Is death denied in contemporary Australian society Provide examples to Essay

Is death denied in contemporary Australian society Provide examples to support your argument - Essay Example The emergence of hospices and palliative care teams has done much to improve this difficult area of healthcare. Nursing and hospice care professionals, rather than doctors and surgeons, are more routinely faced with dilemmas which related to the dignity of the person, and the way that psychological and social factors can impact positively or negatively on the experiences of patients, relatives and medical staff. This is an area which is less well researched, and the present paper considers the widely held assumption that Australian society generally denies death, and seeks to protect its citizens from facing up to the emotional consequences of death for themselves and their close relatives. At the present time there are heated debates about the ethical and moral issues surrounding death, ranging from support for medically assisted deaths, to vehement opposition of any intervention that could potentially hasten death. These are important issues which Australian society must tease out and openly examine if it is to provide the kind of end of life care that patients expect. The alleged tendency of Australian society to deny death could be seen as endangering attempts to improve end of life care. If people prefer to distance themselves from death, and to avoid talking or thinking about it then it is very difficult to work out what kind of treatment or care would be their ideal preference. For this reason it is important to consider attitudes and cultural values on a wide scale when considering medical and social processes. A medical service which is out of tune with the prevailing culture is unlikely to provide a sensitive and appropriate level of care. A closer look at this intriguing area of healthcare studies reveals that the whole â€Å"death denying† label may not be quite as accurate an assessment as it appears on first sight. Historians such as Jalland (2002) and Davis and George (1990) trace the evolution of Australian beliefs and customs from the ab original concepts of â€Å"The Eternal Dreaming† to the experiences of Australian soldiers in the First World War who were taught to repress the horrors of mass warfare with the so-called â€Å"stiff upper lip,† (Jalland, 2002, 306) and to a much more mixed modern situation where multiple ideologies and customs struggle for prominence. Despite a very evident diversity in modern Australia, this notion that the country is a â€Å"death denying† nation persists into the present day. Evidence for this â€Å"denial of death thesis† is found in the ideas of social scientists in the period from 1955 to 1985. (Zimmermann and Rodin, 2004, 121). Certain traditions such as elaborate funerals and mourning rituals for bereaved families were noted as being important markers of the transition from life to death, in earlier historical periods. In traditional Catholic societies, for example, it was usual to hold a wake to mark the departure of a beloved family member, fol lowed by commemorative mass celebrations. In Jewish societies there are similar commemorative events, and these rituals are deliberately communal and inclusive, providing a supportive framework for bereaved families to lean on while experiencing the first painful stages of loss. (O’Gorman, 1998, 1131-1132) The community as a whole took part in these rituals, and death in such a context

Organisational Structure of Geodrill Limited

Organisational Structure of Geodrill Limited Introduction Geodrill Limited is an exploration drilling contractor, which was incorporated in the Isle of Man in June 1998 and centers its attention on the mining industry in West Africa. It operates in 3 West African countries, which are Burkina Faso, Ghana and the Cote DIvoire through an entirely owned subsidiary, Geodrill Ghana Limited. The Head Office is located in Accra, Ghana and manages operations throughout the West African region. However, there are only two operating entities, Geodrill Ghana Limited and Geodril CI SARL in Cote DIvoire . Geodrill Ltd (Isle of Man) operates contracts in Burkina Faso. The two entities are whole owned subsidiaries of Geodrill Ltd ( Isle of Man). Geodrill Ltd. has 2 issued shares owned by Blue Croft Limited and Red Croft Limited. All drill rigs were bought new except ore 650/1 which was bought second hand in the year 2000. Geodrill started operations in Ghana in 1998 with one UDR 900 multi-purpose drill rig and in 1999 added another. At the end of December 1999, Geodrill owned 10 UDR multi-purpose Drill rigs all with boosters, auxiliary compressors, modern fleet of MAN trucks, track support vehicles and light vehicles. Geodrill also owns three core only Sandvik DE 710 crawler mounted drill rigs and two Auztex Air core truck mounted rigs. Current expansion in 2010 includes two additional rigs bringing total fleet to seventeen. It is envisaged that by the end of 2010 the fleet size in terms of drill rigs will be twenty. The rigs to be added in 2010, while still of the UDR make (have recently changed to Sandvik) depart from existing strategy by being specialized drill rigs. Two of the rigs will offer RAB services while the other offer Air Core. The entire maintenance operations of Geodrill Limited is carried out at Anwian Kwanta a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is based on a 10 acre land which has a modern workshop, offices and accommodation for both expatriates and nationals. The workshop strictly adheres to world class safety standards. Our health and safety and environmental program was designed by Tracmin to at a minimum comply with Australian