Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Bechdel Test And The Duvernay Test, White Men And...

As evidenced by the poignancy of the Bechdel Test and the DuVernay Test, white men and their stories dominate film. The problem, of course, that arises from such a whitewashed male perspective is that the valid and worthwhile stories of other groups of people are pushed aside, often as a means of plot progression for white male protagonists. Add mental illness to the mix. On top of the silenced forced upon marginalized groups simply for not being the most privileged, the people in these groups, when afflicted by mental illness, fall victim to harsh stereotypes that further eliminate the uniqueness of their stories. Of these groups, women are of particular interest because they are not left out of cinema completely, just enough to be exemplars of a group whose voice muted by stereotypes such as that of the crazy girlfriend, the fragile wallflower, and, most importantly for the purposes of this paper, the beautiful tragedy. It is a common plotline in the mental ill woman-concerned medi a to start with a female character noted for her beauty, and often her innocence but not always, who nose dives into mental illness. Most importantly and, more often than not, most differently from mentally ill characters that are white and male, the craze becomes so overwhelming that the female character has to be forcibly silenced in the end, either by death or by being locked away. The same is true for other characters of alternate minority groups, such as Anthony in Dead Presidents, but

Monday, December 16, 2019

An Introduction to the Im Profession and Ethics Paper Free Essays

string(39) " take control of an affected computer\." De La Salle University – Manila An Introduction to the IM Profession and Ethics Paper Presented to The Faculty of the College of Computer Studies De La University – Manila In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science of Information Systems By: Changcoco, Amos Dimla, Ysabel Nicole Ramchand, Pavan Tanchuling, Bianca Denise Tibayan, Jan Michael 1. 0 COMPUTER AND INTERNET CRIME 1. 1 Types of Exploits 1. We will write a custom essay sample on An Introduction to the Im Profession and Ethics Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1. 1Virus It is a malicious code that is attached to a file or executable program that can hack the files of the victim’s computer and reformat, delete or modify the files. The virus is executed only when the file that contains the virus is opened or if the program with the virus is executed as well. It leaves infections as it travels from one computer to another. The spread of the virus relies on the users whenever users would use removable media devices, download or through e-mails. An example of a computer virus would be the Pikachu virus which was the first computer virus directed to children. It was said that the virus started on June 28, 2000 from Asia or the Pacific Ocean region. The virus was an email titled, â€Å"Pikachu Pokemon† with the message, â€Å"Pikachu is your friend. † The email contained the image of the cartoon character, ‘Pikachu’ from the TV series Pokemon, with the message, â€Å"Between millions of people around the world I found you. Don’t forget to remember this day every time MY FRIEND. † The Pikachu virus infected only a few companies in the United States through Microsoft Outlook email attachments or through Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser. The reason why only a few companies were harmed and why the virus was not as viral is that the virus was not coded properly and would ask the user if the virus can delete the files in the user. 1. 1. 2Worm A worm is a malicious code that is used for bringing down the computer system. A worm does not infect files, however, it monopolies the computer’s CPU and operating system and is capable of deleting data and programs. It infects a computer by finding vulnerability in an application or operating system. A worm is self-replicating and uses a network to replicate itself to other computer. It does not rely on human interaction for spreading to other computers. An example would be the Morris Worm or also known as the Great Worm. Created by a Cornell University student named Robert Tappan Morris in the year 1968, the Morris Worm consisted of 99 lines of code. Robert Morris wanted to know how big the Internet was and made the worm to find the answer. It is noted that the creator did not have malicious intent in making this worm; however, the worm infected immense amounts of stability problems that made many systems unusable. The damage was over 6,000 infected UNIX machines which cost between $10,000,000 and $100,000,000. This example is an ethical dilemma because the creator did not have evil intentions in making the worm but did have bad effects on most people in America. This dilemma would be ethical based on the psychological egoism theory because Robert Morris acted on his selfish motive whether he should or not, which made him moral. Based on the hedonism theory, it was ethical of Morris because he was only doing his duty without knowing that his actions would bring upon negative effects. 1. 1. 3Trojan Horse Named after the Trojan horse from Troy which was used to infiltrate the enemy’s territory through a disguise, the Trojan horse is disguised as something else (such as a program or file) but is actually a malicious code or may contain malicious code. Similar to viruses, a Trojan horse is executed when the file with the virus is opened or the program with the malicious code is executed also. A Trojan horse can do from light damages such as changing the desktop and the like, to threatening damage, such as deleting files, stealing data, or activating and spreading other malware, to the victim’s software. Trojan horses are also used to create a ‘back door’ in the operating system so that the hackers can access the system. However, the Trojan horse cannot duplicate itself nor it can self-replicate. It would need the user to spread to other computers. An example of a Trojan horse would be from the pirated version of Apple’s suite of software, iWork. iServices was the Trojan horse part of the pirated version of iWork, which would signal the hackers that the Mac is infected and the hacker has access to the system. This is an ethical dilemma because the people who buy pirated software such as the iWork do not know that there is a Trojan horse in the software. It was unethical of the sellers to place a Trojan horse in the software without the consent of their customers’ because deontology theory states that it was not the duty of the vendors to hack into the systems of their customers in the first place. Another reason why it was unethical because of the theory of altruism because the interest of others was not thought about since many people will suffer due to the actions of the vendors. This is another reason why it is unethical, because of the utilitarianism, which is consequences-based. Lastly, the social contract theory states that the actions of the vendors were unethical because it is against the law to hack and infiltrate private property. Logic bomb is a type of Trojan horse that is triggered only by a series of specific events such as a specific sequence of keystrokes or a change in a file. 1. 1. 4Botnets A botnet is a network of infected computers that are controlled by bots. Named after the word ‘robot’, a bot is a type of malware that allows an attacker to take control of an affected computer. You read "An Introduction to the Im Profession and Ethics Paper" in category "Essay examples" Criminal can take over the controlled computer such as sending out spam, spread viruses, attack computer and can even cause crime and fraud, without the owner knowing it. Bots are also called computer zombie because the computer has no control over its actions since hackers are in charge of its actions. 1. 1. 5Distributed Denial-Of-Service Attacks (DDoS Attacks) A Distributed Denial-of-Service Attack is when a malicious hacker controls computers through the Internet. It is an attempt in preventing the computer owner to use network resource or machine. It is composed of one or more people trying to disenable a certain host from being connected to the Internet. 1. 1. 6Rootkits The name rootkit comes from the two words ‘root’, which pertains to the point it attacks, which would be the administrator or the source or the root, and ‘kit’ because of the set of programs. A rootkit is a set of programs that enables its user to gain administrator level access to a computer without the user’s consent or knowledge. The owner of the rootkit is capable of executing files and changing system configurations on the target machine, as well as accessing log files or monitoring activity to covertly spy on the user’s computer usage. It is hard to detect if a computer system has a rootkit malware. 1. 1. 7Spam E-mail spam is when e-mail systems send unsolicited e-mail to large numbers of people. Spam mostly comes off as cheap advertisements of strange products such as pornography, ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes and the like. Spam can also be used to deliver harmful worms or other malware. . 1. 8Phishing Phishing is an attempt to steal personal identity data by tricking users into entering information on a counterfeit Web site. 1. 2Types of Perpetrators 1. 2. 1Hackers and Crackers Hackers are people who test the limits of the system, find the â€Å"holes†, and check which data they could access. The knowledge that they get is actually obtainable in various media, usually the internet. They are not usually considered bad; but due to many of them who used such knowledge to cause harm to systems, the term became negative. A more appropriate term for these kinds of people is actually called crackers. 1. 2. 2 Malicious Insiders Malicious insiders are people who obtain goods, services, or property through deception or trickery, also known as fraud. In other words they lie to gain. 1. 2. 3 Industrial Spies Industrial spies are people who illegally obtain information from competitors for the benefit of their sponsor. The act is called industrial espionage and the opposite which is to obtain information legally is called competitive intelligence. In 1993, Opel accused the rival Volkswagen of industrial espionage after the former’s chief of production and seven executives moved to the latter company due to missing documents. (Julian, 2011) 1. 2. 4 Cybercriminals These perpetrators hack to the company’s system and will do anything with the information just to gain money. One of the most famous hackers of the world is Albert Gonzalez, who used hacking to steal and resell millions of card and ATM numbers in a span of three years. He did this by attacking many systems which would eventually give him the information needed to steal the card numbers. Verini, 2010) Albert Gonzalez is in ethical dilemma because he used his skills to steal the information for money. Based on the deontological theory, it’s unethical because it is not the duty of hackers to steal information. Based on hedonism under the utilitarian theory, it is ethical because he found pleasure from the act. Social contract theory, however, makes th is act unethical, and so does virtue theory. 1. 2. 5 Hacktivists and Cyberterrorists Hacktivists, combining the words â€Å"hacking† and â€Å"activist†, are people who hack to promote political ideology. Cyberterrorists attack to get the attention of the government as part of their political objectives. Anonymous is one of the most famous hacktivist groups due to their appearance on various media in which members appear wearing the Guy Fawkes mask. Their advocacy is to oppose the Internet censorship and surveillance, government corruption and homophobia. This is why they attacked several government sites. (Katich, 2013) The ethical dilemma the group faces is that they use hacking skills to infiltrate the systems yet they belong to the side of the people as their objective is to make the government hear their voice. This is ethical based on deontology because it is their duty to make the government listen to them their voice. This is also ethical based on the altruistic approach as more will benefit from their act. However, social contract theory states that it is unethical since this act has violated the law. 1. 3Laws for Prosecuting Computer Attacks 1. 3. 1Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (RA 8792) 1. 3. 1. 1E-Commerce in Society The process of buying and selling goods electronically by consumers and from company to company through computerized business transactions. This act has the purpose of protecting those who pursue business in electronic means through multiple communication networks through the Internet. 1. 3. 1. 2 Elements in the Law Electronic data messages – these are generally the information that is in every transaction of the business. Electronic document – these are the type of information specified with text, symbols, or other modes of written expression yet similar in nature with the electronic data messages. Electronic Signature – these are any distinctive marks that approve a transaction which are done by a person or an entity using electronic means. . 3. 1. 3Relation to other Laws Such laws that are affected with this are the Intellectual Property Rights, Copyrights Protection. These laws give protection to the parties involved in any business activities through electronic means. Fraud is also related as the government can charge you when you make accept payment illegally by disguising your site as a reliab le option for payment. 1. 3. 1. 4 CASE in E-Commerce Censorship is very an essential tool to distinguish the moralities of websites and the cooperation of companies to acknowledge said moralities. In China, Google’s operations created a storm of criticism when the company agreed to comply with the government’s wishes and censor pro-democracy and other websites. In 2010, Google relocated its Chinese operations to Hong Kong, putting it outside China’s censorship regime. Supporters of the decision say Google shouldn’t cooperate with China’s repressive policies, while critics say Google’s withdrawal cut off millions of Chinese citizens from the company’s services and weakens its presence in one of the world’s largest markets. This case has very evident ethical issues including the move of Google to relocate its operations to Hong Kong. This made the jurisdiction of China’s censorship policy not reachable so that they can use their assets more freely. These however made the citizens of China that is inside the jurisdiction of the censorship policy long for their beneficial search engine. If seen in Google’s benefits this is a rather good trade for them to maximize the use of their services in a commercial area such as Hong Kong yet they could’ve served the citizens so they can keep up their reputation of improving life in the world and be consistent of the famous line â€Å"Don’t be evil†. I generally disagree with their decision to relocate as they could’ve followed the updated utilitarianism and give their services to those who would need them the most. Still they acted the ethical egoism to censor pro – democracy sites which are morally good to their perspective. 1. 3. 1. 