Resembling peace Essay Example for Free

Resembling peace Essay In the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad the author condemns the colonization of the Europeans on the African islands of Congo, eminently focusing on the barbarous and inhumane treatment of the natives. In this passage though, the central character Marlow narrates to the other men on his ship about his perspective of the experience he had when he went up the river Congo passing through the wild jungle in order to reach the inner station. The tone throughout the passage suggests a negative connotation of the wilderness of Congo because of the choice of words Marlow uses to describe the jungle. Phrases such as unrestful and the noisy world of plants portraits the jungle as being quite sinister instead of peaceful and quiet as the readers would expect it to be. This passage is a composition of similes, allegory, symbolism, dark and light contrast and hyperbole which Marlow uses abundantly to describe his journey. Marlow compares going up the river as being like traveling back to the earliest beginning of the world. (1) He uses a simile to describe the jungle as being how the world was earlier before the technology and civilization was born, when the world was pure as it was when it was created by nature. But then he continues the remark by saying when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. Marlow paints this picture as the wilderness having the ability to fight against each other and when there was power between the trees. He uses the word king to describe the variation of power between the trees much like how the Europeans were being superior by trying to civilize the natives through brutal means. Marlow adds to the description of the jungle as having a great silence. (2) The phrase silence is inserted in his description to give a contrast of whats happening inside the jungle. Inside the jungle, in the inner station, it has been said that Kurtz uses unconventional methods to obtain the ivory he makes. This suggests that Kurtz is probably using violence or manipulations which are contrasts of silence. More ever, as Marlows journey proceeds further and further into the jungle and closer to the inner station, Marlows streamer gets attacked by the natives. Moments before they are being attacked, Marlow describes to have heard voices crying wildly coming from the jungle. The diction silence not only is a contrast of what is happening inside the jungle, it is also a contrast of a future scene where they are being attacked. Marlow further describes the river as being facile to get lost in as you would in a desert. This phrase shows that Marlow is confused as to his purpose in this voyage, why he wanted to come on this journey and what he was expecting to find. This phrase also indicates that Marlow perceives the river to be mysterious and that is one of the qualities of the river that urge him to continue his journey because of his curiousness. Later in the passage, Marlow indicates that the river as this stillness of life which did not in the least resemble peace. (9) This description of the river as not resembling peace connects directly to the journey that Marlow has been traveling in. Ever since Marlow decided to come on this voyage, he has been uncertain as to whom he really is and what he wants to do or what need to be done. Marlow has strong opinions about the Europeans as being fools, devils, and folly, for not knowing what they are doing. Not for being racists or discrimination of the natives as they are being tied up and worked to death. Marlow considers him self as being not especially tender towards the Africans which contradicts to what he has been saying all along through out the novel as Africans as not being our enemies. This passage describes the wildness and the sinister appeal of the river and the wilderness which is a comparison to the mind of Marlow. Inside his head, Marlow is confused, unrestful, and not in the least resembling peace. This journey takes Marlow to the places he has never been before in order to find himself inside.

Main Causes Of World War II

Main Causes Of World War II Yesterday, December 7, 1941- a date which will live in infamy- the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) These are the beginning words of President Roosevelts Pearl Harbor Speech. He made this famous speech on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. There were three specific events that helped lead to World War II. The attack by the Japanese on the naval base Pearl Harbor is what brought America into the war. The formation of the Nazi Party was also a reason for much turmoil in Europe. One of the biggest reasons for war in Europe was the ruling of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was able to take a small political party and turn it in to an outstanding army. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese brought devastation and turmoil to the already hurting America. At this time America had elected their new president, Franklin Roosevelt, in hopes that he could bring them out of the great depression that they were suffering through. The Great Depression was causing unemployment rates to skyrocket across the country, and something needed to be done. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on the Sunday morning of December 7, 1941. The Japanese planes were mistaken for friendly aircrafts on the bases radars. Pearl Harbor was a naval base, positioned in Hawaii. This naval base was home to some of the biggest battleships in the United States navy. One of these great battleships was the U.S.S Arizona. (Vandivor) In an interview, George Phraner, former Aviation Machinist aboard the U.S.S Arizona said, Behind me, a marine lay dead on the deck, his body split in two. I began to realize there were dead men all around me. (Phraner) This quote shows how bloody and frantic this attack was. In another interview of the Navy Seamen aboard the U.S.S California, John H. McGoran said this, Only one who was there can fully appreciate what took place.