safety standards. Ownership and Directors Geodrill Limited has a Trust set up by Dave Harper, currently the Managing Director of the group. He is also the Chairman and CEO of Geodrill Ghana Limited, the operating entity in West Africa. The Trust is held by the City Trust firm based in Douglas, the Isle of Man, on behalf of the Harper Family Trust of Perth, Australia. It has 2 issued shares. The other director of Geodrill Ghana Limited is Terry Burling who is also the Operations Manager of the firm. Figure 1: Organisational Structure of Geodrill  [1]   The Organisational Structure Management Dave Harper is the Managing Director and CEO. He has about 30 years of experience in the drilling industry having worked both in Australia and West Africa. He started working in Ghana in 1991 as General Manager of SMS, an exploration drilling firm. Mr. Harper, a driller by profession, resigned in 1996 and set up Geodrill 2 years later. The CEO is directly responsible for project flow and contracting with clients, client relations, invoicing and acquisition of major equipment. He also leads in setting corporate and business strategy. He is assisted by 2 departmental managers. Terry Burling is the Operations Manager with 20 years of experience in the drilling industry. He previously worked with SMS in New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and in Ghana. Fortunately for the company, Terry Burling is an expert in both the mechanical and exploration aspects of the profession. His skills span drilling, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and fabrication. Greg Conroy is the FA Manager. He has worked in that capacity at several exploration drilling and mining firms including SMS (Ghana), Equigold CI SARL (Ivory Coast). He has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Conroy started working with the company in December 2008, having taken over from a Ghanaian who had been in the position since Geodrill was established and also previously worked with SMS. The FA Manager is directly responsible for managing relationships with all external stakeholders except clients. The Structure of the Firm Geodrill has about 120 staff organized into 2 departments, Operations and Administration. There are 4 sections under Operations: Exploration, Maintenance, Stores and HSE. Exploration performs the drilling required by clients; the core activity of the company. The Exploration workers are organized in crews of 4 per rig per shift of 12 hours, therefore 8 per workday. A Site Supervisor manages all aspects of the project being undertaken including a cash expense budget, accommodation, liaises with the clients representation usually a geologist, and supervises the crew. If its a large project with 2 or more rigs present, a store is set-up and stocked with consumables. In this case too there may be one or more supervisor. The Exploration staff typically constitutes about 80% of the staff strength. Maintenance provides engineering back up services for repairs and maintenance. This section also fabricates a lot of equipment including heavy duty, pneumatic vehicles. They work out of one of the most advanced workshops in West Africa and drive out to offer on-site support in their modified and well-equipped Land Cruiser pick-ups. The Store section manages the stock of consumables, fuel and spare parts. Though many firms in the industry treat stock as finance and accounting function because of its effect on profitability, Geodrill has placed its Store as Operations to better ensure closer integration with the core functions of the business. Decisions on purchases are made with paramount regard to the necessity of the item for project execution rather than cost or any other consideration. Requests routinely originate from the Supervisors and are validated by the Operations Manager. The Health, Safety and Environment section oversees the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Health, Safety and Enviornment standards that, at a minimum, are required to conform to Australian mandated standards. The Australian standard is regarded as the most stringent for drilling firms globally and much higher than what is required in Ghana. Setting that as the minimum standard is a purely discretionary decision by Geodrills Chief Executive Officer. The Administration department is made up of Accounts, Human Resource, Information Technology and Logistics. The Accounts section is responsible for all financial reporting including management reports and statutory reports. Geodrill tracks income by drill rig and by project. Major direct expenses such as fuel are tracked by drill rig and project. The Accounts section also manage the monthly cash budget. Human Resource section coordinates with departmental managers in the recruitment process, the setting of salaries and promotions. Salary levels are determined according to the hierarchy (organizational structure) and each band has 3 sub-levels. Junior employees earn a basic salary and overtime for work done beyond 8 hours in a weekday. For senior employees, a fixed salary that consolidates both a base pay and overtime is determined and their pay does not vary by the hours done. The section prepares the payroll and executes payments. The Logistics section act as a go-between with Stores, and the rest of the company to ensure that procurements, imports and exports and immigration requirements for expatriate workers are smoothly executed. Services Geodrill provides Reverse Circulation and Core Drilling services. The object of all prospective drilling is to get samples from different depths below the surface. The two basic methods are cuttings recovery and core recovery. Reverse circulation drilling falls in the first