Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Human Resource Management - Essay Example Focus The focus of this paper will be on the effect of environmental factors on the HRM systems utilized for employee resourcing and talent management in an organisation in the U.K. Organizations do not work in a vacuum and have to rely on cues from the external environment to decide where the company is headed and the kind of talent it needs to take it there. While the environment can prove favourable at times, it can also drastically and negatively affect company business; consequently, having an understanding on how to deal with these, from an HRM point of view, is very important. Employee Resourcing and Talent Management: Analysis and Significance For the purpose of this essay, the chosen system is the Employee resourcing and talent management system of HR. Identifying new resource and hiring it happens to be the most basic function of any HR manager in any organization, irrespective of size and scale of operations. A more advanced but still extremely crucial level of HRM is the management of that talent and utilizing it in such a way so as to maximize overall output and efficiency. Unemployed talent represents people who are living within the same external environment of the organization and are experiencing similar pressures but are not a component of the internal culture and environment of the company. ... External environmental influences and their impact on HRM systems and service delivery there are many influences that affect HR decision making and strategy. A detailed analysis of the external ones is given below: Political The government has been making deliberate attempts at curtailing the influx of foreighners into the U.K. – whether as workers or as immigrants. Fluendy (2011) comments on the great demand for foreigners in the U.K. for the fields of IT, engineering and accountancy, as well as in nursing and technicians. The government has been openly and sometimes surreptitiously implementing laws that discourage people from hiring workers from outside. The policy on immigration here has not been as it is implemented in other countries, with its aim since the 1960s to limit provision of U.K. citizenship and acclimatizing immigrants already present in the country (Boswell 2008). Despite that, more than 2 million immigrants have come and settled in the U.K. in the past decad e or so. Job creation, unfortunately, has not been able to match this influx. These affect directly the labour market and thus the resourcing needs of HRM. Legal The stock market crash has instigated investigation into the effectiveness of the Financial Services Authority. Of late, insider dealing has been banned in the U.K., says Barnes (2010). Furthermore, discrimination control laws are in place. In late 2010, the Equality Act 2010 was implemented which is aimed at harmonising all existing anti-discrimination legislation (Davies 2010). With the labour market an amalgamation of so many nationals, HR needs to be well cognisant of the law for proper talent

Indonesian Political History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Indonesian Political History - Research Paper Example An armed struggle followed between the Dutch and the largely Japanese-trained Indonesians, which culminated in the Netherlands’ recognition of Indonesian independence in 1949, after much loss of lives on both sides. 2. Japanese interests in Indonesia were closely linked to Japan’s colonial ambitions in Asia. It sought to establish itself as the biggest power in Asia after having achieved many victories, on the economic front and on the warfront. Japan also intended to gain an upper hand in the volatile situation that the Second World War presented. They sought to take over the reins of power in Indonesia from the Dutch. They were widely perceived to have dented the power and pride of the white western man and were thus welcomed in many Asian countries struggling under the yoke of colonialism. One of Japan’s main professed objectives in Indonesia was to end the system of administration that was based heavily on race. The objectives of the Japanese were not very di fferent from the Dutch and this can be inferred from the imperialist measures that they undertook while in power. 3. Japanese policies towards Islam in Indonesia were the opposite of those that were followed by the Dutch. While the Dutch believed in imposing restrictions on the practice of Islam through the use of force, the Japanese administration was able to harness the energy of Islamic institutions so as to provide itself with support during the Second World War. Their choice of a course of action was also influenced by the lack of resources available to pursue any alternative strategy. The War had drained tem of the power to pursue any policy that was based on the use of force. Japanese policies were aimed at enabling Islamic structures to be centres of mobilization for the cause of the War and the nation. 