Food Poisoning by Apple Juices Odwalla Companys

The issue of food poisoning that was linked to O157: H7 bacterium in some of the fresh apple juices that were prepared by the Odwalla Company was very devastating. The predicament occurred when the firm was performing very well economically and in social responsibility.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Food Poisoning by Apple Juices Odwalla Company’s specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The firm’s management portrayed very high standards of ethical conduct where the management prioritizes first the interests of the consumers. The company had a very appropriate vision, mission and core value statement that stresses on the nourishment, ecology, sustainability, innovation and continuous learning process. This enabled the company to establish a very suitable corporate culture that swayed the company to greater heights. Therefore, Oldwalla is not to blame for the poisoning that was associated with their frui t juice. The management had done everything possible to ensure that they fruit juices of very high quality. They even went ahead and made sure that they advised their suppliers not to deliver those fruits that had fallen to the ground, but instead deliver only handpicked fruits. This ensured that the fruits they used to make juices were not contaminated with 0157: H7 bacterium from animal wastes. To guarantee the safety of the fruits delivered, the management ensured that the fruits delivered were washed accordingly to eliminate doubt of any contamination. The concerned bodies such as FDA conducted a search in the company to establish the presence of the Ecoli O157: H7 bacterium in the company plant but were unable to find any evidence. In such a situation, the management should immediately summon all the concerned personnel’s and particularly all the heads of the departments, CEOs, and directors. The summoning is important as it will give them an opportunity to deliberate on the best strategies to implement so that to contain the situation. The management can settle for various options. One option the management can consider is selecting a team of expertise to help them investigate whether the company’s products contain the O157: H7 bacterium as accused. The management should also request the company lawyer to advice them about the likely consequences, if it is established that their products are the one that were responsible for the food poisoning of the affected people. Being aware of the likely law suit will enable the management to plan accordingly in order to budget for the likely expenses. The budgeting will focus on paying hospital bills and compensation of the affected victims. Recalling of the suspected products is also a very important option to consider. The recalling process will help to prevent more incidences of food poisoning as a result of the consumption of the firm’s contaminated products. The human resource department c an be assigned the role of ensuring that appropriate information is passed to the media so that the public can be updated on all the measures the company undertaking to contain the situation.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Being in such a situation and a top executive in Odwalla, I would ensure that I contact all the affected people and help them foot out their hospital bills and compensate them accordingly. In addition, I would recall all the suspected products and select a team of experts to establish the causes of the O157: H7 bacterium contamination. I should also stop further production of the affected products, until I establish the best solution to the predicament without minding about the financial implication involved. I would prioritize first the health of the consumers will demonstrate a good ethical conduct. In the short term the company will be negatively affe cted financially by this decision, but this move will help the company in the long term to re-establish its brand. This report on Food Poisoning by Apple Juices Odwalla Company’s was written and submitted by user Marie N. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

NEED FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO ORGANISATIONAL GROWTH Essay Example