category and diamond core drilling in the second. Reverse Circulation Reverse Circulation is the method of choice for obtaining consistently high quality rock chip samples with speed and efficiency. Geodrill provides reverse circulation drilling using the latest Face Sampling hammers and equipment drilling holes with 140mm diameter to depths of between 50 400 meters. In terms of pricing, this drilling methodology is positioned in the middle. It is more expensive than RAB and Air Core drilling but less costly than diamond drilling. It is the most commonly used method. It collects samples from depth by pulverizing the rock which is then blown up through an inner tube and collected in a sample bag. Diamond Core Drilling This technique is used to drill to about 1500m deep. A diamond-impregnated drill bit cuts a core of rock hence the name Diamond core. The core sample is removed at intervals and catalogued. This is a much more expensive drilling method. Directional Drilling Geodrill provides the Deep Directional drilling using Down Hole Motor and Wedging; to control deviation so target is achieved, to intersect targets below inaccessible locations, to alter course of a drill hole to intersect target and to allow multiple target intersections by deviating branch holes from a parent hole. Two other types of drilling, common in the industry but not previously offered by Geodrill, are RAB and Air core drilling. These are most ideal for shallow depths, are speedier and cheaper for clients. THE EXPLORATION INDUSTRY IN WEST AFRICA Market and Industry Geodrills current client list includes Newmount Ghana Gold, Golden Star Resources, Keegam Resources, Perseus Mining, Azumah Resources, Castle Minerals, Lihir Equigold, in Cote dIvoire, Ampella Mining and Gryphon Minerals both in Burkina Faso. Geodrill is currently the market leader in Ghana with about 35% of the market share. In 2009, 50% operating capacity in Ghana, 20% in Cote dIvoire and 30% in Burkina Faso. Geodrill hopes to increase operations in Burkina Faso in the near future as that industry is less saturated than Ghana in terms of competition and there are a lot of contracts readily available. For 2010, the order book is full including 2 new rigs on order. Geodrill is still receiving invitations to tender on contracts all over West Africa in Gold and base metals. Geodrills competitors in Ghana are Boart Longyear, AMS exploration, Pontil Minerix, Drillmasters and Burwash. In Cote dIvoire, their competitors are Boart Longyear CI, Ore-ex and Drill ex. In Burkina Faso, its Boart Longyear BR and West Africa Drilling Services. Current industry challenges include price competitiveness, and the labour market beginning to tighten. Opportunities include gold and commodities boom, an influx of active exploration companies into West Africa and improving political stability in the region. The mining, energy and infrastructure markets are expected to see the hightes neer to medium term growth in the sub Saharan African region. In general, mining companies with a higher percentage of long term renewable contracts are viewed as being lower risk and Geodrill prefers to deal with such clients. Analysis of the Industry There is no substitute for exploration drilling services in the mining industry. The exploration process progresses from initial studies of the geological structure of an area, a history of mining and other indicators of prospective potential. However, actual samples must always be collected both from the surface and at depth to determine the actual presence of mineral. This collection of samples from depth can only be done by drilling down into the ground. The threat of new entrants probably offers competitive pressure to existing firms in the West African market. The mining industry is made up of many small firms but dominated by a few very large firms. Exploration drilling, though it has a tangible end product in the form of samples, is really a service and depends as much on relationships as on the quality of the sample. It is a capital-intensive business but any entity that can get access to about $3m in start-up capital can start with a second hand rig, some spare parts and consumables. The exploration drilling firms usually operate under the umbrella of the client and so are indirectly regulated hence regulatory issues will not hinder a start-up. The exploration drilling business is characterised by short drill programmes (contract duration of 3 months to 1 year). Each drill programme can be properly viewed as a real option, and determines the next step for the client. The level of activity is driven by the ease of fundraising on the capital markets and the price of gold as it determines the value of any find. The drilling service is homogenous in nature, hardly differentiated except by the speed and efficiency of execution and the safety record of the drilling firm. There is not much collaboration among the firms. Suppliers of major inputs such as drilling consummables are quite powerful when the industry is booming. When the price of gold falls or the capital markets are not doing well, there is usually an excess of serviceable second hand equipment available. This dilutes the power of the suppliers somewhat. The sources of consumables are many hence the suppliers here are much less powerful than the suppliers of equipment. There are two types of clients: Mining firms and exploration firms. The mining firms have operating mines and earn revenue from selling the gold that they mine. The exploration firms hold concessions and carry out drill programs to determine their potential. Exploration firms do not earn operating revenues; they earn a return eventually by selling the concession if it is proven to