Managing Information Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Managing Information Technology - Essay Example The sequential access files could either be in the form of line sequential organization or indexed sequential organization (Brown, DeHayes, Hoffer, Martin, Perkins, 2009). What is most important is how the records are accessed. If these are accessed in the form of the sequential format, the sequence is maintained nonetheless but if this is done through a direct approach, there is no fixed mechanism behind the same. The direct access files are the ones which come about in a random fashion and are easily understood within the search mechanisms. It is easy for the files to be found on the record because there is no order to this system which has been employed. Hence it becomes easier to access files in this fashion nonetheless. In the end, it is correct to state that both sequential access files and direct access files are significant towards the file organization

Air and Land Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Air and Land Pollution - Assignment Example Besides the adverse effects of land pollution on the human health, there are other effects of land pollution. These effects include changes in the climatic cycles, effects on the wildlife; environmental impacts such global warming among other effects.There are possible measures that should be put in place so as to combat the effects of land pollution. First, people should be made aware about waste recycling and reuse. Farmers should be encouraged to reduce the usage of fertilizers and pesticides in their agricultural activities. People should buy biodegradable products and dumping sites should be located away from residential places.Deforestation is situations where there are large number of trees cut down without plant more. Deforestation can lead to ecological imbalances and climate changes. Global warming is gradual rise in average temperatures on earth surface and ocean.Air pollution is the accumulation of substances in the atmosphere that are a threat to human and animal health. There have been increased cases of air pollution all over the world and mostly in developed countries. Polluted air contains one or more hazardous contaminants or pollutants that are dangerous to general health. The increased air pollution has been as a result of quick growth in urban population, increased industrialized and the increased demand for motor vehicles and energy. Other causes of air pollution are poor production technology, poor environmental regulation, poorly maintained cars and congested.

Development of Intermodal Transportation

Development of Intermodal Transportation A major factor underlying this transformation of freight transport is represented by the changes in the scale, in the composition, and in the structure of the American and global economies. The demand for transportation services has grown in response to the generally brisk performance of the US and global economies in this period. The US economy is becoming dominantly services-oriented, and shifting from mass manufacturing to high value-added custom manufacturing. The resulting combination of increasing information content and decreasing material intensity of goods changes the character and value of goods being moved. Further, the US and other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, in search of lower overall factor costs, have created global and regional free trade regimes, and globally organized production systems and value chains, which require speedy and timely movements of goods. These flows of goods are coordinated across national and global tra nsport nodes and links in order to support the smooth functioning of the globalized economy. Technological changes in the transport sector in the US have arrived in the form of the Interstate Highway System, the jet aircraft, the container and container ships, roll-on/roll-off vessels, and a variety of micro infrastructure to facilitate operations at seaports and airports. The use of information technology (IT) greatly enhances transport operator and system efficiency, offering not only speedier goods transport at declining costs but also the ability to integrate goods supply chains regionally and globally, while maintaining lean inventories. The third factor underlying the major changes in the freight system is the institutional and organizational restructuring of the transport system since the 1980s. Public policies to reform economic institutions by deregulating and privatizing the transport sector have stimulated technical innovations and enhanced productivity in that sector in the process lowering costs and improving speed and reliability. At the same time, two organizational innovations business logistical systems and intermodalism provide major sources of change in the freight sector. Intermodalism is desirable since inefficiencies in the freight sector impact upon the competitiveness of US firms in the transport and transport-using sectors. Intermodalism seeks to enhance the performance of the transportation system by increasing safety, reducing congestion and decreasing delays, thereby enabling more efficient freight and passenger trips (Hickling 1995). Greater efficiency translates into lower costs and an increase in the competitiveness of US firms in the global marketplace. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Act (ISTEA) emphasizes the importance of intermodalism and challenged the transportation authorities, at the federal, state and local levels in the US, to increase interconnectivity between the maritime, air and land transport modes, and thereby enhances the effectiveness of the total network. It is widely recognized in the US, in both industry and policy circles, that cooperation between transport modes has the potential to reduce congestion, especially in major freight corridors. While congestion problems result from a variety of factors, the concentration of production and trade in a relatively small number of metropolitan gateway cities, the increased dominance of a few ports, and the intermodal competition for the same freight, adds to the congestion. The traditional attitude toward infrastructure investment, namely building ones way out of congestion, has not been helpful since Transport integration across modes faces additional complex problems arising from institutional and regulatory choices made at several levels of the government, that is, federal, state and local. These choices, legacies of the past, currently impact upon the costs and the quality of service of freight movement, aspects particularly important during the current phase of increasing globalization. A more complete definition of intermodalism needs to incorporate the physical, institutional and informational elements that facilitate cargo shipments in a seamless manner across different modes. Thus, intermodalism can be more accurately defined as movement of cargo across a transportation network in which the physical, institutional and information infrastructures are integrated to reduce transaction costs and maximize operational efficiencies. Since seamless transport across modes is a major objective, this chapter discusses some of the obstacles to and many of the advances made towards fu rthering intermodalism in freight transport in the US. The major factor underlying the increasing demand for intermodalism is the globalization of the American economy. North America, Europe and other countries have built on the Bretton Woods system, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to create a global free trade regime, including regional Preferential Trading Areas such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the EU and Mercosur. The industrialized countries, driven by the pressure to reduce overall factor costs in the competitive global economy, are using these open trading regimes to erect a globally distributed production system. There is increasing division of labour in the production processes as component activities are further disaggregated and spatially reallocated. This partition of the production process the slicing of the production value chain across national borders leads to different stages of production being carried out across several countries. The deregulation of the US transport sector since 1978- 80 has not only improved the performance of the various modes, but has also stimulated intermodalism. First, major changes occurred in the US in the conduct, performance and structure of airlines, trucking and railroads after deregulation: more competition among all modal carriers, lower prices, a wider set of service offerings, and new entry into most geographic and product markets. Carriers have been able to rationalize their networks, improve the efficiency of their operations, and set rates in line with competitive market conditions. There was a significant change in the cost structure of the railroad industry following deregulation, with productivity growing at well over 2 per cent a year (Bereskin 1996).

Robert and the Dog :: Essays Papers

Robert and the Dog Ken Saro-Wiwa's short story "Robert and the Dog" tells about a steward and his master and mistress, the main character is the steward: Robert. To understand the character Robert, one must look a bit at his background. Ken Saro-Wiwa has left several clues in the text that can tell us a lot about this. Before Robert was employed by the young medical doctor, he had worked for several different households. It is indicated in the text that these had not been as pleasant a workplace as with the young doctor. It seems that Robert had been used to his employers' shouting and losing their tempers. And never calling him by his first name. Also the gratitude Robert feels towards his new employer, for his mere politeness, indicates that Robert is not accustomed to gestures of this sort. All this shows how Robert probably has been degraded and suppressed throughout his whole life. Later in the story Saro-Wiwa tells that Robert never misses a chance to exercise the power he has over his family. This type of pathological behaviour is common among people with an inferiority complex, something Robert is very likely to have attained, due to the treatment he has received. Later when the dog is introduced to the story, Robert has enlightenment and reveals to us and to himself his place in the hierarchy. He had always thought himself above them, but now discovers he is down with the dogs. This shattering blow to his self-image makes him aware of his own feelings and features. When his master throws him a treat or a kind word, he "wags his tail" and feels indefinite gratitude, just like a dog. He does his master's bidding with a heartfelt glee, just like a dog. And he loves his master above all else, just like Bingo, the dog. The revelation causes hatred to swell his servant mind, at length resulting in Robert taking a step up the hierarchical ladder, and the tragic pr emature death of Bingo, the dog. Ken Saro-Wiwa's short story about Robert and the dog Bingo also portrays a culture clash that not everybody thinks about, the view of the pets. In our rich western world pets are not uncommon. A lot of people have them, and among the most popular are dogs. Pets or "house animals" are nothing new, man has for the last 15 000 years kept animals as companions.