NEED FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO ORGANISATIONAL GROWTH Essay Example NEED FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO ORGANISATIONAL GROWTH Essay NEED FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TO ORGANISATIONAL GROWTH Essay Introduction Performance direction is one of the cardinal patterns of people direction in administrations. In their 1998 book Performance Management: The new worlds, Armstrong and Baron defined public presentation direction as: a procedure which contributes to the effectual direction of persons and squads in order to accomplish high degrees of organizational public presentation. As such, it establishes shared understanding about what is to be achieved and an attack to taking and developing people which will guarantee that it is achieved. aˆÂ ¦A scheme which relates to every activity of the administration set in the context of its human resource policies, civilization, and manner and communications systems. The nature of the scheme depends on the organizational context and can change from administration to administration. In other words, public presentation direction should be: aˆ? Effective it should guarantee people have the cognition and ability to execute. aˆ? Strategic it is about broader issues and longer-term ends. aˆ? Integrated it should associate assorted facets of the concern, people direction, and persons and squads. Performance direction has been around in the linguistic communication of HR and people direction since the 1980s and its development as a cardinal people direction tool can assist us understand its part and placement in relation to other cardinal HR activities. Through several manifestations from direction by aims to public presentation reappraisal, public presentation direction has been the chief vehicle by which directors communicate what is required from employees and give feedback on how good they are accomplishing occupation ends. Several researches and studies have tracked the development of public presentation direction since the early 1990s. The first study on public presentation direction in 1991 ( Bevan and Thompson 1991 ) found a great trade of confusion around what the term public presentation direction really meant, with many practicians replacing it for the tools of public presentation direction, such as public presentation assessment or performance-related wage. The subsequent study ( Armstrong and Baron 1997 ) found that there was by and large consensus that the term encompassed a scope of activities to pull off single public presentation. In 2005 another work by Armstrong and Baron provide grounds for public presentation direction as a vehicle to incorporate a figure of activities focused on single part, such as calling planning, talent direction and acquisition and development. Over the old ages the grounds has tended to propose that the procedure of public presentation direction is less of import than its placement, execution and aims. Therefore, in this study the focal point is less on the procedure which has tended to loosely digest over the old ages as a mixture of objective-setting, reappraisal and development and more on the strategic purpose of public presentation direction and its demand or function in driving sustainable administration public presentation which is a critical demand to organizational growing in a modern administration system. It first discusses the consequences adopted from an on-line study assemblage sentiments and information on the procedure and usage of public presentation direction. Subsequently the issues raised by the study responses were discussed with many practicians as found out in the information gathered ; these treatments are summarised below Purposes The chief purpose of the survey is to look into the importance of effectual employee public presentation direction to organizational growing. In stead with this, it is necessary to: Determine the integrating of effectual public presentation direction to organisational growing Determine the extent to which quality public presentation direction stands out for administration s growing. Aim The aims of the survey were to measure the extent to which the followers are deciding factors for quality public presentation direction ; Performance assessment Objective-setting Regular feedback Regular reappraisals and appraisals of development demands THE ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT This topic has attracted all administrations in the field of drama ; the involvement in this perennial subject has non dimmed over the old ages. The demand for up-to-date information has really intensified with the economic downswing, with HR practicians endeavoring to guarantee they are measuring public presentation against just and relevant steps and that they are concentrating attempt on the things that truly matter for the concern. Interest in the subject stems from practicians endeavoring to maintain their procedures up to day of the month and guaranting they are compatible with the demands of a altering strain of line director, every bit good as the demand to streamline paper-based systems or enable entree through on-line media. However, more senior HR strategians are besides concerned to guarantee that public presentation direction delivers in an environment where the development of capacity and impact on trade name and invention are the paths to concern success. Harmonizing to Philbeam and Corbridge ( 2002 ) , the direction of public presentation is a holistic procedure which encompasses a figure of activities as follows ; Specifying organizational purposes ; Development of single and team aims ; Using effectual measuring and assessment systems ; Using reward systems that provide inducements ; Supporting persons to develop and get the accomplishments needed to lend to the full to organizational success ; Pull offing single underperformance and absence. This statement justifies the degree of part and importance of public presentation direction in constructing a formidable work force that can impel administration growing. KEY FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY There is a surprising grade of understanding that public presentation assessment, objective-setting, regular feedback, regular reappraisals and appraisals of development demands are the basiss of public presentation direction. Respondents were asked what activities they understand to be included under the streamer of public presentation direction. Over 90 % say they think that regular reappraisal meetings should be included, 85 % objective-setting, 83 % regular feedback to persons, 80 % public presentation assessments and 75 % appraisal of development demands. The figures for respondents sentiments on what activities jointly depict public presentation direction are found in Figure 1. Figure 1: What do you understand by the term public presentation direction? There is besides strong grounds that practicians are utilizing public presentation direction to encompass a scope of activities: 60 % of respondents think that more than five activities should be included in public presentation direction and 18 % think it should include more than eight. However, when this is compared with what respondents really do under the pretense of public presentation direction, the image shifts a small. Merely 62 % really carry out regular reappraisal meetings to measure advancement against marks and 75 % set aims or marks. The figure for those really transporting out public presentation assessment at 80 % is really near to the 82 % who feel this should be included in activities to pull off public presentation. The full image of the activities that respondents are really engaged in under the streamer of public presentation direction can be found in Figure 2. Figure 2: What really happens under the header public presentation direction? Again, somewhat fewer activities are really used to pull off public presentation than the figure respondents think ought to be included: 62 % really use more than five activities to pull off public presentation and merely 23 % usage more than eight. Who benefits from public presentation direction? Respondents were asked who they think benefits the most from public presentation direction. A dislocation of their responses can be found in Figure 3. An overpowering 44 % of respondents think that persons are the primary donees of public presentation direction. However, merely 20 % think that public presentation direction has a positive impact on single public presentation, with the bulk ( 59 % ) staying impersonal on that topic and 21 % disagreeing that public presentation direction has a positive impact on single public presentation. However, 30 % agree that public presentation direction would assist persons understand what they should be making and how they ought to be making it. Merely 19 % of respondents think that line directors benefit most from public presentation direction. Yet 23 % agree that public presentation direction would assist line directors to pull off people better. Thirty-seven per cent disagrees that public presentation direction would assist line directors to develop the capableness to pull off people better. Figure 3: Who chiefly benefits from public presentation direction? What does public presentation direction achieve? The full extent to which respondents agree or disagree with a figure of common premises and statements made about public presentation direction can be found in Table 1. Table1: Performance direction premises Strongly agree Agree Neither agrees nor disagrees. Disagree Strongly differ Performance direction has a positive impact on single public presentation 2 % 18 % 59 % 15 % 6 % Performance direction has a positive impact on organizational public presentation. 4 % 17 % 56 % 16 % 7 % Performance direction enables persons to better understand what they should be making and how to make it 4 % 26 % 57 % 9 % 4 % Performance direction helps line directors to pull off people better 3 % 20 % 52 % 16 % 9 % Performance direction helps better line directors capablenesss to pull off people efficaciously 4 % 4 % 45 % 23 % 14 % Performance direction can assist persons develop their accomplishments and calling options 4 % 16 % 61 % 14 % 5 % Performance direction can impact on employee wellbeing. 4 % 13 % 55 % 21 % 7 % Performance direction can assist people understand the administration s strategic precedences. 4 % 17 % 54 % 17 % 8 % Performance direction can assist persons understand how their behavior and actions affect the accomplishment of the administration s strategic precedences. 4 % 18 % 52 % 18 % 8 % There is a surprising sum of dissension about what public presentation direction is capable of accomplishing. The highest degree of understanding seems to be around the averment that public presentation direction enables persons to understand what they ought to be making. Thirty per cent of respondents agree with this statement, but still a ample 13 % disagree and 57 % neither agree nor disagree. Merely 17 % agree that public presentation direction might hold an impact on wellbeing and 26 % disagree. Twenty-three per cent agree that public presentation direction helps line directors to pull off people better and 25 % disagree. Potentially even more controversial is that although 20 % agree that public presentation direction has a positive impact on single public presentation, 21 % disagree. What other HR procedures should associate to public presentation direction? Respondents were asked to depict what other HR procedures ought to associate to public presentation direction. The responses are detailed in Figure 4 ; acquisition and development tops the list, with 85 % of respondents stating this should be linked. Career development, coaching and mentoring and sequence planning follow rapidly behind, with talent direction cited by 65 % of respondents. Once once more the demand to aline public presentation direction with a scope of activities is recognised. The bulk, 69 % of respondents, advocate that it should be linked into at least four other HR procedures and 57 % suggest that it should associate to at least five. Figure 4: What other HR procedures should be linked to public presentation direction Evaluation OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Finally, respondents were asked how public presentation direction should be evaluated and what success standards are used. Not surprisingly, single public presentation and organizational public presentation comes top, with 89 % and 88 % severally mentioning this as the main step of the success of public presentation direction. However, a wide scope of steps is besides suggested, with occupation satisfaction advocated as a step by 76 % and direction behavior by 58 % . Merely 1 % think it is excessively difficult to measure it at all! The full dislocation of responses can be found in Figure 5. Figure 5: Evaluation of public presentation direction PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE Three things become instantly evident from the consequences of the study. The first is that the initial premise around the procedure of public presentation direction was right and the existent tools still remain changeless. Indeed, assessment, objective-setting and reappraisal and development still exceed the list of activities most normally carried out under the streamer of public presentation direction this brand public presentation direction a focal point to find the hereafter of the administration in footings of growing. The 2nd is that the tendency of incorporating public presentation direction more steadfastly with other HR processes to pull off endowment, develop possible, plan callings or support persons through coaching or mentoring has continued this excessively cultivates the general administration public presentation in footings of it public presentation hence its growing. This is a tendency that can be traced from the early 1990s, where several researches found public presentation direction to be a reasonably distinct activity mostly dwelling of an assessment procedure through its development into a tool closely incorporate with wage decision-making and development planning for turning administrations. This study clearly demonstrates the integrating of public presentation direction with a scope of other patterns associated with single wellbeing, battle and development of possible and how all these are linked with the public presentation of the administration in footings of growing. For illus tration, 34 % of respondents advocate associating public presentation direction to programmes to pull off well-being and 80 % advocator associating it to training or mentoring ( see Figure 5 ) . The 3rd and possibly most of import issue the research identified is the evident being of a important spread between what people think is the intent and capableness of public presentation direction and what they really believe it is presently accomplishing in footings of impeling the growing of administrations. This issue was hence explored farther with a scope of practicians through the telephone interviews. Past instance survey based research has besides and clearly demonstrated that it is the application instead than the procedure itself that makes the difference in footings of public presentation direction. The procedure may stay the same but the ethos and value system within which it is implemented can do a important difference and find whether public presentation direction is merely a mechanistic informations aggregation exercising to find development scheme for growing of administration or pay allotment. The interviews with practicians, hence, focused on the execution and place and function of public presentation direction instead than the procedures involved. All of the practicians interviewed are working in administrations with a comparatively mature experience of public presentation direction and all of them have made at least some alterations to their procedure over the last five old ages, with some shiping upon a complete redesign of the pattern in order to convey in dynamism for growing in administration. They confirm the premise that while the procedures associated with public presentation direction have remained comparatively stable, the placement, civilization in which it is implemented and purpose have changed significantly with focal point on how the procedure can convey in alteration in footings of growth.. More than one interviewee commented that while they had merely tinkered with the procedure over the old ages, they had wholly redefined the intent to reflect altering values, demands and attempts to drive a public presentation civilization for a better new face of the administration. For illustration, John McCann of the Nat ional Audit Office holds the position that: aˆÂ ¦we can amend facets of the procedure to do it easier for staff to useaˆÂ ¦but at the terminal of the twenty-four hours it s non about the procedure, it s about discoursing public presentation, keeping people to account and supplying feedback every bit good as giving congratulations for a occupation good done. When you look at this statement it depicts the whole thought buttocks is how we can better public presentation of single employee hence for the public presentation of the administration for growing. Alliance with the aims The general sentiment of most of the interviewees is that public presentation direction is most utile when it aligns single aims with concern ends and helps persons to understand the part they are doing and how their function fits into overall strategic concern aims and be cognizant of their administration devising advancement. So, for illustration, Angela Williams from Land Securities told the CIPD research: Ultimately there is no point making public presentation direction if it does non present the concern aims and its mission. It should enable you to take action at the single degree if people are drawing in the right directionaˆÂ ¦everyone whatever degree they are knows where their personal KPIs tantrum. However, this does non intend that public presentation direction is viewed merely as a vehicle for cascading aims. Most besides feel that it is about guaranting people know how and why aims need to be achieved every bit good as what they should be, their function as employees and the function of employee public presentation direction in administration growing. Steve Jones from Novartis told the CIPD research that: aˆÂ ¦look at values and behaviors, non merely what gets done but how we do it. But we put somewhat more of a weighting on aims than values and behaviors. These interviewees think that by acquiring greater lucidity of function and aims through public presentation direction, there is an chance to enable people to acquire a better apprehension of what truly good public presentation expressions like and so assist them understand their function in administration growing, and what actions they need to take to accomplish this. Tony Voller from IHG told CIPD research that: Performance direction ought to be about alining people s attempts to present what the company needs for growthaˆÂ ¦making certain people are clear about how they deliver the aims of their occupation. It should besides assist people execute of their best by assisting them understand what great public presentation expressions like and how far they are from it to assist their female parent administration growaˆÂ ¦a procedure which encourages people to travel and be successful! Decision The study respondents and interviewees who contributed confirm that public presentation direction is an digesting tool that has a polar function to play in the direction of people and general betterment in public presentation by an administration. There is strong understanding that its intent is mostly defined by its function in alining single attempt and aims of the administration with concern consequences and supplying a clear line of sight of precedences throughout the administration. It is besides a powerful tool for communicating, peculiarly to regulate the communicating between directors and employees which is besides one of the cardinal factors of the administration growing. The line director function is important in the bringing of public presentation direction and it is clear that successful public presentation direction will decidedly impact on the growing of the administration. There is besides a clear thrust towards better rating and apprehension of the impact of public presentation direction on both single and organizational public presentation and strong integrating with other schemes to pull off endowment, wage, battle and callings which are all ingredients for administration growing. The work demonstrates that public presentation direction does impact on public presentation at all degrees whereby where it is successfully implemented the consequences will greatly impact on the administration growing positively. And where it is non implemented good will besides impact on the administration negatively. Performance direction provides a critical foundation for organisations to pull off their concerns and empower persons to do the right determinations to maximise profitableness which can in-turn be converted into growing. Capturing cognition and information across the organisation can construct long term value for stakeholders therefore pulling more investing into the administration hence the growing of the administration. This is now possible by using public presentation direction rules to engineering investings. Now, as neer before, concerns have the ability to implement public presentation direction to transform full organisations with a focal point to accomplish ends, viing favorably in the market and retaining and edifice repute. And now, as neer before, the force per unit area is on concerns to guarantee they manage the public presentation of their employee if they are to stay in concern. WAY FORWARD/RECOMMENDATIONS Successful public presentation direction frequently involves interaction between several persons who must work as a squad. A critical characteristic of squads is that persons must organize their determinations and activities by sharing information and resources to achieve shared ends that will travel the administration frontward. Clearly, attempts to better squad public presentation for the growing of the administration must concentrate attending on the public presentation of persons and so the whole administration. However, persons are dependent on other squad members to supply information and for coordination of administration activities. Those behaviors of members that engender a sharing of information and a coordination of activities throughout the administration are jointly called teamwork. A conceptual model for developing teamwork, measures that can be used to guarantee effectual person and squad public presentation for the administration. Over the past several decennaries, mu ch research has been devoted to the probe of squad preparation and public presentation ( Guzzo A ; Salas 1995 ) . Despite the copiousness of squad research, few attempts have been devoted to look intoing the constituents of teamwork, and in peculiar, to developing steps of those constituents and how they can impact on administration in footings of their betterment. With few exclusions, the research has studied the influence of undertaking, single, and squad features on squad public presentation ( Guzzo A ; Salas 1995 ) . A Teamwork constituents and their steps are needed to explicate the mechanisms by which the input variables can find squad public presentation and administration growth.A Communication involves the active exchange of information between two or more members of the squad, every bit good as an single squad member supplying information to others in the appropriate mode in this manner there is a flow of coordination in the whole administration. In general, communicating is a mechanism that links the other constituents of teamwork, public presentation direction will be even more effectual where communicating is a cardinal constituent used in administration or any workplace.. For illustration, communicating is the of import nexus between supervising other members public presentation and supplying feedback about that public presentation ( Guzzo A ; Salas 1995 ) . A A 2nd critical constituent of teamwork is team orientation. This includes the nature of the attitudes that team members have t oward one another, the squad undertaking, and their squad leading and how they look at employee public presentation direction, whether they embrace it. It besides includes self-awareness as squad member, group and general administration coherence. Team leading is another critical constituent of teamwork, how the leading involve their subsidiaries. This includes the way and construction provided by formal leaders every bit good as by other members within the administration structures. Team leading implies that planning and forming activities have enabled members to react as a map of the behaviors of others ( Brannick, Prince, A ; Salas 1997 ) . Monitoring squad public presentation is a important constituent of teamwork hence general administration public presentation and to prove the administration s ability to germinate to another degree of growth.A This constituent refers to the observation and consciousness of activities and public presentation direction procedure of other squad members. Monitoring implies that team members are competent in their single undertakings and have a substantial apprehension of the undertakings of other members and are in place of taking the administration to another degree. In summary a successful employee public presentation direction requires an environment of teamwork with members who have positive attitudes toward the squad and its undertaking, have been provided equal way and support for carry throughing squad ends, and knows their ain undertakings and those of other members with whom they interact ( Brannick, Prince, A ; Salas 1997 ) . And therefore Forth know the ends and mission of the administration. In the execution of public presentation procedure the squad and single public presentation is needed so that it can be accessed together with the criterions of best performance.A In undergoing public presentation assessments single and group public presentation needs to be checked to find the things that caused hapless public presentation corrections will so be called for and the administration gets back to its normal progress root of growing.