(McGoran) The Japanese attacked in two waves, sinking or damaging all eight battleships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Over 350 aircrafts were destroyed or severely damaged. More than 3,500 people were killed or injured in those waves of attacks by the Japanese planes (Pearlharbor.org). The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt gave his famous Pearl Harbor speech, and declared war against the Empire of Japan. Some believe that World War II is what brought us out of our Great Depression. The war gave thousands of Americans a job. Women went to work in factories making tanks, aircrafts, and weapons to support the war. The men went to war fighting for their country. The formation of the Nazi Party brought a quick start to World War II in Europe. In the year 1919, Anton Drexler, Godfried Feder and Dietrich Eckhart, formed the German Workers Party in Munich. This was considered a left-wing revolutionary group by the German Army. The German Army got worried and sent a young man named Adolf Hitler, who was one of the armys education officers, to go behind the lines of this new party that had just formed (Kudlinski). Soon, Hitler discovered that the political opinions of the German Workers Party were very close to his own views. Hitler approved of Drexlers German nationalism and anti-Semitism but did not like the way the party was organized. Even though Hitler was a spy, whenever a member of the party made a point he disagreed with, Hitler would stand up and make a passionate speech on that subject. Later Hitler would become a member of the German Workers Party, and would want to run the party the way he felt was right. He challenged Anton Drexler for the leadership of the party in 1921. Drexler accepted the inevitable, and let Hitler have leadership of the party. Hitler would be put in prison for three months because of his violence towards his rival politicians. After Hitler was released he formed his own army which he called Sturm Abteilung (Storm Section). The SA, also known as the stormtroopers, was instructed to disrupt the meetings of Hitlers political opponents and to protect Hitler himself from revenge attacks. The party which was now called the Nazi Party was growing in numbers every day. It had an outstanding army of over 3,000 troops, and followers were beginning to adore the new Adolf Hitler (Vanderwerff). As the Nazi Party grew, the hate crimes that they committed against the Jews grew along with it. Hitler, through propaganda, made it look like the Jews were of lower intelligence and that they were the center of every crime committed. He claimed that the Jewish youth lies in wait for hours on end satanically glaring at and spying on the unconscious girl whom he plans to seduce, adulterating her blood with the ultimate idea of bastardizing the white race which they hate and thus lowering its cultural and political level so that the Jew might dominate (Vanderwerff). The rise of Hitler in the Nazi Party and his control in Europe played a big part in getting the war started. Hitler knew how to grab the attention of the German people. He would use whatever resources he had, to gain the trust and respect of the people. Hitler would use propaganda to win the support of the people. Since he controlled the media, he could tell the German people whatever he wanted them to hear and they wouldnt know if it was the truth or just the opinion of Hitler himself. In the propaganda that he would put out in the public, he would tell the people about how the Jews were bad people and how to tell if someone was a Jew by their facial features, such as a big nose or curly, dark hair (Rise of Hitler). Hitler was extremely racist against almost everybody, but more in particular, he was racist against the Jews. He believed that they were a dirty race and that they should be killed. Hitler looked over the fact that some of his favorite composers were Jewish. Hitler soon gained control of Germany. He had plans to take over the whole world, but his plans had to start somewhere. He had his army attack Poland. Poland was not ready for such an attack. Although they fought bravely, Poland was using weapons and vehicles from the First World War. Germany on the other hand had started using different types of attacks. They used new strategies for their air raids and land attacks. One of these new techniques was the Blitzkrieg (Vanderwerff). According to the History Learning Site, Germanys air force had bombers in numbers up to 850, and over 400 fighters in the attack on Poland. The Polish Air Force had 210 bombers and 150 fighters. When the Russians invaded eastern Poland on September 17th, Polands defeat was inevitable. On September 24th, Warsaw was bombed by 1150 German aircraft. On September 27th, Warsaw surrendered. The last Polish troops surrendered on October 6th (Attack on Poland). After the attack on Poland, Hitler ordered the attack on many other countries such as France and Britain. Hitler started some of his first concentration camps in Oranienburg Germany. These concentration camps would hold the captured Jews that Hitler had found. These camps are where nearly six million Jews were exterminated under the hand of Hitler. In these camps, the Jews would work but barely get fed if they were fed at all. The Jews would work until they were gassed, burned, shot, or died from malnutrition. On May 21st, 1935 Adolf Hitler announced, Germany has concluded a Non-Aggression Pact with Poland We shall adhere to it unconditionally we recognize Poland as the home of a great and nationally conscious people. Four years later, Adolf Hitler attacked Poland, beginning what is now called World War II. There were three specific events that helped lead to World War II. The attack by the Japanese on the naval base Pearl Harbor is what brought America into the war. The formation of the Nazi Party was also a reason for much turmoil in Europe. One of the biggest reasons for war in Europe was the ruling of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was able to take a small political party and turn it in to an outstanding army. Not many people know the real causes of World War II. This is one of the greatest events in our worlds history, and I believe everybody should know the facts about it.

