Standardized Testing Essay -- Standardized Testing Essays

Standardized Testing President Bush is promoting annual standardized testing for all students in grades three through eight in order to assess their academic achievements. This bill is currently being considered in Congress, and has garnered much support from individuals in the community. As of right now, fifteen states test students in those grades, and more than twenty have high school exit exams. Exit exams look only at the test score of a student, not at his or her academic achievements throughout High School, and in many cases, people are either over- or underrepresented by their test scores. This occurs partly because America does not currently have the capabilities of fairly scoring the increasing number of tests, even though the companies creating and scoring the tests enjoy a large profit. The number of companies creating these tests is pitifully small. Adding to the lack of validity of the scores of these tests is the fact that many students today are not native English speakers, and their capabilities could be grossly underestimated by these types of exams, and there is a strong racial bias involved in most major tests. But, the biggest and most troubling problem with standardized testing is how it affects the learning that takes place in the classroom. This leads to the question of just how standardized we want our schools to be. Standardized tests are nothing but hurtful, and America should make a move away from them, especially since they are expensive and ineffective. We cannot expect to solve the problems in our educational system this way. We want our children to leave school with knowledge and understanding that will allow them to be successful. That is not currently the case. ... ...l only be a loose assessment of the criteria and not of the school, students or teachers, it would not be a major crisis if the tests were not representative of the students’ knowledge. That is a far more acceptable option than one of watching capable students being denied diplomas or college educations due to exams that they did poorly on. It is not in America’s best interest to pass the proposal to require standardized testing at elementary school levels, or to force students to pass exit exams to earn their diplomas. If we wish for our children to be informed, educated, and ready to survive on their own in the real world, we need to give them the tools that will get them there. These tests are not accurate, and they are detrimental to the education of children. There should be no debate over how our representatives in Congress should vote on this bill.

Resident Concerns Over Hazardous Waste Incinerator Environmental Sciences Essay

XYZ Company ( XYZ ) has proposed constructing a risky waste incineration works in the rural town of ABC, California. The dwellers of ABC are concerned about the possible wellness and environmental effects of holding XYZ in their community. The community members are concerned about noise, pollution, and environmental effects the new works will hold on their wellness. I am an Environmental Health Expert, and the local Health Officer has asked my sentiment on the proposed works as it pertains to zoning, province licenses, and nuisances to the community. Concerns Sing the Undertaking Zoning – is the procedure of land development within municipalities. It is a map of the metropolis authorities, and it dictates how available metropolis land is used. If the land is situated within the metropolis bounds so the land would hold to be zoned for commercial usage every bit good as risky wastes storage and devastation. If the proposed risky waste incinerator is on county or federal land there if nil the dwellers of the metropolis can make to halt the building based on districting Torahs ( Miniclier, 1991 ) , ( Smiley, 1989 ) . The metropolis would non hold legal power over county or federal land. Many times counties do non hold districting regulations that would forbid the edifice of an incineration works. Concerns – I would oppugn as to when the current districting Torahs became effectual, and are they adequate for the proposed undertaking. I would desire to guarantee that districting Torahs mitigated any jobs associated with extra commercial vehicles coming into the country. They would besides hold to turn to the storage and devastation of risky stuffs. This is a comparatively new scientific discipline, and the zoning Torahs that govern the current solid waste works are at least 20 old ages old. The districting Torahs that apply to the solid waste incinerator may non back up the development of a risky waste works. A reappraisal of the Torahs should be executed to find if the new works could lawfully be situated on the proposed site. Permits – There are a overplus of licenses that this undertaking would necessitate. First, and first, risky waste installations must run into the guidelines established by the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) , in 40 C.F.R, Part 264, with supplemented EPA proficient and permit counsel ( Environment Technology Council ) . The province has many of its ain ordinances sing risky waste installations as good. There are building, technology, and land development permits that must be obtained before building can get down. Inspectors from both federal and province authoritiess oversee each measure of the building procedure. After building is completed so a proving stage will get down with a conditional license. The EPA ensures the consequences from each test burn are within acceptable parametric quantities. If all the needed criterions are met a lasting license will be issued. Although the concluding license is considered lasting, the license can be pulled if the works fails to keep safety criterions as established by the EPA. Concerns – A reappraisal of all licenses sing air