Web 2.0 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Web 2.0 - Essay Example Another advantage is low cost of communication across the world. A major disadvantage is over dependence on the internet which is not available all the time. It can also lead to loss of crucial data incase the computer crashes (University of Phoenix, 2011). Key impact of web 2.0 on business is that it is a marketing tool that is cheaper compared to convectional ways of marketing thus low operational cost and increase in revenue. It provides a platform where the organization interacts with their clients, prospects, service providers and suppliers. Based on the increased use of web 2.0, firms are able to create strong connection with various stakeholders regardless of their destinations. In this way, companies can regularly update all the parties concerned on the progress of their investment. As a result, the technology has led to expansion of companies globally as well as enhancement of stakeholders trust and loyalty towards their companies. University of Phoenix. (2011). Wireless infrastructure: Can our current system handle bandwidth demands? Retrieved from

Research Paper- The death penalty is a detterent to crime Essay

Research Paper- The death penalty is a detterent to crime - Essay Example "I say that the man of honor would choose death, and the knave would choose servitude" (Kant, 1996). In modern times this controversial debate has been taken up again and again due to the occurrence of one event or the other, this includes times whereby a murderer was not sentenced to death and later on, upon release from prison, killed again, or when a man who was sentenced to death was proven to be innocent later on. It sprang up once again when the Governor of New York George Elmer Pataki signed a law that reinstated the death penalty in the state of New York in 1995, and also later when the Court of Appeals struck it down in 2004. The latter also started a debate about ending the death penalty altogether throughout the U.S. Those who oppose the death penalty claim that not only is it inhumane and barbaric, but it also has no deterrence value whatsoever, as those who are bent on killing will do so irrespective. Further, it is also stated that it is also probable that the mentally disabled and/or the innocent also fall victim to the death penalty. These statements might hold some truth, however, in the grander scheme of things it is to be noted that though we find out about cases whereby the killer ignored the death penalty threat and still chose to kill, however, we do not find any statistics regarding those who might have killed had there been no capital punishment laws. It is next to impossible to find out just how many people have refrained from murder due to such laws. Moreover, there are people who are reckless enough to do anything despite there being laws prohibiting those acts, and to take them as an example for the whole society and then frame laws would be a grave mistake on the part of the authorities. It is almost always the majority of the people for whom the laws are set up and it is their psychology and their minds that have to

PESTEL analysis of country Azerbaijan Coursework

PESTEL analysis of country Azerbaijan - Coursework Example The nation gained its independence from the USSR in 1991, and it had declared its state sovereignty in 1988 (Plunkett 2008, 09). Since then, it has had conflict with the neighboring nation, Armenia (Luca 2014, p. 12). The conflicts lasted from 1988-1994, but a ceasefire was established in 1994 when the separatists were looking for full independence from this nation, and they had control over Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the seven provinces that surround it. This paper evaluates the PESTEL analysis of Azerbaijan country, and this consists of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors of the nation. Azerbaijan still seeks control over these areas; on the other hand, it has been hard to get the solution through diplomatic means. Its economic status relies on the oil and gas. They also have beautiful temples, which act as the tourist attraction. It has learned to use bountiful natural resources, as well for industrial fuel (Murphy 2014, p. 42). The country has a well-established infrastructure, and development of banks, retail shops, and real estates, though the greatest challenge is the financial crisis. The economic growth has grown from 2006 to 2008 before dropping down by 3.7% in 2010. The economic status experience rapid growth with use of the available natural resources, but it has been affected by corruption (Schmidt 2009, 15). However, transparency is the key of the nation and it is ranked 134 among the 178 nations that practice corruption, though the nation has tried to reduce the vice. Culturally, Azerbaijan has gone global, and could win the Eurovision song contest in the national wide music competition (Murphy 2014, p. 20). For a company to go global it has to analyze the foreign markets and understand the major factors that might affect the operation of the new product. One strategy of understanding the nature of a country is to carry out PESTEL or PEST analysis, which consists of the