Movement in an Idealized Dam-break Configuration

Movement in an Idealized Dam-break Configuration For doing the research of the fluid dynamics with the open channel flow, to derive and understanding different waves equations in partial differential approximation with conservation form such as the explicit centered convection approximation and the explicit upwind convection approximation in different condition. Trying to substitutive the values into the equations to derive the appropriate method base on the finite- volume method in the fluid dynamics and using the software to calculate the flux and the stability which will depend on the direction of the wave and must be under the distance travel must not exceed the step way condition. The aim is staring to go through the details of the equations, get the brand new Flux functions which called lax Wendorff burgers equation scheme and Dam break scheme, based on those approximation to estimate the wave direction, wave speed, height, density and momentum in the certain and instant time for the water wave and at different conditions property and combinations. Putting the values to get the approximate results with those two methods and compare with each other. Plot the appropriate graphs. Abstract The purpose of this study is to model the flow movement in an idealized dam-break configuration. One-dimensional motion of a shallow flow over a rigid inclined bed is considered. The resulting shallow water equations are solved by finite volumes using the Lax-Wendroff schemes. At first, the one-dimensional model is considered in the development process. With conservative finite volume method, splitting is applied to manage the combination of hyperbolic term and source term of the shallow water equation and then to promote 1D. The simulations are validated by the comparison with flume experiments. Unsteady dam-break flow movement is found to be reasonably well captured by the model. The proposed concept could be further developed to the numerical calculation of non-Newtonian fluid or multilayers fluid flow. All the calculations, data and graphs represent are all through MATLAB programming with an individual code and all the units and symbols were labeled in the code. A. Units and constant for the approximations Equations Theory Partial Differentials Partial differential equations are complicated method to solve as they contain more than one variable and instead are used to Describe problems involving the parameters in use which can be solved using the variation of schemes. They describe the certain rate of change of variables which are related to each other, in this project, the first convection are the wave equation in conservation form which are to approximate the velocity of the flow in different directions and the flux approximation with changing time. Two different methods are considered which are the explicit upwind convection approximation and explicit centered convection approximation respectively. When dt = 0 and dx = 0, Discretization Schemes Explicit centered convection approximation and explicit upwind convection approximation, these methods include finite volume method which approximating the variables around discrete nodes with dissected into too many small elements that are approximated. Finite-Difference Approximation Finite-difference approximations are one of the most derivative methods for solving differential equations. The system can approximate the solution with the necessary boundary and initial conditions imposed, providing an accurate solution for the previous unfathomable equation. They are of particular use in aerodynamics as their time and space dependent nature lends itself to computing shock wave propagation or other energy transfer flows. Their approach uses discretization to approximate the differential, by applying a finite grid, of points at which the variables are estimated, with the process continuing as the local points govern their approximation values from the neighboring nodes. Iterative approximation in this manner produces an obvious error, known as the discretization or truncation error, diverging from the true value. The key to the principle is, like anything, minimizing this error in the system. Monitoring this error then is something of paramount importance and through the implementation of the Taylor Series. In addition, there are three critical properties that any approximation of a partial differential should maintain, which are consistency, stability and convergence. Forward-Time, Backward-Space Scheme The form of approximation method is a backward, explicit, hyperbolic system which means that at the next set of results are only calculated from the nodes immediately behind them geometrically, in relation to their pervious counterparts, for examples, When dt = 0 and dx = 0, This also gives the system an inherent advantage as this encourages convergence, through the fact that the approximation method has a domain of dependence which are include the initial data, shared by the partial differential at t = 0, only apply on the first set of data. Also, further information gathered from the equation itself shows is a first order method and most suitable to simple differential approximations. Lax Scheme This kind of approximations are most likely the previous is explicit hyperbolic in nature, however, it is a scheme which to demonstrated that all the velocity of the water flow terms are either side of and is first order accurate for u, and also approximate the accuracy for x. When dt = 0 and dx = 0, Moreover, the stability of the method has to be considered as the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition is a necessary condition for convergence while solving certain partial differential equations usually hyperbolic numerically by the method of finite differences. It arises in the numerical analysis of explicit time integration schemes, when these are used for the numerical solution. As a consequence, the time step must be less than a certain time in many explicit time-marching computer simulations, otherwise the simulation will produce incorrect results. Lax-Wendroff Scheme This scheme is a common numerical method for the solution of hyperbolic partial differential equations like the previous schemes which are based on the finite differences to accurate for both space