quality, emanations, traffic suspension, environmental impact, etc, is to take topographic point. These paperss need to be shared with the community to educate them on the permitting procedure, and increase their cognition of how the edifice of the incinerator will come on through the regulative system. This will prosecute the community stakeholders in the building procedure. I would promote that the Health Officer reappraisal and go familiar with the article â€Å" Monitoring PCDD/Fs in Soil and Herbage Samples Collected Near a Hazardous Waste Incinerator: Health Risks for the Population Living Nearby, † by Montse Mari et Al. This article chronicles the emanations of a risky waste incinerator in Spain over a six twelvemonth period, the consequences of which show â€Å" the HWI did non significantly increase PCDD/F degrees in dirts and pasturage of the environing environment. Furthermore, PCDD/F emanations from the HWI do non intend extra important hazards for the wellness of the persons populating in the locality of the installation. † ( Montse Mari, 2007 ) Waste installations that are suitably permitted and monitored show negligible impact to the community and countryside around them. These facts should relieve some of the frights of the community. Nuisance – Three countries likely to bring forth nuisance ailments will be in respects to odor, traffic and noise. As antecedently discussed, the issue of traffic suspension should hold been addressed in the zoning procedure. Safe hauling paths need to be identified that would besiege most of the common roadways used by the dwellers of ABC, thereby relieving traffic congestion issues. Odor will be a bigger job. Prior to the works being built the site will be analyzed for air current flow forms. The intent of the analysis will be to guarantee that residuary stuff left in the vapour fumes can pay out without negatively impacting the environing countryside, metropolis, or farming area ( Rogers & A ; Willis, 1992 ) . That trial does non take into history olfactory property. The bringing trucks and their lading will bring forth olfactory property. Wind does non blow in one way all the clip ; it flows and moves as influenced by rain, fog, or sunlight. The olfactory property from the works operations can non be contained and funneled in a individual way, therefore it is much more likely to be a nuisance to the community. Odor suspension is necessary to guarantee the success of the undertaking. Noise will be a concern for the life of this undertaking. Site development, building, and bringing of stuffs will all increase the noise pollution around the works. Addressing the noise pollution concerns prior to building will be indispensable ( Noise pollution, 1993 ) . Failure to program for noise concerns could endanger the effectivity of the site should regulations be enacted the restrict noise degrees to those below the sum that is emitted by the works in its normal operations. Concerns – Discussions with the community members and undertaking builders sing these nuisance issues has non taken topographic point. Opening duologue between these groups may help in relieving ailments in the hereafter.Risk Management PrinciplesThe Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk Management ‘s â€Å" Principles for Risk Management Decision Making † recommends the undermentioned six stairss be portion of any hazard determination procedure: â€Å" Good hazard direction determination: Addresses a clearly articulated job in its public wellness and ecological context. Elicits the positions of those affected by the determination. Is based on a careful consideration of scientific grounds that supports the decisions about the possible hazards to human wellness and the ecosystem. Is made after sing a scope of hazard direction options. Gives precedence to forestalling hazards, non merely commanding them. Are sensitive to political, societal, legal, and cultural considerations. † ( TUI University, 2010 ) It does non look from this scenario that the Health Officer, builders, or metropolis contrivers engaged any of these rules. They are holding community recoil jobs because these stairss were ignored from the beginning of the undertaking. In fact, the Health Officer, himself, is holding concerns which could hold been alleviated had this procedure been employed. Having a risky waste installation in 1s ‘ vicinity is traveling to politicise the community. If the community had concerns sing the safety of the current garbage dump, how much more will they have with a risky waste installation coming into the country? The Health Officer, every bit good as the builders, would be wise to take a page from history and non except the abodes from treatments about this proposed works. Kings County, in Central California, failed to prosecute the Hispanic population when they were suggesting a risky waste enlargement to the solid waste shit installation, and it earned them a Civil Rights case, which the county lost ( Kay, 1992 ) .DecisionThe Health Officer should step in in the permitting procedure and temporarily halt this undertaking traveling frontward. A hazard appraisal of the undertaking needs to be completed following the â€Å" Principles for Risk Management Decision Making † ( TUI University, 2010 ) . Scientific grounds profiling how d ecently permitted and regulated workss can hold negligible effects on the environment needs to be shared with the community. A thorough reappraisal of all districting Torahs and proposed traffic paths need to be studied to guarantee that the extra traffic will non impact the occupants of the community. Measures to relieve the olfactory properties from the new works demand to be exhaustively researched and shared with the stakeholders. The Health Officer and developers must link with the community stakeholders if they want this to be a successful undertaking.