4. While a majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim, the constitution does not grant a pre-eminent position to Islam. Based on the principle of Pancasila, the Indonesi an constitution provides its citizens with the freedom to practice whichever religion they choose. The first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, was fearful of the secessionist impulses that may have arisen had Islam been declared the state religion. While there were uprisings for the cause of the inclusion of Islam as the state religion, they were defeated with the defeat that the first elections in Indonesian handed out to parties that were based on the principle of Islamic nationalism. Later on, Sukarno, the second premier of the nation, showed great inclination to grant Islam a prominent position within the constitution but failed. As a result, the Indonesian constitution does not grant any special status to Islam. 5. The establishment of a secular constitution received a mixed response from the Indonesian public. While there were protests demanding the inclusion of Islam within the constitution as the state religion, they were largely unsuccessful owing to the lack of large number s to support the movement. The period of Sukarno’s reign saw a secular government because of the response that the Indonesian public gave to political parties with Islamic nationalism as its main agenda. These parties were able to get only a small portion of the total votes in the first Indonesian elections, signaling the Indonesian public’s aversion to the rise of Islamic politics. Even though Sukarno, during his tenure, tried to appease Muslim powers, the rise

Designing aquestionnaire Essay Example for Free

Designing aquestionnaire Essay Above is an example of an multi choice radio button question that I got off the internet, I think again this is a quick and easy type of answering as it is quick and easy and would not put people off by thinking they have to spend a lot of time writing, as all they have to do is to tick boxes. Beneath it is an example of a mutli choice way of answering, where all you have to do is choose from a list of wanes by clicking on the drop down and scrolling down and picking the answer. The only disadvantage with this type of answering is that people have to choose an answer from the list and cannot enter an original answer them selves. After looking at my research and all of the different types of layouts for questions on a questionnaire I have decided to try and incorporate some of them into my own, giving my questionnaire a variety of questions. I have decided to design a questionnaire for hairdressers about to open in the area. The main objectives of it are to see whether people think there is need for new hairdressers and whether they would use it. I will develop my questionnaire in draft each time editing and improving them. I am going to look at information about the types of questions in a questionnaire and look at some of the types of answers eg, multi-choice. I will conduct my research by looking on the Internet and looking examples of original questionnaires. Below is a sample of a questionnaire that I found on the Internet. I went onto a collage website and found a questionnaire that is available for students to fill in. it has many different types of questions and different way of answering them. Most of the questions just have answer tick boxes but some had select from list e. t. c The answer boxes are customisable scales, bad good, and 1-5. I think this type of questionnaire is good as it can be completed fairly quickly and is easy to understand.

Developing Students Macro Skills

Developing Students Macro Skills Learning resources and materials are essential components in language instruction since they control learning and teaching processes. For that reason, an English teacher has to possess the ability to be creative and innovative in selecting, adapting and implementing learning resources and materials since the teachers ability in selecting, adapting and implementing learning resources and materials can and do enhance language teaching (Brinton, 2001 in Murcia, 2001). However, based on the writers experience and observation during Praktek Pengalaman Lapangan (PPL), the writer found out that the learning resources and materials used by teachers for their students were just in limited usage; for example, the teacher only used the materials from textbooks and printed materials. Talking about textbook, Allwright (1990) argues that materials should teach students to learn, and that there should be resource books for ideas and activities for instruction/learning. Moreover, they should give teachers rationales for what they do. From Allwrights point of view, textbooks are too hard to be used directly as instructional material. ONeill (1990), in contrast, argues that materials may be suitable for students needs, even if they are not designed specifically for them. In this case, textbooks make it possible for students to review and prepare their lessons. Also, textbooks are efficient in terms of time and money, and that they can and should allow for adaptation and improvisation. Furthermore, Willis (1996) points out that some text book activities are best done at learners own pace; for example, at out of class activities (for homework or to be checked at the next lesson). Indeed, the teacher can get the students to prepare the topic at task related to their homework prior to the task. Therefore, it is widely known that in many cases teachers and students rely heavily on textbooks, and textbooks determine the components and methods of learning, that is, they control the content, methods, and procedures