and time apparently. There are two different cases are going to consider and approximate which are the 1st for the linear case, while , where a is a constant which to define the direction of the flow and u is the wave speed, when, the flow is to the right, and to the left when a is negative. As two different approximations have considered, for the centered method For the upwind method Or Or And for the Lax-Wendroff in first-order Predictor, Corrector, For the 2nd case, Centered method For the upwind method Or Or And for the Lax-Wendroff in first-order Predictor, Corrector, Calculate for the half grid points and time steps approximation as different predictors first and then recalculate the scheme by the value of half grid points and time steps into same Corrector which putting a two steps approximation rather than a single step to make it more accurate. This is a feature unique for the Lax-Wendroff method. Also, the stability of CFL condition is the same as the previous scheme. Taylor Series The Taylor series is a form of evaluating and representing partial differentials, as an infinite sum of its terms at a single point, in form of series expansion. The use of the series has many applications in engineering, with its main being the approximation of functions through the expansion to the necessary number of terms. Through collating the appropriate number of terms and then truncating the series a valid approximation of the function can be made. The act of truncating the series generates an error, although as the expansion continues the effect of each term dwindles, a characteristic that allows the truncation after a certain term number. The truncation error can also be computed and gives an indication as to the validity and performance of the initial approximation made using the series expansion. B. Dam break schme The simplest situations will first be considered, of mass, momentum and energy conservation laws in primitive form, so stripped of all energy-diffusing terms, such as bed slope , resistance, change of section. Governing Equations The mass entering t element in time dt is While the amount leaving is For the mass For the momentum For the simplest case, X1 Figures and Tables Figure 1 Figure 1 shows the relationship of the velocity against the postion of the flow in linear first-order which (f = a*u) , where a is 1, Lax-Wendroff is used for approximation, and it shows a steady flow with a certain time and positions with the input data, there are 50 nodes in total and the grid spacing are 400 as the detla time was 0.0015s, so the grid spacing should have to take a really large value to maintain the CFL. Figure 2 Figure 2 shows the relationship of the velocity against the postion of the flow in non-linear first-order which (f = u2/2), Lax-Wendroff is used for approximation, and it shows a steady flow with a certain time and positions with the input data, there are 50 nodes in total and the grid spacing are 30 as the detla time was 0.0015s, the grid spacing take a really smaller value to maintain the CFL. Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 3 Figure 4 shows the relationship between the height against the spacing and the momentum against the spacing respectively, dam break scheme is used with base on a Lax-Wendroff approximation and for Figure 3, the running time is 10 seconds which is shorter then Figure 4 and the depth of the dam wall sets as 0.2m and break at 30m while Figure 4 sets as 0.5m depth and break at 50m. As the results show, the longer running time it takes, the stability and convergence of the approximation comes out. Also, both of the results withdraw the boundary which take an error while plot graph. So, a function for boundary condition has to be considered as well. References Guymon, Gary L. A Finite Element Solution Of The One-Dimensional Diffusion-Convection Equation. Water Resources Research 6.1 (1970): 204-210. Web.

Beowulf: Heroism :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf’s author is unknown, as are his motives and inspiration for the creation of the poem. Written some four hundred years before the Norman conquests, it is comprised of three thousand, one hundred and eighty-two lines, dramatically reproducing the timeless struggle between good and evil, along with all the variations that accompany such a story. By far one of the most admirable qualities presented to the reader is the notion of heroism, and the importance of honor. The quality of character was a major element of the heroic man in the world of which the story is set. In relation the personality, James V. McConnell wrote; "Let us define personality as the way in which a person thinks, behaves and adjusts to his or her environment. Such a definition would include the persons traits, values, motives, attitudes, emotional reactions, abilities, self-image and intelligence as well as the persons overt behavior patterns." (McConnell, page 610). He then went on further to say, "A complete theory of personality would not only describe the individual’s present style of adjustment but give some notion of how the person got that way and where he or she was going." Throughout the poem, the author allows the reader to see, in action, the true workings of heroes. Men and women who cast aside their own personal needs and desires for the better of others. During this time society sustained a strong honor code. The actions that an individual amassed over their lifetime was the title by which they were known to the rest of the land, both good and bad. A lot was asked of rulers concerning the protection and expansion of the empire, Kings and Queens were known by their conquests and control of the subjects around them. In the prologue we are introduced to a loved and heroic King by the name of Shild. " How Shild made slaves of soldiers from every land, crowds of captives he’d beaten into terror†¦lived to be rich and much honored. He ruled lands on all sides: wherever the sea would take them his soldiers sailed, returned with tribute and obedience." (Raffel, line 4). This section of the prologue clearly defines the times, in that i t immediately sets up the reader for the level of nobility in the tone of the author, in the expression of dignity that accompanies King Shild’s conquests. His life was associated with greatness and at his death his tribute was great.

