially Pacific Asia. Disaster management information systems have been setup by a number of countries according to their own calculations and needs. The applications include early warnings, reduction of disaster risks and emergency planning. The information plays an important part in disaster management and it should be used wisely. The needs of the information related to disaster management can be classified in two activity categories Pre disaster activities like research and analysis, prevention, risk assessment and preparedness. Post disaster activities like rehabilitation, response and reconstruction. The data related to disaster can also be classified into two categories- Pre disaster data consisting of the risks and the country Post disaster data showing the impact of the disaster and the resources available to counter the effects. National Disaster Management Information System The main aspects of a disaster management information system is a database containing the following- Mapping of hazard assessment Vulnerability Assessment Distribution by Demography Lifelines, Infrastructure and Critical Facilities Transportation Routes and Logistics Material and Human Response Resource Communication Facility The use of Disaster Management Information System is based on three aspects- Preparedness planning Response and mitigation Recovery Earthquake activities Preparation and Planning Identifying areas prone to earthquake Identifying problems Identifying and using Resources Control and command Advance Preparatory Action Post earthquake activities The relief activities needed to be performed by the government are- Maintaining uninterrupted communication Endorsing disaster preparedness and relief measures through media like newspaper and AIR. Evacuating and movement of commodities of essence such as petroleum should be facilitated in transport. Making sure that essential commodities are available at a reasonable rate. Providing adequate supply of drugs, vaccine and medicine. Restoration and preservation of physical communication links. Providing infrastructure such as latrines, shelter, electricity, road etc. On a temporary basis by making the necessary investment. Mobilising financial resources. In addition to these aspects, there are certain secondary functions that are needed by the relief efforts of the State such as Military aid should provide relief, restoration and rehabilitation services to the civil authority. Backup plans for cattle preservation, crops and health measures should be put in place. Technological and technical inputs for providing drinking water. Providing technical assistance for water management, water budgeting and several other uses. Coordinating activities of the voluntary and state agencies. Knowledge Management The knowledge related activities are dealt taken care of by the knowledge management procedure (Wiig, 1997: Civi, 2000). These activities include organizations and creation of knowledge along with share and use of the knowledge. Knowledge management can be more appropriately defined as the strategies and processes of identifying, capturing and leveraging knowledge. This definition was provided by the American Productivity and Quality Centre. Knowledge management is a field on the rise which has been able to collect considerable attention especially from the industrial community. A large number of industrial organizations have taken to knowledge management programs which serve as proof of its widespread use. These programs are helpful in making the industries more competent and improving their organizational performance. It is only a matter of time when all the companies will adopt such a program and the only factor to be accounted for is the way in which it has to be implemented to m ake optimum use of knowledge management and managing it properly at the same time. Implementation of Knowledge Management The Knowledge Management concept has caught a lot of attention due to its importance but there are only a few industries that have been able to make optimum use of the knowledge management techniques by managing the knowledge in their respective organizations. Stoney and Barnett (2000) suggest that a major number of Knowledge Management steps are bound to fail. This is due to the fact that the implementation of Knowledge Management is not an easy task that can be carried out by an organization. Technological infrastructure needs to be in place for the implementation of Knowledge Management along with change in the culture of the organization and managing knowledge of different types. Organizations that have made use of the Knowledge Management without making certain of the necessary resources at their disposal have mainly failed due to improper infrastructure and implementation. Implementation of the Knowledge Management is a tough task for any organization as pointed out by Drucker (1993) who is known as the father of modern management theory. He stressed on the fact the biggest challenge faced by an organization is the building of a systematic framework for the management of knowledge. Hence, it is imperative to build a perfect prototype or framework which helps the organizations before the implementation of Knowledge Management. Framework definition According o the Oxford English Dictionary, (2003), the framework is defined as a structure composing of parts that are framed together especially designed for enclosing or supporting anything like a skeleton or a frame. Popper (1994) has defined framework as a set of assumptions or fundamental principles of intellectual origin