of learning (Kitao, 1997). In other words, students learn what is presented in the textbook, and the way the textbook presents the material tends to determine the way students learn it. Thus, the educational philosophy of a textbook will influence the class and their teaching-learning process. Consequently, in many cases, textbooks are the center of instruction and one of the most important influences on what goes on in the classroom. Therefore, there is no doubt if Harmer, 1991; Van Lier, 1996; Richards, 1998 say that the use of textbooks in many schools and many language program has the function as a curriculum. In relation to teaching-learning resources and materials, the Department of Education in Indonesia has released a guideline for the implementing a decentralization of education at the school level (school-based management). Such management gives a broader authority to schools to run their schools and to work more actively with their communities, but at the same time it also requires more leadership, professionalism, initiatives, innovation, and creativity from principals and teachers (http://www.depdiknas.go.id). In this respect, education policy-makers in Indonesia believe that decentralization at the school level could lead to improvements, such as better school performance, greater school autonomy, better match between the services delivered and the students needs, greater parental and community involvement, and greater participation in decision-making (Depdiknas, 2003). The consequences of decentralization at school level, however, are not hard to determine. Schools, particularly public schools, are now to be responsible for the provision and financing of more training for their teacher development as well as more facilities and resources (http://pakem.org/mbs.html). In line with that, teachers role in developing students English macro skills to fulfill the national educational goals as stated in guidelines and curriculum is very prominent. Therefore, teachers play an important role in catering learning resources and materials for students to enable their success in learning, especially in developing their macro skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Concerning the main task of teachers in providing learning resources and materials mentioned above, theres a need to explore to what extent those learning resources and materials are procured and effectively used to develop the students English macro skills. 1.2 Research Methodology With the intention of getting data on the use of learning resources and materials in senior high school by the English teachers, a case study is selected as the research methodological design. The subjects selected are three teachers from different grades (X, XI, and XII) and their students. In order to get a holistic accurate picture and the meaning of the use of learning resources and materials, interviews, observations, questionnaires and review of documents will be conducted in this research. The use of the data collection methods will ensure the validity of the data through triangulation (Denscombe, 1998; Cresswell, 2008). 1.3 Research Questions The research questions in this study are based on the background of the study. Therefore, the statements of the problems in this study are as follows: a. What learning resources and materials are used by the senior high school teachers to develop the students macro skills? b. What learning activities are conducted in relation with the use of the learning resources and materials in the teaching-learning processes? c. Where do the teachers draw their ideas from to plan their teaching? 1.4 Objectives of the Study The study is aimed at finding out an empirical data on the kinds of learning resources and materials used by senior high school English teacher. It is also intended to explore further to what extent those learning resources and materials are effectively used to develop the students four macro skills. 1.5 Significance of the Study The results of this study provide a thick description on what learning resources and materials as well as how they are used by English teachers at senior high school. The findings can contribute to teachers by providing current information about the use of learning resources and materials for teaching-learning English as a foreign language in senior high school. The findings can also be applied for other English teachers in general to select the teaching-learning resources and materials appropriately that suit students needs. CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter discusses some scholars ideas and opinions regarding the issues of learning resources and materials as well as the teaching and learning of English in high school context in Indonesia 2.1 Learning resources and materials 2.1.1 Issues of Learning resources and materials Many educators enthusiastically embrace the use of learning resources and materials as a tool for language teaching and learning since their functions are to lend the authenticity to the communicative situation in teaching and learning English. Resources and materials are important in language instructions since they can assist teachers in their jobs bringing the outside world into the classroom and also making the language learnings tasks more meaningful and exciting (Brinton in Murcia, 2001). Many