have the potential to yield some gold. Therefore, exploration firms finance their drill programs by raising equity on the capital markets. The clients are very powerful and price sensitive. Drill programs tend to be one of the largest costs of the client. For both types of clients, it determines the life and value of the business. Accounting Policies Drill rigs undergo major rebuilds to extend their life span every 3 5 years. The cost is capitalized. Depreciation rates are 10% for drill rigs, 20% as plant and equipment, 20% on motor vehicles, 20% on furniture and fittings and 5% on land and buildings. Currency of record is the US dollar. Audited financial statements are submitted to the internal revenue service and taxes are paid in US dollars. Geodrill is permitted by the Minerals Commission and Bank of Ghana to receive at least 50% and Bank of Ghana to receive at least 50% of its drilling income in US dollars. Financial year ends on 31st December. Organisation Strategy From inception, management decided it did not want a Workers Union. Management instead formed an informal workers committee which is made up of senior employees and who are nationals for that matter. Management then acts as a union and seeks to ensure the general welfare of workers in consultation with the workers committee. This is itself is unique in an industry where unions are common. 2. Geodrill operates only in West Africa whereas its key competitors operates globally. From Ghana the chairman who also doubles as the chief executive officer oversees everything. This gives Geodrill the advantage to follow the market more closely and adopt quickly. For its competitors, there might be a general manager heading a particular region who will lack final authority on decision making. 3. Geodrill adheres to a strict healthy, safety and environment policy and as much as possible used brand new equipment which are serviced regularly and kept in top shape by the operations department from its workshop which is fitted out with the most advanced equipment needed. Competitors often deploy other rigs that have been in service in other parts of the globe and this gives Geodrilll an edge over competitors when it comes to contract execution. 4. Geodrill has more nationals in their top hierarchy than its competitors. Locals are found in management positions usually reserved for expatriates among their competitors. This enables management to keep the wage bill lower than that of their competitors because nationals severally earn lower than expatriates while at the same time motivating nationals to give off their best because they know the top positions are not kept for only expatriates. 5. Geodrill pays higher than market rates and keeps job content interesting so as to attract the best men available and also maintain them. To lay off full time permanent employees however, is difficult under the labour laws of Ghana and other West African states hence Geodrill keeps 80% of nationals on 2 year contracts renewable so far as the company has contracts to support number of staff. If rigs become idle then the workers on that rig can be laid off with a months salary in lieu of notice and are recalled when a contract is secured for that rig.

Free College Essays - The Tragic and Serious Othello :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Othello  Ã‚   Tragic and Serious Othello, a play by William Shakespeare, takes place in Venice during the invasion of the island of Cyprus by the Turks. The protagonist of the story, Othello, is a newlywed, Moorish general with a very gullible nature. The antagonist of the story is Iago, an officer under Othello who wishes to be promoted to lieutenant, but the position was given to the young and attractive Cassio. Other major characters in the play are Desdemona, Othello's wife who is accused of having an affair with Cassio. In addition, there are Roderigo, a Venetian who is deeply in love with Desdemona; and Emilia (Iago's wife) who could have prevented the death of Desdemona. The tone of the story is tragic and serious. Meanwhile, there isn't any point of view because this is a play and a play doesn't normally have a narrator. Shakespeare lets the reader make up his/her own imagination with the characters' words and behavior. Since Othello is the protagonist, he is explained in more detail. Although Othello is a brave warrior, he is a jealous person; his jealousy also prevails over his good sense. The whole play depicts the fact that jealousy causes corruption. There are many conflicts found in Othello, and person vs. person is one of them. An example is when Iago seeks revenge against Othello and Cassio because of his anger and jealousy. Person vs. society appears when Desdemona's father Brabantio, disapproves her marriage to Othello because he is several years older than Desdemona, from a different class, and a different race. An internal conflict of person vs. himself is found when Othello is in a dilemma about whether or not should he believe that Des demona is being unfaithful to him. Othello loves and trusts Desdemona until his jealousy is aroused by the cruel manipulations of Iago. Iago's intention was to persuade Othello to believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. As Iago succeeds in convincing Othello that Desdemona is guilty of adultery, it leads to the climax of the play. And so Othello must face emotions he can't deal with. His jealousy drives him insane, and his judgment is replaced with anger and hate. At this time, the reader notices that the death of Desdemona is inevitable. Othello smothers her, and he eventually kills himself when he knows that Iago falsely accused Desdemona. This also represents the tragedy of the play.