Justification for Using Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Essay

On August 6, 1945 an American B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This was the first use of nuclear weapons in the history of human warfare and almost the last. Many people debate whether using nuclear weapons was a moral choice. I believe it was moral. Though many people died from the bomb, the amount of good that came from dropping it greatly outweighs the bad. A large issue that's brought up around the atomic bombings is the amount of people that were killed because of it. The total killed was 70,000 to 80,000 people initially and approximately 90,000 to 140,000 by the end of 1945. Though this number is catastrophic on it's own, it's relatively small comparatively. For example, when added with the number of people killed in the Nagasaki bombing (45,000) it comes to around 125,000 people killed in the first two blasts. Compare this with two firebombing raids over Tokyo, one raid killed about 125,000 people, the other nearly 100,000. That's approximately 125,000 killed with the atom bombs and 225,000 killed with normal...

Points of Sale Essay

2.1 INTRODUCTION The data collection used as references to gain information during the research conducted. This literature reviews discuss about the information gathered by reading journals and websites. It explains several important terms being used in developing a Student Information Management System. While, project methodology is methods or technique used to complete this project. This chapter covers the related literature and brief analogy of the proposed study which was used as a basis of reference. The theory, concepts, and principles used in analyzing the research were also tackled in the later part of this chapter of the study. The Review of related literature and studies are highly important in appreciating the difference between the past research and the proposed research. Making it useful in formulating more rational explanation in conducting the study and separating concepts that are closely related with both studies. 2.2 LOCAL LITERATURE The proponents included local literatures that would sustain the development of the proposed system. The proponents added reviews, write-ups, readings and studies related to the present study to the related to system determine the similarities and differences of the findings between the past and present studies. The Philippine Science High School Student Information Management System. These Student Information Management Systems are efficient in handling student data, any of which can be utilized by the school registrar of Philippine Science High School. A local variant of a student information system, the Student Record System (SRS) for Philippine Science High School – Central Mindanao Campus (PSHS-CMC), was developed by Taddie Fel L. Dagaerag and company (2002). SRS was designed to assist the registrar of PSHS-CMC but proper attention for the smooth transition from the previous system to the SRS was not given so the system encountered problems, which require major revisions. According to the school former registrar, Ms. Shiela M. Preagido (Registrar PSHS-CMC, year 2005), â€Å"†¦report on grade is not that usable, unless another program will be made that can copy grades from the summary grades sheets,† therefore, rendering the SRS unusable for the present. There are still insufficient services offered by any software solutions company in the Philippines that can provide the same kinds of functionality on a system with lower cost compared to foreign products. Such student information system would cost in the range from 75,000 pesos to 150,000 pesos. Although the Centre is Open Source software, maintenance and system upgrade will cost the school expensively than creating its own system. It is because of the limited capabilities of the schools own system administrators in handling the Centre and the absence of the services offered by the Miller Group in our country. Purchasing or maintaining an expensive student information system is extremely exorbitant. The Bulacan State University Student Information System Technology innovations had influenced man’s work, from data processing, student transactions, research, planning, monitoring and even in medical operation of man’s body is now entrusted to computer technology. Bulacan State University (BSU) as one of the University in San Jose Delmonte Bulacan aims to be the center of excellence in education had recently made changes to some of its existing systems. The student information system of the university is now computerized, and other systems are on its way. This only show that they are coping with the latest technology. The Student Information System of Bulacan State University aims for an accurate, user friendly, efficient system that can help both the student and personnel for fast data processing of enrollment. Engr. Hediki Hashimoto, a Japanese volunteer headed the creation and conceptualization of the system. The information technology faculty from the College of Engineering and Arts and Sciences assisted him. The system that is web based uses PHP programming language with data stored in MySQL is run through the intranet of SSU. A dry-run for this automated student information was done last summer and the first semester of this school year. Offices affected with the automation were the registrar, cashier, accounting, and the Colleges of Education, Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Industrial Technology, Nursing and Graduate Studies. Feedbacks from the students were formulated when the first semester started. Over 75 % of them say that the automation process of enrollment was better compared with the old system. With the good result of the dry run the student information system will be finally implemented this 2nd semester. The Virgen de Guadalupe de Novaliches School Computerized Enrollment, Grading and Sectioning System. This is broader but at the same time more convenient compare to general objective of the current system. As for the specific objectives, the proposed system has the same objectives as the present system but will me using a server that will serve as the storage of the records the registered students, the student’s personal information and the student’s balance if any. This will be more secured and with ease of use as compare to the present system’s logbook and cabinet. Getting, updating and deleting information would also be easier for the proposed system and