scholars ideas emerged in relation to the view of learning resources and materials. This includes Allwrights (1990) argument that materials should teach students to learn and they should be resource books for ideas and activities for instruction/learning. In addition, they should give teachers rationales for what they do. Allwright further emphasizes that materials control learning and teaching. This means that in employing materials for instruction/learning, it is the teachers who underl ie the principle behind the use of materials. Another idea comes from ONeill (1990) who says that materials may be suitable for students needs even if they are not designed specifically for them; therefore, from ONeills point of view, materials help teaching and learning. Further, Woods (1996) defines the resources as factors which increase the number of possibilities or options open to a teacher, while the definition of materials is stated by Brown (1995) as any systematic description of the techniques and exercises to be used in classroom teaching. Browns definition of materials draw broad sense since they can include lesson plans, and can accommodate books, packets of audiovisual aids, games, or other types of activities that occur in the classroom. Renyaan (2002) conclude the broad definition of learning resources and material as follows: Teaching media refers to resources used by the teacher for whole class, group, and individual learning. These include texts, audio-visual resources, and authentic material. Text refers to any written materials ranging from reference books, textbooks, activity sheets to flashcards. Audio-visual resources include films, videos, overhead projectors, audiotapes, pictures, magazines, and newspapers and other texts. Authentic material refers to the resources created by native speakers, both for classroom teaching and in the world outside the classroom. ALL Guidelines (Scarino et al., 1988) categorizes resources into three categories. That is, resources which provide communicative data in the target language, resources and activities which promote communicative use of the target language, and resources for whole class, group, and individual learning. Resources which provide communicative data in the target language are sorted into teacher talk, other classroom talk, recording of talk (audio and video), specially prepared written information, other classroom written information, as well as realia and written texts from outside the classroom. While resources and activities which promote communicative use of the target language are classified into problem solving activities, information/opinion/affective gap activities, personalized activities, games, pictures, activities involving processing information from various sources, literature based activities, drama, writing activities, focus and shaping exercise, and integration of activiti es. Lastly, resources for whole class, group, and individual learning can be textbooks, films, videos, OHP and transparencies, problem solving activities, unfinished plays or stories, songs, films, poems, etc. Smith (1986) argues that learning resources and materials are important parts of task for providing the content and shape the basis of learning activities. Richards (1998) also argues that materials are often seen as a way of influencing the quality of classroom interaction and language use. Reece and Walker as cited by Wheeler (2002) add that learning resources should support the teaching strategies which assist learning. In this respect, the use of learning resources may also provide opportunities for arousing and maintaining students interests. Therefore, the teachers can get the benefit for the improvement of their teaching by using those learning resources. Brinton in Murcia (2001) summarized the rationale for using the materials in language classroom as follows: They can be an important motivator in the language teaching process They can create a contextualized situation They can lend authenticity to the classroom situation They can address the needs of students, whether they are visual or auditory learners They can expose the students to multiple input sources as well as enrich the students language experiences. They can help students call up schemata and maximize background knowledge They can provide teacher a time-efficient of presenting lesson, stimulate students senses and help students to process information readily. The importance of learning resources and materials has been figured by several teaching- learning method. For example, in Silent Way (Larsen-Freeman 1986; Stevick 1998) the use of sound-color charts and rods are for helping the teachers to elicit language and provide the students with tools for creative language construction. CLT, (Larsen-Freeman 1986, Littlewood 1981) also puts an emphasis of the need of real life objects or texts (e.g. maps, pictures, application forms, railroad time tables) in order to lend the authenticity to the communicative situation. 