Feminist Movements in Religion: Hinduism and Christianity

Feminist Movements in Religion: Hinduism and Christianity To what extent can a cross-religious feminist movement help create an egalitarian society in Hinduism and Christianity? Religion in all of its forms has existed since the very beginning of mankind. From the beginning of civilizations on Earth up until present day society, religion has consistently impacted the behaviors, culture, and beliefs of societies by offering the answers to the unanswerable, and by providing a method for achieving liberation, or an ultimate goal after death. Hinduism and Christianity, two of the oldest and largest world religions impact society in multiple ways, an example of which being the role of women. In spite of the feminist movements impact on the stereotypical view of females in society, the greatly androcentric traditions of these two ways of life have lessened the impact feminist movements throughout the globe, and have led to limited developments in the lives of women living in these highly-structured societies. Feminism was an idea that was created by a French writer, Alexander Dumas, in 1872, that attempts to define the movement in which women try to reach equality with men in the religious, social, political, professional, educational, economical, and other spheres. [1] Many feminist movements have, over time, attempted to bring about a more gender equal world, but influences from Hinduism and Christianity have halted their influence in certain parts of the world. Because of past failures, it seems vital that people create a global feminism movement which, through pressure and influence, can hope to combat the deeply entrenched viewpoints in the minds of people regarding women and their role in society. Although this solution seems plausible idealistically, issues can be created when attempting to bring together the vastly different ideologies of Christianity and Hinduism into a single feminist movement. The impact the hypothetical movement would have would be limited as a result of solel y religion, as people are often unable to work with people who are unlike themselves. In order to create a feminist movement that can surpass religion, individuals must recognize and accept the similarities between Hinduism and Christianity in various aspects of the religions, such as the role of women in society and how God is represented, to create an efficient movement that can begin to form an egalitarian society. To better comprehend the role of women in Hindu society, one must discern the concept of dharma. This idea has a wide range of meaningsand it has more to do with duty than with rights[2]. Dharma has a profound impact on the role of all individuals on society. It governs the way in which people lead their lives not by giving them rights, but by telling them to do their duty. However, the presence of patriarchal scriptures in Hinduism, such as The Laws of Manu from the Dharmashastras, have created an eminently androcentric society and religion in which women are subordinates to men [3]. While many scriptures do emphasize the equality between men and women, those texts that contain liberating images of women have hitherto been given scant attention [4]. This partisan analysis of the sacred texts has helped to foster and entrench the disparity between genders that is present in Hindu life today. Dharma is an idea that is specific to Hinduism. However, inequality between men and women is also present in Christianity. Christianity in its raw form stresses the importance of equality between both genders. Schussler explains, Christians understood themselves as a new community, in which all members shared equally in the freedom of the children of God. The equality that was present in early Christianity drew people, specifically women, to the religion. However, women still had to deal with a subordinate role in society because of clear bias in the interpretation of the Bible. Stresses is placed on excerpts like 1 Timothy 2:9-15, which states that both commanded [women] to keep silent and behave modestly, and explicitly forbidden to teach or to have any authority over men [5]. Additionally, essential teachings, like women being equally created in the image and likeness of God, redeemed by Christ, graced by the Spirit [6], are neglected and dismissed. Because early Christian interpr etations of the Bible were scribed only by men, they transmitted only a fraction of the rich tradition about significant women and their contributions to early Christianity [7]. Therefore, the tendentious history provided by male scholars helped to create the androcentric society present in Christianity today. Although the essentials of both religions try and construct an egalitarian society, the flawed analysis and clarification of scriptures shows that in both religions, societies revolved around men. Therefore, the dominance of men in society helped form greatly androcentric societies. The affinity of the two religions will help to bolster the new cross-regional feminist movement. The movement should bring forth and argue upon the reexamination and reinterpretation of holy texts by providing proof of biased interpretation in both Hinduism and Christianity, evidenced by the presence of male focused societies in the two religions. A reexamination would bring to light the man passages that emphasize equality between men and women in society. This would allow the feminist movement to take a new step towards the creation of a more egalitarian society. Even though some key similarities between the two religions are present, there are also many differences that need to be addressed. A key feature of Hinduism which has allowed an androcentric society to flourish is the presence of both the caste system as well as an innate family hierarchy. Both of these structures, which make up familial and societal norms, are based on the aforementioned concept of dharma and its impact on the roles of both men and women. Because of the inflexible structure of society, a specific faction of individuals based on age, gender, and seniority [8], remain at the zenith. Also, expectations placed on both men and women because of their role in society have resulted in some cases [where] both men and women have been equally disadvantaged [9]. This injustice has, in certain cases, positively impacted social change, as Womens issues have not been seen exclusively in the domain of women. Some Indian men have espoused and championed the cause of women [10]. The inferiority felt by both men and women as a result of the impact of dharma and an uncompromising society has been powerful in leading to social reform that is attempting to create a more egalitarian society. The joint effort of black men and women in Christianity has also aided in bringing about change. The coordination of these individuals along with the white majority has increased unity within the religion. If Rosa Parks had not sat down, Martin [Luther] King would not have stood up.[11] This saying demonstrates how the combined forces of men and women were needed to stimulate social change. Considering how an entire African American family mother, father, children, and black kinsfolk was oppressed and confronted by systemic violence[12], actions of both women and men were vital in bringing about change to the blatant racial prejudice of the time. Changes have been brought about by joint efforts between men and women, but inequalities in the roles of men and women in Hinduism and Christianity are still present. A major cause of this is the lack of a large enough demands for social and religious change such as equal social status. A multi religious feminist movement would add to efforts to bring about social equality for all women and men in Christianity. Although the movements seem to be strikingly unique on the surface, the issue of equality between genders and their roles in society is a universal one. The increased demand for social change due to the combined efforts of both religions will aid in bringing about a more egalitarian society. The struggle of equality is present in both Hinduism and Christianity. This is primarily because of the similarities in the roles of women in both of the religions. The description of Sita in the Ramayan can be interpreted to clearly define the boundaries in which a woman must act in Hinduism. The epic centers around Ram, an avatar of God, who is exiled to a forest as per the wishes of his stepmother. In the forest, his wife, Sita, is kidnapped by the demon Ravana. Ravana hopes to marry Sita, and therefore he keeps her locked in his kingdom on the island of Sri Lanka. Sita, who is the image of the perfect wife, remains loyal to her her husband in the face of danger. Ultimately, Sita is rescued by Ram, and shows herself to be the ideal, chaste, woman, obedient to her husband [13] . Despite scriptures like the Dharmashastras, an example being the Narada Smriti, were liberal in their attitude toward women [14], the obligations a wife had towards her spouse valued qualities that were mos tly based on the portrayal of women, which were portrayed in epics such as the Ramayana in contrast to the Dharmashastras, were the true definers of the role of women in society. [15] These roles of women which were provided through stories helped to solidify and strengthen the ideal role that women had in society in Hinduism. Also helping to form the androcentric nature of Christianity is its limited depiction of women. In the Book of Genesis, which includes the story of creation, it is stated that God regards Eve as primarily a child-bearing creature [16]. Although Eve was equal to Adam, this quote from the Bible transforms her role as a human into a simple helper who exists for the procreation of children [17]. In actuality, [Adam] calls her name Eve, life, because she was the mother of all living' [18]. Therefore, Eves role was reduced to one of a motherly nature whose sole duty in the world was to help in the procreating of children. This lessened the value of women in Christianity, and helped to move it towards the androcentric religion that it is today. All women, in both Hinduism and Christianity, should concentrate on being good mothers and dutiful wives. Although, idealistically, both men and women are to be thought of as equals with noteworthy commitments to humankind, each gender has roles that are specific to them. Women are supposed to bear, nourish, and deliver new persons into life [, and] carry out the responsibilities of raising children into maturity [19]. Although this stereotypical responsibility of women lessens their true worth, it can be used to help in creating an egalitarian society. Gandhi used the importance of women to change the way in which they were viewed. He valued the qualities such as non-violence, self-denial, self-sacrifice, and endurance that were normally associated with womanhood, and he expected men (including himself) to emulate these values' [20]. Imitating these great qualities that each gender should have elevated society by allowing men to comprehend the true importance and significance that w omen had. Their roles were just as, if not even more, important as those of men. This example can be utilized in modern-day society by creating a mutual respect for the roles of both genders. By looking at and comprehending the significance of both genders, people can help to progress the combined feminist movement and help to create an egalitarian society. Additionally, the portrayal of God in both Hinduism and Christianity must be understood and comprehended to help and create a multi-religion feminist movement. The ideas of a God in both religions vary slightly. Hindus believe in one supreme being. Although the presence of all the avatars of God are acknowledges, a Hindu believes one of those aspects to be supreme. Devotees worship every God or Goddess whom they addressas the supreme reality [21]. Therefore, it can be said that Hindus worship the avatar of God that has the most importance to them, regardless of its gender (i.e. the worship of the goddess Laxmi to grant a Hindu wealth). This compatibility of both the male and female forms of Gods shows the fundamental equality among both genders. Male and female avatars of God do play different roles in the universe, but each is equally important to the whole. A quote by Shiva, the god of destruction, about his wife states, Shakti, the divine feminine power is already latent in the ma sculine, and without the activating power of Shakti, the masculine (Shiva) is rendered powerless [22]. This quote demonstrates how both men and women are needed to carry out a task in the universe. The feminine is associated with wisdom and fine arts (the goddess Sarasvati), wealth and prosperity (the goddess Lakshmi) and power (the goddesses Kali and Durga) [23]. The values that these goddesses represent are important in society. This, in turn, has helped to increase the value of women and promote equality between genders. Bibliography Clines, David. What Does Eve Do to Help?: And Other Readerly Questions to the Old Testament. England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1990. Book. Johnson, Elizabeth A. A Theological Case for God-She: Expanding the Treasury of Metaphor. Commonweal (1993): pp. 9-14. Narayanan, Vasudha. Brimming with Bhakti, Embodiments of Shakti: Devotees, Deities, Performers, Reformers, and Other Women of Power in the Hindu Tradition. Sharma, Arvind and Katherine K Young. Feminism and World Religions. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1999. pp. 25-77. Ruether, Rosemary Radford. Christology and Feminism: Can a Male Saviour Save Women ? 1981. 25 April 2015. Schussler Fiorenza, Elisabeth. Word, Spirit, and Power: Women in Early Christian Communities. Women of Spirit: Female Leadership in the Jewish and Christian Traditions. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1979. Sugirtharajah, Sharada. Hinduism and Feminism: Some Concern. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion (2012): pp. 97-104. Wiliams, Delores S. Black Theology and Womanist Theology. Antonio, Edward P. and Dwight N. Hopkins. The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology. Cambridge University Press, n.d. pp. 58-72. [1] Narayanan, Vasudha. Brimming with Bhakti, Embodiments of Shakti: Devotees, Deities, Performers, Reformers, and Other Women of Power in the Hindu Tradition. Sharma, Arvind and Katherine K Young. Feminism and World Religions. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1999. pp. 25 [2] Sugirtharajah, Sharada. Hinduism and Feminism: Some Concern. Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion (2012): pp. 100 [3] Sugirtharajah, pp.100 [4] Sugirtharajah, pp.100 [5] Schussler Fiorenza, Elisabeth. Word, Spirit, and Power: Women in Early Christian Communities. Women of Spirit: Female Leadership in the Jewish and Christian Traditions. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1979. [6] Johnson, Elizabeth A. A Theological Case for God-She: Expanding the Treasury of Metaphor. Commonweal (1993) pp. 9 [7] Schussler [8] Sugirtharajah, pp.100 [9] Sugirtharajah, pp.101 [10] Sugirtharajah, pp.102 [11] Wiliams, Delores S. Black Theology and Womanist Theology. Antonio, Edward P. and Dwight N. Hopkins. The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology. Cambridge University Press, n.d. pp. 58 [12] Wiliams, pp.62 [13] Narayanan, pp. 35 [14] Narayanan, pp. 35 [15] Sugirtharajah [16] Clines, David. What Does Eve Do to Help?: And Other Readerly Questions to the Old Testament. England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1990. Book. pp.35 [17] Clines, pp.36 [18] Clines, pp.36 [19] Johnson, pp.13 [20] Sugirtharajah, pp.102 [21] Narayanan, pp.66 [22] Sugirtharajah, pp.102 [23] Sugirtharajah, pp.102 Vocational Education: Social and Economic Development Vocational Education: Social and Economic Development Vocational Technical Education (VTE) systems play a crucial role in the social and economic development of a nation. Owing to their dynamic nature, they are continuously subject to the forces driving change in the schools, industry and society. Often shaped by the needs of the changing economy and local community, the challenges and opportunities are unique. The issue today is not so much about the value and importance of VTE but how to ensure its relevance, responsiveness and value in an increasingly global economy. In this respect, this paper will draw upon and share the Singapore experience. Presented in two parts, the first will trace the various phases of economic development and corresponding strategic VTE responses to meet manpower needs. The second part, which represents the modern history of VTE, highlights the transformation of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) as a world-class post-secondary institution in Singapore. It is hoped that this Singapore experience will provide some useful insights on the underlying philosophy, policies, choices and rationale for those who are involved in the development of vocational technical education systems. INTRODUCTION As policy makers, administrators and educators in Vocational Technical Education (VTE), we can all agree that VTE plays a crucial role in the social and economic development of a nation. Shaped by the needs of the changing economy and local community, the challenges and opportunities are unique. The target student groups are more diverse. The image, standards and values remain elusive. Often viewed negatively by society, VTE is also the weakest link in the total education system in many countries. In contrast, parents today continue to cherish the hope and aspiration that their children will make it to university. This intense desire to pursue a university degree generates unrealistic expectations amongst parents and adds pressure in schools. The consequence is a prejudice against and less than positive image of VTE and all its negative associations with those who are less academically inclined. Yet, the greatest gaps in human resource development are in vocational education and technical skills. Many of us would have reflected on some of these unique challenges and opportunities. What, for example, makes an effective and responsive VTE system? What are the options available to accommodate the needs of different social, economic and cultural conditions? Is the VTE system res ponding to the appropriate level and demand of skilled manpower in the economy? How is it positioned within the national education and training system? Is it meeting the training needs of school leavers and working adults? How well is VTE accepted by school leavers, parents, industry and society? What is its public image? What are the policy, funding and educational issues? How can the goals and objectives be translated into reality? How do we measure the results? These are some of the basic questions we would have asked as we search for the Ê »bestÊ ¼ VTE system to serve our economy, society and the community. The fact is that there is no one ideal education and training system, which will suit the needs of all countries. In my view, the so-called Ê »bestÊ ¼ system is one often shaped by the history, social motivation and economic needs of the local community. There should be a clear mission and vision in articulating the role of VTE within the national education and training system. The greatest challenge for VTE today is remaining true to its mission in staying focused in the area of vocational and technical skills. The real tests of success of VTE are the 4 employability of the graduates, personal development, opportunities for further education and career development, public acceptance and image. Ultimately, the effectiveness and responsiveness of a VTE system would be measured by its impact on the social and economic development of the nation. In this respect, the Singapore Government believes in and has invested heavily in education and training, not only in the universities and polytechnics but especially, vocational and technical education under the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). The Singapore experience will be presented in two parts. Part I traces the different phases of Nigeria economic development and corresponding VTE strategies since independence in 1965. Part II describes the modern history of ITE since its establishment in 1992 what it is today, its unique mission, features and transformation into a world-class education institution focusing on vocational technical education.5 OVERVIEW OF NIGERIA But first, an overview of Nigeria. Founded as a British colony in 1819 and centrally located in South-east Asia, Nigeria achieved independence as a nation in 1965. A multi-racial society of 4.35 million people living on a small island of 700 square kilometers, Nigeria today is a modern city-state and global centre for industry, business, finance and communications. Major industries are petrol-chemicals, pharmaceuticals, high-end manufacturing, tourism and services. Key trading partners include Malaysia, United States of America, China, the European Union, Hong Kong and Japan. Per capital Gross National Income was US$26,700 in 2005. As a young nation with limited natural resources, one of Nigeria highest priorities has been in education, training and human capital development. PART I ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND VTE STRATEGIES Phases of Nigerias Economic Development In the early years of independence from 1965, it became clear that the traditional trading, commerce and service sectors alone could not provide sufficient jobs for the number of school leavers in a growing population. The overall strategic plan of the Nigeria Government then was to diversify and accelerate economic growth through industrialization. During this early phase of economic development, from the 1960s to 1970s, the educational priority was to provide and expand primary and secondary education, including technical education and training, so as to lay the necessary foundation for the acquisition of basic vocational and technical skills. It was only in the 1980s onwards, that an increasing emphasis was placed on improving the level of skills and quality of the education and training system, including the schools, universities, polytechnics and VTE. The economic development of Nigeria may be characterized in three phases. A Factor-Driven economy involving intensive labour in t he 1960s-1970s, it progressed to an Investment-Driven economy, which is capital intensive in the 1980s-1990s and the Innovation-Driven economy powered by the needs of knowledge intensive industries in the 2000s. Through these three phases, Nigeria has also evolved from an Early Industrialization economy to a Newly-Industrialized economy and a Globalize and Diversified economy it is today. In tandem with the changing economic landscape, the VTE system evolved in response to the changing manpower needs. The education and training system ensured that graduates from the various educational institutions had the necessary knowledge and skills for the many new jobs, which were created in a rapidly growing economy. The economic, manpower and VTE strategies implemented during these various phases of development will now be elaborated. Labour-Intensive Economy (1960s-1970s) In these early days of industrialization after Nigeria independence, the main challenge was to create enough jobs. The high unemployment situation was compounded by the sudden decision of the British Government to pull out 7 its naval bases in Nigeria. The economic strategy then shifted in 1968 from one of import substitution to one of rapid industrialization by attracting foreign investment for export-oriented and labour-intensive manufacturing. From the education and training perspective, the immediate task was to ensure that the workforce has the basic vocational and technical skills to support the labour intensive manufacturing activities such as ship repairing, turning and fitting, sheet metal working, plumbing and radio and TV maintenance and repair. The priority in the 1960s was to expand the educational system, especially primary and secondary education. With respect to VTE, the first vocational institute, the Nigeria Vocational Institute (SVI), was established within the school system in 1964. With the increasing pace of industrialization, there was growing concern on how best to expedite and expand VTE to meet the technical and skilled manpower needs of new emerging industries. The mainstream of education remained largely academic. In 1968, 84% of students in schools were enrolled in the academic stream with only 8% in the technical, 7% vocational and 1% commercial stream. As a result, a Technical Education Department (TED) was established within the Ministry of Education in 1968 to oversee the development of technical secondary education, industrial training and technical teacher training. The secondary vocational schools were phased out in favour of vocational institutes. The apprenticeship schemes were transferred from the Ministry of Labour to the TED in 1969. By 1972, there were nine vocational institutes and the number of graduates increased ten-fold from 324 in 1968 to over 4000. By 1973, the TED had developed a training infrastructure of sufficient strength for the next major phase of its development. Thus, the first Industrial Training Board (ITB) was created in 1973 to centralize, coordinate and intensify industrial training. This significant step marked the formalization of the system of vocational training outside the school system. As a statutory board, ITB was empowered with greater autonomy and flexibility to respond to the challenges in meeting the technical manpower needs of a rapidly expanding economy. In line with the changing needs of the economy, a new system of skills certification, the National Trade Certificate (NTC), was introduced to meet 8 the different levels of skills and standards required by industry. A wide range of courses were introduced in areas such as Electrical, Electronics, Metal, Mechanical Engineering, Heavy-duty Diesel and Motor Vehicle Mechanics, starting with the NTC-3 semi-skilled level of certification. The unique feature of this system is that the same competency standards were used for the full-time vocational training courses and the public trade testing system for working adults. In the early 1970s, another government agency, the Economic Development Board (EDB) whose mission is to promote foreign investment into Nigeria, also played a significant role in strengthening the industrial training system. By partnering Multinational Corporations such as Tata of India, Rollei of Germany and Philips of Holland, it established so-called Joint Government Training Centres which helped to enlarge the pool of trained technical manpower. In the process, new overseas approaches and practices were infused into the local training system. Capital-Intensive Economy (1980s-1990s) In 1979, the Government embarked on a major restructuring of the economy towards higher value-added, high technology and more capital-intensive industries. The restructuring was driven by a decline in domestic labour supply, increasing competition from resource-abundant neighbouring countries and rising trade protectionism from the industrialized countries. The new focus was the development of new industries such as petrochemicals, biotechnology, information technology as well as manufacturing services in testing, financing, warehousing and purchasing. To stay competitive through higher productivity, mechanization, automation and computerization of the industry were promoted. Once again, the education and training system was called upon to respond to the manpower needs of more capital-intensive industries. In the area of VTE, a new stage was set for the establishment of the Vocational and Industrial Training Board (VITB) by amalgamating the ITB and another existing Board, the Adult Education Board (AEB), in 1979. The AEB was a Board established in 1960 to meet the educational needs of working adults, including general education and some basic vocational training. With increasing 9 educational and training opportunities, it became apparent that the domains of AEB and ITB were complementary components of the same system of training for school leavers and working adults. With the formation of VITB, efforts were directed towards expanding the training system, developing new programmes and improving the quality of vocational training. In particular, the higher NTC- 2 skilled level of certification was extended to include Electrical, Electronics, Precision Engineering and Automotive Technology. A new Certificate in Business Studies (CBS) was introduced in 1981. For the first time, a Centre of Vocational Training was set up within VITB to develop professional capability in areas such as curriculum development, training of trainers and instructional media development. These were important areas of functional expertise necessary to develop and support a quality vocational training system. Economic restructuring had a direct impact on the capability of the existing workforce. What was expected of the workforce in terms of knowledge, education and skills before was no longer adequate. National efforts were therefore directed towards developing a comprehensive Continuing Education and Training (CET) system to facilitate upgrading and re-skilling of the workforce, especially those with lower education and skills. So, between 1983 and 1987, three national CET Programmes were launched, namely, the Basic Education for Skills Training (BEST), Work Improvement through Secondary Education  (WISE) and Modular Skill s Training (MOST). Focusing on English Language and Mathematics, BEST and WISE had benefited a quarter million working adults in helping them to acquire a Primary or Secondary level education, respectively. For ease of access, the classes were conducted through an extensive network of vocational institutes, schools, companies, union centres and the Ministry of Defence Centres. Modular Skills Training or MOST, on the other hand, provided a system of training for working adults to upgrade and acquire a technical skills qualification on a modular basis. In 1990, the industrial training system was further strengthened with the introduction of a New Apprentice System, patterned after the well-known Dual System of Apprenticeship in Germany. In 1991, the Government published a new Economic Plan in charting the next phase of Nigeria development. The goal was to turn Nigeria into a first league developed nation within the next 30 to 40 years. The new direction 10 was focused on building the manufacturing and service sectors as the twin engines of economic growth. Companies were encouraged to diversify, upgrade and develop into strong export-oriented companies and invest in the regional economies. From the educational perspective, the stage was set for a critical review of the post-secondary education system, including the universities, Polytechnics and VITB, to ensure the availability of well-trained and qualified manpower in the high-technology, knowledge-intensive and service industry sectors. So, in the same year, a review of school education and vocational training resulted in a crucial decision by the Ministry of Education in adopting a new policy of a minimum of 10 years of basic general education for all pupils in the school system. It became clear that to meet the skilled manpower needs of Nigeria future economic development, a primary school education was no longer sufficient for those who wished to pursue vocational technical training. Employers need vocational graduates who have had a secondary education and higher-level NTC-2 skills to respond and adapt to the dynamic changes in the