How Teachers Can Create a Great Lesson Students Love

The best teachers can captivate their students’ attention day in and day out. Their students not only enjoy being in their class, but they look forward to the next day’s lesson because they want to see what is going to happen. Creating a great lesson together takes a lot of creativity, time, and effort. It is something that is well thought out with lots of planning. Though each lesson is unique, they all have similar components that make them exceptional. Every teacher has the ability to create engaging lessons that will mesmerize their students and keep them wanting to come back for more. A great lesson engages every student, ensures that every student is meeting the learning objectives, and motivates even the most reluctant learner. Characteristics of a Great Lesson A great lesson...is well planned. Planning starts with a simple idea and then slowly evolves into a tremendous lesson that will resonate with every student. A terrific plan ensures that all materials are ready to go before the lesson begins, is anticipatory of potential issues or problems, and takes advantage of opportunities to extend the lesson beyond its core concepts. Planning a great lesson takes time and effort. Careful planning gives each lesson a better chance to be a hit, to captivate each student, and to provide your students with meaningful learning opportunities. A great lesson†¦grabs students’ attention. The first few minutes of a lesson may be the most critical. Students will quickly decide whether or not they should devote their full attention to what is being taught. Every lesson should have a â€Å"hook† or â€Å"attention grabber† built into the first five minutes of the lesson. Attention grabbers come in many forms including demonstrations, skits, videos, jokes, songs, etc. Be willing to embarrass yourself a little bit if it will motivate your students to learn. Ultimately, you want to create an entire lesson that is memorable, but failing to grab their attention early on will likely keep that from happening. A great lesson†¦maintains students’ attention. Lessons should be outrageous and unpredictable throughout captivating each student’s attention. They should be fast-paced, loaded with quality content, and engaging. Time in class should fly by so quickly that you hear students grumbling when the class period is over each day. You should never see students drifting off to sleep, engaged in conversation about other topics, or expressing general disinterest in a lesson. As the teacher, your approach to every lesson must be passionate and enthusiastic. You must be willing to be a salesman, comedian, content expert, and magician all rolled into one. A great lesson†¦builds on previously learned concepts. There is a flow from one standard to the next. The teacher ties previously learned concepts into each lesson. This shows the students that various concepts are meaningful and connected. It is a natural progression of old into new. Each lesson increases in rigor and difficulty without losing students along the way. Each new lesson should be focused on extending learning from the previous day. By the end of the year, students should be able to make connections quickly as to how your first lesson ties into your last lesson. A great lesson  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦is content driven. It has to have a connected purpose, meaning that all aspects of the lesson are built around critical concepts that students at a particular age should be learning. Content is typically driven by standards such as the Common Core State Standards that serve as a guide for what students are supposed to learn in each grade. A lesson that does not have relevant, meaningful content at its core is senseless and a waste of time. Effective teachers are able to build upon the content from lesson to lesson continuously throughout the year. They take a simple concept early on continuing to build upon it until it becomes something complex yet understood by their students because of the process. A great lesson†¦ establishes real-life connections. Everyone loves a good story. The best teachers are those who can incorporate vivid stories that tie in key concepts within the lesson helping students to make connections to real life. New concepts are typically abstract to students of any age. They rarely see how it is applicable to real life. A great story can make these real-life connections and often helps students remember concepts because they remember the story. Some subjects are easier to make these connections than others, but a creative teacher can find an interesting backstory to share on just about any concept. A great lesson†¦provides students with active learning opportunities. A majority of students are kinesthetic learners. They simply learn best when they are actively engaged in hands-on learning activities. Active learning is fun. Students not only have fun through hands-on learning, they often retain more information from this process. Students do not have to be active throughout an entire lesson, but having active components mixed in sporadically at appropriate times throughout the lesson will keep them interested and engaged. A great lesson†¦Ã¢â‚¬â€¹builds critical thinking skills. Students must develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills at an early age. If these skills are not developed early on, they will be almost impossible to acquire later on. Older students who have not been taught