Impact Of Assessment For Learning Education Essay

This paper considers the impact of Assessment for Learning on kids ‘s advancement in a peculiar strand of the Primary Maths Curriculum. It does so foremost through a reappraisal of the relevant literature, and so employs some empirical illustrations to exemplify how the rhythm had helped to procure larning points in a peculiar context. The specific strand under consideration is the resolution of multi-step jobs, ‘aˆÂ ¦and jobs affecting fractions, decimals and per centums ; take and utilize appropriate computation schemes at each phase, including reckoner usage. ‘ ( DCFS 2009 ) . Literature Review Changes in the professional model for the instruction and appraisal of Primary maths have been reflected in a invariably spread outing literature. This is now so expansive, that it can merely truly be reviewed here through some representative illustrations. There are two chief sub-genres which feature here: specifically, these are official publications, and scope of commercially produced texts which may be characterised as critical, professional, or vocational self-help literature. It is besides the instance that some generic texts on the topic of Primary Assessment for Learning may be pertinent here, although they do non associate specifically to mathematics. The official literature emphasises the holistic nature of appraisal by asseverating that ‘aˆÂ ¦assessment of kids ‘s accomplishments and advancement should be based on the expected acquisition results identified through the acquisition aims. In mathematics, measuring kids ‘s advancement in a nucleus strand of acquisition should be informed by the aims in the strand. ‘ ( DCFS 2009 ) . The fruition of this procedure may be visualized in the motive and authorization of the scholars themselves, supported by ‘aˆÂ ¦Constructive feedback that identifies how kids ‘s work and responses have led to successaˆÂ ¦ ‘ this, it advises, should supply a ‘aˆÂ ¦shared apprehension of the accomplishments on which to construct to do farther advancement. It helps kids to see how the following stairss take history of this success and are come-at-able. ‘ ( DCFS 2009 ) . There is a sense in which this acknowledges that Assessment for L earning has an importance, over and above what is revealed in outcome-based consequences, i.e. those from standardized trials. In other words, the latter no longer implies that it can stand as ‘aˆÂ ¦proxy for other sorts of larning. ‘ ( Campbell et al. 2004: p.119 ) The commercially published literature is invariably being updated by texts which engage with official policy and course of study alterations, construing them for practicians and parents. However, the bulk of these, although they make some mention to assessment, make non make so in the footings now prescribed by the DCFS, i.e. , daily and periodic appraisal. This is perchance because these theoretical accounts have merely been runing in the official discourse for a comparatively short period. Overall, this genre may itself be split into sub-groups, the most important of which are the brooding or critical genre, and the vocational or self-help group. One of the most fecund governments within this group is Sharon Clarke, whose Targeting Assessment in the Primary Classroom: Schemes for Planning, Assessment, Pupil Feedback and Target Setting ( 1998 ) , Unlocking Formative Appraisal: Practical Schemes for Enhancing Pupils ‘ Learning in the Primary Classroom, ( 2001 ) , and Active Lea rning Through Formative Assessment ( 2008 ) straddle consecutive developments in the instruction and appraisal of Primary mathematics. Besides helpful in these countries is Hansen ‘s Primary Mathematicss: Widening Knowledge in Practice ( Achieving QTS Extending Knowledge in Practice ) ( 2008 ) , and David Clarke ‘s Constructive Assessment in Mathematics: Practical Stairss for Classroom Teachers ( Key Resources in Professional Development ) , ( 1999 ) . As Shirley Clarke indicates, the ‘aˆÂ ¦sharing of a learning purpose isaˆÂ ¦more composite than merely reiterating what is in the instructor ‘s planaˆÂ ¦In order for the learning purpose to be shared efficaciously, it needs to be clear and unambiguous, so that the instructor can explicate it in a manner which makes sense. ‘ ( 2001: p.20 ) This may be taken as supportive of the official place: it endorses the thought that be aftering should pull non merely on the acquisition result, but besides on the anterior cognition of the pupils in inquiry. If they are expected to objectively measure their ain advancement, they must understand the frame of mention, and be able to imagine the acquisition result, even if they have n't yet attained it. This thought is besides inexplicit in the thoughts of David Clarke: as he points out, earlier attacks to assessment focussed on ‘aˆÂ ¦measuring the extent to which pupils possess a set of tools andaˆÂ ¦ the extent to which they can use them. ‘ However, he farther indicates that ‘aˆÂ ¦to be mathematically equipped, a pupil must besides understand the nature of mathematical tools and be able to choose the right tool for a given problem-solving state of affairs. ‘ ( 1999: p.11 ) This position is besides endorsed in the contemplations of Hansen, who argues that, ‘aˆÂ ¦it is