it will not consume a large amount of space as used by the current system. As for the advantages of the proposed system, the system will make the job of the Registrar easier and more accurate as for the recording of the student’s balance. Instead of making use of a logbook the proposed system will be using an automated storage that will provide proofs such as the previous transactions of the enrollees. With particular to the storage, the proposed system will be less space consuming and more secured for the storage will be automated and will be accessible only by authorized personnel. In the part of the enrollee, the registration process will be faster especially if the enrollee is an old student for the student doesn’t need to fill-up the form anymore instead the Registrar will only require the student’s student number. Moreover teachers will be able to generate reports such as list of students easily. The Ace Adrian Sandoval Registration System can trace what is the standing of the students. It is extremely useful in the school in the way of working processes of enrolling become much easy. The main goal of this type of research is to track student data within the database the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind this type of research is to study frequencies, validation update of a student’s is highly accurate, and it does not gather the causes behind a situation. An inquiry of the student allows the admin weather the student is on track regarding to the school premises. The Morning Star Academy Foundation Scheduling System relies on their automatic creation of scheduling or timetable of the student; the school is able to update the queries of subject, time room and the availability of the teacher because of the user friendly of the system the admin can automatically understands the environment of the system. 2.3 Foreign Literature The proponents included literatures that would help in the development of the proposed system. The proponents added reviews, write-ups, readings and studies related to the present study to determine the similarities and differences of the findings between the past and present studies. The Ramapo Indian Hills High School which they call it The Studywiz Learning Environment, it is a secure online learning platform designed to work the way your school works. Teachers can spend more time teaching and less time on repetitive tasks, students are given the tools they need to succeed and parents too can take an active role in their child’s education. Studywiz connects teachers, students, parents and other members of the school community together whilst automating workflows within a personalized learning environment. Using rich media creation tools or off-the-shelf content, teachers can quickly build or tailor online learning activities, content and resources through a web browser to enable teaching and learning to continue anywhere, anytime. Teachers can engage students using the latest online tools and trends, including Podcasts, Blogs, eLockers, Learning Plans and personalized Learning Spaces. Parents too, can take an active role in their child’s education through the internet, and Studywiz. The Early College High school Student Information System provides schools with information to better understand how well their design and organization are serving students’ needs and resulting in reaching short- and long-term goals, including the earning of two years of college credit by high school graduation. The SIS continues to follow students after they leave early college high school and provides follow-up information to the school on the number of students who continue on to earn a four-year college degree. Schools use the system to monitor the progress of individual or groups of students or classes and to manage information on services and supports provided to students, including tutoring, mentoring, and counseling. The analyses provided by the system support professional development, program planning, and continuous school improvement. The SIS provides solid evidence that helps to sustain and expand funding, policy, and public support for early college high school. In order to obtain access to data on students, Policy Studies Associates contacts schools districts to secure agreement to participate in the SIS. Jobs for the Future works with postsecondary institution and district officials to gain approval for data transfer based on existing policies and requirements. EDSmart works with each institution’s or district’s research and evaluation unit to determine procedures for extracting, transforming, and transmitting district data to the SIS. Personal identity is protected by assigning each student a unique Student Information System number, which is assigned by EDSmart. Only this identifier, not student names or social security numbers, are visible and accessible to users of the SIS. Early college high schools and school districts supplying data on their students are the only ones that have access to individually identifiable student data. Districts are asked to update the data on students, preferably after each term. Information is collected on students enrolled in early college high school (beginning in fall 2002 through the 2008-2009 school year). Aggregated, district data is collected on non-early college counterparts for comparison purposes. Districts report data until the 2008-2009 school year. Postsecondary data collection will continue until 2013, at which point the SIS will be disposed of safely. Data records will be made available to districts for their students. The Early College High School Initiative’s SIS was developed in 2004 to capture and analyze early college high school data. SIS data provide evidence and documentation of student progress and include student demographics, high school and college courses, persistence and grade progression, state assessment results and post-early college enrollment in higher education. The data in the system offer a means for tracking student progress, improving instruction and student support, and helping students obtain a postsecondary degree. Edith Cowan University (ECU) is currently enrolling more than 5, 000 new students, which has been made easier with its Oracle-based online enrolment system. This has allowed ECU to substantially re-design its business processes. The system is known as the Edith Cowan University Web Enrolment System (ECUWES),and replaces traditional hard copy enrolment. According to the coordinator of Admission Support, Kerian