this skill may become discouraged and frustrated. Students must be taught to extend their answers beyond the ability to provide the correct answer alone. They also should develop the ability to explain how they arrived at that answer. Each lesson should have at least one critical thinking activity built into it forcing students to go beyond the typically straightforward answer. A great lesson†¦is talked about and remembered. It takes time, but the best teachers build a legacy. Students coming up look forward to being in their class. They hear all the crazy stories and cannot wait to experience it themselves. The hard part for the teacher is living up to those expectations. You have to bring your â€Å"A† game every single day, and this can become a challenge. Creating enough great lessons for each day is exhausting. It is not impossible; it just takes a lot of extra effort. Ultimately it is worth it when your students consistently perform well and even more importantly express how much they learned by being in your class. A great lesson†¦is continuously tweaked. It is always evolving. Good teachers are never satisfied. They understand that everything can be improved. They approach each lesson as an experiment, soliciting feedback from their students both directly and indirectly. They look at nonverbal cues such as body language. They look at overall engagement and participation. They look at diagnostic feedback to determine if students are retaining the concepts introduced in the lesson. Teachers use this feedback as a guide to what aspects should be tweaked and each year they make adjustments and then conduct the experiment again.

Definition and Examples of Singapore English

Singapore English is a  dialect of the English language that is used in the Republic of Singapore, a lingua franca influenced by Chinese and Malay. Also called  Singaporean English. Educated speakers of Singapore English generally distinguish this variety of the language from Singlish (also known as Singapore Colloquial English). According to  Dr. Danica Salazar, world English editor at the Oxford English Dictionary, Singapore English is not the same as Singlish. While the former is a variant of English, Singlish is a language on its own with a different grammatical structure. It is also used mostly orally (reported in the Malay Mail Online, May 18, 2016).   See Examples and Observations below. Also see: AcrolectFiller WordsNew EnglishesNotes on English as a Global LanguageNull SubjectSemantic ChangeWorld English Examples and Observations It appears that a distinct brand of Singapore English is emerging, common to all the ethnic groups living in the country and quite unlike the varieties of English found in most other parts of the world, though it is true that many of its features are shared with the English spoken in Malaysia. It seems likely that the main difference between the English of the various ethnic groups in Singapore lies in the intonation (Lim 2000), though the precise details of the intonation of the different groups have yet to be established. . . .It is quite possible to sound Singaporean but still be easily understood in the rest of the world, and it seems that a mature variety of educated Singapore English is indeed emerging.(David Deterding, Singapore English. Edinburgh University Press, 2007)The Speak Good English CampaignIn Singapore, its time for another official crusade--and this past month its been the Speak Good English campaign, aimed at counteracting the spread of Singlish, a local patois in cluding many Hokkien and Malay words and constructions, particularly as its increasingly heard among new university entrants.Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong complains that the lingo is making too many young folk in the city-state unintelligible . . . at a time when the country is pulling out the stops to integrate itself with the English-speaking global economy.(Rage Against the Machine. The Guardian [UK], June 27, 2005)Standard English or Singlish?An opinion piece on Singlish in the New York Times (NYT) makes light of the Singapore Government’s efforts to promote the mastery of standard English by Singaporeans, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s press secretary wrote.In a  letter published in the newspaper  on Monday (May 23 [2016]), Ms. Chang Li Lin said the Government has a serious reason for its policy on standard English.Standard English is vital for Singaporeans to earn a living and be understood not just by other Singaporeans but also English speakers everywher e, she said.Singaporean poet and literary critic Gwee Li Sui wrote in the NYT piece, published on May 13, that years of state efforts to quash Singlish have only made it flourish.The more the state pushed its purist bilingual policy, the more the territory’s languages met and mingled in Singlish. Through playful, day-to-day conversations, the unofficial composite quickly became a formidable cultural phenomenon, he said.Calling the Government’s war on Singlish doomed from the start, Mr. Gwee said even politicians and officials are now using it.Finally grasping that this language is irrepressible, our leaders have begun to use it publicly in recent years, often in strategic attempts to connect with the masses, he wrote.In her rebuttal letter, Ms. Chang said using Singlish makes it harder for most Singaporeans to master the English language.