Police and Various Control Mechanisms Essay

Discretion is foundation of the criminal justice system. Discretion is when the effective limits on a public official’s power leave him or her free to make a choice among a number of possible courses of action (Gaines, 2011 p. 219). Police discretion is the power or authority that is given to a police officer to act officially in a manner that appears to be just and proper under the presented circumstances. Discretion is not doing as you please. Discretion is bounded by norms (professional norms, community norms, legal norms, moral norms) (Police discretion). The various control mechanisms available for internal control mechanisms are examining their policies and operating procedures and taking action to ensure that they are consistent with real-world necessity. Policies and procedures not only control what officers do but also provide guidance when officers are confronted with situations where they need assistance (Gaines, 2011 p. 251) also Law enforcement officers should be required to report misconduct by other officers that they witness or of which they become aware. The failure to report misconduct should be subject to appropriate discipline (Gaines, 2001 p. 252). Internal control mechanisms are an attempt by the police to address inappropriate behavior. The various control mechanisms available are for external control mechanisms are external control mechanisms are imposed on the department by other agencies or individuals who may or may not have an understanding of the police role and functions. This control can be achieved through civilian review boards, legislative oversight, or the court system External control of policing is usually associated with civilian review boards (CRBs) (Gaines, 2011 p. 252). The various control mechanisms available for control by the citizens are Civilian review boards were created to â€Å"(1) maintain effective discipline of the police, (2) provide satisfactory resolution of citizen complaints against officers, (3) maintain citizen confidence in the police, and (4) influence police administrators by providing feedback from citizens (Gaines, 2011 p. 254-255). The various control mechanisms available for legislative control are the legislative branch of government can affect the exercise of discretion in three ways: (1) enactment of laws, (2) allocation of funds, and (3) legislative oversight (Gaines, 2011 p. 255). The various control mechanisms available for control by the courts are the courts are perhaps the most visible bodies of external control over discretion exercised by the police. While appellate courts are responsible for determining the constitutionality of a law, they also have the authority to govern procedural aspects of the law and to limit the manner in which it is enforced by the police (Gaines, 2011 p. 256). Reference: Gaines, Larry K. ; Kappeler, Victor E. (2011). Policing In America. Police Discretion. Retrieved on June 22, 2013, from http://faculty. ncwc. edu/mstevens/205/205lect09. htm 2. The ideologies associated with utilitarianism are that one’s actions should ensure the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Utilitarianism, a form of consequentualism, asks that we judge the correctness of an action by its outcome or consequences. If the consequences are good, the action is moral; if the consequences are bad, the action is immoral. Utilitarianism as a framework for ethics raises several issues, such as what is good and who’s good should we be concerned with? (Gaines, 2011 p. 338). The ideologies associated with deontological ethics are it does not consider consequences but examines one’s duty to act (Gaines, 2011 p. 339). Ethics is, in essence, doing the right thing, whatever that may be. The â€Å"right thing† is based on those values society holds dear. Ethical principles are premised on the notion that right is always right and wrong is always wrong. When officers fail to do what is right, and especially when they do what is clearly and blatantly wrong, they erode the public trust just a little more and further degrade law enforcement’s ability to work within the community and carry out its mission. Adherence to high ethical standards, then, is as vital to achieving the overall goal of modern policing as any other tactic, technique or practice (Roufa). For those situations that may prove difficult for officers, several tests can be applied to help in the ethical decision-making process. Perhaps the best known ethical decision making tests are the critical thinking test, the media test and the gut test (Roufa). Reference: Gaines, Larry K. ; Kappeler, Victor E. (2011). Policing In America. Roufa, T. Ethics in Law Enforcement. What the Public Expects and How Officers Can Deliver. Retrieved on June 22, 2013, from http://criminologycareers. about. com/od/Career_Trends/a/Ethics-In-Law-Enforcem ent. htm 3. The Civil Rights Act of 1871 has since been codified as Title 42 of the U. S. Code, Section 1983 (42 U. S. C.  § 1983), and legal actions brought under this legislation are commonly referred to as Section 1983 lawsuits. The legislation allows persons whose civil rights are violated by government officials to bring civil suit in federal court to recover damages (Gaines, 2011 p. 397). Title 42 of the U. S. Code, Section 1983, states that: Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory, or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress (Gaines, 2011 p. 397). Police officer federal liability concerning a law suit under 42 U. S. C. Section 1983, as the cornerstone of police civil liability at the federal level is that the statement can be false also that people take advantage of certain laws such as saying to much excessive force was used, racial slurs. There is never a reason under the law for an officer to shout racial epithets or slurs at a suspect or lethal force when an officer unreasonably shoots to kill a suspect (Snider, 2013). Reference: Gaines, Larry K. ; Kappeler, Victor E. (2011). Policing In America. Snider, B (2013). Police Brutality Lawsuits and Section 1983. Retrieved on June 22, 2013, from http://blogs. findlaw. com/injured/2013/05/police-brutality-lawsuits-and-section-1983. html 4. The impact of the community policing ideology on police community relations building with the community served Community policing evolved from the police–community relations programs of the 1950s and 1960s and the team policing strategies of the 1970s, and were also a response to the increase in citizen fear of crime that began to dominate public policy formulation in the 1980s (Gaines, 2011 p. 427). It was shown that if these problems go unchecked over time, they continue to worsen until there is little that residents or government can do to reclaim the neighborhood. Therefore, the best way to attack crime and disorder is to deal with minor problems such as panhandling, unrepaired homes and businesses, and junk cars

The Turning Point of the American Civil War: Battle of Gettysburg or Siege of Vicksburg?