2.1.2 Types of Learning resources and material Some theories have been introduced by the scholars for a wide variety of learning resources and materials. Scarino, Vale, McKay Clark (1988) describe the word resources as any published or unpublished material in any medium for the purpose of language teaching and learning. The definition of resources drawn by them refer to variety of text types which may or may not be intended for teaching learning (films, maps, pictures, etc) along with hardware (audiovisual equipments, computers). Further, Marsh (2000) sorts resources into (1) resources available for use in the classroom/school, which include (a) print materials such as textbooks; reference books; project kits; pamphlets and inexpensive materials; study prints and posters; simulation games; maps, globe, and models; and (b) multimedia such as personal computers, internet and world wide web (www), CD-ROM, television, films, radio, slide tapes and filmstrips, overhead projectors, and PowerPoint projectors and (2) resources available beyond the school which consists of (a) persons including people in specific occupations; people now retired; groups, associations and organizations; and (b) materials and artifacts, such as newspapers, documents and reports, photographs, recordings, and miscellaneous personal items. Curtain and Pesola (1988) categorize the learning resources into five parts, they are: (1) Realia, e.g. balls, magnetic letters, flowers (2) Picture Visual, e.g. brochures, flash cards, pictures files (3) Classroom equipments, e.g. white board, chalk board (4) Audiovisual equipments, e.g. overhead projectors, video cassette recorder, slide projector (5) Text books or printed material. At last, Renyaan (2002) adds that it is evident that resources and materials which can be available in the classroom and beyond the classroom are essential parts of tasks as they provide the content as the basis for learning activities. Another idea comes from Richards and Rodgers (1986) who divide materials into text-based materials, task-based materials and realia. Text-based materials are generally known as textbook in which include not only sound recordings and visual aids, but also student workbooks, unit tests, games, and other activities (Savignon; 1983 in Renyaan; 2002). Task-based materials consist of a variety of games, role-plays, simulations and task-based communication activities (jigsaw, information gap, problem solving, decision making, opinion exchange, debate, question-answer, etc) (Richards and Rodgers, 1986).Realia, according to Richards and Rodgers, 1986; Little et al., 1989; Brinton, 2001 incorporate in authentic materials. For example signs, magazines, advertisements, newspapers, novels, handbooks and manuals, recipes, and telephone directories, as well as graphic and visual sources including maps, pictures, symbols, graphs, and charts. Moreover, radio and television broadcasts, computer progra mmes, and video cameras are also classed as authentic materials. 2.1.3 Textbooks as resources in language instruction Research into the use of textbooks as resources in classrooms language instruction have been done by scholars, such as by Harmer, 1991; Van Lier, 1996; Richards, 1998 who say that textbooks have the function as the curriculum. Their points of views are similar to Ariew (1982) who believe that textbook is an important part of the curriculum, especially for foreign language learning context since foreign language textbooks may represent a set of goals and specific teaching methods. Thus, textbooks for foreign language learning can reflect the assumption and belief on how a foreign language should be learned and taught. The development of teaching foreign language has brought new idea into approaches of textbooks design for the authentic data as well as realia which are integrated in the textbooks for the purpose of bringing the real world into classroom (Nunan, 1999). The important point of textbook is also suggested by Richards (1998) that textbooks can help in developing a teachers teaching skills, especially for inexperienced teachers since textbooks can provide hints on approaches to teaching grammar in the communicative class, strategies to correct errors, or how to teach writing. Despite of those positive effects of the use of textbooks in language classroom, there are negative effects of using textbooks. Swan (1992 cited in Richards, 1998) says that ready-made textbooks can seem to release teachers of their responsibility. The teachers merely peg on the textbooks which they use without participating on what to teach and how to teach the material to the students. Moreover, since the teachers only teach what are on the textbooks, teachers tend to look at the textbooks uncritically (Richards, 1998). While Renyaan (2002) argues that textbooks are resources, which, despite their drawbacks, are an essential part of the curriculum from which the teachers can generate materials by adopting, developing, and adapting them. 2.1.4 Adopting Materials As discussed before, the easiest way for the teachers to generate the materials is simply to adopt a textbook and teach systematically through the prepared materials (Brown; 1995), therefore the teachers get no difficulty since they do not have to spend too much thoughts and efforts in the lesson planning process. Though, it is the fact that not all textbooks can suit the teacher and students needs as Flynn (1982, p.39) says: While every textbook has some valuable drills, exercises, explanations, and readings, none will be suitable to every teachers needs. For the reason above, Brown (1995) points out that adopting material includes the following steps, namely: deciding on