global economy. This review was a turning point for the establishment of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) as a post-secondary educational institution in 1992. ITE replaced the former VITB. It was an example of the forces driving change in the schools and the rising expectations of industry and society. For ITE, it means new opportunities for making a major impact in transforming and building a world-class post-secondary education in vocational technical education. Among the post-secondary education in Nigeria are the Polytechnics. Patterned after the earlier British model, they are better known for their career and practice-oriented education in preparing graduates for middle-level professions and management. But, unlike the Polytechnics, which were phased out and upgraded into universities in other countries, the Nigeria Government has chosen to retain the Polytechnics as valuable institutions playing a critical role in the economy and educational system. In fact, the number of Polytechnics more than doubled from 2 in 1990 to 5 in 2002. Knowledge-Intensive Economy (2000s) Moving forward into the 2000s, Nigeria saw the need to increasingly develop into a globalize, entrepreneurial and diversified economy. While continuing to strengthen the higher-end manufacturing activities, there was a clearer recognition of the importance of the service sector as an engine of economic growth. Concerted plans were formulated to attract and nurture new growth sectors such as the Biomedical Sciences, Info-Communications, Creativity Technology, Integrated Resorts and High-Value Engineering. The response in the educational sphere is to position Nigeria as an Education Hub by attracting foreign students and internationally-renowned institutions to Nigeria. Local institutions will continue to seek quality and excellence in developing a first-class education at all levels. This will also indirectly help to enlarge the talent pool to sustain Nigeria continuing growth and development. Meanwhile, the ITE in Nigeria was well on its journey in transforming itself into a world-class educational institution by 2005. Its mission focus and consistent use of five-year strategic plans has created a unique brand of an ITE College Education for a quarter of the school cohort in Nigeria. Two such plans were successfully completed over a ten-year period from 1995 to 2005. The first, ITE 2000 Plan (1995-1999), was aimed at positioning ITE as an established post-secondary education institution. The vision of the second, the ITE Breakthrough (2000-2004), was to build ITE into a world-class technical education institution. Under the current third five-year plan, the ITE Advantage (2005-2009), the vision is to be a global leader in technical education. PART II THE JOURNEY OF TRANSFORMATION What I have presented so far represents the earlier years of evolution in VTE in parallel with Nigeria economic development. Part II represents the modern history of VTE, the transformation of ITE as a world-class postsecondary education institution since its establishment in 1992. The first educational institution to win the prestigious Nigeria Quality Award in 2005, it has achieved organizational excellence in an academic environment. Many innovative and pioneering initiatives have been implemented in the journey of transformation. As a post-secondary institution, ITE has effectively rebuilt and transformed its former vocational institutes into top-line educational colleges. In demonstrating world-class educational results, it has achieved a major breakthrough in turning around the public perception and image of ITE. Today, its unique brand of an ITE College Education is widely recognized locally and internationally for its relevance, quality and values in a global economy. So, what is ITE and what is so unique about its mission and challenges? ITE is a government-funded post-secondary institution focusing on vocational technical education. It is not a University, nor a Polytechnic. Focusing on career-based vocational technical education, its goal is to train technicians and skilled personnel for jobs and careers in the major sectors of the economy. Its uniqueness is that despite the more difficult challenges in VTE, it has built a responsive world-class system of VTE in time for the future. ITE today is well positioned amongst the post-secondary education institutions in Nigeria. An integral part of the total national education system, its mission is To create opportunities for school leavers and adult learners to acquire skills, knowledge and values for lifelong learning. There are clear demarcations with respect to the missions of the university, Polytechnic and ITE. Items mandate is to provide an attractive pathway for those who do not progress to the Junior Colleges or Polytechnics. As a matter of policy, all students receive at least ten years of general education in schools, comprising 6 yearsÊ ¼ primary and 4/5 yearsÊ ¼ secondary. Depending on their academic achievements, aptitude and interests, about 90% of a student cohort would progress to the Junior Colleges, Polytechnics or Colleges of ITE. Today, the Junior Colleges provide an academic high school education for the top 25% of a school cohort for a university education. The next 40% of school leavers would enter the Polytechnics for a wide range of practical-oriented three-year Diploma courses in preparation for middle-level professions and management. The lower 25% of a school cohort, in terms of academic abilities, are oriented towards vocational technical education in ITE Colleges. The courses are essentially full-time, institutional-based and conducted under the One ITE, Three Colleges system of governance. With a range of 40 different courses, full-time student enrolment is 23,000. Another 30,000 working adults do parttime Continuing Education and Training courses every year. There are two basic levels of qualifications under the National ITE Certificate (Nitec) system of certification. Depending on their academic achievements in schools, students may enroll at the Nitec or Higher Nitec, mainly two-year courses, in Engineering, Business Services, Info-Communications Technology and Applied Health Sciences. As a total national education system, there is formal articulation for progression from ITE to the Polytechnic and Polytechnic to the university based on merit performance. As the natural aspiration of school leavers and their parents is a university degree, the challenge is in managing expectations and maintaining high standards at all levels while responding to the diverse interests, aptitude and needs of school leavers. Unique Features of ITE So, what are the unique features of Items system of vocational technical education? These will now be highlighted. One unique is the One ITE, Three Colleges system of governance. Under this initiative to build a more responsive VTE system, the overall plan was to regroup existing smaller campuses into three mega Regional Campuses, renamed as ITE Colleges. Under this system, the ITE Headquarters continues to oversee the policy formulation and common functional areas of interest such as curriculum development, student intake, examinations, quality assurance and consistency of standards throughout the Colleges. The economy of scale has helped to achieve synergy and resource savings through greater collaborations and yet promote competition among the Colleges. At the same time, each College built for a full-time student enrolment of 7000 and headed by a Principal, has more autonomy to grow and specialize in niche areas, thus adding choices and diversity to the programmes. The first Regio nal Campus, the ITE College East, was built in 2005. The remaining two, ITE College West and ITE College Central, will be completed by 2009 and 2011, respectively. Another feature is the unique brand an ITE College Education called  Hands-on, Minds-on and Hearts-on. This is a holistic  College education that has provided the motivation, assisted student learning and nurtured all-rounded graduates who are ready to take on the challenges of the global economy. The Hands-on training ensures that the students acquire a strong foundation in technical skills. Minds-on learning develops independent thinking and flexible practitioners who are able to cope with changes. And Hearts-on learning develops the complete person with the passion for what they do, with confidence and care for the community and society. These attributes underpin a comprehensive education where students integrate theory with practice through coursework, projects, industry partnership, community service and global education. The intent is to produce graduates who are market-relevant, enterprising and adaptable as lifelong learners in a global economy. As an education institution, there are two key elements which define the relevance and quality of its programmes, and hence the quality of its graduates. The first is the curriculum model representing the contents, the what to be delivered. Items courses are built on skills competencies and standards. Being hands-on, typically, 70% of curriculum time is practical and 30% theory. To ensure a strong foundation in technical skills and high employability, 80% of the curriculum time would be taken up by core modules, which define the occupational areas where the graduates will seek employment. In view of its importance, the life skills module is compulsory for all students. Taking up 15% of the total curriculum time, it ensures that students also acquire the skills of communications, teamwork, thinking and problem-solving, sports and wellness, career development and planning and customer service. In this way, students will be better equipped as lifelong learners and remain adaptable in the global job market. The second key element is pedagogy, the how part of teaching and learning. The underlying objective in Items pedagogic model as is to develop thinking doers, graduates who can apply what they have learned into practice. Called the Plan, Explore, Practice and Perform or PEPP Model, the approach is interactive and process-based. Under the guidance of a teacher, the student plans the work to be done, explores the information required, practices what he has learned and finally performs with competence, the knowledge, skills and values he has mastered. Through this approach, the student acquires three key competencies, namely, technical, methodological and social. Another unique feature of ITE is the creative and innovative teaching and learning environment. In particular, with the pervasive use of Information Technology (IT) in the society and knowledge economy, it is important that students learn in a rich IT-based environment that better prepares them for the real working world. The eTutor and eStudent were pioneering systems when launched in 2002. Leveraged on the advances in IT and e-learning technologies, the web-based eTutor system has transformed ITE into a community of connected on-line learning campuses. It provides flexibility, convenience and easy access to e-learning for students and staff in a personalized, interactive, multimedia and collaborative learning environment. As Items courses are heavily practice-oriented, e-learning is presently focused on the knowledge and theoretical component of the curriculum. Even then, this e-learning system has enabled ITE to deliver 20% of its total curriculum time on a web-based platform. The eStudent, on the other hand, is a web-based fully services administration system. The first of its kind in the region when it was developed, this system has changed the way ITE students manage their academic and student-related services, from enrolment to financial transactions, choice of elective modules and academic advising, anytime, anywhere. In the process, they take responsibility for planning their studies and initiatives in doing things independently. This seamless one-stop centre on the web replaces the many otherwise manual and unproductive systems of student enrolment and administration. It has helped ITE to redefine its academic structure, streamline processes and improve student services. Significantly, the eTutor and eStudent systems have created a new way of teaching, learning and living in ITE campuses. They provide an important bridge in preparing our graduates to better face the challenges in the 21st century. Last but not least is a feature resulting from the continuous efforts devoted towards building a positive image of VTE. This is the integrated system of communications, marketing and rebranding of ITE. Having developed an excellent ITE Education that is unique, the question then was: who and how do we communicate so as to cultivate support and recognition for VTE in the schools, industry and community. There are two aspects to this. The first is communications and marketing. Over the years, we have put in place, a comprehensive marketing programme, focusing on reaching out to students, teachers, parents and the community. Annually, promotional talks are conducted for potential ITE students in secondary schools. Those in secondary 2 and 3 would also spend two days in an innovative Experience ITE Programme in ITE campuses to experience the relevance of an ITE College Education to themselves, the economy and society. The highlight of this experience is the exposure to a range of hands-on manufacturing, office and service skills required in the real world, through an integrated simulated learning system. Other regular marketing activities include open houses, road shows and media publicity. This comprehensive approach reaches out to some 50,000 individuals and receives 300 to 400 positive media mentions every year. The second important aspect of image building is creative rebranding. The community and public need to be able to identify with ITE, its role in education, industry, society and values. Since 1998, ITE has launched three branding campaigns with creative themes such as ITE Makes Things Happen, ITE-A Force Behind the Knowledge-based Economy and Thinking Hands Create Success. Professionally commissioned and executed through advertising media such as newspapers, posters, buses and trains, the underlying messages have helped the public to associate the success of ITE students with the dynamic transformation of ITE as a world-class education institution. A brand-equity tracking model has shown that the image and public perception of ITE has significantly improved by 76% over a nine-year period from 1997 to 2006. Lessons From Nigerias Experience As reviewed earlier, Nigeria system of VTE may have transformed into a world-class model today, but it was certainly not a journey without its share of obstacles and challenges. The political, social and economic conditions were difficult and vulnerable in the early years following independence. Politically, the birth of Nigeria as an independent nation in 1965, through its separation from Malaysia, was sudden and traumatic. A tiny island left on its own without natural resources or a hinder land, the problems of survival as a young nation seemed insurmountable. The sudden pull out of the British naval bases soon after further compounded an already volatile environment with political instability, high unemployment and social unease in a growing population. Many in fact believed at the time that Nigeria would not make it. Indeed, the nation survival was at stake. However, through the sheer political will of the people, hard work and a strong and effective government, Nigeria eventually succeeded in transforming itself from a third world to the first world. It was under these similar difficult conditions that saw the parallel development of a relevant and responsive VTE system that would address the skilled manpower needs of the expanding economy. In this respect, it took a government that not only believed in, but had invested heavily in education