The Turning Point of the American Civil War: Battle of Gettysburg or Siege of Vicksburg? The American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, was a brutal onslaught between the Union (the North) and the Confederacy (the South) originating in the fractious issue of slavery. The ruthlessness of this war, mostly fought in the South, lasted from 1861 through 1865, where the Confederacy was ultimately defeated, slavery was abolished, and the extremely difficult process of the reconstruction of the United States and its unity began.There were many battles fought during the American Civil War including the Battle of Fort Sumter, the Battle of Yorktown, and the Battle of Hanover, however, the most known confrontation is the Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg took place in Pennsylvania from July 1st through July 3rd of 1863. General Robert E. Lee (commanding the Confederate army) concentrated his full strength against Major General George G. Meade’s Army of the Potomac (Union) at the crossroads county seat of Gettysburg.On July 1st, Confederate and Union forces collided at Gettysburg, with General Lee’s intention being to engage the Union army and to destroy it. Initially, the Union defended low ridges to the northwest of town. Unfortunately for the two corps of Union infantry and the Union cavalry division that was defending the region; two large corps of Confederate infantry assaulted them from the north and northwest. This collapsed the hastily developed Union lines of defense and sent the defenders retreating south through the streets of town and to the hills close by.On the second day of battle, July 2nd, most of the Union and Confederate armies had been assembled. Fierce fighting raged this day, figuratively and literally staining the ground crimson with blood. Despite the onslaught of the Confederacy, the Union managed to hold their lines even with the significant losses that they suffered. On July 3rd, the last day of the B attle of Gettysburg, the Union army repulsed the attack with artillery fire, at great losses to the Confederate army. General Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia, making the Union the victor of the battle.But was the Battle of Gettysburg really the turning point of the Civil War? All that the Battle of Gettysburg accomplished was prohibiting the Confederacy from further travel into Union territory. This is where the Siege of Vicksburg comes into play. Believed to be one of the most remarkable campaigns of the American Civil War, the Siege of Vicksburg is also arguably the turning point of the Civil War militarily. General Ulysses S. Grant’s campaign on Vicksburg secured John Pemberton’s army’s surrender on July 4th, 1863 as well as the Mississippi River firmly in Union hands.With that, the Confederacy’s fate was all but sealed. Also known as the Battle of Vicksburg, this confrontation was a culmination of a long land and naval campaig n by Union forces to capture this strategic position. Abraham Lincoln (the president at the time) recognized the significance of Vicksburg. He said, â€Å"Vicksburg is the key, the war can never be brought to a close until that key is in our pocket. † There were many attempts at securing Vicksburg, the first being in the summer of 1862.It included a prolonged bombardment by Union naval vessels, but unfortunately after the ships withdrew the attempt failed. General Grant was moving his troops on land towards the town from the rear. However, his advance ended when General Nathan Bedford Forrest of the Confederacy destroyed Grant’s rail supply line, and General Earl Van Dorn of the Confederacy captured the Union supply base at Holly Springs. General Grant tried again that December, but again was met with failure. Another Union General, General William T. Sherman, led an assault against the high ground of the Chickasaw Bluffs north of Vicksburg.To the Union’s dismay this resulted in nearly 1,800 casualties of their own with only just over 200 casualties to the Confederate defenders. Because of this, Grant’s men attempted to find ways through the shallow and narrow bayous to bypass what is called the Confederate â€Å"Gibraltar of the West†. After months of trying to find a bypass, Grant finally decided that his army would have to operate south of Vicksburg, which would require the cooperation of the navy. To mask his army’s movement down the Louisiana side of the Mississippi river, Grant had Sherman administer two deceptive maneuvers north of Vicksburg.On April 16th, 1863, Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter traveled down the Mississippi River, running a gauntlet of guns firing from the Vicksburg cliff, and met with Grant’s army. In the largest amphibious operation ever conducted by an American force before World War II, Porter and Grant transferred 24,000 men and 60 guns from the west bank to the east bank of the Missi ssippi. Unopposed at Bruinsburg, Mississippi they landed and began marching toward Grand Gulf and Port Gibson which were towns that were to the north along the river.On May 1st, four divisions of the Union army clashed with a Confederate brigade near Port Gibson. This battle cost each side between 700 and 900 men. Even with the losses, the two river towns were captured without any more significant fighting between the Union and the Confederacy. With General Sherman leading the rest of General Grant’s army, they then crossed the river at Grand Gulf, bringing the force to over 45,000 men. He then turned them all inland toward the Mississippi state capital, Jackson.There were two Confederate forces in the area, one in Jackson of only approximately 5,000 soldiers and another at Vicksburg of approximately 26,500 soldiers who were under the leadership of General John C. Pemberton. One of Grant’s advancing divisions came into contact with a Confederate force at Raymond on May 12. Although this was not a major battle, it was this confrontation that sent Pemberton’s army retreating. After hours of confused conflict, the Confederate army withdrew from the battle and ran to the shelter of Vicksburg. After a few more battles, General Grant decided to besiege Vicksburg on May 25th, 1863.He devised a plan that is still studied to this day as a basis for siege warfare. Inside the town of Vicksburg, civilians were huddled in caves to avoid the artillery shells that Grant’s army were constantly bombarding the town with. Foods as well as other much needed supplies were cut off from the town. Animals like dogs, cats, horses, and sometimes even rats were reportedly becoming part of the diets of civilians and soldiers alike. Conditions for the town of Vicksburg became so unbearable that on July 3rd, 1863, General Pemberton of the Confederacy rode out to discuss the terms of surrender of his army.The next morning on July 4th, 1863 Pemberton’s men began marching out and stacking their guns in surrender to Grant’s army. The city of Vicksburg was so defeated by the surrender that they would not celebrate Independence Day thereafter until well into the 20th century. During the Siege of Vicksburg, Union and Confederate forces alike kept busy in their supporting roles on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River. Lieutenant General Edmund Kirby Smith of the Confederacy received a telegraph form Pemberton requesting a movement against Grant’s communication lines along the Mississippi.To the Confederacy’s dismay, Grant had established supply depots at Milliken’s Bend, Young’s Point, and Lake Providence within Smith’s jurisdiction. However, Smith failed to recognize the importance of Pemberton’s situation. It wasn’t until June when Smith finally decided to act on Pemberton’s request the month earlier. To the growing Confederate activity in the area, Grant decided to res pond by dispatching troops from the Vicksburg trenches across the Mississippi River. General John G. Walker’s Confederate division on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi was of particular concern.Its presence could possibly aid Pemberton’s Confederate army’s escape from the city of Vicksburg. Therefore, the Union sent a brigade in the vicinity of Milliken’s Bend to stop the threat. Many smaller battles were fought to prevent support to those in Vicksburg; one included an artillery battery targeting an iron foundry that was recasting spent Union artillery shells as the men returned to De Soto Point. The targeted foundry was destroyed on June 25th. Additional Confederate activity occurred on June 29th at Goodrich’s Landing.The Confederates attacked a plantation and army training center run by former slaves. They destroyed the plantations and captured over a hundred former slaves before disengaging in the face of the Union army. Confederate raids su ch as these were disruptive and caused damage, but they were only minor setbacks. They also showed the Confederates that they could only cause momentary disturbances in the area and ultimately would not halt the Union. Later in the Siege of Vicksburg, Union troops tunneled under the 3rd Louisiana Redan and packed the mine with 2,200 pounds of gunpowder, then proceeded to detonate it.The explosion destroyed the Confederate lines on June 25th, while an infantry attack followed the blast. The 45th Illinois Regiment (known as the â€Å"Lead Mine Regiment†) charged into the 40 foot diameter 12 foot deep crater with ease, but unfortunately they were stopped by the recovering Confederate infantry. The Union soldiers became pinned down while the defenders also rolled the artillery shells with short fuses into the pit with very deadly results. Union engineers worked to set up a casemate in the crater in order to extricate the infantry, and soon the soldiers fell back to a new defensiv e line.From the crater left by the explosion on June 25th, Union miners worked to dig a new mine to the south and on July 1st this mine was detonated but no infantry attack followed the explosion. This attack was much more successful Due to the brilliance of General Grant’s leadership the fortress city had fallen, and with the surrender of Port Hudson on July 9th, the Mississippi River was firmly in Union hands, leaving the Confederacy effectively split into two. During the Siege of Vicksburg, the Union’s casualties mounted up to just under 5,000 men while the Confederacy lost over 32,000 men.The full forty-seven day siege claimed many lives, but in doing so many were also saved. With the Mississippi in Union hands, communication between the Confederate army was lost, which ultimately secured the fate of the war being in the Union’s favor. The Battle of Gettysburg, although a very important engagement between the Union and the Confederacy, was not the turning po int of the American Civil War militarily. After crossing the Mississippi River on April 30th, 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union army waged a fighting campaign and maneuvered to isolate the city of Vicksburg and the Confederate army defending it.The constant defeats Grant and his army inflicted gave the Confederate commander General John C. Pemberton no choice but to retreat to the defenses of the city of Vicksburg and hold out until much needed reinforcements could arrive. On May 19th and May 22nd, General Grant launched a series of frontal assaults against Pemberton’s forces, suffering heavy casualties. Finding it irresponsible to continue these frontal assaults, Grant decided to lay siege to the city of Vicksburg, ordering his men to dig a series of trenches to the Confederate standings.For 47 days, the Union bombarded Vicksburg while the Confederate soldiers and civilians alike suffered the hardships of siege warfare On July 4th, General Pemberton surrendered h is army to General Grant and the Union, ending the siege and granted control of the vital Mississippi River in the North’s hands, effectively cutting the Confederacy in half. Grant’s success here secured the South’s fate and inevitably led to the Union victory. The Battle of Gettysburg was not the turning point of the Civil War considering all that the Union achieved was prohibiting the Confederacy from proceeding north.The Siege of Vicksburg destroyed the Confederacy offensive and ultimately led to the end of the American Civil War with the North as the victors, the abolishment of slavery, and the beginning of the reconstruction of the south as well as the United States of America. Bibliography 1. Bearss, Edwin C. Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War. Washington, D. C: National Geographic Society, 2006 2. Hay, Thomas Robson. â€Å"Confederate Leadership at Vicksburg. †Ã‚  The Mississippi Valley Historical Review. 11. no. 4 (1925): pp. 543-56 0 3. Hoehling, A. Vicksburg: 47 Days of Siege. Stackpole Books, 1996. 400.Print 4. Rhodes, James Ford. â€Å"The Battle of Gettysburg. † (1899): pg. 665-677 5. Sabin, Edwin L. â€Å"Vicksburg, and after: Being the Experience of a Southern Merchant and Non-Combatant during the Sixties. †Ã‚  The Sewanee Review. 15. no. 4 (1907): pg. 485-496 6. Woodworth, Steven E. Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The Failure of Confederate Command in the West. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1990 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. James Ford Rhodes, â€Å"The Battle of Gettysburg† (1899): pg. 665-677 [ 2 ]. Rhodes, James Ford. â€Å"The Battle of Gettysburg. † (1899): pg. 665-677 [ 3 ].Bearss, Edwin C. Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War. Washington, D. C: National Geographic Society, 2006 [ 4 ]. Edwin C. Bearss,  Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War, (Washington, D. C: National Geographic Society, 2006) [ 5 ]. Hoehling, A. Vicksburg: 47 Days of Siege. Stackpole Books, 1996. 400. Print. [ 6 ]. Bearss, Edwin C. Fields of Honor: Pivotal Battles of the Civil War. Washington, D. C: National Geographic Society, 2006 [ 7 ]. Thomas Robson Hay, â€Å"Confederate Leadership at Vicksburg,†Ã‚  The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 11, no. 4 (1925): pp. 543-560 [ 8 ]. Edwin L. Sabin, Vicksburg, and after: Being the Experience of a Southern Merchant and Non-Combatant during the Sixties,†Ã‚  The Sewanee Review, 15, no. 4 (1907): pg. 485-496 [ 9 ]. Thomas Robson Hay, â€Å"Confederate Leadership at Vicksburg,†Ã‚  The Mississippi Valley Historical Review, 11, no. 4 (1925): pp. 543-560 [ 10 ]. Steven E. Woodworth,  Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The Failure of Confederate Command in the West, (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1990) [ 11 ]. Hoehling, A. Vicksburg: 47 Days of Siege. Stackpole Books, 1996. 400. Print [ 12 ]. Hoehling, A. Vicksburg: 47 Days of Siege. Stackpole Books, 1996. 400. Print

3 Reasons Why The Handmaid’s Tale Remains Relevant

3 Reasons Why 'The Handmaid’s Tale' Remains Relevant The Handmaid’s Tale is the second dystopian work of speculative fiction - after George Orwell’s 1984 - to suddenly appear on top of the bestseller lists years after its release. The renewed interest in Margaret Atwood’s classic story of a post-apocalyptic America dominated by a puritanical religious sect that reduces most women to subjugated breeder status stems from both the current political atmosphere in the United States and the adaptation airing on Hulu starring Elizabeth Moss, Alexis Bledel, and Joseph Fiennes. What’s interesting about The Handmaid’s Tale is how many people assume it’s much older than it actually is. The book was originally published in 1985, and while that’s 32 years ago many people are surprised it wasn’t penned in the 1950s or 1960s; blame this on our tendency to believe that the present and very recent past are fairly enlightened. People assume the book was written during what some see as the final gasp of patriarchy- before birth control and the women’s liberation movement started the slow, agonizing process of pursuing equality for women and raising consciousness around the world. On the other hand, a book written three decades ago still resonates with a particular power. Hulu didnt adapt The Handmaid’s Tale as a revered classic kept behind glass, but rather as a pulsing, living work of literature that speaks to modern-day America. Not many books can retain that kind of power for thirty years, and The Handmaid’s Tale remains a powerfully current story- for three distinct reasons that go beyond politics. Margaret Atwood Just Updated It One aspect of The Handmaid’s Tale that is often overlooked is the author’s dedication to the story. When the author herself regards the story as a living, breathing work and continued to discuss and develop the ideas within it, the story retains some of the immediacy that surrounded it upon publication. In fact, Atwood has actually just expanded the story. As part of the launch of the updated audio version of the novel on Audible (recorded by Claire Danes in 2012, but with a completely new sound design) Atwood wrote both an afterward discussing the book and its legacy, but also new material that extends the story. The book famously ends with the line â€Å"Are there any questions?† The new material comes in the form of an interview with Professor Piexoto, which is the sort of thing fans dream about. The material is performed by a full cast in the Audible version, giving it a rich, realistic feel. It’s also a little mind-bending, since the ending of the novel makes it clear that the good professor is discussing Offred’s story far in the future, long after Gilead has disappeared, based on audio recordings she left behind, which Atwood herself has noted makes the Audible version appropriate. It’s Not Really Science Fiction ... or Fiction First of all, we should note that Atwood dislikes the term â€Å"science fiction† when applied to her work, and prefers â€Å"speculative fiction.† It might seem like a subtle point, but it makes sense. The Handmaid’s Tale doesn’t actually involve any weird science or anything implausible. A revolution establishes a Theocratic dictatorship that severely limits all human rights (and especially those of women, who are even forbidden to read) while ecological factors reduce the fertility of the human race significantly, resulting in the creation of Handmaids, fertile women who are used for breeding. None of that is particularly sci-fi. Secondly, Atwood has stated that nothing in the book is made-up- in fact, she’s said there is â€Å"... nothing in the book that didn’t happen, somewhere.† That’s part of the chilling power of The Handmaid’s Tale. All you need to do is check out some of the darker areas of the Internet, or even some of the legislative bodies around the country, to see that male attitudes towards women haven’t changed nearly as much as we might like. When the Vice President of the United States won’t have dinner alone with a woman who isn’t his wife, it’s not hard to imagine a world not so different from Atwood’s vision coming around... again. In fact, many seem to have forgotten the 1991 film adaptation of the book, with a script written by Harold Pinter and a cast featuring Natasha Richardson, Faye Dunaway, and Robert Duvall- a film that almost didn’t get made despite the power of those names because the project encountered â€Å"a wall of ignorance, hostility, and indifference,† according to journalist Sheldon Teitelbaum as reported in The Atlantic. He goes on to say that â€Å"Movie executives declined to back the project, stating ‛that a film for and about women †¦ would be lucky if it made it to video.’† Next time you wonder if The Handmaid’s Tale is so far-fetched, consider that statement. Theres a reason women in Texas recently dressed as Handmaids as a form of protest. The Book Is Constantly Under Attack You can often judge the power and influence of a novel by the number of attempts that are made to ban it- another ghostly echo when you consider that women in the novel are forbidden to read. The Handmaid’s Tale was the 37th most-challenged book of the 1990s, according to the American Library Association. As recently as 2015, parents in Oregon complained that the book contained sexually explicit scenes and was anti-Christian, and students were offered an alternative book to read (which is certainly better than an outright ban). The fact that The Handmaid’s Tale continues to be on the receiving end of these sorts of attempts is directly related to how powerful its ideas are. It’s a slippery slide from celebrating supposedly â€Å"traditional values† and gender roles to enforcing those roles in a cruel, humorless, and terrifying way. Atwood has stated that she wrote the novel in part to â€Å"fend off† the grim future she laid out in its pages; with the release of the new Audible material and the Hulu adaptation, hopefully a new generation of people will be inspired to fend off that future as well. The Handmaid’s Tale remains a living, breathing work of potential history that’s well worth reading or listening to.