the types of materials needed, locating different types of materials, evaluating the materials, and reviewing them on an on-going basis. Deciding on types of materials Brown (1995) indicates that materials can come from various forms, different approaches, and different syllabus; therefore it is the teachers responsibility to make the decision about what specific materials to adopt. Locating materials Brown (1995) discusses the three sources of information that can help in finding existing materials: publishers catalogs, the Books Received section of journals, and teachers shelves. Evaluating materials Evaluating materials is important since it can determine the suitability to a particular program (Renyaan, 2002). Brown (1995) also argues that the best way to determine the relationships among a set of materials and a particular program, is to determine the degree to which the materials fit the curriculum. Browns argument is almost the same as Byrds (2001) that the fit between curriculum and the textbooks can create the fit situation for the teacher. On going review of materials Brown (1995) states that the materials evaluation process must continue when they are being used and after each implementation period. Further, Brown also argues that periodic review of the materials seems advisable and necessary. 2.1.5 Developing Materials Developing the materials need to be done if the tentative needs, objectives, and tests really describe a program and if all materials adoption efforts fail to uncover suitable materials to meet the purposes of the program (Brown, 1995). So, there will be a best match between the materials and curriculum. 2.1.6 Adapting Materials As Flynn (1982) argues that no single textbooks can meet the teachers and the students needs, Brown (1995) further points out that there is no such thing as a perfect textbook. This is likely to be true whether the materials in question were commercially produced or created within a given program. Indeed, as stated by Flynn and Brown, materials adaptation is prominent for the sake of fulfilling the teachers and the students needs. Moreover, Ariew (1982) points out that material adaptation is not something new; in fact, teachers constantly adapt when they teach. Concerning materials adaptation, Ariew (1982) further suggests the three categories of material adaptation: (1) the individualizing of materials; (2) modifying texts for purposes unintended by the author; and (3) compensating for the defects of a textbook. In addition, Ariew states the techniques in order to accomplish any of the three-type adaptation above, namely: supplementing, personalizing, expanding, editing, simplifying, modernizing, and localizing or modifying cultural or situational content. However, not all contents in the textbook are true and should be accepted. Textbooks may not suit a particular class or individual students interests. Therefore, it is the teacher who has the responsibility to choose what is best for their students. Harmer (1991) points out that textbooks are an important aid, but not a sacred text, so teachers will have to work out the best ways to use their books; they should never let the textbook use them, or dictate the decisions they take about the activities in which the students are going to be involved. Further, Byrd as cited in Murcia (2001) adds that in order to create the fit situation for the teacher using textbooks, the following must be addressed: The fit between curriculum and the texts It is generally known that publishers create materials based on published curriculum system. For example, in Indonesia, National Education Board (Depdiknas) arranges for publication of its own textbooks; however, it is acceptable for other publishers to publish the textbooks as long as the materials are appropriate and carry out its particular curriculum goals. The fit between curriculum and the texts is believed to be a reasonable and achievable goal. The fit between students and the texts The main reason underlies this idea is that the textbooks are for students; therefore, it must fit the needs of the students as learners of English. The fit between teachers and the texts As the textbooks are also for teachers, the fit between teachers and the textbooks is important in order to create the fit situation in using textbooks as the teaching learning materials. Byrd suggests the basic questions in relation to it: Can our teachers handle this material? and Will our teachers find that the textbook meets their needs and preferences for teaching materials? 