Greenaway, the system offers immediacy and convenience of course enrolment via the Internet the technology in use was set up by Oracle in 1998, when ECU moved towards creating an innovative web-based enrolment and administrative system using Oracle database products. New enrolments using ECUWES are managed differently to re-enrolment on ECUWES. New enrolments are processed while the student is with an enrolment assistant, because there is a need to collect HECS and enrolment papers, as well as to familiarize students with the system. In terms of re-enrolment, the student has full control of enrolling in a six-week period, which allows for any small glitches in the system, such as not being able to get online.ECU also previously faced difficulties with managing student enrolment administration, as staffs were distributed across several locations, so there was a desire for improved access and management of student information. Similarly, re-enrolment required students to travel to the University and queue for service from administration staff. Faculties also requested that students enroll by porting enrolment sheets on computer bulletin boards. With ECUWES, students from remote areas and international students enjoy easy enrolment with improved time effectiveness. There have been no major problems, apart from a few power failures, but ECU has back-up plans, such as enrolment assistants taking up all the paperwork and processing the information once back online. Illinois Virtual High School Inquiry This online inquiry gives detailed information on persons that can be contacted with regard to specific field; example is a general program Issues, Technical Problems, Faculty Information and course development. It also gives information about their regional coordinators for participating schools. The website has a login feature where the students can login using their login ID. The online inquiry system of Illinois High School helps the authors to picture out and develop an ideal database structure for the system that will be proposed. The proponents system is similar and is based on some capabilities of the system in this study like the inquiry of courses and login feature for the students. A web-based enrollment system is developed to help both the old and new students, to enroll in a more efficient way without the hassles of waiting long hours just to fill up forms, which sometimes become redundant, or to stand in line and pay at the cashier. It is with the Web-based Enrollment System for VPS that this new style of enrollment may be achieved. This new type of system offers the student with new options for enrolling at VPS. Just by logging on to their website the student may create his new account for the current year he is to be enrolled in. With this, all the student has to do is to fill up certain forms that do not take more than a few minutes to accomplish. Then the records will be stored in the school database for future references. After that the student will be given confirmation that the transaction has been verified and all that the student has to do is visit the school and pay appropriate amount for the current school year. The student may also browse the web site of VPS and he can check his current account. He can also see the list of the school current tuition fee rates. For further enhancement of the site, an on-line payment or e-commerce is highly recommended. This feature for the system could be achieved by collaboration of the school with banks to provide easier payment and a more secure transaction. Posting of grades can also be a great addition to the site. Especially the breakdown of each grade can be seen by the students but with utmost security. Compared to the web-based enrollment system for VPS, the proposed system for CMI would only cover the current students; the student would also be asked to log into his or her account in the website where he/she would be asked to fill up some forms to update the school’s database. A confirmation would then be sent to the student that would inform him/her that the transaction is valid and had been verified. But unlike the system, there would be another option for the mode of payment that the student could choose from namely, on-line payment. AIMS enhances enrollment system of UNO-R Bacolod

Contemporary Issues in Hospitality & Tourism Essay

Introduction Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has progressively become known as a germane issue in the corporate world for the past decade. Making the world a better place, socially and environmentally, is a global accepted phenomenon. According to Porter & Kramer, 2006, â€Å"corporate social responsibility has emerged as an inescapable priority for business leaders in every country.† The objective of this review is to discuss benefits of CSR on the hotel industry. What is CSR? Corporate social responsibility involves the ethical and non-commercial responsibilities of businesses as they relate to society in general. It is based, on a triple bottom-line approach for companies — people (society), planet (environment) and economic (profit) (Gard McGehee, Wattanakamolchai, Perdue, Onat Calvert, 2009; Kuriakose, 2007; Clark, 2006). Smith posited that CSR implies the need for businesses to contribute to the communities and markets that have made them successful (cited in Gard McGehee et al, 2009, p.417); consequently, companies must consider the wellbeing of society in addition to their concerns for owners, investors and any shareholders. According to Holcomb, Upchurch and Okumus (2007), the value of CSR is in achieving corporate sustainability in order to create long-term shareholder value. This involves exploiting the market’s potential for sustainable product and services, while successfully reducing and avoiding associated cost and risk. The Gap – The Negative Impact of Not Engaging in CSR Porter & Kramer (2006) posit that, â€Å"Frequently, though, CSR efforts are counterproductive, for two reasons. First, they pit business against society, when in reality the two are interdependent. Second, they pressure companies to think of corporate social responsibility in generic ways instead of in the way most appropriate to their individual strategies.