5Another Example Including Google Google gathers incredible amounts of data on people who use its search engine. As of 2011, the company’s website states that although it stores records of your searches as a tool to improve corporate efficiency, it renders them anonymous after nine months and deletes cookies used to track visitors after two years. Governments could use Google’s information to investigate individuals visiting particular websites, however, and Google Earth’s photo collection also has raised privacy questions: In 2008, a couple sued on the grounds the online photos of their home violated their privacy, but a judge threw out the lawsuit the next year. This case is provides insight to how Google can be of every use to our society as they can help the government catch fugitives, suspects and criminals with their records of the searches of the every person using their search engines yet this leaves them to violate certain privacy issues when they abuse that kind of power. The lawsuit of the couple may be dismissed by a judge but their lawsuit are supported by ethical theories namely the rights – based theories which states that there are social contracts that should be acknowledged and that includes their right for privacy. They may be legal to store records such as the photo from their Google Earth but they should have to limit their power to exercise their duty as they are also supported by the duty – based theories due to their daily or continual task of improving corporate efficiency as well as giving us access to unlimited knowledge. 1. 3. 2 Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175) 1. . 3. 1 Preliminary Provisions 1. 3. 3. 2. 1. 1 Brief History of RA 10175 Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or also known as Republic Act No. 10175 was approved on September 12, 2012. This is first law in the Philippines which specifically criminalizes computer-related crimes. The Cybercrime Prevention Act in its current form is the product of House Bill No. 5808, authored by Representative Susan Tap-Sulit of the second district of Tarlac and 36 other co-authors. The final version of the Act was later signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III on September 12, 2012. 1. 3. 2. 1. 1 Declaration of Policy The main objective of this Act is to protect the people from cybercrimes and also from the harmful effects associated with it. The state also aims to recognize the vital roles of information and communications industries in the country. The state also recognizes the need to protect and safeguard the citizens of the state, and also to protect the integrity of computers and its users. The state also wants to recognize the importance of providing an environment conducive to the development acceleration, and rational application and exploitation of information and communications technology. . 3. 3. 2. 1 General Provisions 1. 3. 3. 2. 2. 2. 1 Punishable Acts In this Act, there are 10 punishable acts indicated in the bill, and those punishable acts each have penalties that are associated. In the next sentences, the punishable acts will be discussed briefly. Offenses against the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and systems: A. Illegal Access – accessing a computer or a part of a computer without any right B. Illegal Interception – the interception made by the use of any technical device without any right of non-public transmission of datum to or from any computer system including electromagnetic emissions from a computer system carrying such data C. Data Interference – the intentional or any reckless alteration, damaging, deletion or deterioration of computer data, electronic document, or electronic data message, without any right including the transmission or transferring viruses into a system. One example is the ILOVEYOU message transmitted through electronic mail way back in the year 2000. D. System Interference – the intentional or any reckless hindering or interference with a functioning computer system, or a computer network by inputting, transmitting, damaging, deleting, deteriorating, altering, or supressing computer data or computer program without any right or authority in doing so. E. Misuse of Devices – the use of any material without any right of it. Acts like producing, manufacturing, selling, and distribution. F. Cyber-squatting – the simplest way is identity theft, using another individual’s identity to gain profit or scam other people in the internet. G. Computer-related Forgery – the illegal use of a computer into copying one’s work, and gaining illegal access to a computer to copy the content of a system or database. H. Computer-related Fraud – the unauthorized input, alteration, or deletion of computer data or program or interference in the functioning of a computer system. I. Computer-related Identity Theft – the intentional acquisition, use, transfer, or possession of any identifying information belonging to another person, whether natural of juridical. Under these are Cybersex and Child Pornography. J. Libel –    defined as a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any acts, omission, condition, status or circumstance tending to discredit or cause the dishonour or contempt of a natural or juridical person committed through a computer system or any other similar means which may be devised in the future. The above stated are the punishable acts by the law enforced and written in the bill, and these acts have corresponding penalties if have been proven to the court. The penalties include: imprisonment or a fine of at least two hundred thousand pesos (Php. 00,000. 00) up to a maximum amount commensurate to the damage incurred or both. Prison mayor is equivalent to imprisonment from 6 years and one day to twelve years. 1. 3. 3 Ethical/ Moral Dilemmas 1. 3. 4. 2 Situation A 16-year old male named â€Å"Josh Evans† was registered on the account used for bullying messages to a girl named Megan Mier. Lori Drew, the mother of Sarah, a former friend Mier, later admitted creating the MySpace account. She was aided by Sarah and Ashley Grills, an 18-year-old employee of the elder Drew. The senior Drew and several others ran the fake account, with an aim to get information about Megan and use that information against her and also for her to be humiliated. This caused spreading gossips about Megan, and thus creating a traumatic experience not only for her but also to her family. 1. 3. 4. 3 Analysing using the Four Major Ethical Theories A. Duty-based Theory According to the Duty-based theory, an act is considered ethical if it has good intentions. Given the situation, I can clearly state that it is not an ethical thing to do. Creating or spreading false rumours is not even close to be called as a good intention. Also, gathering information about a certain person is not ethical if it will be used against or be held against to a person. Using the Duty-Based Theory, I can clearly state that the situation of gathering information of Megan is not ethical because it does not serve a good intention. B. Utilitarianism According to the Utilitarianism Theory an act is only to be considered ethical if it produces desirable consequences or outcomes. The outcome of the situation stated earlier is that the experience Megan was traumatic not only for herself, but it also affected her family. Just by looking at this outcome, we can say that it is not also considered ethical in this theory, because of the outcomes that the actions of the group had caused not only their target but also the relationship of other people to Megan. C. Social Contract Theory According to the social contract theory an act is considered ethical if the act does not violate any rules or laws; according to the Civil Code of the Philippines: Persons and Family Relations, under Chapter 2 which is Human Relations the Articles 19, 20 and 21 discusses the different rights a person possesses and how a person should exercise his or her rights. Chapter 2 Article 19 presents the basic principles that are to be observed for the rightful relationship between human beings and the stability of the social order. Chapter 2 Article 20 presents that you are liable for any damage that you have caused to another person, whether wilfully or negligently. Chapter 2 Article 26 presents that right must never abused, the moment that it is abused, the moment rights are abused they ceased to right. D. Virtue According to the Virtue theory, the action that is considered to be ethical is when the action is came from a good moral principle. Looking to the situation, it is not an ethical thing to do because it does only harm the person involved but also the moral principles of the suspect is to be questioned. 1. 3 Trustworthy Computing 1. 4. 1 Microsoft’s 4 Pillars of trustworthy Computing The 4 Pillars of trustworthy computing help identify the key elements in computing especially in an organization with numerous employees to manage. Guidance is a key to help implement a good and stable system such as how the pillars guide not just Microsoft employees but users alike. 1. 4. . 1 Security Creation of a trust worthy environment for a safe computing environment 1. 4. 2. 2 Privacy The protection and confidentiality of design, development and testing in any organization is essential as to be part of the competitive market today. 1. 4. 2. 3 Reliability Working as expected or promised by the developers and their entity 1. 4. 2. 4 Business Integrity Being responsible and transparent in you duties and expectation as part o f a work force that strives to be excellent a mistake is bound to happen. Admitting a mistake is the 1st step to a growing process of learning new things to come. 1. 4. 2 Risk Assessment It is the process of assessing security related risks to an organization’s computers and networks from both internal and external (Reynolds, 2011) A risk assessment is a process to identify potential hazards and analyse what could happen if a hazard occurs. (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2013) The assessment would assure the IT security team that they will be ready when an attack comes because of the determined risk assessment they perform. 1. 4. 1 General Security Risk Assessment Process Step 1: Identify IT assets and prioritize ones that are of most importance Step 2: Identify the threats/risks that could occur Step 3: Assess the likelihood of threats Step 4: Determine the impact of each threat, how large to small is the impact if affected Step 5: Determine how each threat can be prevented/blocked Step 6: Which is the most effective prevention method Step 7: Perform cost benefit analysis before taking any action Step 8: Make the decision to implement or not to implement the decided risk prevention found through thorough research and development 1. 4. 3 Establishing a security policy Defines an organization’s security requirements, as well as controls and sanctions needed to meet those requirements. (Reynolds, 2011) A good security policy can possibly improve and provide a smooth flow of operations within an organization. NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) is a non-regulatory federal agency within the US department of commerce. The computer security division creates security standards for organizations to implement in their own system. 1. 4. 4 Educating the Employees, Contractor and Part-Time Workers Surveys show that most security problems come from negligence and unawareness of the security policies. Teaching good security practices like not giving out your passwords, making sure you do not meddle in different departments. Knowing the Dos and DONTs of everyday computing will help guide any workplace and direct them to the good ways of being a good user. 1. 4. 5 Threat Prevention The key to a threat prevention system are layers of security systems that challenge the perpetrator to hack into the system. Firewall – stands guard between an organization’s internal network and the internet Intrusion Prevention Systems – prevents an attack by blocking viruses, malformed packets and other threats from getting into a protected network. Antivirus software – should be installed on each user’s personal computer to scan a computer’s disk drives and memory regularly for viruses. User accounts that remain active after employees leave cause an uncertain threat to the company, IT staff must promptly delete and make sure to wipe out all the privileges of the former employee. The US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Network Team) and SANS(SysAdmin, Audit, Network,System) Institute – regularly update a summary of the most frequent and high impact threats to a computer system specifically viruses and worms. . 4. 6 Security Audit An important prevention tool that evaluates whether an organization has a good security policy and if it is being followed. An example would be a requirement to change passwords every week or month with this in place a security for companies are much more protected compared to others without this requirement. Basically to test, check and review the system’s secur ity and look for loop holes and easy targets. 1. 4. 7 Detection The preventive measures made for a computer system is not always enough to protect important data. Intrusion detection system – is a software/hardware that monitors system and network resources, notifies a system admin when an intrusion occurs Knowledge based intrusion system – contains information about attacks and system vulnerabilities, then trigger an alarm (ex. Repeated login, repeated data events) Behaviour based intrusion system – compares users system behaviour with an admin created model that detects when a user is not following the required model, this would trigger an alarm. (Example: Unusual activity with an account in the HR department accessing the IT department’s data. 1. 4. 8 Response An organization should be prepared for the worst, like a system attack that stops all operations and steals data from the company. The top priority during an attack is not to catch the perpetrator but to regain control and save what is left. Who needs to be informed? And who not to notify? Reputation and credibility is at stake in any security breach. A company should document all details of a security breach and be able to review it after to assess and further study. Eradication of the damaged/breached information is essential but before everything a log is required to keep track 1. . 9 Ethical Moral Dilemmas You are a member of a large IT security support group of a large manufacturing company. You have been awakened late at night and informed that someone has defaced your organization’s website and also attempted to gain access to computer files containing a new product under development. What are your next steps? How much time would you spend tracking down the hacker? -Deo ntological 1. 5 References * (1999, 10). Electronic Commerce. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 10, 1999, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Electronic-Commerce-731. tml * THE ELECTRONIC COMMERCE ACT (R. A. 8792) AN OVERVIEW OF IT? S (INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY) IMPACT ON THE PHILIPPINE LEGAL SYSTEM(2005 006). ‘www. ustlawreview. com/pdf/vol. L/Articles/The_Electronic_Commerce_Act_RA_8792. pdf * What Is the Difference: Viruses, Worms, Trojans, and Bots? – Cisco Systems. (n. d. ). Cisco Systems, Inc. Retrieved from http://www. cisco. com/web/about/security/intelligence/virus-worm-diffs. html * What Is A Rootkit? (n. d. ). Internet / Network Security – Tips, Advice and Tutorials About Internet Security and Network Security. Retrieved from http://netsecurity. about. com/od/frequentlyaskedquestions/f/faq_rootkit. htm * Julian. (2011). 10 Most Notorious Acts of Corporate Espionage. Retrieved from http://www. businesspundit. com/10-most-notorious-acts-of-corporate-espionage/ * Katich, A. (2013). Anonymous (Annie Katich). Retrieved from http://socialactive. wordpress. com/2013/02/25/anonymous-annie-katich/ * Verini, J. (2010). The Great Cyberheist. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/11/14/magazine/14Hacker-t. html/ How to cite An Introduction to the Im Profession and Ethics Paper, Essay examples