Communication Styles Research Paper Example

Communication Styles Research Paper Example Communication Styles Paper Communication Styles Paper Great communication styles have a very high level on self-awareness. Understanding communication styles will help you have good impressions on others. What I would like to talk about are the different types of communication and how they apply to my life, career, and education. Everyone may have a different perspective on my topic communication styles but, is very important to know them. Types of Communication Styles There are different types of communication styles. Some common styles are timid, apologetic, empathic, assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, indirect, humorous, intellectual, passionate, vague, clear, provocative, respectful, self-centered, quiet, reserved, loud, truthful, dishonest, unfocused, irrelevant, pessimistic, idealistic, intellectual, and avoidant. The communication styles that I am focusing on are aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. Every adult and child develops a unique communication style. Each style has unique personal and social impacts. Focus on Communication Styles The focus on the different communication styles are how it is communicated to the listeners. Communication styles also have can have an impact on others. Knowing your own communication styles will help you succeed in your life, career, and education. I think recognizing the different styles can help you become a better communicator and also helps build better relationships with others. Experts Knowledge Experts state that if you know and understand your communication style then you will have a better understanding on how others may observe you. Recognizing someone’s communication styles will make them feel we are listening to them and are focusing on their desires. Experts also talk about the meanings of the different communication styles and give great advice on each one. Observing When observing someone we need not to only look at their nonverbal behaviors or kinesics. We need to look at their nonverbal language such as; eye contact, facial expressions, appearance, posture, and proximity. By observing the patient’s body language it will help use better understand their nonverbal behaviors. Aggressive Communication Aggressive communication also known as argumentative, is a method of expressing needs and desires that do not take into account of others. Aggressive communicators are usually hostile, angry, frustrated, and impatient. Argumentative communication is considered constructive because these arguments are content focused versus person focused (Anderson, 1996). Aggressive communicators like to put down others, bossy, violates peoples space, and don’t like to show appreciation. Aggressive communicators try to embarrass others, humiliate others, makes others depressed, and also make them feel hopelessness. Aggressive communicators are verbally and physically abusive. It’s never good to be an aggressive communicator because it can hurt others. The only time aggressive communication is essential is when a decision has to be made fast, when you know your tight and the fact is crucial or during emergencies. Assertive Communication Assertive communication involves respect for the boundaries of oneself and others. Assertive communication is a desirable form of social communication. Assertive communication is more persuasive or influential than aggressive communication. Assertive communicators express their feelings, know their rights, they control their anger in a mannerly way, they compromise with others, and also have good self-esteem. Assertive style is the one to go for because it’s non-judgmental and also has a positive attitude. Passive Communication Passive communication is a style where they avoid expressing their feelings, protecting their rights, and identifying and meeting their needs. Passive aggressive communicators have very low self-esteem. They believe that they are not worth anything. Passive communicators allow things to build up inside them and are unaware of the buildup. When passive communicators reach their high tolerance they blow up. After they blow up they feel guilt, shame, confusion and return to being passive. College Experience When I started college at Bryant Stratton I was not aware of the different communication styles. With the different ideas on communication styles I will be able to identify my own communication styles. While attending Bryant Stratton I have learned the fundamental concepts of communication styles. I will use the various communication styles as I further along in my education at Bryant Stratton and will communicate more effectively. Career Aspirations When I begin my job in the health care field I know communication styles will be used daily and are very important. Understanding patient’s communication styles will help me be successful when having a conversation with them. I will be able to better understand their needs. Assertive communication is the style that I will use for my career, and education. Communicating assertively will fulfill my career aspirations. It will be useful in interviews, presentations, and also with public speaking. When using assertive communication others will feel comfortable and will have respect for my honesty. Life In my life the need to communicate clearly is immense. Will use communication styles on a daily basis. Knowing the different types of communication and knowing how to approach others will help me be successful. It’s important to remember that I’m not responsible for how others interpret my messages, but it is my responsibility to make sure that I deliver my words as appropriately and clearly as I can. If I want to be understood, I have to understand how to communicate effectively. Conclusion Communication styles will help me understand others. Communication styles can have impact on others. The main points of this paper are the types of communication styles such as aggressive, passive, and assertive and understanding them to succeed in life, career and education. Communication styles will help me be successful in the future. The more experience I have the more successful I will be. Reflection My reflection on writing this paper was helpful in learning the different communication styles. By writing this paper it also helped me learn about the APA formats and how to search for scholarly references in the virtual library. Next time I approach a paper like this it should be a lot easier since I know how to use the virtual library and also APA format.