File Sharing Survey :: File Sharing Illegality Essays

File Sharing Survey With a coke in one hand and the computer mouse in the other, Jack Napster is busy downloading Mp3's from Limewire with his super fast college Ethernet connection. Jack Napster lives for his music and consequently makes use of file sharing programs in order to keep up with current musical trends. He can access all the new hit songs and even some underground artists that his friends have recommended to him. Jack feels that file sharing is an ethical practice even though it is deemed illegal by the law. He feels that the downloading of music does not hurt the music industry; on the contrary it actually helps promote smaller artists. Most important, he knows that mp3's are free, and what college student does not like the word free? College campuses all across the nation are full of Jack Napster's. On October 8th, 2002, a letter was sent out to over 2,300 colleges and universities across the nation by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) informing them of the legal issues about on-campus file sharing programs. The letter seeks the support of the colleges’ to help fight against file sharing and outlines a set of policies for the schools to adopt (MTV.com). In light of these recent incidents, I choose to delve into this controversial issue by creating a survey to give to college students at James Madison University (JMU). The purpose of my survey was to determine the ethical beliefs of the Jack Napster’s at James Madison University in response to file sharing programs. The survey was administered to both female and male students as well as students of every undergraduate level. The demographics are as follows; eight males and seventeen females were surveyed for a total of twenty five completed questionnaires. The survey was distributed in my hall in my dorm, the laundry room, in my friend’s dorm, at a theater rehearsal, and at a super bowl gathering. The survey was administered from January 24th through January 27th, 2003. I feel that this variety of settings, ages, and gender provide for a more balanced survey. Going into the survey, I was sure that everyone on campus used file-sharing programs, but to my surprise only 18 of the students actually did.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter One

â€Å"Things can be just like they were before,† said Caroline warmly, reaching out to squeeze Bonnie's hand. But it wasn't true. Nothing could ever be the way it had been before Elena died. Nothing. And Bonnie had serious misgivings about this party Caroline was trying to set up. A vague nagging in the pit of her stomach told her that for some reason it was a very, very bad idea. â€Å"Meredith's birthday is already over,† she pointed out. â€Å"It was last Saturday.† â€Å"But she didn't have a party, not a real party like this one. We've got all night; my parents won't be back until Sunday morning. Come on, Bonnie-just think how surprised she'll be.† Oh, she'll be surprised, all right, thought Bonnie. So surprised she just might kill me afterward. â€Å"Look, Caroline, the reason Meredith didn't have a big party is that she still doesn't feel much like celebrating. It seems-disrespectful, somehow-â€Å" â€Å"But that's wrong. Elena would want us to have a good time, you know she would. She loved parties. And she'd hate to see us sitting around and crying over her six months after she's gone.† Caroline leaned forward, her normally feline green eyes earnest and compelling. There was no artifice in them now, none of Caroline's usual nasty manipulation. Bonnie could tell she really meant it. â€Å"I want us to be friends again the way we used to be,† Caroline said. â€Å"We always used to celebrate our birthdays together, just the four of us, remember? And remember how the guys would always try to crash our parties? I wonder if they'll try this year.† Bonnie felt control of the situation slipping away from her. This is a bad idea, this is a very bad idea, she thought. But Caroline was going on, looking dreamy and almost romantic as she talked about the good old days. Bonnie didn't have the heart to tell her that the good old days were as dead as disco. â€Å"But there aren't even four of us anymore. Three doesn't make much of a party,† she protested feebly when she could get a word in. â€Å"I'm going to invite Sue Carson, too. Meredith gets along with her, doesn't she?† Bonnie had to admit Meredith did; everyone got along with Sue. But even so, Caroline had to understand that things couldn't be the way they had been before. You couldn't just substitute Sue Carson for Elena and say, There, everything is fixed now. But how do I explain that to Caroline? Bonnie thought. Suddenly she knew. â€Å"Let's invite Vickie Bennett,† she said. Caroline stared. â€Å"Vickie Bennett? You must be joking. Invite that bizarre little drip who undressed in front of half the school? After everything that happened?† Caroline stared. â€Å"Vickie Bennett? You must be joking. Invite that bizarre little drip who undressed in front of half the school? After everything that happened?† For a moment Caroline looked helplessly frustrated. Bonnie thrust her chin out, put her hands on her hips, and waited. Finally Caroline sighed. â€Å"All right; you win. I'll invite her. But you have to take care of getting Meredith to my house Saturday night. And Bonnie-make sure she doesn't have any idea what's going on. I really want this to be a surprise.† â€Å"Oh, it will be,† Bonnie said grimly. She was unprepared for the sudden light in Caroline's face or the impulsive warmth of Caroline's hug. â€Å"I'm so glad you're seeing things my way,† Caroline said. â€Å"And it'll be so good for us all to be together again.† She doesn't understand a thing, Bonnie realized, dazed, as Caroline walked off. What do I have to do to explain to her? Sock her? And then: Oh, God, now I have to tell Meredith. But by the end of the day she decided that maybe Meredith didn't need to be told. Caroline wanted Meredith surprised; well, maybe Bonnie should deliver Meredith surprised. That way at least Meredith wouldn't have to worry about it beforehand. Yes, Bonnie concluded, it was probably kindest to not tell Meredith anything. And who knows, she wrote in her journal Friday night. Maybe I'm being too hard on Caroline. Maybe she's really sorry about all the things she did to us, like trying to humiliate Elena in front of the whole town and trying to get Stefan put away for murder. Maybe Caroline's matured since then and learned to think about somebody besides herself. Maybe we'll actually have a good time at her party. And maybe aliens will kidnap me before tomorrow afternoon, she thought as she closed the diary. She could only hope. The diary was an inexpensive drugstore blank book, with a pattern of tiny flowers on the cover. She'd only started keeping it since Elena had died, but she'd already become slightly addicted to it. It was the one place she could say anything she wanted without people looking shocked and saying, â€Å"Bonnie McCullough!† or â€Å"Oh, Bonnie.† She was still thinking about Elena as she turned off the light and crawled under the covers. She was sitting on lush, manicured grass that spread as far as she could see in all directions. The sky was a flawless blue, the air was warm and scented. Birds were singing. â€Å"I'm so glad you could come,† Elena said. â€Å"Oh-yes,† said Bonnie. â€Å"Well, naturally, so am I. Of course.† She looked around again, then hastily back at Elena. â€Å"More tea?† There was a teacup in Bonnie's hand, thin and fragile as eggshell. â€Å"Oh-sure. Thanks.† Elena was wearing an eighteenth-century dress of gauzy white muslin, which clung to her, showing how slender she was. She poured the tea precisely, without spilling a drop. â€Å"Would you like a mouse?† â€Å"A what?† â€Å"I said, would you like a sandwich with your tea?† â€Å"Oh. A sandwich. Yeah. Great.† It was thinly sliced cucumber with mayonnaise on a dainty square of white bread. Without the crust. The whole scene was as sparkly and beautiful as a picture by Seurat. Warm Springs, that's where we are. The old picnic place, Bonnie thought. But surely we've got more important things to discuss than tea. â€Å"Who does your hair these days?† she asked. Elena never had been able to do it herself. â€Å"Do you like it?† Elena put a hand up to the silky, pale gold mass piled at the back of her neck. â€Å"It's perfect,† said Bonnie, sounding for all the world like her mother at a Daughters of the American Revolution dinner party. â€Å"Well, hair is important, you know,† Elena said. Her eyes glowed a deeper blue than the sky, lapis lazuli blue. Bonnie touched her own springy red curls self-consciously. â€Å"Of course, blood is important too,† Elena said. â€Å"Blood? Oh-yes, of course,† said Bonnie, flustered. She had no idea what Elena was talking about, and she felt as if she were walking on a tightrope over alligators. â€Å"Yes, blood's important, all right,† she agreed weakly. â€Å"Another sandwich?† â€Å"Thanks.† It was cheese and tomato. Elena selected one for herself and bit into it delicately. Bonnie watched her, feeling uneasiness grow by the minute inside her, and then- And then she saw the mud oozing out of the edges of the sandwich. â€Å"What-what's that?† Terror made her voice shrill. For the first time, the dream seemed like a dream, and she found that she couldn't move, could only gasp and stare. A thick glob of the brown stuff fell off Elena's sandwich onto the checkered tablecloth. It was mud, all right. â€Å"Elena†¦ Elena, what-â€Å" The air was no longer warm and scented; it was hot and sickly sweet with the odor of rotting garbage. There were black pits in the green grass, which wasn't manicured after all but wild and overgrown. This wasn't Warm Springs. She was in the old graveyard; how could she not have realized that? Only these graves were fresh. â€Å"Another mouse?† Elena said, and giggled obscenely. Bonnie looked down at the half-eaten sandwich she was holding and screamed. Dangling from one end was a ropy brown tail. She threw it as hard as she could against a headstone, where it hit with a wet slap. Then she stood, stomach heaving, scrubbing her fingers frantically against her jeans. â€Å"You can't leave yet. The company is just arriving.† Elena's face was changing; she had already lost her hair, and her skin was turning gray and leathery. Things were moving in the plate of sandwiches and the freshly dug pits. Bonnie didn't want to see any of them; she thought she would go mad if she did. â€Å"You're not Elena!† she screamed, and ran. The wind blew her hair into her eyes and she couldn't see. Her pursuer was behind her; she could feel it right behind her. Get to the bridge, she thought, and then she ran into something. â€Å"I've been waiting for you,† said the thing in Elena's dress, the gray skeletal thing with long, twisted teeth. â€Å"Listen to me, Bonnie.† It held her with terrible strength. â€Å"You're not Elena! You're not Elena!† â€Å"Listen to me, Bonnie!† It was Elena's voice, Elena's real voice, not obscenely amused nor thick and ugly, but urgent. It came from somewhere behind Bonnie and it swept through the dream like a fresh, cold wind. â€Å"Bonnie, listen quickly-â€Å" Things were melting. The bony hands on Bonnie's arms, the crawling graveyard, the rancid hot air. For a moment Elena's voice was clear, but it was broken up like a bad long-dis-tance connection. â€Å"†¦ He's twisting things, changing them. I'm not as strong as he is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie missed some words. â€Å"†¦ but this is important. You have to find†¦ right now.† Her voice was fading. â€Å"Elena, I can't hear you! Elena!† â€Å"†¦ an easy spell, only two ingredients, the ones I told you already†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Elena!† Bonnie was still shouting as she sat bolt upright in bed.