† This leads to a three-fold impact on companies not engaging in CSR– bad reputation, lower profits and customer cynicism. Examples of CSR in Hotels The idea of CSR has gained traction within the hospitality industry. Consequently, many hospitality businesses, including Sandals and Starwood Hotels, are developing CSR programs and strategies in an attempt to boost customer loyalty, conserve environments, reduce social problems and contribute to the development of communities. Several initiatives include the adoption of linen exchange programs, the use of environmentally friendly cleaning agents and energy conservation through the installation of energy saving devices (White, 2006). An example is the new eco-friendly Element Starwood Hotels and Resorts that contributes to sustainability through the implementation of the 3Rs practice of reduce, reuse and recycle. The Benefits of CSR to Hotels Companies that practice CSR achieve better reputation, improved brand image, increases in sales, more visible to investors, and increases in customer loyalty. It can also lead to enhanced public relations and benefits. For example, due to LaRosa’s Pizzeria’s contribution to community growth and development, two hundred volunteers, who had benefited from LaRosa’s generosity over the years, came to the aid of LaRosa’s Pizzeria after a fire. The volunteers made up for the short fall that resulted from inadequate insurance, with work and loans and saved the pizzeria from bankruptcy (Detwiler cited in Lynn, 2009 p. 2). Thus, companies deemed good corporate citizen are attractive to new customers and workers, and assist in raising staff morale, and have lower operating expenses. A recent study by a University of Chicago professor published in Management Accounting revealed that companies that are perceived by the public to demonstrate more socially responsible business practices and ethics are likely to perform financially better than those who do not. In 1995, a study conducted by Vanderbilt University found that eight of ten cases of low-polluting companies financially outperformed their dirtier competitors (Brands that do good, 2003; Act responsibly, 2004; Clark, 2006). As such, consumers prefer to do business with companies that have good CSR reputations Recommendation for CSR in Hotels In making decisions, management, should consider environmental outcomes, which limit and/or reduce the impact of operations on the natural environment. Hotel’s management need to implement responsible measures because of high cost associated with electricity consumption for heating/cooling, lighting, cooking, etc., which levies pressure on local resource and increase costs. Thus, the impact on the total cost consumption of a hotel from energy conservation measures is strong and more direct (Kasim, 2006). Consumers are progressively more concerned with how companies make their money and are expecting businesses to engage in responsible activities that will limit, as well as lessen their social, ethical, and environmental impacts on society and the community. White, (2006) cautions that, â€Å"that travel-savvy consumers are more environmentally aware and that having environmental and social programmes in place are a consideration in selecting accommodation.† Furthermore, any CSR program must involve the employees in order to achieve success. White (2006) also points out that, â€Å"It’s not enough for senior management to devise new ways to engage customers, to make these programs work; they must involve employees at all levels. This means ensuring that everyone in the company is informed about CSR policies and practices and are involved in implementing them.† Conclusion Corporate social responsibility means different things to different people. The underlying themes regarding CRS are that it is good and necessary, activities within which businesses participate should not be viewed or undertaken lightly, but rather, serious consideration must be given to how best CSR should be implemented. To be effective and deemed as true corporate citizens, businesses should not only demonstrate CSR during times of economic well being and its practices, during such periods as the current recession, based on measures of adherence. According to Porter & Kramer (2006), if corporations were to analyze their opportunities for social responsibility using the same frameworks that guide their core business choices, they would discover that CSR can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a charitable deed–it can be a potent source of innovation and competitive advantage.† If hospitality organizations adopt and integrate CSR into their organizational strateg ies, they can facilitate innovativeness, increase and/or improve their organizational competitiveness, while at the same time contributing to solving problems in society that may arise. References Allen, Robin Lee. â€Å"Act responsibly: corporate good deeds help communities and build long-term business. (NRN Editorial).† Nation’s Restaurant News. 2004. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from accessmy library: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286- 13321917_ITM Clark, S. (2006). Corporate social responsibility: A marketing tool for major hotel brands. HSMAI Marketing Review, 23(1), 42-45. Gard McGehee, N., Wattanakamolchai, S., Perdue, R. R., & Onat Calvert, E. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility Within the U.S. Lodging Industry: an Exploratory Study. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 33(3), 417-437. Hartman, L. P., Rubin, R. S., & Dhanda, K. K. (2007). The communication of corporate social responsibility: United States and European Union multinational corporations. Journal of Business Ethics, 74, 373-389. Holcomb, J. L., Upchurch, R. S., & Okumus, F. (2007). Corporate social responsibility: What are top hotel companies reporting? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 9(6), 461-475. Kasim, A. (2006). The Need for Business Environmental and Social Responsibility in the Tourism Industry. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 7(1), 1 – 22. Lynn, Christine (2009) Corporate Social Responsibility in the Hospitality Industry. School of Hotel and Restaurant Management Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ Nicolau, J. L. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility: Worth-Creating activities. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(4), 990-1006. Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: the link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78-92, 163. White, Michelle.†Make sure that you deliver on green promises.† Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2009 from accessmylibrary: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-20063017_ITM