How to Map Content to Your Marketing Funnel to Boost Conversions

How to Map Content to Your Marketing Funnel to Boost Conversions Here’s the problem: You’ve created an excellent website, but no one is buying. Or maybe you’ve written an awesome blog post, and it hasn’t done anything to drive conversions. You review your marketing funnel and realize the content you’ve created focuses on one section of your funnel and leaves out the others. This creates a gap that your prospects can â€Å"leak† out from and cause you to miss potential revenue. Whats the solution? Mapping out content ideas on your editorial calendar, and aligning them with each stage of the funnel. This way, you can present potential customers with the right message, at the right time, to encourage more purchases. At , we saw this in action when we used the following framework to help us create an email drip campaign that increased our conversions by 69.77%. In this post, we’ll walk you through exactly what a marketing funnel is and how to map your content to your funnel. We’ll also walk you how to develop messaging and show you how to choose best types of content to deliver those messages at each stage in the funnel. How to Map Content to the Marketing Funnel and Boost Conversions By 69.77% via @Download Your Marketing Funnel Content Mapping Template This easy-to-use spreadsheet will help you sort the content you’ve already created and assign it to stages in your funnel. Plus, you’ll also easily be able to see where the gaps in your content are so you can map new content to prevent those leaks. This content, in turn, will guide your audience all the way through the funnel. Before we launch into how to map out your marketing funnel, there are a few terms you should keep in mind. Marketing Funnel: The journey that customers take from being completely unaware of a brand to purchasing their products. Content Mapping:  A process where you decide what content is most appropriate for a person at a given time. TOFU/MOFU/BOFU: Each of these acronyms refers to the parts of the funnel. The top of the funnel (TOFU), middle of the funnel (MOFU), and bottom of the funnel (BOFU). Discovery:  Your customers are just beginning to understand what your brand is about. They are experiencing some pain point in their life, and they aren’t sure how to fix it. Consideration:  They are now aware that there are solutions to the problem they are facing and that your brand offers one. What they don’t know is that your brand provides the best solution to their problems. Purchase:  They know about your solution and think you are the best option, but they need one last little shove over the line to buy your product.What exactly does the marketing funnel look like, anyway?Why Is Understanding The Marketing Funnel Important? Understanding how your customers flow through your marketing funnel is essential to make sure that it does its job. Here’s an infographic that gives you a little more information. Why is it important to understand how the marketing funnel works?The fact of the matter is that people don't move through the funnel in a linear process. So, you'll need to have content that reaches your audience at whatever stage they're at. 5 Marketing Funnel Examples Marketing funnels can come in all shapes and sizes. They will change a bit based on the company that created them, so here are six examples to look at. The Marketing Funnel The funnel is built in five stages and looks like this: Moz Marketing Funnel Moz’s  marketing funnel looks like this. Single Grain Marketing Funnel The Single Grain marketing funnel  looks a little like the Moz funnel, but it breaks down into three parts instead of four. Crazy Egg Sales Funnel The Crazy Egg sales funnel  looks a little different than all the other marketing funnels. In this example, theirs is mapped out based on the pages they’ve created to address customer needs at each stage of the funnel. Where the other examples are more theoretical, this one shows how a website might be structured to move customers down the funnel. Neil Patel’s Conversion Funnel Neil Patel’s conversion funnel  resembles more of a bow-tie and looks like this. If you want to learn more about different sales funnels and how they work check out this video from a CMWorld talk by Andrew Davis. Determine Who Your Target Audience Is Before you dive into your funnel, you need to  define your audience persona. Why is knowing your target audience so important? Because if you don’t know who you’re talking to,  you can’t craft the right messages  that will help them move through your funnel. So what is an audience persona,  and how can you create one? An audience persona is: A document that details your target audience’s who, what, when, where, and why. It also includes general demographic information such as gender, job title, job function, business size, team size, needs, pain points, and challenges. To build  your marketing persona, you need to be able to answer the following questions: What pain points are your potential customers experiencing? Where do they live and work? What gender are they? What hobbies do they enjoy? You can gather that information by sending a survey through social media or email. You can create a survey  using services like Survey Monkey  or Poll Daddy.  Once you have your data collected format your information into an audience persona statement.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"[INSERT YOUR BRAND] creates content to help and inform [INSERT DEMOGRAPHIC] so they can [INSERT ACTION] better.† Recommended Reading: How To Find Your Target Audience With A Marketing Persona How To Map Content To Your Marketing Funnel The marketing funnel goes by many names, but the core of each one is still the same. At , our marketing funnel looks like this: How much content should marketers create at each stage of the funnel?Now, you usually would want a customer to flow through the marketing funnel from top to bottom. However, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes your customers can enter in at a different point of the funnel besides the top. If you don’t have content throughout the funnel that helps guide your customers to the bottom, they will most likely get frustrated and leave. So how can you ensure that there is content in each phase of your funnel? You can do this by mapping out each phase and assigning content to it. As we’ve mentioned,  there are three phases to the marketing funnel. At ,  we’ve broken each of down into  different subcategories, too. Here’s what our stages look like. Discovery In the Discovery phase of your marketing funnel, your customers know  absolutely nothing about your brand. The end goal of this phase is to have people learn more about your company. Your content should slowly guide your customers to the conclusion that while they can solve their problem themselves, your product will make it easier. Some recommended content types for this phase of the marketing funnel are: Blog posts Podcasts Infographics Social media posts Videos Microsites Guides Before you decide what  types of content that you’re going to create for this phase of the funnel,  you need to determine the messages you’ll send. Unaware Phase The unaware phase is the very top part of your marketing funnel. At ,  we define this phase as: These prospects haven't identified a pain or a solution. They may have stumbled across a link to our blog or website within a piece they were reading, met us at an event, or saw an industry ad. Another possibility is that something we published piqued their curiosity. You can use this definition or you can come up with your own. After you have your definition set, record it in your template: The message that needs to be delivered to your audience in this phase of the funnel should be about solving a problem or answering a question they might research. They’re reading your content for a reason. That problem may or may not be directly solvable by your product, but it should be something that your target audience cares about. In this phase, you’re trying to  get their attention and  show  them they can trust you. Define the message you want your content to send in the unaware section and record it in your template: If you’ve already written marketing content, how do you know if it falls into the unaware category? Ask yourself these two questions: Does this content relate broadly to your audience’s interests  (not just your product)? Does this address a potential pain point? If the answer to both is yes, you can categorize it as top of the funnel/ unaware content. The last section of your template that needs to be filled in is the example section and the expectations that your unaware content needs to meet: RExamples of Unaware Content From The Blog: How to Write a Powerful Case Study Fast With 35 Examples Red Bull Marketing Strategy: What You Need to Know (And How to Copy It) Pain Aware Phase The next phase of this process is the pain aware phase. This is where your customer realizes there is a problem that needs to be fixed. We define this stage as: These prospects feel pain of some kind, but don't know of a solution. They have identified an issue/challenge with their existing process, and are actively looking for information to help them fix it. Add your definition to your template. The message you need to deliver in this  phase is: You can identify the problem and you will teach them how to fix it. The difference between the pain aware stage and the unaware stage is that the problem you are looking to solve for your reader directly ties into your product. To identify if your previously written content fits the pain aware stage, ask yourself the following: Are you addressing a specific problem that your product solves? Are you teaching them how to solve this problem? If the answer is yes, you can file that content under pain aware. Add in the expectations your pain aware content needs to meet as well as any examples that you may have. Examples of Pain Aware Content From The Blog: How to Increase Marketing Efficiency With Content Workflows How To Build The Best Social Media Promotion Schedule For Your Content Solution Aware Phase The solution aware phase of your marketing funnel is when your potential customer realizes that there are products out there that may help solve their problem. The definition we use at is: These prospects feel a specific pain and just discovered there are solutions for it. They have hit the point of frustration where they actively seek solutions to help. They know tools are designed to help them solve the problem. Use ’s definition or create your own and add it to your template. The message that needs to be delivered for this phase should be targeted toward  showing your customer that there are solutions that solve their problem  (including your product). They could take care of the problem by themselves by implementing your advice. However, your product will make it even easier. Decide what message you want to send during the solution aware phase of your content and record it in your template. Now, if you’re trying to categorize solution aware content for your funnel, here are the questions to ask: Are you addressing your product category directly? Are you showing customers what to look for in the solution they’re searching for? Are you positioning your product against others? If you answered yes to those questions, you can fill that piece of content under the solution aware category. Identify the expectations that your solution aware content needs to meet as well as examples of solution aware content that you’ve already created. Examples of Solution Aware Content From The Blog: How To Plan A Marketing Calendar That Actually Works The Best 2018 Content Calendar Template to Get Organized All Year Consideration Once your potential customers are out of the discovery phase of your funnel, they move on to the consideration phase. At this point, they are aware of your organization and are actively thinking about purchasing your product. Now you need to convince them that your product is the best one out there. Some recommended content types for this phase of your funnel are: Case studies Trials Demos Product video Product Aware Phase In the product aware phase of your marketing funnel, your customer is finally aware that your product is the solution that they’ve been looking for. At we define this phase as: These prospects are learning our product is a solution to the pain. They may be trialing and comparing different tools to ultimately choose the best one that will solve their pain. Decide on your definition and record it in your template. The message that needs to be delivered to your potential customers at this point in the funnel is that while other products could solve their problem, yours is the best option. Based on that information, decide what kind of message you need to deliver with your product aware content and record it in your template. If you are trying to decide if your existing content fits into this format, ask yourself the following: Are you directly positioning your product as the best solution to their problem? Are you showing them how your product works? Are you emphasizing what makes your product stand out? The last step for your product aware phase is deciding what expectations your product aware content needs to meet and examples of product aware content you’ve created. Examples of Product Aware Content From The Blog: What Is The Best Social Media Scheduling Tool On The Market? How to Overcome Makeshift Marketing: The Buyer's Guide Purchase The last phase of your marketing funnel is the purchase phase. At this point, your customer should be ready to convert to buying your product. They may just need that extra push to get there. Some recommended content types to create at this stage of the funnel are: Sales page Webinars Customer stories Pricing pages Testimonials Reviews Most Aware Phase This is the final subcategory of your marketing funnel. At this point, your customers are the most aware of your product and are ready to purchase. We define this phase as: These prospects are learning that our product is the best solution to the pain. They love our product in comparison to the other tools available to solve the pain and are looking for options to purchase. They are deciding which plan fits them best and how it works in their budget. Define what most aware phase means for your marketing team and record it in your template. The message that your audience needs to hear at this point is reaffirming their decision to trust your product and possibly see how others in their position have loved their choice. Using that information, highlight what message your most aware content needs to send to your audience. If you’re trying to decide if the content you’ve already written fits this phase, answer the following questions: Are you providing them with in-depth info about how your product works? Are you explaining your different pricing options or product lines? Do you include testimonials from other customers about your product? Finally,  identify the expectations your most aware content needs to meet and include examples of most aware content you’ve already created. Examples of Most Aware Content From The Blog: How To Pitch Using To Organize Your Marketing To Your Boss From Spreadsheets to : How to Make the Transition Successfully Using Your Marketing Funnel Template To Map Content Now that you know what makes up your marketing funnel,  you can move on to the very last piece:  filling in the content gaps in your funnel. Using your template,  fill in the content name, the URL (if applicable), the publish date,  and the stage in the funnel your content is in. Use the questions listed earlier in this post to determine which phase of the funnel your content belongs in. Once you have everything sorted, you may have your funnel stages listed out of order like this: You can sort your content by stages in the funnel by selecting column A on your spreadsheet. Click Data and then sort: Select â€Å"Continue with the current selection†: Make sure that you sort by column A: Click OK  and you should be good to go: Now you can track your content this way, or you can make it even easier and track, organize,  and publish your content with . Our marketing calendar has several organization features that will help you map your content to the funnel. Recommended Reading: Marketing Calendar By : A Centralized View For All Your Marketing Efforts Using Tags and Color Labels to Label Content and Funnel Stages in Tags in   can help you sort and label your content quickly and easily. To use them, select the piece of content on your calendar and click Tag in the upper left-hand corner: Type in the tag name and you’re good to go. You can also use the filter in your calendar to sort by tags. Choose the funnel in the upper left-hand corner, scroll down to Tags and select the tag you want to sort by: You can also sort and organize content using Color Labels. Color labels allow you to assign specific color codes to your content and sort your content types according to what color they are. To use them, go to the settings portion of your calendar and scroll down to Color Labels. Each color code will need its own label. The best part is that with Custom Color Labels, you can always create more: Once you have your labels built, go back to your primary calendar and select or create a piece of content. In your content, you’ll see a little white circle. Your color labels will appear, and you can select which one fits the content best: You can sort your calendar by Color Labels as well by going back up to your funnel and scrolling down to Labels. Go Create Awesome Content For Any Phase In The Funnel Now you know how your marketing funnel should work and how to solve the gaps in your funnel with content that helps increase conversions. Work with your entire marketing team to brainstorm what’s next and constantly adjust your material based on what’s working for your customers and what isn’t. Then, when you’re ready to get into the planning and execution phase of your content,  start a free trial  or schedule a demo  with . See how our marketing calendar can help you get and stay organized as well as sort all your content by marketing funnel stages. Do you have a different funnel that is creating success for your marketing team? Tell us about it in the comments below.