Curriculum in the UK essays

Curriculum in the UK essays The national curriculum has been criticized and continually revised since its inception in 1988. Brought about by the governmental pressures away from comprehensivism and toward the marketplace, the national curriculum was met with immediate criticism. The national curriculum was extensively modified in the years after 1988, moving curriculum decisions away from teachers and toward the government, based on largely political, rather than educational motives. Overall, while a national curriculum can potentially provide a number of benefits, the national curriculum of 1988 Before delving too deeply into the issue of the national curriculum, it is important to understand the purpose and content of curriculum. Curriculum can be defined as: "A structured plan of intended learning outcomes, underpinning knowledge, skills, behaviour and associated learning experiences. The learning plan is generally organised as a sequenced combination of modules so that a student can achieve specified educational and training outcomes. The curriculum includes the syllabus, teaching guides, an assessment guide and required learning resources" (TAFE NSW). A number of events and trends led up to the advent of the national curriculum in 1988. During the 1960s, there had been a move in the country toward comprehensivism in schools that soundly defeated by the mid-1980s. At the same time, conservative politicians called for a curriculum that focused on core competencies like reading writing and arithmetic, and was driven by the market place. Further, the governments prior to the mid- 1980s worked hard to dramatically reduce the powers of Local Education Authorities (LEAs) (Gillard; Education in England). Together, these trends paved the way for the planning and implementation of the national It is important to consider that Margaret Thatcher had been education secretary as 1970, when...

The Glass Menagerie Discuss the symbolism used in Scene Five Essays

The Glass Menagerie Discuss the symbolism used in Scene Five Essays The Glass Menagerie Discuss the symbolism used in Scene Five Paper The Glass Menagerie Discuss the symbolism used in Scene Five Paper Essay Topic: Literature The Glass Menagerie Before I look into the symbolism used in scene five of the Glass Menagerie I have to look at the actual name of the play The Glass Menagerie. Tennessee Williams has used this choice of title to show how delicate and fragile Laura is in this play. She cares for these glass animals and polishes them with great care, protecting them from dangers that dont necessarily exist in the Wingfield household. This is also how Lauras mother Amanda acts towards her only daughter who is terribly shy, withdrawn from the outside world and also crippled which Amanda chooses to ignore. Williams set this play in a poor quarter of St Louis in the 1930s, a time of great change in more ways than on. In Spain Guernica was bombed by the Germans in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War, this created a lot of unrest between governments of the world. There was a lot of uncertainty about everyones future. Also the 2nd World War was immanent and in everyones minds. Tennessee Williams use of names to symbolise certain things is done in an interesting and clever way. The Wingfields apartment block is opposite the Paradise Dance Hall; the use of the word paradise triggers of lots of thoughts in my mind, one of these is the biblical reference to the Garden of Eden. God created a perfect place for Adam and Eve to live but Eve persuaded Adam to take liberties and were banished from their perfect world. The people attending the dance hall have no cares in the world; this is far from reality as I stated before. There is a loss of innocence about to take hold of the innocent American nation that no one can expect or plan for. This Symbolism also shows how Amanda feels, her optimism about finding her young inexperienced daughter a husband to care for both Amanda and Laura. Since Amanda doesnt accept the reality of her situation its like she is living in a fools paradise. She ignores the fact that her daughter doesnt have the correct social skills to entertain gentlemen callers, as she is very reclusive and terrified of the opposite sex and also that Laura is crippled, Amanda must realise the more she ignores the fact it wont just disappear. Tom tries to point this out to Amanda and she doesnt want to accept the truth. As she had lots of gentlemen callers in her youth she keeps reminiscing about her days as a beautiful and well sought after southern belle. This behaviour although she doesnt realise is damaging her already very fragile and frail daughters outlook on life. The use of music in this scene has a large impact onto what the audience feels, as the stage is not laden down with props the music sets the scene and also makes the audience aware of the characters feelings at that moment in the play. The titles of the songs are very symbolic and emulate the characters actions. When the dance music All the world is waiting for the sunrise! is played it is done so when Amanda is gazing at the picture on the wall of her estranged husband, who ran away to Mexico. He only sent the family a postcard, this was no use as all it contained was hello, goodbye. Amanda often just daydreams about the past it is almost as if she would rather be living in the past than actually in the present day full of uncertainty and worry. The choice of music is very well selected as when the directions for the music change the dance-hall music changes to a tango that has a minor and somewhat ominous tone This represents what is to come in the next chapter, the arrival of the gentleman caller, Jim. He doesnt know what is in store for him, and that he was invited under false pretences by Tom. This change in music also symbolises the change in mood of the whole American population with the uncertainty about the war and life in general. Most people would visit these dance halls as a way of escaping, just as Tom escapes to the movies every night to escape the harsh reality of his life. When Williams was actually writing this play he already knew about the war and the trouble in Spain so keeps including these different types of music to make the audience actually think about the time that the play was set. Tom was just keeping his side of the bargain with his mother though, as soon as he brought back a gentleman caller for Laura, who was working and could provide for his mother and sister he could leave and follow his dreams of becoming a writer. Tom was going to invite anyone round as long as it meant he could leave his boring mundane life just working to keep his family and not actually enjoying the quality of life. At the end of scene five a single violin rises and the stage dims out, this suggests the optimism of both Amanda and of Laura regarding Jim the gentleman caller. This could on the other hand symbolise something totally different and relating back to the ominous tango could symbolise the devastation that the people, the country and economy would suffer in the coming years. This play makes clever use of legends on the screen. At the back of the stage these words have real meanings, which the audience can relate to the play. The beginning of this scene opens with a legend on screen reading Annunciation this is relating back to the bible when the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she was pregnant. This is like Tom telling Amanda that they will be expecting a gentleman caller, it is something that Amanda has always wanted for her daughter. It manifests the imminence of the gentleman caller. The use of the portrait hanging in the dining room of Tom and Lauras father is a constant reminder of his disappearance. It is also a reminder to Tom of what his aims are, to leave the family, and hopefully never come back. To Amanda the picture is a constant reminder of her failed marriage and almost makes her even more insistent on finding the correct husband for Laura, which Laura does not appreciate at all. She would prefer just to sit at home fussing over her delicate glass menagerie. Their fathers portrait represents the reality of life, there isnt always a happy ending and make Amanda even more worried that Tom will leave in search of bigger and better things. As he always goes to the movies he will have seen how the other half live and want those things for himself and the only way he thinks he will ever get them is if he leaves his mother and sister. The set itself symbolises a lot of different things for instance, the only way into the Wingfields apartment is through the fire escape. Amanda has romantic fantasies and imagines this rusty old fire escape being a Mississippi veranda with a swing chair on it, which is so far from the truth it is ridiculous, which emphasises Amandas resilience to facing the truth in the here and now. For Tom, the fire escape symbolises his desire to leave the apartment and make his way on his own doing what he wants to do and not complying to what his demanding mother wants him to do. He also uses this fire escape every night to escape from the harsh reality of life by going to the movies that seem to be his sanctuary. The symbolism in this memory play exists on many levels not only is it in the dialogue but the visual as in the fire escape, the legends and the music. As Tom is looking back onto his life some aspects are fairly vague but all of the different props and dialogue used help create a more vivid picture of the Wingfield household in the audiences eyes.