(NYT Op-ed on Singlish Makes Light of Efforts to Promote Standard English. Channel NewsAsia, May 24, 2016)Characteristics of Singlish Two dollar onny, dis one, a street vendor might say to you in Singapore. A local  might reply, Wah! So espensive one, cannot  leh.While this might sound like broken English, it is an example of Singlish,  the highly complicated English creole spoken in Singapore. Its  staccato, off-grammar patois is the subject of  much bemusement for visitors  to the country, and its almost impossible for outsiders to imitate. . . .Singlish comes from the mixing of Singapores four official languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. . . .The grammar of Singaporean English began to mirror the grammar of these languages. For example, a modern-day Singaporean could say I go bus-stop wait for you, to mean that he will wait for you at the bus stop. This phrase could be translated into either Malay or Chinese without having to change the grammatical structure of the sentence. . . .Words from the other languages became appropriated into the creole as well, creating an entire Singlish lexic on that  is used today. The word ang moh, for example, is a Hokkien word which literally translates to red hair, but is used in Singlish to describe people of Caucasian descent. The Malay word makan is commonly used to mean food, or the act of eating. The Tamil word goondu, which means fat in its original language, is used in Singlish to describe a person who is not very smart. . . .In formal settings, . . . Singlish tends to be toned down to its acrolectal form: Singlish words and grammatical structures are eliminated, and only the accent remains. In the day-to-day, however, a more colloquial form of Singlish is used.(Urvija Banerji, Singaporean English Is Almost Impossible to Pick Up.  Atlas Obscura, May 2, 2016)Kiasu[K]iasu is a noun and adjective from the Chinese Hokkien dialect, meaning extreme fear of losing, or of being second best. Its a notion the neurotically ambitious Singaporean and Malaysian professional middle classes regard as so self-defining that their sitcom ch aracter Mr Kiasu is a similar emblem of endearingly gruesome national character as Mr Brent is to us.Having made its way to the Singapore-English hybrid tongue called Singlish, kiasu completed its trek across the etymological world in March [2007] when the Oxford English Dictionary included it on its quarterly list of new words.(Matthew Norman, Kiasu, London W2. The Guardian, June 2, 2007)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy The Future Of Treating...

Beating the Blues and Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy: The Future of Treating Depression? Cognitive behavioral therapy is based off the theory that depression is caused by a pattern of negative thinking that may be triggered by upsetting situations (Comer, 2013). This pattern forms maladaptive attitudes, which cause individuals to constantly view themselves, their world, and their future in negative ways (Comer, 2013). Cognitive behavioral therapy is designed to help clients recognize and change their negative thoughts in an attempt to improve their mood (Comer, 2013). This approach also uses behavioral techniques to encourage patients to become more active and try out new behaviors (Comer, 2013). Cognitive behavioral therapy is†¦show more content†¦It is available on the Internet and requires an account to be made in order to gain access to the program. Beating the Blues consists of a 15 min introductory video and eight 50-minute sessions of interactive multimedia therapy to be done weekly (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). Clients are encouraged to set goa ls for their time in therapy (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). At each session, the program requires the patient to record his/her progress and provides individualized homework assignments to be completed between sessions (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). Cognitive behavioral therapy is catered through case studies, exercises, quizzes, interactive games, character examples, and homework assignments (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). Beating the Blues encourages patients to put into practice what they learn each session (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). Weekly emails are sent to each client to offer positive feedback for work done so far, to provide homework reminders, to give an overview of what will be learned in the next session, and to encourage continuation of the program (Barazzone, Cavanagh, Richards, 2012). Beating the Blues has been shown to be effective in large randomized trials (Cavanagh et al., 2006). A study was done to examine if Beating the Blues could also be found effective in a naturalistic non-randomized trial. The study recruited

Extempore Speaking Free Essays