The McLaren SLR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The McLaren SLR - Essay Example So let us take a look at the McLaren SLR including it’s body, motor, brakes and saftey measures. The engine capacity of McLaren SLR is 5.5 liter. It operates with two spark plugs per cylinder to increase the power of the ignition during combustion (Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, n.d.). It consists of Sensotronic brake system or electrohydraulic brake system. It should be noted that in conventional brake system, the driver is responsible for producing brake pressure whereas in Sensotronic brake system a brake fluid supplies the brake pressure. Moreover, the brake disc of this car is manufactured from carbon-ceramic. In conventional cars, brake discs are manufactured from steel. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is used for the construction of the body of this car. Even though light weighted, this materials provides enough strength to the car so that the driver may not feel any jerking or any other lightweight related problems while driving this vehicle fast. This car requires only 3.4 seconds to attain a speed of 100 km/h. Moreover it can cross 210 km/h mark within 11.2 seconds. Even though this car weighs around 2 tons, its fuel economy is very good. McLaren Edition (2011), Stirling Moss (2009), Roadster 722 S (2009), 722 GT (2007) Roadster (2007) and 722 Edition (2006) are some of the models of cars introduced by McLaren SLR. In the latest models of McLaren SLR, innovative technologies are used with respect to suspension, breaking system, aerodynamics, interior and exterior systems. â€Å"The key modifications to the engine, which improve power by 15kW to 500kW (680hp) and add 10Nm for a total of 830Nm of torque† (McLaren 722 GT: Race Car Modifications, 2007) The latest McLaren SLR engine is capable of delivering high power and efficient torque. Modern technologies such as screw type compressor help McLaren SLR engine to deliver high performance standards. This high performing V8 engine takes only 10.6 seconds to cross the 200km/h mark and 28.8 seconds to cross the 300km/h mark. Moreover, McLaren SLR can be driven at the top speed of 334km/h. The V8 engine is mounted on a slope position with the help of a strong aluminum frame. Features such as Water-type charge-air cooling, dry sump lubrication and catalytic converters help this car to deliver the goods. Moreover, it has the ability to deliver torque of over 600 Newtonmetres, at 2000 rpm. The maximum available torque of this engine is 780 Newtonmetres at 3250 rpm (2003>2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, 2012). For efficient cylinder charging, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren has a mechanical compressor and some aluminum rotors. These equipment are Teflon coated to avoid friction losses. As mentioned earlier, Sensotronic brake system is incorporated in this car to provide additional safety. This brake system has the ability to calculate optimum brake pressure needed while the car is moving at high speeds. Various sensors are attached to the wheels of this car to calculate the speed of each wheel and apply the pressure needed to stop it. The coordination of Sensotronic brake system with Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is done beautifully in this car. It should be noted that it is difficult to achieve such effective coordination of these two entities in high performing sports cars. However, the McLaren engineers succeeded in blending these two systems without compromising on the safety systems of the car. Dynamic handling and

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current Events and U.S. Diplomacy - Essay Example This was strongly resented by the US. Since the end of the cold war, the relationship between US and Russia unlike in the past has become rosy. The Americans have softened their earlier unrelenting positions and has since become tolerable to the Russians. The policy was dubbed decorative policy and it has made the Americans to drastically change their perceived aggression on Russia to a very cooperative and much philanthropic (Aronson 2001). With regard to these, US have entered into many economic ties with Russia and this has even accentuated the belief that there are cordial relations in the offing. Putin is largely acclaimed to be at the helm of all the gains achieved so far. It is obvious that the relation between US and Russia has grown notches higher since the end of the cold war. Cold war almost led to the fall out between the two countries and these has since been corrected and normalcy is achieved. From the Bush administration to Obama’s, the relationship between the two countries has improved remarkably. For instance, in the Afghanistan case, the US and Russia have joined efforts in finding a lasting solution (Cameron 2005). The US relation with Cuba under the leadership of Fidel Castro for along time has not been admirable, the US initiated economic sanction in Cuba and this has retarded economic gains in the country significantly. There have been constant allegations emanating from both countries against conspiracies (Smith 2008). For example, the assassination of the American president J.F. Kennedy was hinted to have been master minded by the Cuban president, on the other hand the Cuban president claims to have dogged eight times murder initiated by the US. All other countries for along time had at least loose ties with the Cuba economically except the US that has remained defiant in making and signing economic pacts with the Cuba (Smith 2008). In as much as that has happened, US in the year 2000 partially lifted travelling restrictions.

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism Essay

What do You Understand by Economic Protectionism - Essay Example Free trade is known to be more favorable to consumers and hence such protectionism hurts the consumers more (Lee, 2001). The reason for this is mostly consumers have to buy low quality goods at a higher price. The quality of goods obtained at this is far more inferior. They even have to pay higher taxes in order to help the government bear the burden of subsidies. They are of left with little choices since foreign products are lowered or eliminated by imposing restrictions. The case is worst when it comes to essential commodities like food grains, salt, and sugar. The political argument offered for such protection is to have a ‘fair’ trade. This means either the government is trying to make the domestic industries more competitive in international market or it wants to strike a balance between importing goods and maintaining domestic production. Although it is argued that producers are favored with this policy of protection but at the same time they are losing consumers on account of this. Not all industries and firms are receiving protection and subsidies. The ones deprived of such facilities are again diversely hit as they try to increase productivity (Lee, 2001). Economists have also favored free trade than such protection because trade carries the advantages of increased productivity and employment. However real life case examples will help to point out the implications of such protection. Japanese protection for rice production can be cited as an example. Japanese people had been worshipping rice as god and had been fighting to protect rice production. Japanese government has offered subsidies to rice farmers (Barlett, 2006). This and prevention of foreign rice imports has been adopted as strategies for protection. Previously heavy snowing has distorted rice...These policies are adopted when the country is giving more importance to development of domestic industries rather than engaging in free trade. Economic Protectionism has tremendous infl uence on consumption as well as production. But the impact is more on the production side. Sometimes protection is offered to some scale industries who hardly show any incentive to grow and just wasting the opportunities and facilities offered by the government. Neither they have any incentive to innovate and produce better quality products. The country suffers a loss of revenue that it could have earned from trade. This is because other countries retaliate in a similar manner by imposing restrictions on the country’s exports. Government is worse off by losing revenue from trade. In some cases the government also offers subsidies to the industries for growth which is helpful only if the industry has the potential to compete with its foreign counterparts. Moreover urban development demands more landscapes for which they are concentrating on acquisition of rice fields. This will make farmers lose their livelihood. So the government has stepped forward to protect rice farming. It restricts cheap imported rice from entering Japan and at the same time helps the farmers with a support price. Hence rice farming protection can be considered justified here.

The Process of Managing and Design of Projects in the Construction Essay

The Process of Managing and Design of Projects in the Construction Industry - Essay Example The building has large gently sloping roofs with open vaulted ceilings and steel truss systems. It has large walls roofs and magnificent floor panels. The straight walls prevent bowing and curve hence enabling installation of tall shelves and cabinets. The building envelope considers the heated and unheated general warehouses for the rack, bulk, and storage of bins, shipping space, creating and toilet space. The design focuses on functionality and efficiency, safety, comfort, display of aesthetics, landscaping, and work safety among others. The form of the retail warehouse considers storage space, office space, and dockyard for loading, space for light industry and centres for computers. Meanwhile, warehouses are designing based on future and current needs; maximize space with good and sufficient employee movement and material handling. Layout and configuration should be optimized for quick material handling and storage. Connect the exterior and interior for goods flow in the process . Aisle widths, the design of lighting, mezzanine space, fire guards and egress design is provided for alternative material handling methods. This consists of narrow two-story terraced bungalows sitting on large block s in the city suburbs. These flats are indeed increasing in numbers. The locality may constitute both detached and semi-detached houses. The choice of terraced forms is its prevalence in the inner city which came into existence before the establishments of car bazaars. Population growth has necessitated the growth of multi-unit apartments. This has also been provoked by pressure on the environment and economy to reduce family numbers.