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Comparing and Contrasting Greece and Rome free essay sample

The Roman and Greek societies were both very influential and innovative. Furthermore, the two civilizations lasted for many centuries and expanded greatly. Thus, the Roman and Greek societies had various differences and similarities along the lines of religion, government and intellectual achievements. Religion-wise, Rome had borrowed Greek’s polytheistic religion, only altering deities’ names. On the government front, Rome combined the governments of several Greek city-states and made a republic. Lastly, Rome achieved many architectural feats, especially its aqueducts, due to Grecian intellectual innovation in development of arches. The Greek Roman civilizations both had strong roots in religion. Greece, being the predecessor of the Roman society, undoubtedly influenced Roman religion. In fact, the Ancient Roman religion was nearly identical to Greece’s polytheistic religion, except the names of the deities were different. For example, Zeus, the Grecian god of sky and thunder, was the equivalent of the Roman god Jupiter. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing and Contrasting Greece and Rome or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Roman Empire’s tireless expansion, however, lead to the introduction of new religions through cultural diffusion. Conquering Judea revealed the religion of Judaism to the Romans, and later, through a chain of events, the religion of Christianity was established within the Empire. Christianity was a monotheistic religion and it challenged Rome’s polytheistic religion and Rome’s government, since numerous deities were symbols of state. It is evident that Rome, in the beginning, used Greece’s religion, but through the passage of time, had three different religions, two of which still prosper today. In the aspect of government, Rome combined the most relevant features of the monarchy, aristocracy and democracy to form a new form of government: the republic. In Ancient Greece, city-states implemented the aforementioned forms of government, but not at once. For example, Athens was a democracy while Sparta was an oligarchy, and Mycenae was a monarchy. So, Rome, influenced by Greece’s forms of government, managed to create what Greece never had: one unified, single form of government. Albeit Greece’s mountainous, separated terrain was the reason for the divided government, Rome’s accomplishment stands nevertheless. Nearing Rome’s collapse, on the other hand, infighting arose amongst commandants due to soldiers pledging allegiance to their commandant and not their state. Therefore, it is noted that a unified, central government is not the key to a unified, central state. Like in the case of religion, Rome, due cultural diffusion, used the Grecian city-state’s form of government to make the republic. In the realm of intellectual achievements, Roman innovations were especially grand in the area of architecture. Adhering to the Grecian architectural standards of strict dimensions and proportions, Romans created building feats, notably the Pantheon and the Colosseum and aqueducts. They did this through improvising the arch and the dome, and began using concrete in the 1st century BCE. Where Greece developed the ziggurat, columns and ramps, Romans aggrandized and combined those designs to create such buildings like the Pantheon. Also, the usage of concrete helped reinforce Pax Romana, for the substantial durability of the roads allowed for easy transportation. Roman aqueducts were architectural marvels as well, bringing water into the city and to the farms. In Greece, the wheel, the sail and the plow were developed, in addition to astronomical and mathematical discoveries like Earth’s diameter and the 360 degrees of a circle. The development of the plow was especially crucial to Rome, for it was an agricultural society. Rome, in the topic of religion, faced a growing religion called Christianity within its empire, something which Greece didn’t have. Government-wise, Rome was a republic while Greece, as a whole, was mostly focused on democratic principles. Finally, Grecians developed the 360 degrees in a circle, something that was crucial to development of the arch and essentially, much of Roman architecture. To conclude, an influential, relational analogy can be established between the similarities of Greece and its predecessor Sumer, and between Rome and its predecessor Greece. All three of those civilizations were unique, aspired to conquer, trade and negotiate with neighboring lands and ultimately, still affect the present life through the actions they did, millennia ago, like Constantine’s decision to end the persecution of Christians.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Oracle Bone free essay sample

Religion in Shang Dynasty Religious practice has always been an essential part of Chinese Culture. Even in the period of the Three Augusts and Five Kings, religious practices occurred. However, it is not until the Shang Dynasty when actually records of spiritual communication were founded. Oracle Bones were recorded of communication between human and spirits. The ritual of cracking oracle bones told what ancient Chinese concerned the most the relationship between spirits and nature. The intricate Oracle Bones not only reveal the religious aspect of the Shang Dynasty, but also relate the cultural and olitical system in ancient China. During the Shang Dynasty, Kings were granted the power to communicate with spirits. Mostly importantly, spirits informed kings about the unknowns. When Shang kings have questions regarding the future and their relationship with spirits, they assigned priests and shamans to become medium between human and spirits. When shamans were asked to foretell for the king, they drill hollows in shells and apply red- hot poker to these shells. We will write a custom essay sample on Oracle Bone or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They believed this ritual would attract spirits who were nearby to answer kings questions asked by shamans. Shamans main task was to nterpret spirits respond through the different cracks on shells. These kinds of predictions were said to be legitimate the kings were the ultimate representative of the spirit. Most of the time, kings requested to perform oracle bones divination to learn from spirits regarding the success of harvest, outcomes of battles, and schedule of sacrifices to spirits. For example, the King asked: Will Di order rain sufficient for harvest? (Eno 46). During earlier years of Shang Dynasty, the outcomes of harvests were more important to the people. Nevertheless, by the end of the Shang Dynasty, a large portion of divinations were performed to know the schedule and proper scarifications to spirits and ancestors. There were scarifications everyday for different ancestors and spirits according the results of divinations accumulated overtime. After oracle bone divinations were performed, kings would perform sacrifice to the assigned spirit at a specify time with appropriate goods. When an oracle divination indicated a negative answer from spirits, for instance defeat in battles, kings would then sacrifice to spirits hoping for spirits help to change the result. Shamans would slaughter animals and/or humans according to spirits preference. The result of appeasing spirits could lead spirits to provide extra helps for the people. On the other hand, if the king sacrifice the perfect quality and quantity of goods to a specify spirit but the king did not get his preference; kings could temporarily stop sacrificing to this spirit until the effect of previous scarifications were shown. Therefore, human scarification and spirits effectiveness created an economy between human and heaven. This economy applied more on the loyal level than the family level. During Shang Dynasty, family could only sacrifice to their own linage of ancestry. It was a crime to sacrifice to other linage of ancestries because only the king had this power. Family often sacrificed to hope ancestors would bless the family to have male children which can extend the family-tree. Thus, only the royal family had the Shang king can communicate and sacrifice to all linage of ancestries, which include Shen (natural deities), royal ancestors, and cultural heros. People in Shang Dynasty worship the greatest spirit Di (Tian). Yet Di do not receive any sacrifice ompare to other spirits. Tian, which is said to be equivalent to Di, was so powerful that other spirits could never match their power with D. Di was a significant factor of Shang peoples religious believe that was indicated in the oracle bones but Tian was not indicted in any evidences at all. On the other hand, Shang people viewed Shen as the power of nature, including power of earth, river, mountains, rain, thunder, and the power of directions, etc. in the early stage of Shang Dynasty, oracle bones divinations were directly performed to communicate with Shen to foretell harvest esults. Shen, unlike Di, did take sacrifice in order approve kings requests. For example, king asked, Shall we call upon Que to sacrifice a hound by fire to Cloud? (Eno 48). Thus, Shen was the second highly respected power after D. Shang kings also sacrifice to spirits of their royal ancestors, including parents, grandparents, forebears of ruling king, relatives. These spirits were located inside the royal familys palace, and their tablets were put together with other ancestors of the same family. Kings worshiped his linage of ancestors to hope they would bring fortune to the royal amily and the countries. When the current king died, he became part of his linage. Oracle bones divinations were use to communicate with royal ancestor spirits: Should we protect the kings eyes against Grandmother Ji? (Eno 49). Current kings Other families only sacrifice to their own linage as well. This ancestor worship ritual was established during the Shang Dynasty and is still performing in modern Chinese culture. Finally, kings also sacrificed to ancient cultural heroes, yet they were the less prominent group of spirits. Thus, religion practices in Shang Dynasty were an essential part of Chinese ultural before and in todays society. The use of oracle bones to predict future allowed reader to date the first actual evidence of Chinese religion. The written records left by Shang Dynasty created a clear picture of the cultural and politic aspects of ancient China as well. The relationship between human and spirits remains to be a significant part of Chinese peoples religious belief. I grew up practicing ancestor worship. Work Cited Eno, Robert. Deities and Ancestors in Early Oracle Inscriptions. Religions Of China In Practice. Donald S. Lopez Jr. New Jersey: Princeton University press. 41-51

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Telling a Good Poem from a Bad One