Important Topics for extempore speaking (in MBA admission process) Why you should be selected? Focus on what strengths you bring to the table. These should be consistent with the four things most Institutes are looking for in students during the admission selection: competence, adaptability, enthusiasm, and never say die attitude. Remember, they are looking for chemistry between you and your future employer. We will write a custom essay sample on Extempore Speaking or any similar topic only for you Order Now Be prepared to summarize in short time why you are the best candidate for the seat. Also, let the institute know you want the admission and you will enjoy being with them. A lack of interest in the program may indicate a lack of enthusiasm for the institute as well as your future. Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about us, what would you change about our institute? Be careful here. Most institutes don’t want you to come in and shake up the place. At the same time, they don’t want someone who says, â€Å"Nothing, everything looks great here. † Seek a middle ground by focusing on one or two non-threatening issues that may have come up in your discussions. For example, From our discussion of the problem with slow placement due to economic downturn, I think we should look into the possibility of giving more practical knowledge and exposure to the students. It will make the students more employment ready. I also think, we need to do a thorough analysis of what the companies are expecting out of the students and try to fill the gap existing between the expectations and reality. † Such an answer indicates you are op en to making changes but you also have a certain non-threatening decision-making style. Your response should sound sensible and innovative. What’s your dream job? This is your ideal chance to sell your aptitudes that fit the job description you would be offered after completing the program. Show an interest in finding new ways of using the skills you will acquire during the course period and also that you can be put to use in new roles with additional responsibilities. â€Å"My dream job would include the execution of all of the theoretical and practical knowledge I will gain from the program. Also, all the responsibilities and duties in the position of a manager will be handed over to me in my dream job. I also thrive in a fast-changing environment where there’s business growth. Your plans include attracting international placement during the next year, and this would satisfy one of my ultimate goals of being involved in an international corporation. † What color is your brain? Be aware that you’ll probably be asked to speak on such topic. The point is not to stump you, but to find out what makes you tick. When the standard extempore topics are presented, people are prepared and it’s harder for the recruiter to get to know the real person. An MBA admission panel, for example, tries to avoid repeated topics. But, different and conventional topic like the one above has no right or wrong answer. In fact, the panel won’t even really care what your answer is. He or she just doesn’t want to hear something like, â€Å"I don’t know, I guess it’s blue because that’s the way I imagine it. † The point is to see how creative you are and how you think. Be sure to explain why you answered the way you did. â€Å"My brain is red because I’m always hot. I’m always on fire with new plans and ideas. † Consider the following scenario: You are placed in a company after completion of your program. One evening you are working late and are the last person in the office. You answer an urgent telephone call to your supervisor from a sales rep who’s currently meeting with a potential client. The sales rep needs an answer to a question to close the sale. Tomorrow will be too late. You have the expertise to answer the question, but it’s beyond your normal level of authority. How do you respond? This response shows that the candidate is confident in his or her ability and can be counted on in an emergency. Similarly, your answer should indicate that you’re not afraid to be the decision maker in a tough situation, even if the situation’s beyond your normal level of authority. I’d get all the pertinent information, taking well-documented notes. I’d answer the question based on my knowledge and the information provided. I’d leave my supervisor a note and fill him or her in on the details the next morning. I’d be sure to explain my decision, as well as the thought process behind it. † â€Å"What i s change management? † Such type of question is asked, generally to check your coping mechanisms for responding to changes. It tests how systematic your approach could be in dealing with change, both from the perspective of an organization and on the individual level. A somewhat ambiguous term, change management has at least three different aspects, including: adapting to change, controlling change, and effecting change. A proactive approach to dealing with change is at the core of all three aspects. The response could be â€Å"Change management is a term used to refer to the introduction of new processes in an organisation, or the management of people who are experiencing change. Successful adaptation to change is as crucial within an organization and the individuals in them inevitably encounter changing conditions as they are powerless to control. The more effectively one deals with change, the more likely he or she thrives. Adaptation might involve establishing a structured methodology for responding to changes in the business environment. † Online learning In today’s world, many adults find themselves unsatisfied with their college and institution and wish for something more but demands on their time and schedule make this seem impossible. The good news is that the Internet has many online learning opportunities available that allows one to gain a higher education, learn new skills, and become more marketable. And the great thing about the benefits of online learning and online education is that one can get an education according to their own schedule and can do it from the comfort of their own home. In fact, thousands of working professionals have been able to increase their