The effects of working mothers on children in the UAE Essay

The effects of working mothers on children in the UAE - Essay Example It is mother who guides children towards diverse fields. According to Cuber J.F (1955) an individual’s character is outcome of mother’s efforts. Thus a good mother with impressive credentials will bring up her children in an impressive way and inculcate all of her qualities into them to the maximum. On the other hand, mother who does not devote proper and required attention on her children cannot never attain purpose of hoping her children to be good group members even let alone good citizens. Thus evaluation that mother is, fundamentally, responsible for a good family can be understood from the impacts mother puts on children in a social milieu. Working mothers particularly are prone to effect children’s future because they hardly offer appropriate time to them. This phenomenon has been gaining ground across the globe on general and in UAE in particular. This paper is drafted to analyse role of mother and impacts which children get from the inattentive attitude mother has for children across the globe especially in UAE. This paper deals chiefly with the case in point of working mothers in UAE. I have structured this paper into various sections in which I have defined working mothers and their statistics, role of maids as a replacement of mothers’, working mothers in UAE and Gulf and negative effects which children get from working mothers. Further, I have also elaborated that factors which have caused increase in number of working mothers in UAE and Gulf and social aspect of working mothers in different sections under different headlines. I end this paper with logical conclusions and also some advices which, I find, essential towards a better future of the children and mothers. Working mother is one who earns livelihood for her family by working outside of the home. These services earn them handsome amount to make both ends meet and also to bring up children according to social changes and control. It is also a fact that every mother

Television Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Television - Essay Example Eventually, this lead to cable TV programming where people actually paid for cable TV to avoid the low quality programming running on the standard television. Satellite TV programming was invented after some decades of cable TV programming. During the cold war era, the first satellite of DirecTV and Dish Network commenced into orbit. This had a high level of quality programming. Without this technology of DirecTV and Dish Network, there would have been no concept of high definition programming in the present era. This is due to the lack of ability and technology for cable programming to provide high definition programming. Therefore the advancements in the television industry were greatly boosted by DirecTV and the Dish Network. Sports programming is being lead by DirecTV and the movies area is being lead by the Dish Network. These two giant TV programming industries have made history in the television industry along with many future unfolds remaining to be revealed (Recent Technological Advancements in Television, 2012). The invention of television has evolved itself from a black and white mode to a color mode with 42 inch plasma screens and sound. The invention of television involves many people and has a long timeline involved but the first person to think about creating something like television was a true innovator. The television history lies with Philo Farnsworth. Philo was an American engineer and thought about transmission of picture when he was only 14 years old. In 1927, he was the first person to invent and transmit an image on television. The image was transmitted on the television via a dissector tube ((Wyckoff, 2008) Furthermore, the invention of mechanical TV was invented in the year 1884 by Paul Nipkow. He developed a technology of rotating disc that allowed pictures to be transmitted over the wire. This was the first ever scanning system in the areas of

The effects of working mothers on children in the UAE Essay

The effects of working mothers on children in the UAE - Essay Example It is mother who guides children towards diverse fields. According to Cuber J.F (1955) an individual’s character is outcome of mother’s efforts. Thus a good mother with impressive credentials will bring up her children in an impressive way and inculcate all of her qualities into them to the maximum. On the other hand, mother who does not devote proper and required attention on her children cannot never attain purpose of hoping her children to be good group members even let alone good citizens. Thus evaluation that mother is, fundamentally, responsible for a good family can be understood from the impacts mother puts on children in a social milieu. Working mothers particularly are prone to effect children’s future because they hardly offer appropriate time to them. This phenomenon has been gaining ground across the globe on general and in UAE in particular. This paper is drafted to analyse role of mother and impacts which children get from the inattentive attitude mother has for children across the globe especially in UAE. This paper deals chiefly with the case in point of working mothers in UAE. I have structured this paper into various sections in which I have defined working mothers and their statistics, role of maids as a replacement of mothers’, working mothers in UAE and Gulf and negative effects which children get from working mothers. Further, I have also elaborated that factors which have caused increase in number of working mothers in UAE and Gulf and social aspect of working mothers in different sections under different headlines. I end this paper with logical conclusions and also some advices which, I find, essential towards a better future of the children and mothers. Working mother is one who earns livelihood for her family by working outside of the home. These services earn them handsome amount to make both ends meet and also to bring up children according to social changes and control. It is also a fact that every mother