Telling a Good Poem from a Bad One Telling a Good Poem from a Bad One Telling a Good Poem from a Bad One By Maeve Maddox What makes a poem good? The answer ultimately lies with the reader of the poem, but there is a certain consensus as to what makes a poem good or bad. According to the critic Coleridge, prose is words in their best order, while poetry is the best words in their best order. Poetry demands precision. The novelist can get away with less than precise expression from time to time because the story will pull the reader along. The job of the poet is to create a picture in the mind and an emotion in the heart. Every single word counts. The wrong choicea word with the wrong connotation or the wrong number of syllables or an unlovely combination of consonant soundsspoils all. The underlying thought of the poem is also important. Some poems are written to create a picture only, but the most memorable poems also convey a universal truth about the human condition. For me, a good poem leaves me with goosebumps along my arms. I think a poem is bad when it lacks a discernible point and sounds like prose. People are led to write a poem because they have been strongly moved by some event. Theyve experienced a strong emotion, received an insight, and wish to capture the experience in words. Only a few, however, succeed in turning the experience into a poem that will be meaningful to another person. On his site dedicated to examples of bad poetry, Prof. Seamus Cooney observes that most bad poetry is simply weak and ineffectual and lacking in interest. He says that memorably bad poetry is created by a poet unaware of his or her defects. He says that a really dreadful poem is the product of the right combination of lofty ambition, humorless self-confidence, and crass incompetence†¦. He collects examples of bad poems as a teaching device: For the student, having a genuine insight into the true badness of some poems is, I think, a necessary corollary of having a grasp of what makes good poems good. Heres an excerpt from one of Prof. Cooneys bad poems: Twas the year of 1869, and on the 19th of November, Which the people in Southern Germany will long remember, The great rain-storm which for twenty hours did pour down, That the rivers were overflowed and petty streams all around. from Saving a Train by William McGonagall (1825-1902) A successful poem doesnt have to rhyme or scan or have a certain pattern of lines. It does need to paint a picture with carefully chosen words. It should have a point that a reader unknown to the poet can respond to. Fortunately, poets can study a wide variety of poetrygood and badin order to learn what works and what doesnt. Some anthologies for the poet: The Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1950 The Norton Anthology of Poetry (from Old English to Cynthia Zarin [b. 1959]) The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry The Stuffed Owl: An Anthology of Bad Verse Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Whimsical WordsStory Writing 10120 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Naked Truth About Gym and Gymno

The Naked Truth About Gym and Gymno The Naked Truth About â€Å"Gym† and â€Å"Gymno† The Naked Truth About â€Å"Gym† and â€Å"Gymno† By Maeve Maddox Our word gymnasium comes from a Greek noun meaning â€Å"place to be naked,† or â€Å"place to exercise.† The adjective was gymnos, â€Å"naked.† Greek athletes exercised in the nude. The Greek gymnasium was for more than just working out. It was also a place for bathing and having scholarly discussions. The founder of the â€Å"cynic† school of philosophy, Antisthenes, taught in a gymnasium in Athens. The name of his philosophical school is usually explained as a reference to the â€Å"biting† sarcasm practiced by its proponents. Cynic is from the Greek kynikos, â€Å"dog-like.† However, the name could have originated from the name of the gymnasium in which Antisthenes taught: Kynosarge, â€Å"Grey Dog.† The prefix gymno (gymn in front of vowels) is frequently encountered in the study of botany and zoology. gymnosperm: â€Å"naked seed† (evergreens like the pine, hemlock, and fir) gymnorhinal: â€Å"having naked nostrils† (some birds have feathers on their nostrils; some don’t) gymnogenous: â€Å"naked when hatched† (some birds are born with feathers; some aren’t) The ancient Greeks gave the name gymnosophist to a sect of vegetarian Hindu philosophers who wore little or no clothing. Some gymno words refer to attitudes towards nudity. gymnomania: The obsession of the â€Å"peeping Tom†; male voyeurism. 2. A compulsion to be naked. 3. An abnormal interest in nakedness. Note: A male voyeur is called a gymnogynomaniac. gymnoscopic A reference to a desire to see naked bodies. gymnoscopy: Sexual pleasure derived from viewing the nakedness of the opposite sex. gymnophily 1. Having a special fondness for being in the nude. An abnormal interest in nakedness. gymnophobia 1. A pathological fear of being naked. A morbid dread of seeing a naked person or of an uncovered part of the body. gymnophoria The sense that someone is mentally undressing you, or that a person is viewing you naked even though you are clothed. There’s are even gymno words you can use when talking about the Bible. gymnobiblism: The opinion that the bare text of the Bible, without note or comment, may be safely put before the unlearned as a sufficient guide to religious truth. gymnobiblical (adjective) pertaining to, or holding, this opinion gymnobiblist (noun), a believer in gymnobiblism. All the gymno words you could ever want to see. Fascinating article on the history of social nudity. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Wether, Weather, Whether11 Writing Exercises to Inspire You and Strengthen Your WritingPersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Project Evaluation Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Project Evaluation Report - Essay Example The research carried out at the beginning of the project was quite useful; the development programs were just right and the methodology worked out perfectly for this project. A waterfall methodology was used in the development of the website. All the stages of the methodology proved to be very necessary for the completion of the project to be a success. The website was developed successfully and project finished at the planned time. This report will evaluate whether the development of an online football ticketing and reservation website was successful. The basic purpose of this project was to develop a website that would allow football fans to buy their tickets online as well as make reservations on the games they want to watch beforehand. The purpose was to produce a website using a combination of SQL and CSS development languages and also the use of MS Excel and MS word. Several objectives were defined at the commencement of the project. They included; conducting research to determine the technologies to use in the project as well as specifying the tasks to be carried out in the development of the online booking system and also to determine their deadlines. The basic goal of this project as to create a website where football fans will purchase their tickets as well get to learn of upcoming games whilst booking online from the comfort of their locations. The website was to be developed in such a way as to allow fans to view and log into the website even on their IPhones and other portable internet enabled gadgets. At the end of the project period, several things had to be achieved. A working online ticketing system that will have achieved the objectives and solved the problem statement was the main aim, as well as the submission of the project as a requirement for graduation. The main objectives of this project were to develop an online ticketing system that would also serve to give information to the fans on the upcoming events and also on any

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

What Is Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

What Is Management - Essay Example As factual as it is, no organization can exist and progress without a steady stream of managers. Management ranges from small enterprises to multinational companies. Therefore, for any organization or institution to achieve its goal, hiring experienced and quality managers are a factor to consider. The Australian standard claims that management is an organizational discipline of controlling records to meet the company’s needs. Management involves regulating, directing and inspecting work in general. Management is usually the manager's job because he is the one who organizes all the activities that run in the company. The manager also controls all levels of staff in order to make sure that the right job is done at the right time. Therefore, for an organization to have an organized work force it should hire a good manager. This is very essential because, a good manager brings out good management and vice versa. Why it is hard to do management well? The style in which managers ha ndle their responsibilities and duties will influence the effort spent and the level of performance achieved by staff. The manager should have a good relationship with the staff for smooth running of an organization(Griffin & Moorehead 2012:22). By relating and interacting with the staff, the manager will understand the psychological problems of the employees, hence reducing absenteeism and lateness. Consequently, this will lead to easy management, smooth running in the organization, higher production and huge profits as the outcome. Lack of good leadership also hinders the well being of management. This is because a leader should be a reflection of positivity. He should have the ability to lead and impact the organization at the same time. Therefore, a leader should acquire a unique set of personal values and ideas. Concerning the leader’s responsibilities to the organization, an effective leader must realize that he has a responsibility of molding some employees to become t he future leaders. Good leadership must ensure continuity by up building the young and less experienced employees. More so, leaders should portray passion in what they do and seek to instill passion and enthusiasm in their staff. Motivated employees deliver the best services which lead to customer satisfaction and better sales (Griffin & Moorhead, 2012:65). Therefore, an effective manager should find out the least performing department and its staff, and outline the reason of low productivity. The manager should then strategize on the best way to motivate the staff member to improve productivity. Another way of motivating employees is by letting them give their opinions. By doing so, the manager will understand how to manage them better. There are many types of motivating staff. The first way is to allow them to present their ideas by installing a suggestion box. Another way of motivating employees is by rewarding the best performing employees (Griffin & Moorehead, 2012:159). By doi ng so, employees will feel appreciated and will work harder. In another aspect, a manager may motivate his staff by enrolling them in seminars and workshops. All these types of motivation will make the employees feel more appreciated and cared for by the organization. Therefore, the company’s management should ensure on continuous motivation targeting the overall organizational goals, and supportive approaches to the employer's needs. However, motivation of staff just like any other aspect has the other side of negativity. This negativity arises when individuals among the staff try all means to find favor in the eyes of the manager, leading to unnecessary completion and even