possible to assist kids to larn mathematical content through efficaciously incorporating problem-solving, concluding and communicating into mathematics lessons. ‘ ( Hansen 2008: p.5 ) Texts such as Gardner ‘s emended aggregation, , Assessment and Learning, ( 2006 ) , Gipps and Murphy ‘s A Fair Test? Assessment, Achievement and Equity, ( 1994 ) , and Taber ‘s Classroom-based research and evidence-based pattern, ( 2007 ) , travel some manner to bridging the spread between the functionary and the educational literature, specifically by looking at how policy and course of study affairs are linked by research and political orientation. These are, nevertheless, non specifically devoted to Primary mathematics, and neither are they entirely accepting of the orthodoxies which pervade the official literature. Gipps and Murphy make the point that measuring appraisal is ‘aˆÂ ¦not merely a inquiry of looking at the equity in the context of appraisal but besides within the course of study, as the two are closely related. ‘ ( 1994: p.3 ) As Taber points out, practicians are at the terminal of a really long and frequently distant supply concaten ation when it comes to weighing the grounds on what is ‘best pattern ‘ . As they put it, ‘aˆÂ ¦teachers are told what research has found out during their initial â€Å" preparation † , and are updatedaˆÂ ¦through classs and staff development yearss, but mostly through centralised official â€Å" counsel † . ‘ ( 2007: p.4 ) This is reinforced by observers such as Rist, who argues that, ‘We are good past the clip when it is possible to reason that good research will, because it is good, act upon the policy procedure. ‘ ( 2002: p.1002 ) . These are academic but non unimportant points in footings of the overall treatment, even if they are non peculiarly outstanding in the twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours duties of the category instructor. The point is that, as brooding practicians, we might all profit from some consciousness of what shapes the models which inform our attack to learning and larning. With respect to the current Assessment for Learning conventions, the thoughts in Assessment for Learning, Beyond the black box ( Assessment Reform Group, 1999 ) , are acknowledged by the QCA to hold been constructive of the whole attack. ( QCA 2003: p.1 ) . As the latter province, ‘The survey posed three inquiries: is there grounds that bettering formative appraisal raises criterions? ; is there grounds that there is room for betterment in the pattern of appraisal? ; and is at that place grounds about how to better formative appraisal? This research grounds pointed to an unqualified ‘yes ‘ as the reply to each of these inquiries. ‘ ( QCA 2003: p.1 ) . These are of import points, as the instruction, larning and appraisal models which define modern-day pattern are deeply adaptative of them. Discussion/Example from Experience. A strand of the Primary course of study where twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours and periodic appraisal was found to be peculiarly of import in the overall Assessment for Learning attack, was procuring figure facts, relationships and ciphering. The illustrations used here are from Year 6 block E, particularly Ma2, Written and reckoner methods, and Ma2, work outing numerical jobs from Unit One, and focused on covering with mistakes and misconceptions. One context where appraisal was found to be peculiarly relevant was in covering with upper school ( i.e. Old ages 4, 5 and 6 ) acquisition of generation and division. The assessment procedure had to be multi-faceted, taking in all of the associated cognition and accomplishments, the mistakes and misconceptions which arose, and the modeling of inquiries to place the beginning of such jobs. This may be illustrated by concentrating on one illustration, taken from Year 6 Key Objective 2, Multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 and the a ssociatory jurisprudence, where normally, the unprepared or baffled scholar ‘aˆÂ ¦Misuses half understood regulations about multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 and the associatory lawaˆÂ ¦ ‘ ( 2009 ) . The of import thing about generation and division through consecutive add-on or minus severally, is that, one time mastered, they can show to scholars that the application of basic accomplishments will enable them to interrupt down apparently complex jobs into a manageable format. Multiplying or spliting a three figure figure by a two digit figure depends on the usage of a figure of accomplishments: cognition of figure facts, i.e. times tabular arraies, topographic point value, to rapidly measure the viability of an reply, and organizational accomplishments, i.e. being able to use the right stairss in the appropriate order. It may besides be utile to augment these with reckoner usage, in order to verify replies. The of import point here is that twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours and periodic appraisal – and brooding feedback from the scholars themselves – was indispensable in the planning, fliping and bringing of this input. The mutuality of each measure in these computations meant that the failure to put to death one measure, frequently resulted in the failure to finish the