that form the basis for action. In accordance with these definitions, framework can be said to be a framework or a structure formed using a set of specific instructions or principles that is required to provide a base for carrying out necessary activities and actions. Knowledge Management Frameworks According to Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001b), Knowledge Management frameworks are categorized as a mode of providing guidance in a specific discipline. This means that it shows the way towards the building of Knowledge Management in a specific discipline completely. Dale (1999) defines framework as a tool used for the development and laying out of plans, a guide that helps an organization to carry out a certain action that works best for their business needs at their own pace. The framework most importantly acts as a link between the practical and theoretical aspects of the Knowledge Management and eases its implementation during an emergency or disaster. Various Knowledge Management frameworks The frameworks that have been described in theory are made to focus on different parts of Knowledge management and achieving its various purposes. The most popularly known framework is the framework for knowledge creation created by Nonaka (1991, 1994) that explains the evolution and conversion seen between tacit knowledge (not easy to articulate) and explicit knowledge (can be easily put into words). This is not the perfect form of a framework since it is only concerned with the creation of knowledge which is nothing more than a part of the Knowledge Management. Another type of framework that is described in theory is the one that provides information on cyclic processes of the Knowledge Management. From the studies of Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a), it is evident that many of these frameworks only provide activities that stress on the knowledge cycle activities. They lay importance on phases of knowledge without providing supervision in the implementation of Knowledge Management. The examples of such frameworks are plenty including the framework by Bose and Sugumaran (2003) and many of the frameworks that were studied by Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a). A third type of framework is the one developed by researchers that is used to explain the performance of Knowledge Management in an organization. The framework provides reference to shoe the analysis, structure and evaluation of the Knowledge Management in various organizations belonging to different fields. They were developed by Apostolou and Mentzas (1998). Framework requirements The framework helps in understanding, improving awareness and gives the conceptual definition of the Knowledge management that informs the people about the processes involved in it. Al the components can be understood with the help of a framework and puts the Knowledge Management in perspective by providing the people with a clear and concise vision which helps in its implementation. Managers find framework as a beneficial and important tool since it helps to decide whether all the aspects related to the Knowledge management have been covered that may be easily overlooked without the framework. It also helps in enabling the implementation process and helps coordinate the efforts put in by the organization in a controlled and systematic way. System Approach Framework Holsapple and Joshi (2002) laid out a three layer framework which consists of three major building blocks known as knowledge resources, activities and influences. The resources pat highlighted the pool of the knowledge of the organization that can be classified into six main forms of resources namely participants knowledge, infrastructure, culture, knowledge artefact, strategy and purpose. The activities block represents the processes to be used by the organization for manipulating the knowledge resources. Holsapple and Joshi (2002) were able to identify 4 activities related to this aspect namely acquiring, selecting, internalizing and using the knowledge which means the generation and externalization of knowledge. The manners in which these activities are performed tend to be influence by a number of factors that can be seen in the next block called as knowledge influences. The implementation is greatly influenced by this block and is classified into three categories namely resource (human, financial, material and knowledge), managerial (coordination, leadership and measurement) and environmental (customers, competitors, suppliers, markets and other conditions). The three aspects when viewed collectively act as the main components in the operation of Knowledge Management. A framework was created with the idea of four stages namely review, concept, reflect and act by Wiig et al. (1997) in order to explain a number of Knowledge Management techniques and methods. Review is the first step and relates to evaluating and monitoring the performance of the organization to find out whether the desired results have been obtained. Conceptualize has two parts namely analysis of knowledge and inventory knowledge. The former is used to identify and assess the problems, weakness, strengths threats and opportunities related to knowledge. The latter is used to find out the state of knowledge in the organization by finding out the knowledge assets. TH reflect part is used for the following- Create teams for assessing. Find out the Knowledge management requirements. Collect knowledge by identifying. Design structure to knowledge in warehouse. Maintain technology. Test the