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Assessment Of Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment Of Learning Essay Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often  contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. TEACHERS’ ROLES IN ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide †¢ a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular  point in time †¢ clear descriptions of the intended learning †¢ processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill †¢ a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes †¢ public and defensible reference points for making judgements Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢55 The purpose of assessment that typically comes at the end of a course or unit of instruction is to determine the extent to which the instructional goals have been achieved and for grading or certification of student achievement. (Linn and Gronlund, Measurement and Assessment in Teaching ) Reflection: Think about an example of assessment of learning in your own teaching and try to develop it further as you read this chapter. 56 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 †¢ transparent approaches to interpretation †¢ descriptions of the assessment process †¢ strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING. The purpose of assessment of learning is to measure, certify, and report the level  of students’ learning, so that reasonable decisions can be made about students. There are many potential users of the information: †¢ teachers (who can use the information to communicate with parents about their children’s proficiency and progress) †¢ parents and students (who can use the results for making educational and vocational decisions) †¢ potential employers and post-secondary institutions (who can use the information to make decisions about hiring or acceptance) †¢ principals, district or divisional administrators, and teachers (who can use the information to review and revise programming). Assessment of learning requires the collection and interpretation of information about students’ accomplishments in important curricular areas, in ways that represent the nature and complexity of the intended learning. Because genuine learning for understanding is much more than just recognition or recall of facts or algorithms, assessment of learning tasks need to enable students to show the complexity of their understanding. Students need to be able to apply key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes in ways that are authentic and consistent with current thinking in the knowledge domain. What am I  assessing? Why am I assessing? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 57 Assessment of Learning In assessment of learning, the methods chosen need to address the intended curriculum outcomes and the continuum of learning that is required to reach the outcomes. The methods must allow all students to show their understanding and produce sufficient information to support credible and defensible statements about the nature and quality of their learning, so that others can use the results in appropriate ways. Assessment of learning methods include not only tests and examinations, but  also a rich variety of products and demonstrations of learning—portfolios, exhibitions, performances, presentations, simulations, multimedia projects, and a variety of other written, oral, and visual methods (see Fig. 2. 2, Assessment Tool Kit, page 17). What assessment method should I use? Graduation Portfolios Graduation portfolios are a requirement for graduation from British Columbia and Yukon Senior Years schools. These portfolios comprise collections (electronic or printed) of evidence of students’ accomplishments at school, home, and in the community, including demonstrations of  their competence in skills that are not measured in examinations. Worth four credits toward graduation, the portfolios begin in Grade 10 and are completed by the end of Grade 12. The following are some goals of graduation portfolios: †¢ Students will adopt an active and reflective role in planning, managing, and assessing their learning. †¢ Students will demonstrate learning that complements intellectual development and course-based learning. †¢ Students will plan for successful transitions beyond Grade 12. Graduation portfolios are prepared at the school level and are based on specific Ministry criteria and standards. Students use the criteria and standards as guides for planning, collecting, and presenting their evidence, and for self-assessing. Teachers use the criteria and standards to assess student evidence and assign marks. There are three major components of a graduation portfolio: 1. Portfolio Core (30 percent of the mark). Students must complete requirements in the following six portfolio organizers: arts and design (respond to an art, performance, or design work); community involvement and responsibility (participate co-operatively and respectfully in a  service activity); education and career planning (complete a graduation transition plan); employability skills (complete 30 hours of work or volunteer experience); information technology (use information technology skills); personal health (complete 80 hours of moderate to intense physical activity). 2. Portfolio Choice (50 percent of the mark). Students expand on the above areas, choosing additional evidence of their achievements. 3. Portfolio Presentation (20 percent of the mark). Students celebrate their learning and reflect at the end of the portfolio process. ( Portfolio Assessment and Focus Areas: A Program Guide  ) 58 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 Assessment of learning needs to be very carefully constructed so that the information upon which decisions are made is of the highest quality. Assessment of learning is designed to be summative, and to produce defensible and accurate descriptions of student competence in relation to defined outcomes and, occasionally, in relation to other students’ assessment results. Certification of students’ proficiency should be based on a rigorous, reliable, valid, and equitable process of assessment and evaluation. Reliability  Reliability in assessment of learning depends on how accurate, consistent, fair, and free from bias and distortion the assessment is. Teachers might ask themselves: †¢ Do I have enough information about the learning of this particular student to make a definitive statement? †¢ Was the information collected in a way that gives all students an equal chance to show their learning? †¢ Would another teacher arrive at the same conclusion? †¢ Would I make the same decision if I considered this information at another time or in another way? Reference Points Typically, the reference points for assessment of learning are the learning  outcomes as identified in the curriculum that make up the course of study. Assessment tasks include measures of these learning outcomes, and a student’s performance is interpreted and reported in relation to these learning outcomes. In some situations where selection decisions need to be made for limited positions (e. g. , university entrance, scholarships, employment opportunities), assessment of learning results are used to rank students. In such norm-referenced situations, what is being measured needs to be clear, and the way it is being measured needs to be transparent to anyone who might use the assessment  results. Validity Because assessment of learning results in statements about students’ proficiency in wide areas of study, assessment of learning tasks must reflect the key knowledge, concepts, skills, and dispositions set out in the curriculum, and the statements and inferences that emerge must be upheld by the evidence collected. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 59 Assessment of Learning Record-Keeping Whichever approaches teachers choose for assessment of learning, it is their records that provide details about the quality of the measurement. Detailed records of the various components of the assessment of learning are essential, with a description of what each component measures, with what accuracy and against what criteria and reference points, and should include supporting evidence related to the outcomes as justification. When teachers keep records that are detailed and descriptive, they are in an excellent position to provide meaningful reports to parents and others. Merely a symbolic representation of a student’s accomplishments (e. g. , a letter grade or percentage) is inadequate. Reports to parents and others should identify the  intended learning that the report covers, the assessment methods used to gather the supporting information, and the criteria used to make the judgement. Feedback to Students Because assessment of learning comes most often at the end of a unit or learning cycle, feedback to students has a less obvious effect on student learning than assessment for learning and assessment as learning. Nevertheless, students do Ho w can I use the information from this assessment? Guidelines for Grading. 1. Use curriculum learning outcomes or some clustering of these (e. g. , strands) as the basis for grading. 2.Make sure that the meaning of grades comes from clear descriptions of curriculum outcomes and standards. If students achieve the outcome, they get the grade. (NO bell curves! ) 3. Base grades only on individual achievement of the targeted learning outcomes. Report effort, participation, and attitude, for example, separately, unless they are a stated curriculum outcome. Any penalties (e. g. , for late work, absences), if used, should not distort achievement or motivation. 4. Sample student performance using a variety of methods. Do not include all assessments in grades. Provide ongoing feedback on formative  performance using words, rubrics, or checklists, not grades. 5. Keep records in pencil so they can be updated easily to take into consideration more recent achievement. Provide second-chance assessment opportunities (or more). Students should receive the highest, most consistent mark, not an average mark for multiple opportunities. 6. Crunch numbers carefully, if at all. Consider using the median, mode, or statistical measures other than the mean. Weight components within the final grade to ensure that the intended importance is given to each learning outcome. 7. Make sure that each assessment meets quality standards (e.g. , there should be clear targets, clear purpose, appropriate target-method match, appropriate sampling, and absence of bias and distortion) and is properly recorded and maintained (e. g. , in portfolios, at conferences, on tracking sheets). 8. Discuss and involve students in grading at the beginning and throughout the teaching and learning process. (Adapted from O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Resource: Marzano, Transforming Classroom Grading 60 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 rely on their marks and on teachers’ comments as indicators of their level of  success, and to make decisions about their future learning endeavours. Differentiating Learning In assessment of learning, differentiation occurs in the assessment itself. It would make little sense to ask a near-sighted person to demonstrate driving proficiency without glasses. When the driver uses glasses, it is possible for the examiner to get an accurate picture of the driver’s ability, and to certify him or her as proficient. In much the same way, differentiation in assessment of learning requires that the necessary accommodations be in place that allow students to make the particular learning visible.  Multiple forms of assessment offer multiple pathways for making student learning transparent to the teacher. A particular curriculum outcome requirement, such as an understanding of the social studies notion of conflict, for example, might be demonstrated through visual, oral, dramatic, or written representations. As long as writing were not an explicit component of the outcome, students who have difficulties with written language, for example, would then have the same opportunity to demonstrate their learning as other students. Although assessment of learning does not always lead teachers to differentiate  instruction or resources, it has a profound effect on the placement and promotion of students and, consequently, on the nature and differentiation of the future instruction and programming that students receive. Therefore, assessment results need to be accurate and detailed enough to allow for wise recommendations. Reporting There are many possible approaches to reporting student proficiency. Reporting assessment of learning needs to be appropriate for the audiences for whom it is intended, and should provide all of the information necessary for them to make reasoned decisions. Regardless of the form of the reporting,however, it should be honest, fair, and provide sufficient detail and contextual information so that it can be clearly understood. Traditional reporting, which relies only on a student’s average score, provides little information about that student’s skill development or knowledge. One alternate mechanism, which recognizes many forms of success and provides a profile of a student’s level of performance on an emergent-proficient continuum, is the parent- student-teacher conference. This forum provides parents with a great deal of information, and reinforces students’ responsibility for their learning. The Communication System Continuum: From Symbols to Conversations (O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Grades Report cards (grades and brief comments) Infrequent informal communications Parent-teacher interviews Report cards with expanded comments Frequent informal communication Student-involved conferencing Student-led conferencing Reflection: What forms do your reports of student proficiency take? How do these differ according to audience? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 61 Assessment of Learning An Example of Assessment of Learning  Elijah was interested in assessing student mastery of both the modern and the traditional skills required for survival in the Nunavut environment where he teaches. The overarching theme of survival is taught in the early grades and culminates at the senior level in a course delivered in Inuktitut. Students learn how to take care of themselves and others, and how to adapt what they know to the situation at hand. Survival requires not only skills and knowledge, but also a concept the Inuit people call qumiutit, or the ability in an emergency situation to pull out of stored memory information that will enable a person to cope, not panic. Traditionally, this was learned in a holistic manner, grounded in Inuit traditional guiding principles that were nurtured and developed from birth, and taught and reinforced in daily living. Throughout the term, Elijah took his students to an outdoor area to practise on-the-land survival activities, using both traditional and modern methods. He always took with him a knowledgeable Elder who could give the students the information they needed to store away in case of emergency. The students watched demonstrations of a skill a number of times. Each student then practised on his or her own, as Elijah and the Elder observed and assisted. Elijah knew that students need to have a high level of expertise in the survival skills appropriate for the northern natural environment. Elijah assessed each student on each survival skill (e. g. , making fire the traditional way, tying the knots required for the qamutik cross-pieces on a sled). What am I assessing? I am assessing each student’s performance of traditional and modern survival skills. Why am I assessing? I want to know which survival skills each s tudent has mastered and their readiness to s urvive in the natural environment. 62 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind  Chapter 5 Elijah knew that the best way to determine if students have mastered the skills is to have them perform them. When students believed they were ready, Elijah created an opportunity for them to demonstrate the mastered skill to a group of Elders, who then (individually, then in consensus) determined if the performance was satisfactory. A student’s competence in a survival skill is often demonstrated by an end product. For example, competence in knot tying is demonstrated by a knot that serves its purpose, and competence in fire building is demonstrated by a fire that is robust. As the Elders judged each student’s performance of the skills, Elijah recorded the results. He shared the information with each student and his or her parents in a final report, as shown here. Ho w can I use the informatio n from this assessment? Now that I know which skills each of the students has mastered, I can report this information to the s tudents and their parents. I can use this information to identify a learning path for each s tudent. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Ensuring quality with this approach involves clear criteria: either the student performs the skill s uccessfully or does not. I need to provide adequate opportunities for the s tudent to demonstrate the skills under various conditions and at various times. What assessment method should I use? I need an approach in which students can demonstrate the traditional survival skills that they learned. The method I choose should also allow me to identify which skills they did not master. Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 63 Assessment of Learning Shelters: †¢ emergency shelters †¢ igloo building4 †¢ qamaq5 †¢ tents Transportation needs: †¢ making the knots required for the qamutik cross pieces on a sled †¢ building a kayak/umiak. †¢ fixing a snowmobile (spark plugs, repairing track, drive belt) †¢ keeping a boat seaworthy Navigational issues: †¢ reading the land †¢ reading the sky †¢ understanding seasonal variations †¢ reading inuksuit †¢ using GPS †¢ map reading Preparation for land travel: †¢ packing a qamutiq (sled) †¢ load, balance †¢ necessities: snow knife, rope, food, water, heat source †¢ letting others know where you are going †¢ necessary tools, supplies, snowmobile parts, fuel †¢ using communication devices Food sources: †¢ plants and their nutritional properties †¢ hunting, skinning, and cutting up seal, caribou, etc. †¢ kinds of food to take on the land,  and their nutritional properties ____________________ 4. Expertise in igloo building includes understanding of types of snow, the shape and fit of blocks, and the use of a snow- knife. 5. A qamaq is a rounded house, built of scrap wood or bones, and covered with skins, cardboard, or canvas. Report on Survival Skills Student: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Traditional Survival Skills Modern Survival Skills Adaptability to the Seasons Attitude Success Next Steps 1) Skills Building a fire / means of keeping warm: †¢ fuel sources †¢ getting a spark †¢ propane heaters, stoves †¢ clothing. 2) Relationship to the Seasons Assessing conditions / recognizing danger signs: †¢ seasonal changes †¢ land changes †¢ water changes †¢ wind changes †¢ weather changes Climatic changes: †¢ weather changes and how this affects the land and water †¢ knowledge of animals and their characteristics and behaviours 3) Attitudinal Influences (Having the right attitude to learn) †¢ respect for the environment (cleaning up a campsite upon leaving, dealing with the remains of an animal, not over-hunting/fishing) †¢ respect for Elders and their knowledge †¢ ability to learn from Elders 64 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5. Elijah’s report identified which of the students had mastered the specified skills required to survive in the Nunavut environment. It outlined other areas (such as adaptability to the seasons and attitudinal influences) about which peers, parents, and family members would need to provide input before a comprehensive assessment could be made. The assessment also identified those students not yet ready to survive in the natural environment. But the Elders did not stop working with the students who did not reach mastery. Elders see learning as an individual path in which skills, knowledge, and attitudes are acquired along the way. If a particular skill was beyond the capability of a student, the Elders identified other areas where that person could contribute to the common good of the community, and was accepted for the gifts he or she brought to the group. In this way, the Elders helped Elijah differentiate the learning path for each of his students. SUMMARY OF PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Assessment for Learning Assessment as Learning Assessment of Learning Why Assess? to enable teachers to determine next steps in advancing student learning to guide and provide opportunities for each student to monitor and critically reflect on his or her learning, and  identify next steps Assess What? Each student’s progress and learning needs in relation to the curricular outcomes each student’s thinking about his or her learning, what strategies he or she uses to support or challenge that learning, and the mechanisms he or she uses to adjust and advance his or her learning What Methods? a range of methods in different modes that make students’ skills and understanding visible a range of methods in different modes that elicit students’ learning and metacognitive processes Ensuring Quality †¢ accuracy and consistency of observations and interpretations of student learning. †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ accurate, detailed notes for descriptive feedback to each student †¢ accuracy and consistency of student’s self-reflection, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment †¢ engagement of the student in considering and challenging his or her thinking †¢ students record their own learning Using the Information †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback to further his or her learning †¢ differentiate instruction by continually checking where each student is in relation to the curricular outcomes †¢ provide parents or guardians with descriptive feedback about student  learning and ideas for support. †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback that will help him or her develop independent learning habits †¢ have each student focus on the task and his or her learning (not on getting the right answer) †¢ provide each student with ideas for adjusting, rethinking, and articulating his or her learning †¢ provide the conditions for the teacher and student to discuss alternatives †¢ students report about their learning Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢ 65 Assessment of Learning to certify or inform parents or others of student’s proficiency in  relation to curriculum learning outcomes the extent to which students can apply the key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to the curricular outcomes a range of methods in different modes that assess both product and process †¢ accuracy, consistency, and fairness of judgements based on high-quality information †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ fair and accurate summative reporting †¢ indicate each student’s level of learning †¢ provide the foundation for discussions on placement or promotion †¢ report fair, accurate, and detailed information that can be used to decide the next steps in a student’s learning.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Territoriality According to Elizabeth Cashdan :: Environment Nature Essays