overall aim. For illustration, if times tabular arraies and generation by 10 and 100 were non firmly in topographic point, the scholar would acquire bogged down in the arithmetic. Conversely, the securing of one of the incremental accomplishments involved in these computations was a positive factor in the scholars ‘ overall attack: i.e. , if they knew their times tabular arraies facts, topographic point value, or generation by 10 and 100 were in topographic point, it gave them a get downing point from which to analyze mistakes or jobs. For some scholars, this had the generic consequence of doing t hem gain that their long-run work in accomplishing these places of strength had a positive result, instead than being an abstract, stand-alone procedure. This in bend made them more interested in geting other general mathematics accomplishments. Looking beyond specific mathematics accomplishments, this may besides hold the leaning to develop the pupils ‘ ain capacities for self-fulfillment and self-motivation. As the QCA points out, ‘aˆÂ ¦In many schoolrooms, students do non comprehend the construction of the acquisition aims that give significance to their work. Therefore they are unable to measure their ain advancement. ‘ ( QCA 2003: p.3 ) Accomplishment in a multi-step procedure such as long generation or division might therefore enable them to map out where they are within the overall criterions. However, it was merely through a combination of twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours and periodic appraisal that the practician could be confident of be aftering efficaciously with respect to these undertakings. There was no point in piecing Sessionss which relied on a scope of accomplishments when they were non unafraid, either in single scholars, or sufficiently across the cohort as a whole. In assorted ability groups, this attack was evidently the key the necessary distinction. The logical corollary to this is that dianoetic feedback from the scholars themselves was besides of import in specifying the following phase of planning, i.e. what worked, what did n't, who tried which method, were there any penchants etc. The entreaty of this activity besides lays in its all right balance of mental and pencil and paper methods, and the manner in which appraisal is the necessary concomitant to concrete computation. Overall, these experiences may be deemed supportive of the proposals of o bservers such as Clarke and Hansen, ( see above ) in that they emphasize the demand for the uninterrupted support of be aftering with appraisal. Summary, Analysis and Reflection: Deductions for Future Teaching. In drumhead, the decision of this paper is that both the literature and practical experience discussed here are reciprocally supportive of the demand for complimentary appraisal and planning. Outcome orientated consequences can exemplify single and whole school public presentation in certain contexts, but practicians need to be cognizant of appraisal in a holistic manner, as a day-to-day portion of their attack to learning and larning. As the QCA expresses it, ‘aˆÂ ¦Teachers are sing an increased sense that students are working with them instead than for them. For illustration, students are inquiring for more inquiries or illustrations to pattern using their apprehension of a subject or to reiterate prep or trials if they have non met the criterion and the aims that they and the instructor have set. ‘ ( QCA 2009: p.48 ) . Whilst this dynamic sounds really positive, practicians have new and different duties within it. In footings of appraisal, these can be itemised in the undermentioned waysaˆÂ ¦ Day to twenty-four hours: within this degree of appraisal, specific larning aims should explicitly communicated, and augmented with both equal and self appraisal as appropriate. Periodic: ideally, this should piece a broader overview of advancement across the topic for both scholar and instructor. It is besides an chance to interweave the national criterions in a sensitive manner with schoolroom pattern. The practician can utilize the penetrations gained from this procedure to inform both long and average term planning. Overall, it should be recognised that the ideal state of affairs, i.e. of self-motivated, self-actuating scholars, involved in their ain self-assessment, is improbable merely to ‘happen ‘ . Considered superficially, it might look that the practician ‘s function in appraisal has lessened, whilst the balance has been taken up by the scholars themselves. The world is instead different: students will merely go equal and effectual assessors of their ain advancement if they are provided with the appropriate support and counsel. In a sense, this facilitating function is a much more ambitious and elusive one than that implied in a more top-down, didactic theoretical account. Besides, there are obvious jobs in sing the ‘learner ‘ as a passive or generalized facet of this attack: it is much more likely that there is a staggered and varicolored consumption of the theoretical account, as different scholars are engaged at their ain gait and degree. This in bend indic ates that, as with all facets of the course of study, the societal and emotional facets of acquisition should be taken into consideration.