technology again. Train the knowledge workers. Show the use of Knowledge management practises. Track the usage. Get the system to start. Measure the productivity and quality, measure Knowledge Management practices. Conduct assessment review of the processes. Hygoyo Protocol Framework of Hyogo The priorities, mission and vision of the National Framework were created in synchronisation with the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) 1005-2015 that was agreed upon by all the nations in January 2005 in the city of Kobe, Japan during the UN-World conference held for Disaster Reduction. The expected result of the HFA after ten years is significant reduction in the lives and economic, social and environmental assets of the countries and communities. The following objectives have been adopted by HFA to attain the desired results- Better integration of disaster risk considerations and accordingly makes development policies. Planning at all the levels with focus on disaster prevention, preparedness, reduction and vulnerability reduction. The strengthening and development of institutes, capacities and mechanisms at all the levels especially at the community level that can help in building resistance to hazards. Incorporation risk mitigation approaches in the implementation of recovery programs, response and emergency preparedness that is used in rehabilitation of the affected communities. Scope This particular framework relates to provision of guidelines and direction to the national, local and provincial institutions. Aspects such as capacity building and vulnerability reduction are the crucial factors that help the communities and institutions to counter disaster risks. The strategies, policy implementation are taken care by this phase and programs for the parts of disaster are provided for. There are certain challenges that are recognized in the five major areas as follows- Governance- legal, organizational and policy frameworks. Risk identification. Monitoring, assessment and early warnings. Knowledge education and management. Reduction of risk factors. Preparedness to improve response and recovery. The Yokohama strategy concludes in its review the discussions in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and the desired result that was decided can be described into five priorities of action as follows- Make sure disaster risk is a local and national priority with a very strong institutional base for execution. Identify, monitor and assess the disaster risks and identify early warnings. Use innovation, knowledge to build a safety culture which is strong at all the levels. Reduce the risk factors Make the disaster preparedness strong for better response. Case study of earthquake in Pakistan with respect to Knowledge Management The earthquake in Kashmir in 2005 was a massive earthquake with its epicentre in Pakistan controlled Kashmir close to the city of Muzaffarabad that affected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilbit Baltistan province of Pakistan. It took place at 8:52:37 PST on the 8th of October. It was similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and 2001 earthquake in Gujarat with magnitude of 7.6. Tremors of this earthquake were felt in surrounding nations like western China and Tajikistan. Four people died in Afghanistan while close to fourteen hundred people died in India controlled Kashmir according to reports. The damage caused was blamed on poor construction and major up thrust. Infrastructure Network usage- the network usage was high throughout the phases of recovery. Data and voice communication was very good in Islamabad. The landline network was brought on track within a coupe of days in town hit by the earthquake and the cell network was extended post the earthquake. The areas that were hit the worst had no assistance and relief and were left with no communication. Some parts were wiped out entirely. The skills to manage the technology were available in Pakistan but the management was not properly planned. Network Availability- At first the network was very low during recovery and later was raised to a medium level. The inconsistency of connection was the main factor rather than low bandwidth. The connection would break consistently which proved to be disruptive. The limitations were known fully in the remote areas but the staff did not pay heed to the cell coverage problem. Cell phones are not adequate in such circumstances. Interoperability- This aspect worked at all times during recovery and it worked in the favour of national staff success. Communications technology staff had prior experience working for NGO and used their contacts in organizations to full effect. Data Information The information was inaccurate throughout the recovery. The situation reports were not reliable. The data was circulated internally and contained insufficient information related to needs such as fundraising, donors and advocacy. This resulted in various queries sought from the headquarters to the staff for more information. Another shortcoming was the information distribution. There was lack of communication with the UN that put the NGOs at a los since they did not know the plans put in place by UN and the problems they faced. The cluster approach by the UN shoed positive results in the initial four weeks for common approaches, joint analysis and programming. Some participants did not take part in the cluster group (Food, Water, Sanitation, Education and Health). The coordination was improved with the establishment of the District Relief and Recovery Committee with