Territoriality According to Elizabeth Cashdan Elizabeth Cashdan addresses the question of territoriality among human forager groups, specifically comparing four Bushman groups. She argues that territoriality should occur only in places where the benefits will outweigh the costs. Introducing the scientific definition of territoriality in animals, she first claims that animals tend to be the most territorial when they have adequate food and other resources. It is when there is a severe lack of or abundance of resources that animals are not territorial. With a lack of food, territoriality tends to waste too much energy. In the case of an abundance of food, it is not worth defending that which is plentiful for animals. She points out predictability as another environmental factor: if a resource is unpredictable, then it is not economical to defend it. It is only worthwhile to defend a territory if there is high probability that the resources will still be available when they are wanted. However, the costs and benefits of being terr itorial not only depend on the environment, but also on the species and its characteristics. Humans, for instance, have a cranial capacity that far outweighs that of any other species. Our long-term memory, culture, and methods of communication must be taken into account when looking at the nature of our territoriality. Cashdan argues two main human mechanisms for controlling territory: "perimeter defense" and "reciprocal altruism" (p. 49), a way of social control. Perimeter defense consists of making simple boundaries, stating a clear break between two territories, and defending those boundaries to intruders. Some groups, such as the Vedda use this method in their relatively small territory. Any passing visitor would have to be escorted to the other side of the land and any intruders may be shot. Because of extensive human memory and information exchange, individual intruders are less likely to determine the consequences of trespassing themselves, thus the cost of defense for those defending is less. Social boundary defense is unique to the human species. Instead of physically defending the boundaries of the territory, groups will defend the boundaries of the social group. Some foraging groups will invite outsiders for greeting ceremonies to control movement between territories. The costs to such methods will include the energy put into these types of ceremonies and should not change will an increase in territory size or a decrease in resources.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Employee Retaintion

CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BRANDING 3. INTERNAL BRANDING 4. IMPORTANCE OF INTERNAL BRANDING 5. INTERNAL BRANDING TOOLS 6. INTERNAL BRANDING PROCESS 7. FACTOR OF SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF INTERNAL BRAND 8. ROLE OF HR IN INTERNAL BRAND 9. RESEARCH METHODOLGY 10) DATA ANALYSIS 11) FINDINGS 12) CONCLUSION 13) SUGGESTIONS 14) REFERNCES 15) QUESTIONNAIRE INTRODUCTION A company's branding strategy often has a large impact on the success or failure of a particular product.This is especially true for large, multi-national corporations because it effects how the consumer correlates a product with the manufacturer. Some large companies choose not to use the manufacturer name and/or logo on all their brands. Often, a company name is well-known within business circles but unfamiliar to the average consumer, in which case, dissonance can prevent consumers from recognizing the brand name.Other companies pick and chose which of their products will carry the corporate brand name A fundamental problem w ith regards to international branding is that firms currently do not pay enough attention to their employees' expertise regarding brand strategy . If a company is able to make a consumer look at a certain product for a fraction of a second longer than its competitors' products, the probability purchase intent increases significantly. Therefore, the way a company brands its products can have a direct link to the success of the product and the brand.This encouraging framework, however, does not mean that employee perceptions of the strategy will be positive; without which the performance of both the brand and the company will be hindered in a significant fashion. Therefore, there exists a need for research to be done regarding how employees feel about current and future brand strategies in order to maximize company potential. Due to the complexity of balancing proper brand strategies for multi-national enterprises, balancing which products should carry the manufacturer name and/or tra demark is an essential consideration.It is necessary, therefore, to look into studies to see if using a company's name on all products helped or hindered product sales. Effective utilization of international branding strategies takes into account whether stand alone brands need a corporate name to be successful, how sales will be affected by using corporate brand names, and what the benefits of adding a corporate name or logo would be compared to the potential costs.By exploring employee perceptions of these facets of international branding, we can determine if a multi-national firm's global image is a product of its employees' collective perceptions. The primary objective of this study is to examine the context of the relationship between the global image of the fast food industry and employee opinions of the firm's various branding strategies.The key independent variables are stand alone brands owned by fast food industry, effect of the company brand name on sales, benefits vs. co sts of using the company logo, and fast food industry current global image as a product of its employee's perception. BRANDING A brand is a â€Å"name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition† American Marketing Association definition .A strong brand has been found to be instrumental in the facilitation of numerous marketing goals including: improved brand loyalty, brand-based price premiums and higher margins, improved successful new product introductions, greater shareholder and stakeholder returns, and clear, valued and sustainable points of differentiation as well as the simplification of consumer decision making, the reduction of consumer risk, and the establishment of expectations. The role of perception in branding is therefore critical: The challenge for marketers in building a strong brand is ensuring that customers have t he ight type of experiences with products and services and their accompanying marketing programs so that the desired thoughts, feelings, images, beliefs, perceptions, opinions, and soon become linked to the brand . While branding initiatives most frequently focus on external stakeholders, internal marketing, employee branding and/or internal branding efforts establish systems/processes and consequent employee behaviors that are consistent with the external branding efforts.The terms employee branding and internal branding are essentially synonymous in the literature and internal marketing has also been used to describe these activities and programs. For the sake of parsimony, the term internal branding will be used throughout the remainder of the paper to describe these processes and outcomes. The concept of internal branding is not new to corporate America.Promoting the brand to employees, and educating them about brand values, is steadily growing in popularity among corporate gian ts such as Southwest , Standard Register, Cisco, Ernst & Young (Boone, 2000), BASF (Buss, 2002), Sears, BP, IBM, Nike and Miller Brewing (Mitchell, 2002). All are examples of firms that have realized the inherent power of an informed workforce committed to delivering the brand promise. Unfortunately, in many organizations there is a fundamental disconnect between the external and internal branding systems: Many companies do a brilliant job of advertising and marketing to customers.Then comes the hard part; delivering. While they put millions of dollars into marketing [external branding], most companies invest little to ensure that employees transform brand messages into reality in terms of the customer's experience. Its one thing to tell customers who you are and quite another to show them who you are. Employees have to be engaged to make the brand come alive. Therefore, the messages sent to employees about the brand are just as important as the ones sent to customer.Due to the subs tantial potential for synergy between internal and external branding initiatives, those in both the academic and business communities are devoting more of their time to the doctrine, all stress the importance of a coordinated internal and external branding program and the inherent benefits of marketing efforts that address not only the needs and wants of the target market, but the proper hiring, training, and motivation of those who must deliver the brand's promise. Within Hallmark, a group of internal managers is responsible for brand training and education.Hallmark has regular brand training sessions, a brand-based intranet site, internal publications, a speaker series, and even daily brand promise reminders on the start-up screens of employees' computers. Hallmark consistently focuses on conducting internal assessments of employees' perceptions of the brand with the intent of focusing on gaps between internal perceptions and marketplace perceptions. The value of a well-coordinate d program aimed at educating and training employees on the brand message and how to incorporate it in their work appears to be growing significantly.But the importance and specific role of the HR management department remains somewhat cloudy. Through a wide variety of HR plans, processes and actions, it is possible to make a tremendous impact on the branding success of an organization. While none of this constitutes a revelation – the role of HR in influencing branding (both externally and internally) has been recognized in isolated ways, ways that are certainly intuitive – the need for HR to be more comprehensive in its role to support branding efforts has not been recognized a great deal in the literature, nor has it been revealed in the actions of most HR professionals.The work of Gotsi and Wilson (2001) identifies what is necessary to close the gap between what an organization is saying to its external constituents and what is believed and practiced by internal con stituents. The respondents suggested that HR management practices such as recruitment policies, performance appraisal, and training need to be aligned with brand values to avoid sending conflicting messages.This study looks at the relationship between specific HR internal branding activities, the incorporation of the brand message into work activities and employee personal attitude toward the brand to determine the degree to which cross-functional synergy between internal and external branding initiatives is being realized in the business community. INTERNAL BRANDINGInternal branding is considered as a means to create powerful corporate brands. It assists the organization in aligning its internal process and corporate culture with those of the brand.Management and brand consultants have been key figures in providing valuable insights to the concept of internal branding. Little research has, however, been devoted to exploring the perceptions of the employees. As the concept underline s the role of services employees, their views may be important if management is to implement the most appropriate internal branding programmes. The objective of internal branding is to ensure that employees transform espoused brand messages into brand reality for customers and other stakeholders.A number of publications have identified that successful internal branding engenders employees' commitment to, identification with and loyalty to the brand. When employees internalize the brand values, they will consistently deliver on the brand promise across all contact points between the company and its stakeholders. To implement successful internal brand building, IM has been suggested as a key instrument. Although IM is regarded as an appropriate approach for communicating the brand internally, communication is not the sole method to ensure the success of the internal branding campaign.Machtiger remarked that one of the six pitfalls in internal branding is to rely largely on internal co mmunications (ICs). In fact, internal branding requires a broader integrative framework across corporate marketing, corporate management and corporate human resource management. Marketing functions as a link between communication, service and quality. Both service and quality could in part be enhanced by understanding techniques used by the HR function, as it is involved in developing the human asset to enhance the organization’s economic performance and its brand's success.If management can understand and orchestrate marketing and HR theories, it is argued that employees will better accept and internalize the brand values and align their attitudes and behavior, accordingly. This will result in the brand promise being delivered to the organization’s clients, providing it with customer satisfaction, customer preference and loyalty. ICs aim to influence employees' brand knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. The outcomes of ICs include employee commitment, shared vision, a service-minded approach, loyalty and satisfaction.While ICs operate with the current members inside the organization, the role of the HR department begins with selecting and recruiting the right prospects. With the rise of the concept of ‘person-organization fit', de Chernatony underlines the value congruence between the candidates, the organizations and the brand. As values are hard to change, staff recruitment based on the level of value congruence is sometimes more viable than emphasizing merely on their technical/operational skills. Then, training and development programmes are essential to enhance employee performance and to bring consistency to the xternal brand experience. Therefore, HR should be led by marketing and incorporate the brand concept into all employee development programmes. To maintain brand standards, an organization should reward employees accordingly. Effective reward and recognition schemes can enhance employee motivation and commitment. When the right employees are kept satisfied, the organization tends to retain the best people facilitating superior performance. Therefore, incorporating the wisdom from HR practitioners, ICs move beyond merely distributing brand information through media towards creating shared brand understanding.Although a number of publications have addressed how to implement a successful internal branding process, most of these insights have been acquired from a management's and brand consultant's perspective. Few studies have been done to unearth the perceptions of employees who are considered as the ‘internal customers. IMPORTANCE OF INTERNAL BRANDINGMany companies do a brilliant job of advertising and marketing to customers. Then comes the hard part: delivering. While they put millions of dollars into marketing, most companies invest little to ensure that employees transform brand messages into reality in terms of the customer's experience.Its one thing to tell customers who you are and quite anothe r to show them who you are. Employees have to be engaged to make the brand come alive. Therefore, the messages sent to employees about the brand are just as important as the ones sent to customers. EX- David Reyes-Guerra, associate director of brand management at Ernst ; Young, says internal branding plays a vital role in powerfully and accurately conveying the Ernst ; Young brand around the world. Reyes-Guerra's goal is to create 75,000 â€Å"brand ambassadors† who present a consistent, clear, professional image of a global firm.To that end, his department has set up The Branding Zone on the corporate intranet. â€Å"We felt that the intranet would be our best tool for establishing a global focus on branding,† The Branding Zone, launched in January of this year, is a central source for branding, marketing, and advertising information at Ernst & Young. It contains a threaded discussion area where people throughout the firm can access a topic and then pose a question to the global branding and marketing community. There is also an extranet for the company's outside agencies.The information on this extranet includes standards, fonts and logos, and material from advertising campaigns. By providing this information, the internal branding group insures that all marketing collateral-whether produced in house or by an agency-is consistent with the brand message. The Branding Zone has generated a significant level of interest inside the firm. In the first 90 days after it was launched, one presentation template was downloaded 9,000 times. A graphics standards manual on the site was downloaded 10,000 times. An image library garnered another 10,000 downloads of photography and advertising icons.Even though it's in its early stages, Reyes-Guerra anticipates that the site will have significant impact, including streamlining the entire design process by eliminating the need for extensive custom design of collateral materials. â€Å"A focus on internal brandi ng and the successful practice of digital brand management via Web site tools inspires collaboration and breeds integration,† Reyes-Guerra says. â€Å"It's very effective in breaking down barriers, creating synergies, and opening lines of communication-all of which are critical to success in today's business environment. INTERNAL BRANDING TOOLS| | | INTERNAL BRANDING PROCESS Employee branding is a process by which employees internalize the desired brand image and are motivated to project the image to customers and other organizational constituents. The messages employees take in and process influence * the extent to which they perceive their psychological contracts with the organization to be fulfilled * the degree to which they understand and are motivated to deliver the desired level of customer service In so doing, they drive the formation of the employee brand.The messages employees receive must be aligned with the employees ‘organizational experiences if the psycho logical contract is to be upheld. Therefore, the conscious development of organizational messages is the fundamental building block in this process. The messages must then be delivered through appropriate message sources. The following guidelines provide a starting point in this process: * Organizational messages should be carefully thought out and planned in much the same way mission and vision statements are thought out and planned. The organizational messages should reflect the organization’s mission and values. * Messages directed toward external constituencies must be in line with the messages sent to employees. * Messages directed toward external constituencies should be sent internally as well. * The design of recruitment and selection systems should incorporate messages that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image. * The compensation system should incorporate messages that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image.For instance, managers in organizations that value training must be held accountable when they fail to train and develop their employees. * Training and development systems should help managers and employees internalize their organization’s mission and values and help them understand how the mission and values pertain to their roles in their organization. This should enable them to more effectively articulate messages that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image. * Advertising and public relations systems should communicate messages that consistently and frequently reflect the brand and organizational image. Managers should be taught the importance of communicating messages that are consistent with their organization’s mission, vision, policies, and practices. * Performance management systems should address inconsistencies between practices and policies to minimize violations of employees’ psychological contracts. * Accurate and specific job previews should be given to new employees so that realistic expectations are incorporated into their psychological contracts. * Corporate culture (artifacts, patterns of behavior, management norms, values and beliefs, and assumptions) should reinforce the messages employees receive. Individual output should be measured and analyzed to determine if there are message-related problems at the departmental, divisional, or organizational levels. * Individual messages should be continually examined for consistency with other messages. * Message channels should be examined to ensure consistency of message delivery. * In the event that messages need to be changed or psychological contracts altered, organizations must take careful steps in rewriting the messages. * Measures should be used to assess outcomes such as customer retention, service quality, turnover, and employee satisfaction and performanceFACTORS OF FAILURE AND SUCCESS IN INTERNAL BRANDING Organization Factors in