Analysis of Saab

Saab is an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget. The company was founded in Sweden in 1937 for the purpose of building aircrafts for the Swedish Air Force during World War II. After the war ended, Saab entered the automobile industry and relocated to Trollhattan where they are still located today. Saab is well diversified producing products in five different business units: Aeronautics, Dynamics, Electronic Defense Systems, Security and Defense Solutions, and Support and Services. Saab was acquired by General Motors in 1990 who then sold the rights to Spyker Cars in 2010. Target Consumer: Saabs’ target market is labeled as â€Å"postmodern individualists† who create their own style rather than following others. These individuals are considered well-educated and usually live in urban areas. They seek a car that is simple, delivers quality performance, and provides outstanding safety. The car driving experience is built around the idea of providing pleasure for the driver. Saab’s main markets include Sweden, United States, and the United Kingdom. Competitors: Saab competes with many well established brands and companies in each of its main markets. The Volkswagen Group which owns; Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, Skoda, and of course Volkswagen is one of Saabs’ numerous competitors. They also compete with BMW, Volvo and Daimler AG who makes Mercedes. Saab has been struggling to revive slumping sales in the US market for some time. Their lack of ability to create a distinctive design and finding the right price tags are some of the reasons they have found it difficult to compete as a luxury brand. Industry Analysis: The automobile industry as a whole has taken a hit since the global economic downturn and has created an uphill battle for Saab ever since. In 2008 the Swedish government had to provide financial assistance to both Volvo and Saab due to the automotive industry crisis. These events have taken a toll on Saabs output and performance within the industry. In February of 2009 General Motors, Saabs owners at the time warned that Saab may fail should the Swedish government not intervene again. Struggling to maintain a stable financial intake Saab was forced to close down its manufacturing plants and again seek financial aid outside of the company. Saab’s capacity to preserve a stable imagine as it moves forward is critical to future success in the competitive automobile industry. SWOT Analysis: After taking a look at Saab’s strengths, one of its strongest is its ability to innovate. As stated earlier, Saab offers a variety of products ranging from military defense, aeronautics, civil security products, and automobiles. Saab has demonstrated several first mover advantages throughout its history. For instance, Saab created the first car standardized with fitted seatbelts in 1958. More recently, they introduced cross-wheel drive in 2008. In general, Saab emphasizes safety in the production of its cars, satisfying its customers by creating a safe vehicle is one of Saabs key strengths. A few other strengths include brand loyalty as well as foreign brand strength. With strengths also comes weaknesses, and one of Saabs biggest weakness is its small market share. Its automobiles are only marketed in select countries and to a certain consumer. This is probably a key reason why the company has been losing sales, causing them to recently halt production due to insufficient funds owed to their suppliers. This has been leading to work stoppages along with Saab missing sales targets. This can drastically hurt the company’s brand image and further damage sales in the future. Saab is also caught in the middle of prices with competition. Majority of its cars are not priced towards the lower or upper bounds in the market. Forecasting Saab’s opportunities in the future all does not seem to be lost. If Saab is able to establish a form of credit and investment from outside resources, the company can get back on its feet. Saab’s main focus now should be to move into new markets and attempt to capture market share. With recent news and talks of securing money from Chinese investors, Saab should act on this opportunity. By partnering with the Chinese, Saab will have access to the Asian markets which can potentially generate new market share and sales. They also have the potential to gain manufacturing innovations which can lead to cost savings as well as technological advancements. Saab is still a company with many threats however. If Saab is unable to capture market share, it will be difficult for them to recover. Key Issues: As mentioned earlier, Saab Automobile was forced to stop making cars because of a dispute with their suppliers about payment. The vice president of global sales at Saab hoped the issue would be resolved within a week so the carmaker could get the needed parts and resume vehicle assembly. This incident was the result of Saab’s component makers halting deliveries and demanding payment. Saab did not have the cash to pay their suppliers, so a loan was needed. It is important for a manufacturing company to maintain a good relationship with their suppliers. Saab was unable to do that and it hurt the production of their cars. Innovation is also important for Saab, they should continue to innovate new safety features and improve the performance of their vehicles to achieve a competitive edge. Recommendations: Since the major issue for Saab right now is lack of liquidity, the first recommendation for Saab is to get more funding from the European Investment Bank. Bringing a new Russian bank could be a good idea and building trust to enhance investment. Unfortunately, Saab’s financial plan is quite dependent on the government policy which makes it more difficult for Saab to be flexible in its decision making. It is very important that Saab maintains better communication and trust with its suppliers to increase a good reputation and a basis to demand longer deadlines for payment. In addition, there might be some operational issues or supply chain unbalance, which could be the cause of lack of leadership. This could be the result of their illiquidity. In this case, this is now high time for Saab to actually look over its operation and whole procurement process, apply lean manufacturing, and figure out the root of the problem.