knowledge and jobs skills without ever having to enter a classroom, thanks to online classes. By asking you to speak on this topic, the panel might check your understanding on technology and current trends. Your response towards online learning could be favorable or unfavorable, but don’t be indifferent towards this topic as this shows that you have no idea about the latest revolutions. Your response could be, â€Å"Online Learning could be considered as learning in the virtual classroom. While there are indeed many solid career opportunities available today, the market place is extremely competitive, making higher education that much more vital to successfully landing the job of one’s own dreams. But one of the leading concerns for students, as well as working class, is to consider entering the world of expensive education. Fortunately, there are plenty of distance learning courses that make it possible for willing students to learn from the comfort of their own home without having to worry about many other expenses like commutation expenses, lodging and boarding expenses, etc. Plus, these distance learning programs have been gaining a good degree of credibility throughout the professional world, so one can be confident of receiving an education that will be acknowledged by major companies. † Are MBA Salaries Still on the Rise? These questions help the panel in understanding ‘what is your actual aim- Knowledge or mere Money? If you crave for mere Money, i. e. you are driven by the high salary hype, you will not be considered a good candidate as money minded people generally don’t concentrate on effectiveness and quality. But if you are truly driven by your inner force of learning, you will certainly get that chance by securing a seat in your desired college. Your response to this ques tion could be, â€Å"This depends on the situation of the individual student and other factor such as, the type of industry they are in, the company for which they are employed, and the prior skills they bring with them into the workforce. Attending an MBA school still has the potential to raise your value and increase your personal bottom line, but it is not a guarantee. However, the economy has already begun to turn around, and many financial organizations are posting large profits again and have begun to recruit MBA graduates for a variety of positions. MBA holders work in a variety of positions, including financial controllers, senior financial analysts, project managers, marketing directors, and of course as CFOs and CEOs. Salaries for these elite positions can be much higher than mid-level jobs. How has the Economic downturn changed the Outlook for MBA’s? This topic again will introduce your actual thoughts to the panel. In reality, the economic downturn has actually changed the outlook for MBA’s. Those who were sheer driven by the money behind MBA degree have taken a U-Turn and made way for those who are in real wanted to pursue this course for making an established career. This topic can earn you a definite seat in you dream college. So your response could be positive like, â€Å"It is still as good a time as any to earn an MBA. In fact, as the economy begins to turn around – and all indications point to that process already beginning – more opportunities for management specialists will be available. Most companies were forced to decrease their staffs using steps such as early retirement and lay-offs in order to survive the economic downturn. As the economy begins to swing upward, these companies will be seeking managers that are not only experienced, but are also knowledgeable about the many legal changes that have been instituted uring the crisis. This means if one undergoes earning an MBA today, he or she will likely be taught the legal changes as they are implemented. The goal of the MBA is to provide the company with the experience and knowledge that will put oneself in high demand in corporate world. MBA programs around the world are adapting their curriculums to reflect the changes made in today’s business world. An MBA will strive to provide the company with a better understandin g of the new economy. † How to cite Extempore Speaking, Papers

Galanz Case Study free essay sample

Post these responses directly in your private student journal. Your assignment is due Wednesday, April   10th. Then a forum will open for each of these assignment questions. Please write two-to-three paragraphs per question. 1. What are Galanzs competitive and operations strategies? Considering the expertise of international players like Panasonic and Toshiba, Galanz didnt really have a competitive advantage with respect to technology. Cost arbitrage (of land and labor) was the chief competitive strategy employed by Galanz to capture the Chinese microwave market. Galanz conjured up mutually beneficial deals with its clients to achieve rapid expansion of production capacity by arranging for production line transfers, process and quality enhancements. Also, the non-stop production by Galanz could not be matched by any other competitor. Thus, Galanz achieved domestic microwave market dominance by employing a dirt cheap pricing strategy which was attractive to the cost sensitive Chinese market and expanding its production capacity to exceed the market demand. However, these strategies alone could not satiate the requirements of the overseas market. Due to the risks involved in launching a Chinese product in the international market, Galanz entered the overseas market as an OEM