the organizational dimension are difficult to change or indeed influence at all, given the scope and intangibility of many of these factors. Thus, while culture has a large impact on internal branding programmes, awareness, rather than change of this culture, may be appropriate. However, cultural change may be necessary where there exists no fit between the prevailing culture and the objectives of the internal branding programme. Cross-functional coordination and cooperation have been suggested to reduce internal competition and departmentalized thinking.Information The effectiveness and overall success of internal branding programmes is dependent on an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the internal as well as the external environment of the organization. While market research provides such information , the measurement of target performances and collection of feedback from all organizational levels as well as from outside the organization enables management to assess the sui tability of the current programme to the and highlights any necessary changes to be made .Management This dimension is concerned with the degree and nature of visible support given by management to the internal branding programme. In order to be regarded as legitimate by the target audience, management has to lend its support to the programme, as well as visibly adhere to it. In fact, as internal branding is concerned with the corporate brand, responsibility for the internal branding effort should lie with the CEO of an organization, given that role's intensive association with the organization’s strategy and brand.It has been suggested in the literature that a multi-departmental approach may be most appropriate for internal branding, particularly with a view to the importance of the HR function. Also, the composition and management of brand teams has been mentioned as having an impact on internal branding programmes. Communication Information needs to be made available to ev eryone in the organization without exposing individuals to too much detail in order to avoid information overload. Likewise, messages should be internally and externally aligned to avoid confusion.Only where the objectives of the internal branding programme are in line with the overall business objectives and properly translated to the target audience is a programme capable of achieving its intended outcome. The effectiveness of communication depends on constant reinforcement on one hand, and adaptation to internal and external changes on the other. Strategy Alignment should exist between all strategies and programmes employed by an organization, including the fit between the internal (or external) brand and the objectives of the business.Conflict between these will reduce the appeal and believability of the brand and greatly reduce a program me’s effectiveness. Further aspects under this dimension include scheduling the most suitable timing and budget the programme. Staff Re cruiting, motivating and rewarding staff are all aspects that can influence the readiness among employees to adopt a new or altered strategic direction with respect to the internal brand. Consequently, like the organizational dimension, the staff dimension addresses the most favorable preconditions for internal branding as well as techniques capable of further enhancing the effectiveness of the programme.Likewise, this dimension highlights the importance of gaining not only leadership support, but also the support of employees at all levels, since they constitute the largest audience for the internal branding programme. Internal branding is deemed most effective where the programme has been designed in participation with employees. Education Out of the previous six dimensions arises the need for a seventh concerned with the education of staff and management to prevent some of the failures that may occur during internal branding programmes as a result of ignorance and flawed preconce ptions.Thus, this dimension calls for the identification of such beliefs, attitudes, and mental models through market research and constituency assessments and their alignment with organizational objectives and policies through education. ROLE OF HR IN INTERNAL BRANDING The degree of HR involvement in internal branding was evaluated using the mean of the five-item measure presented in diagram The measure's mean of 3. 31 on a six-point scale (1 – strongly agree; 6 – strongly disagree) does not indicate a strong degree of HR involvement in internal branding activities.In fact, fully one-fifth of the respondents generally or strongly disagreed that brand value training is provide or that the knowledge is used in staffing decisions. More than 30 percent generally or strongly disagreed that annual performance reviews or departmental plans consider the brand values. It is apparent that HR is not heavily involved in the internal branding process, and/or that internal branding is not considered a high priority function at most American firms.When asked who within the company delivers the brand message, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of respondents indicated it was top management, followed by marketing personnel (35 percent), the immediate supervisor (27 percent), and human resources (16 percent). Since respondents were able to check more than one response, it is apparent that in many cases more than one individual in the company delivers the brand message, and the involvement of HR could be stronger. Incorporation of the brand message into work activities The incorporation of the brand message into work activities is not particularly strong.With an overall mean of 2. 68 on a six point scale (1 – strongly agree; 6 – strongly disagree), it appears that American professionals do not emphasize the integration their firm's brand message into their general work activities, at least at the level one might expect given recent accounts in business and academic literature. Personal involvement in the brand Respondents' attitude toward the company brand was stronger than may have been suspected by the human resource involvement and the incorporation of the brand message into work activities. The measure's mean of 2. 4 on a six-point scale illustrates a relatively strong respondent attitude toward their respective brands, and possible opportunity for furthering the development of incorporation the brand in work activities. Relationship between HR involvement in internal branding and the incorporation of the brand message into work activities and personal involvement in the brand While perceived HR involvement in internal brandingand the incorporation of the brand message into work activities appears moderate at best within US businesses, there is a relatively strong relationship between the means of the two variables.As the findings in Table IV indicate, the relationship between mean HR involvements in internal branding and mea n incorporation of the brand message as well as the relationship between mean HR involvements in internal branding and mean personal attitude toward the brand are significantly correlated. In other words, respondents who perceived a stronger involvement of the HR function in internal branding were more likely to incorporate the brand message in work activities and/or had a more positive personal attitude toward the brand.HR involvement in internal branding and the incorporation of the brand message into specific work activities Not only does a strong relationship exist between mean HR involvements in internal branding and mean incorporation of the brand message, but a relatively strong relationship also exists between mean HR involvement and each of the specific work activities tested. In each case a significant, positive relationship can be found, as well as possible opportunity for enhance brand integration among American professionals.RESEARCH METHODOLGY Data Collection:- There a re two main sources for collecting data. These are: 1. Primary Data 2. Secondary Data 1. Primary Data: The primary data was collected in the form of questionnaire from employees of various industries like IT industry, Hotel industry etc. 2. Secondary Data: The secondary data was to be collected from reference books, journals, magazines, and newspapers and through internet. The research instrument was Questionnaire.SAMPLE SIZE: The sample size for the questionnaire was 50 employees. SAMPLE METHOD: Simple random method of sampling. The limitation of the study was:- * The area covered was only pune city. * There was the lack of diversification within each sample, and the relatively low total sample size employed. * The respondents may be biased or influenced by some other factors. DATA ANALYSIS 1) Did your organization carry out induction program? YES| NO| 80%| 20%|Through this graph we have tried to show that 80% of the organizations carry out the induction program whereas 20% of the organizations do not carry out the induction program. 2) Did in induction program you cover Employee branding? YES| NO| 80%| 20%| In the second graph we have tried to figure out how many organization in induction program cover the employee branding technique and the result was that 80% of the organization mainly It industry do cover the employee branding technique whereas 20%of the industry do not cover it. ) Which technique do you use for employee branding? Mentoring| Presentation| Apprenticeship| Other| 30%| 20%| 30%| 20%| In these graph we have tried to find out which method do they use to tell them about their brands they use various method like mentoring where only 30% of them use it then other is mentoring where only 20% only use it other apprenticeship where only 30% use it and there are other method which only 20% of the organization use it. ) Do you have any other employee branding program for existing employee? YES| NO| 10%| 90%| Through this graph we have tried to figure out how many organization uses any other employee branding program for their existing employee the result was that 10% says they do have where they send their employee for training for some limited amount of time to brush up their knowledge and 90% says they do not have. 5) What is the best way to approach employee branding? EMPLYOEE | CUSTOMER| 50%| 50%|In this we try to find out who is the best way to approach Employee branding and we come to know that marketers should look at employees as an internal market, where the objective is to make them feel valued and give them a sense of belonging because this is a basic human need. But equally staff should be viewed as another vehicle to communicate and manifest the brand. 6) Who should take charge of employee branding? TOP LEVEL| HR DEPARTMENT| MARKETING DEPARTMENT| OTHER| 40%| 40%| 10%| 10% |In this we try to find out who has the main responsibility of conveying the employee branding and the result was it is not whole-sole responsibil ity of one department it is the responsibility of all the department. 7) How do you communicate internal branding? MEETINGS| SPONSORING | NARRATING STORY| OTHERS| 20%| 40%| 10%| 30%| Through we try to find out what is the best way to communicate your brand to people because brand is at the centre of the organization that why organization uses meetings, narrating events to tell them about their brands. ) What are the ways you use to make them interested in the brands? TV-ADS| SPONSORING| INTERNET| OTHERS| 40%| 30%| 20%| 10%| In this we have shown which are the best medium to communicate about our brand we have seen TV-ads , internet ,organizing events were the best way to communicate about it because it attract lot of attention of the customers. 9) How do you monitor the success of your internal brand? SETTING TARGET| CLIENT ASSESSMENT| OTHERS| 40%| 40%| 20%|In this we have tried to figure out that how they monitor the success of their brand because sometime it become benchmarking ex ercise to try to see if anything is becoming problematic so they set target and sometime they do client assessment test where they interviewed 50 people from client organization. 10) To what extent do employees understand what their organization brand represents? At 20%| At 50%| At 70%| 70% or above| 10%| 40%| 30%| 20%| In this we have tried to find out how much employees of an organization understand their brand so we have try to present in the form of numeric form FINDINGSIn general, the majority of participants were able to articulate (in varying degrees) what their organization’s brand represents In relation to the way in which employees acquire organizational knowledge for the purpose of carrying out their roles and responsibilities, the results revealed three strong themes, that is, training, customer/market information and work environment (co-workers). The employees devoid of brand knowledge are unable to transform the brand vision into the brand reality evidence pres ented here suggests that there is still an inconsistent practitioner approach to the provision of employee-relevant brand information.This is somewhat surprising, given that it is apparent from the comments provided by the participants who lacked customer or market information that employee satisfaction and their ability to successfully carry out their roles and responsibilities is adversely impacted. Despite the speed with which business decisions need to be made today in order to remain competitive, individuals within organizations are still not being given the support and skills they feel are necessary for them to respond effectively to the business challenges of today. CONCLUSIONIt could be concluded that employee branding is becoming the concept or mantra of today's business world. Employee branding helps the companies to have better perspective of their consumers and motivate the employees as well. The brand interpretation in the mind of customer is very important. At the end of the day, how the brand is positioned in the minds of the consumers is heavily dependent on company's employees. Investment in an organization’s human capital is a precursor for subsequent organizational success, especially in such a competitive global market.While conceptually this appears to be a reasonable assumption, the empirical evidence is limited to the validation of the link between employee satisfaction and customer loyalty. In particular, internal brand management has been identified as a means to engender such outcomes (eg organizational success and employee satisfaction) and yet there appears to be limited understanding as to the impact of such efforts from an employee perspective. Without such insight, attainment of a desired level of employee satisfaction could be considered synonymous to ‘flying blind'.Furthermore, it becomes increasingly challenging to justify such an internal investment without evidence of the impact such an investment has on the org anization as manifested in employee attitude and behavior. SUGGESTIONS * Cultivate a culture that reinforces your Brand Contract and encourage employees to â€Å"live the brand† * Measure the effectiveness of your internal branding strategy to maximize the ROI on your internal branding initiatives * Insist that senior management models brand-focused behavior and cultural values. * Set communication alignment goals (are you even measuring the effectiveness of your internal communication. Make positive examples of employee behavior that represents your values, mission, brand and business strategy. * Reward employees for demonstrating their commitment to your brand contract and values. * Show daily how commitment to mission and values is the touchstone that drives your decisions. * Harness the entire creativity of every employee in bringing the brand to life. * Involve all departments in branding, not just marketing – HR, operations, customer support, development, finance , and more. REFERENCES BOOKS AND JOURNALS * Aurand, T. W. , L. Gorchels and T. R.Bishop (2005), ‘Human resource management's role in internal btanding: an opportunity for cross-functional brand message synergy', Journal of Product and Brand Management, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 163-9. * Bak, C. A. , L. H. Vogt, W. R. George and I. R. Greentree (1994), ‘Management by team: an innovative tool for running a service organization through internal marketing', Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 37-47. * Ballantyne, D. (1997), ‘Internal networks for internal marketing', Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 13, no. 5, July, pp. 343-66. * Barnes, B. R. , M. T. Fox and D.S. Morris (2004), ‘Exploring the linkage between internal marketing, relationship marketing and service quality: a case study of a consulting organization', Total Quality Management, vol. 15, nos. 5/6, pp. 593-601. * Beagrie, S. (2003), ‘How to †¦ influence employee behavior through internal marketing', Personnel Today, August, p. 35- * Bergstrom, A. , D. Blumenthal and S. Crothers (2002), ‘Why internal branding matters: the case of Saab', Corporate Reputation Review, vol. 5, nos. 2/3, Fall, pp. 133-42. * Berry, L. L. (1981), ‘The employee as customer', Journal of Retail Banking, vol. , pp. 25-8. * Berry, L. L. , M. C. Burke and J. S. Hensel (1976), ‘Improving retailer capability for effective consumerism response', Journal of Retailing, vol. 52, no. 3, Fall, pp. 3-15. * Berry, L. L. and A. Parasuraman (1992), ‘Services marketing starts from within', Marketing Management, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 24-34. * Bowen, D. E. and E. E. Lawler III (1992), ‘the empowerment of service workers: what, why, how, and when', Sloan Management Review, vol. 33, no. 3, spring, pp. 31-9. INTERNET SITES www. google. com www. philipkotler. com www. Shrm. org www. wikipedia. com QUESTIONNAIRE ) Did your organization carry out induction program? Yes No 2) Did i n induction program you cover employee branding techniques? Yes No 3) Which techniques do you use for employee branding? Mentoring Presentation Apprenticeship Other 4) Do you have any other employee branding program for existing employee? Yes No 5) What is the best way to approach employee branding? Employees Customer 6) Who should take charge of employee branding?Top level Hr department Marketing department other 7) How do you communicate internal brands to people? Meetings nsor sponsoring narrating story Other 8) What are the ways you use to make them interested in the brand? TV-ads Sponsoring Internet Other 9) How do you monitor the success of your internal brand? Setting targets client Assessment Other 10) To what extent do employees understand their organization brand represent? At 20% At 50% A At 70% 70% or above