Education policies Essay Example for Free

Education policies Essay Education is so important in any given society. For this reason, it forms a major part of any government’s plans. The plans that any government wishes to implement as regards their education system is determined by existing policies. Factors which influence formulation of policies form the subject of this discussion. For orderly presentation, the essay is divided into three chapters namely the introduction, the main body and conclusion. The introduction gives definitions of key terms used in the essay as well as conceptual frame work, the main body outlines and discusses major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence and lastly the conclusion draws a summary of the essay. 1. 1 Statement of essay purpose This essay aims at discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence. The essay will outline these factors and later give a detailed discussion of each factor. 1. 2 Definitions of terms In order to make this discussion meaningful, it is imperative that definitions of key terms that are involved are done. The key terms involved in the discussion are education, policy and independence. The definitions of the terms are as given below Education. According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Culture Organisation (1975:1), education is defined as â€Å"organised and sustained communication designed to bring about learning† Thus education in this context involves a lifelong process by which an individual is incorporated into the group and made capable of behaving in the ways expected by the society for an individual of a particular age, sex or status. Education can take place formally, non formally and informally. However, in this context the emphasis is on formal education. Policy  A policy is defined as a deliberate plan of action which is put in place to guide decisions and achieve intended outcomes. Policies differ from rules or laws. Rules or laws are established to compel or prohibit certain behaviours while policies guide actions towards desired goals. This discussion, however, focuses on education policies. Bartlett and Burton (2012:134), define an education policy as the â€Å"rafts of laws and initiatives that determine the shape and functioning of educational systems at both national and local levels. Therefore, education policies give direction to the functioning of an education system. Independence This is defined as the freedom from being governed or ruled by another country. African countries in this discussion acquired the freedom to rule themselves from colonial mast 1. 3 Conceptual Framework Blackmore (1999), states that there are three models of policy making namely popular participation, decree and delegation models. This discussion will refer to these three models in outlining and discussing the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving their independence. These models are discussed in detail below. (a) Popular Participation Policy making model. (b) In this model, everybody is given an opportunity to contribute to the formulation of policies. People in African countries were given opportunities to make suggestions on changes to make to the education system. For example, Zambia’s educational reforms of 1977. (c) Decree Policy Making Model In this model, the head of state makes pronouncements on the direction to be followed in a given education system. (d) Delegation Policy Making Model This involves appointing a commission to review the education system of a given country. For example the Onide Commission was appointed to review the education system of Kenya in 1963. Policies are made with respect to the findings of the commission. CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Main Body This chapter outlines and discusses the major factors that influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. These factors are as given and discussed below. Education for Economic Development The consideration given to education as an important vehicle for economic development is one of the factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Investment in formal education was considered as an essential precondition for economic growth. African countries learnt lessons from developed countries that a high basic platform of education was a catalyst to rapid economic development. There was a belief among developing countries that the modernisation, industrialisation and wealth of developed countries were the direct consequence of their educational systems. Coombs (1970) argues that during the 1960s education in developing countries was regarded as a sort of intellectual yeast which would ferment and transform pre industrial societies by promoting knowledge, skills and attitudes which were favourable to economic and social development. Therefore, education policies in African countries after the achievement of independence were directed at promoting education pro vision expansion in order to achieve meaningful development. In fact an argument is advanced by Anderson (1965), that analysis of evidence from major developed countries such as Britain, France, United States of America and Russia that in general terms, a thresh hold male literacy rate of 40 percent was required before there be any significant take off of economic development. To this end, African countries directed their policies on education after attaining independence towards increased access to education in order to reach the required thresh hold of literacy. Therefore, in the 1950s and 1960s, demand and plans for investment in formal education by African countries increased. Education was regarded to be a principal weapon in achieving economic growth. To this end rapid quantitative expansion of the education system became the order of the day in newly independent African countries. Man power Shortages. After attaining independence, African countries were confronted with shortage of manpower in various sectors of the economy. As a result of this scenario, they experienced economic stagnation. Man power shortages were heavily felt in technical and managerial fields. Thus, education policies in most African countries were directed towards resolving the man power shortages experienced. This situation was evident from what obtained in Kenya. As Eshiwani (1993:26), observes ‘’at independence in 1963, Kenya found herself with a high shortage of skilled manpower to run the economy. In order to solve this problem, a commission was appointed to advise the government on the formulation and interpretation of national educational policies. † Therefore, it can be stated that man power planning in newly independent countries of Africa gave a direction to the formulation of education policies. Consequently, the governments of newly independent countries of Africa saw it paramount to expand the education systems of their countries in order to produce more graduates from the education system that would fill the manpower gaps which were experienced in various sectors of the economy. Most technical and managerial jobs at independence in most African countries were occupied by foreigners. Therefore, the aim of most African governments was to decolonise the education systems, produce more output from secondary and higher education so that manpower to participate in national development could be realised. Fafunwa (1974), Contends that education development in African countries like Nigeria was treated as a national emergency for the reason of curbing manpower shortages in crucial areas of the economy. In order to meet the requirements of manpower in various sectors of the economy, the policies of African countries after independence were directed at increasing school enrolments, especially at the post primary level. Rapid expansion of secondary and higher education was considered as a pre requisite for sustainable economic growth. Enhancing education as a basic human right Newly independent African countries were confronted with a task of providing to every child their basic, essential right to education. The kind education that was to be provided was supposed to be relevant to the child in his or her African setting. For this reason, most newly African countries had massive capital and recurrent budgets towards the financing of primary education for all. The provision of education especially at elementary level to citizens of newly independent African countries was prompted by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights in which education is enshrined as a basic human right. As Bishop (1989:1), postulates, â€Å"Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. †Therefore, from the foregoing, newly independent African countries were compelled to provide education especially primary education on the grounds of human justice and equity. The newly independent African countries were supposed to consider primary education as the birth right of every child. This was due to the fact that education was seen as an effective way to give all children regardless of sex or family background an equal start in life. Furthermore, the leadership of newly independent African countries considered education to be the great equaliser that would help to narrow the wide disparities which were apparent in conditions of living in rural and urban communities. Before the attainment of independence, education in most African countries was a preserve for the elite. In order to correct this, African leaders made radical changes to their education systems to make them more accommodative to everyone. As Carmody (1994:23), contends â€Å"As in most African countries, from the early days Africa’s leaders viewed education as a powerful, often the most powerful vehicle for social transformation. Thus, as the UNIP government assumed power, among its immediate priorities were the elimination of racial segregation in schools and expansion of education provision. Tuition and boarding fees were abolished. † A point was also made by Bishop (1989), which in the days of the 1950s and 1960s massive expansion of education provision was regarded as the best means available for rooting out old prejudices and socio economic injustices. Therefore, education was regarded as basic human right which everyone needed to enjoy as provided in the foregoing arguments. In the pursuit of providing universal primary education, newly African countries set for themselves benchmarks. For example, the Addis Ababa conference on the development of education in Africa held in 1961 recommended that primary education was to be universal, compulsory and free by 1980. The conference further recommended that secondary education was to be provided to 30 percent of the children who completed primary school. Similarly, the conference of Arab states which met in Tripoli in 1966 also set 1980 as the target date for achieving universal primary education. To this end, it can be argued that one of the factors that influenced the formulation of education policies of African countries after achieving independence was related to the consideration that education was a basic human right which every citizen of a given country was supposed to enjoy . Hence, massive investment in the provision of education was undertaken by African countries after attaining independence in order to promote the achievement of universal primary education. As Court and Kinyanjui (1978:14), comment on the provision of Universal Primary Education in Tanzania. â€Å"President Nyerere had the choice of expanding the number of classes at grades V to VII so that those children entering primary education received seven years of schooling instead of four†. It can be concluded from the foregoing statement that the decision was arrived at because it enabled finances to be spent on the provision of 7 years of education to one child which helped him or her to become a useful member of society. African countries aimed at improving the access to education by increasing the number of school places which was facilitated by expanding already existing schools as well as construction of new schools in different parts of their countries. Promotion of Modernisation. African countries formulated their education policies with respect to the purpose of attaining modernisation. In order to influence modernisation in their countries, there was massive investment in education. This was a result of the belief that schooling would assist in the inculcation of modern ideas and attitudes. Bishop (1989), postulate that evidence seemed to indicate that schooling influenced the development of modern traits and ideas. To this end, schooling had some impact on modernisation. This was manifestated in higher levels of modernity among urban people and lower modernity among rural people. Consequently, many African leaders in newly independent countries felt modernisation of attitudes and behaviours was an important pre requisite for their countries’ development. According to Carmody (1994), education should socialise a nation’s population into modern values, attitudes and personalities. For this reason there was more emphasis on the expansion of education systems in newly independent African countries in order to enhance the access levels. Increased access to education meant increased modernity levels within a given country. In studies which were conducted be Inkeles and Smith (1974), indicate that education was the single most variable for modernisation. The studies indicate that each year of schooling improved a person’s score on their modernity scale by about 2 points. Education was also very effective in the development of positive attitudes and values. For this reason, formulation of education policies in newly independent African countries was influenced by the idea of modernisation. Modernisation was to be attained by every citizen in the newly independent African countries through education. Ensuring Citizens’ Political Participation The citizens’ participation in political affairs of their countries could be seen as one of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Political participation of citizens of a particular country was linked to the notion of modernisation. This was due to the fact that knowledge was regarded as power. For this reason, many political leaders of African drafted educational policies which were responsive to the promotion of political participation of citizens in nation matters. This was highly evident in the content of education which was offered to the citizens . Again this could only be realised through the wide spread of education in African countries which most leaders promoted through the expansion of the education system. Cowan (1965), stressed that any political principle which governed education policy in independent African countries was supposed to regard as a top priority the provision of an education that would establish the most vigorous form of self government and independence. Therefore, extending schooling to a larger population would make more people politically and socially conscious and more active in the process of nation building. Thus, if equal political rights were to be enjoyed by everyone then everyone ought to have at least an adequate primary school education to participate more fully in the political process of their country. Promotion of Social Equality and Removal of Divisions The attainment of social equality is among the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries after achieving independence. Education was regarded as an instrument of social equality which was critical in the upbringing of social responsibility. Therefore, education policies which were put in place by African countries after attainment of independence were directed towards the promotion of social equality within their countries. Consequently, more and more school places were created in most parts of African countries to bring about the issue of equality within their countries in the provision of education services. Equality in the provision of education was called for as it ensured that child was provided with varied and challenging opportunities for collective activities and corporate social services. Furthermore, Eshiwani (1993), points out that the promotion of social equality in the formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence helped young people to acquire positive attitudes of mutual respect which enabled them to live together in harmony and to make a positive contribution to the national life. This contribution to national life was not supposed to be extended to every part of the country, hence the need of social equality in the provision of education. Respect and Development of Cultural Heritage The formulation of education policies in African countries after achieving independence was influenced by the need for promoting respect and development of cultural heritage. Education policies were directed towards the promotion of respect, fostering and developing the rich cultures which African countries have. For this reason, policy formulation as regards this situation was clearly addressed in the content of education which African countries were to provide to their people. The content of education was adapted to the culture of the people in any particular African country. In support of this assertion, Eshiwani (1993), states that the commission which was assigned to review Kenya’s education system in 1963 recommended that Kenyan schools were to respect the cultural traditions of the people of the country, both as expressed in social institutions and relationships. Similarly, Damachi et al (1978), reports that education policies in African countries after attainment of independence were influenced by the need to enhance every aspect of human development which included the promotion of cultural heritage. Consequently, African countries were to state clearly their language of instruction in their education system both at lower and higher levels. This was done with the sole aim of promoting the preservation of cultural heritage and national unity. To this end the education policies which most African countries drafted after the attainment of independence were geared towards learners understanding of past and present cultural values and their valid place in contemporary society. Education for Self Reliance The education policies of African countries were influenced by the need for the curriculum offered to respond to the attainment of self reliance. Thus the recipients of such education were supposed to engage themselves in self employing activities. The curriculum of African countries emphasized practical subjects in order to ensure the acquisition of self reliance by learners. It was realised that the kind of education which was offered in some countries in Africa was too bookish and academic. The education system in most African countries separated manual work from learning. Thus theory was separated from practice. This situation further alienated young people from their societies. Therefore, education reforms in most African countries were inevitable so as reverse this trend. As Bishop (1989:116), reports â€Å"By the mid 1950s it was being argued once again that schooling should be reformed principally through curriculum reform to include more practical and vocational studies’’ Similarly, Carmody (1994), reports that Zambia’s First National Development Plan pointed to the need for increasingly relating secondary education to the needs of the country by diversifying the secondary school syllabus into technical and commercial fields and giving a new place to agriculture. Therefore, it can be pointed out that education policies in African countries were supposed to address the concept of self reliance. Academic schooling was to be placed side by side with technical and vocational training in African countries. Improvement of Education Efficiency The education policies of most African countries after achieving independence were influenced by the need of improving the efficiency of the education systems. In education systems of African countries, it was felt that there was no correlation between inputs and out puts as well as between costs and returns. Education policies were centred on the need of making the systems of education to be more efficient. That is, the education systems were supposed to achieve their output at the lowest cost and also get the greatest return for a given cost. According to Bishop (1989), most education systems in African countries after achieving independence were inefficient, particularly at secondary and higher levels. The inputs such as expenditure per student or teacher training did not seem to have the effects on test scores which educators anticipated. Therefore, education policies were designed in a manner that would make the education systems in newly independent African countries to be more efficient. Additionally, education in many African countries was dysfunctional. It relied heavily on rote learning and led to an inappropriate reverence for paper qualifications. Furthermore, most curricular in African countries were irrelevant to pupils’ future lives and created an imbalance with many school leavers unemployed. Consequently, African countries formulated policies which were aimed at addressing the challenges which were faced in education systems. Education as a means of fostering international consciousness Education policies in African countries were influenced by the need to foster international consciousness in learners. Education policies as complimented by the content of education provided to learners was supposed to ensure that positive attitudes towards other countries as well as the international community were upheld. This was emphasized because no country existed as an island. Each country depended on others for its prosperity. Therefore, it was essential that learners were provided with education that would instil international consciousness for the purpose of promoting cooperation among countries. CHAPTER THREE. 3. 0 CONCLUSION Education policies in African countries after their achievement of independence were influenced by a number of factors. Some of the major factors which influenced education policies in African countries included manpower shortages, recognition of education as a basic human right, consideration of education as a tool for development, modernisation, improving education efficiency, need for citizens’ political participation, and promotion of international consciousness among learners as well as self reliance. Changes in education policies were inevitable due to the fact that African countries experienced change in government. A change in government is associated with an ideological shift, thus aspects of the education system in a given country  will be in a continual state of reformation. Hence, changes occurred in education aspects such as content, teaching methodologies, assessment and structure. REFERENCES. Anderson, C. A (1974), Education and Development Re considered, Newyork: praeger Publishers. Bartlett, S and Burton, D (2012), Introduction to Education Studies, Los Angeles: Sage Publishers. Bishop, G (1989), Alternative Strategies for Education, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan Carmody, B (1994), The Evolution of Education in Zambia, Lusaka: Book World Publishers. Coombs, P. H (1970), The Need for a New Strategy of Education Development, Paris: UNESCO. Court, D and Kinyanjui, K, K (1978), Development Policy and Education Opportunity: The Experience of Tanzania and Kenya, Paris: Macmillan. Cowan, J. O (1965), Education and National Building in Africa, London: Macmillan Damachi, U. G, Routh, G and Abdel, R. A (1978), Development Paths in Africa and China, London and Basingstoke: Macmillan. Eshiwani, G. S (1993), Education in Kenya since Independence, Nairobi: East African Education Publishers Fafunwa, A. B (1974), History of Education in Nigeria, London: Macmillan Press. Inkeles, A and Smith, D (1974), Becoming Modern, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.