supplier. Collaboration with large retailers such as K-mart and Wal-mart facilitated the successful entry of Galanz in the international market. The low cost, high production was maintained by Galanz through cheap labor and large production ability. The popularity of this Chinese brand rose in the overseas market due to its consistent efforts in maintaining low cost and high supply. The success of the international OEM brand gave Galanz the leeway it required to start thinking about overseas brand building. Galanz started off its OBM venture by introducing Galanz branded microwaves to its OEM customers. Galanz further pushed its efforts in gaining worldwide recognition by investing in a dedicated RD facility to match international competitors. The supply was matched with the demand through outsourcing of magnetron manufacture, and subsequently, with development of independent magnetrons. Thus, after the superlative domestic success, Galanz focused on building a world brand by maintaining its low cost, abundant supply and stressed on important aspects such as customer relation management and after sales support. . How does Galanzs operations strategy support its competitive strategy? Initially as a market entrant, Galanz focused on a low cost strategy to gain leverage in the domestic market. This strategy was supported by an abundance of cheap land and labor. The expensive microwaves produced by players like Toshiba and LG were unaffordable for majority of the Chinese population and henc e, Galanz became popular right from its inception. The rapidly increasing demand, which rose to almost 25 million units in 2003, for these low-cost microwaves prompted Galanz to expand its production capabilities. Galanz, facing shortage in production, decided to outsource magnetron production to Japan for the production deficit that it faced. Furthermore, deals with customers like Fillony to transfer entire production lines made sure that the ever growing demand for the ovens was met successfully. The perennial working shifts for the production team ensured that production scale and costs of Galanz was unmatched anywhere in the entire market. Galanzs strategy of a price war worked in its favor as competitors like LG and Panasonic went out of business in the domestic market and hence, left. Later, Galanz entered the international market as an OEM product with a similar low-cost strategy. The operations strategy had to be revised due to the large demand and thus, due to shortage of magnetrons and retrenchment by suppliers, Galanz decided to set-up an RD facility to turn into an ODM produce magnetrons independently. This strategy worked wonders for them since their production capacity boosted, to 44,000 units per day in 2003, and costs went down considerably. The drive to establish firm ground in the overseas market was evident in the self-sufficiency that Galanz was achieving in production. The rapid innovation by improving existing processes by introducing LCD touch-pads and other aesthetic renovations further increased the popularity of their products in the international arena. Subsequently, Galanz decided to introduce Galanz branded (OBM) microwaves in overseas stores along with its traditional OEM supplies. This was a very critical move as it requires multiple changes in its production such as customized products to cater a large international audience, after sales service and strong customer relationship management. Thus, to meet this demand, Galanz started a small scale production of customized products as opposed to its traditional approach of producing a standard product on a large scale. Also, the company had to invest heavily in enhancing its customer service capabilities so that it could build a loyal customer base and change the mindset of the international audience with regards to Chinese products. 3. What are the differences between OEM/ODM versus OBM in terms of production, design,  marketing, distribution and customer service? A company is termed OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) when it manufactures a product which is comprised of components made by the manufacturer of the product or a third party vendor, and then sells it to a customer who in turn brands it with a different name. Here, the production is taken care of by a different company and the brand name is decided by the customer who purchases it. For instance, when Galanz manufactures a microwave oven, it acquires the magnetron from Toshiba and then sells off the final product to Wal-Mart. Subsequently, Wal-Mart brands this oven with its own brand name and sells it in the market. Here, the marketing, distribution and customer service is taken care of by Wal-Mart, not by Galanz. A company is termed ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) when it manufactures a component specified by another company but owns the technology to manufacture it. For instance, Toshiba is an ODM when it produces magnetrons according to Galanz’s specification. ODM’s are in charge of production of components based on customer requirements and owns the design for the same. A company is termed OBM (Original Brand Manufacturer) when it sells the final product as with its own brand name. The product components maybe manufactured in house, or bought from an ODM. For instance, when Dell assembles a laptop, it specifies the processing requirements to Intel (ODM) and then sells it under the brand name ‘Dell’. An OBM has to take care of marketing, distribution and customer service.