2.2 Teaching Learning English in High School Context in Indonesia 2.2.1 English language education in Indonesia Since it was first taught, there have been problems in the teaching of English as a foreign language. For example the fact that the changing of curriculum and approaches along with the changing of the Minister of Education is not uncommon. The big class sizes and teachers with poor mastery of English are two obvious factors that contribute to the ongoing problems in ELT in Indonesia (Dardjowidjojo, 2000). Other reasons for the problems are: (1) limited time allocated for teaching English; (2) students do not have enough time to actually learn to speak English in class because the teacher is more concerned with teaching the grammar and syntax; (3) the absence of the social uses of English outside the classroom; and (4) the absence of good and authentic learning materials (Musthafa, 2001). Recent curriculum in English language education in Indonesia focuses on the teaching of English at junior and high school levels. The curriculum adopts the so-called communicative competence as its m odel of competence (Depdiknas, 2003). Communicative competence itself can be summarized as skills needed for communication, which consists of four important components. Those components are: grammatical/linguistic competence, socio cultural competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence (Richards Rodgers, 1986; Celce-Murcia, Dornyei Thurrell, 1995; Beale, 2002). In line with the concept of communicative competence, the following factors should therefore be present in an English language classroom: Fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal (Richards Rodgers, 1986). This implies that the teacher him/herself should be a fluent English speaker. Students are expected to interact with other students in order to communicate in the target language (Richards Rodgers, 1986; Freeman, 2000). This implies that the tasks should include pair and group work, and those activities like role plays, language games and problem-solving tasks are encouraged. Students should be given enough opportunities to get to know the authentic language (Freeman, 2000). Therefore, authentic materials are important in an English classroom. The role of the teacher is that of a facilitator in communication (Richards Rodgers, 1986; Freeman, 2000). This implies that the amount of teacher talking time should not be a barrier for students for using the target language (McDonough Shaw, 1993). Non-technical and technical media are important tools for language learning and teaching, particularly for carrying out language tasks (Brinton, 2001). Non-technical media include: blackboards, posters, maps, pictures, or photos. Technical media include: tape recorder, CD/Video/DVD player, or overhead projector. Whether or not English teaching and English teachers in Indonesia have met the ideals as stated above, remain a question. The real fact is that the virtues behind the so-called communicative competence as recommended by Richards and Rodgers (1986), McDonough and Shaw (1993), Freeman (2000), or Brinton (2001), and the principles stated and expected in the recent curriculum document might be implemented differently in the real English classrooms due to many unexpected factors, such as funding, unqualified teachers, and limited resources facilities. 2.2.2 Issues of teaching learning English in High School Context The Indonesian curriculum system has been developed by the National Education Board (Departemen Pendidikan Nasional) for many years in order to keep up with the global changes of the world as well as changes in the learners needs to be ready to face the world in the future. Recently, the Indonesian government through Departemen Pendidikan Nasional has made the improvement in the quality of national curriculum system. The newest one is Peraturan Menteri Pendidikan Nasional (Permendiknas) No. 22/2006. Permendiknas No.22/2006 discusses the Standard of Content (Standar Isi) of Elementary and High School level in Indonesia. Also, Permendiknas No.22/2006 contains Basic Competencies (Kompetensi Dasar) for each field of studies in every unit of elementary and high school level. They are the guidelines for the teachers in order to develop the indicators that must be achieved by the students as well as the materials that will be used in the teaching learning processes. The importance of mastering English for Indonesian students is much more felt due to the globalization in all sectors. One measurement to improve the mastery of English done by the Indonesian government is by implementing the English National Examination with a passing grade of 5.50. In Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP), one of the learning purposes of Bahasa Inggris in Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) is developing students communicative competences in written and spoken English through an integral development of those four macro skills including listening, speaking, reading, and writing (Table 1, Standar Kompetensi Lulusan Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) /Madrasah Aliyah (MA) Table 1 Standar Kompetensi Lulusan Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) / Madrasah Aliyah (MA) Bahasa Inggris SMA/MA 1. Mendengarkan Memahami makna dalam wacana lisan interpersonal dan transaksional, secara formal maupun informal, dalam bentuk recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, news item, report, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, dan review, dalam konteks kehidupan sehari-hari. 2. Berbicara Mengungkapkan makna secara lisan dalam wacana interpersonal dan transaksional, secara formal maupun informal, dalam bentuk recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, news item, report, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, dan review, dalam konteks kehidupan sehari-hari. 3. Membaca Memahami makna dalam wacana tertulis interpersonal dan transaksional, secara formal maupun informal, dalam bentuk recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, news item, report, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, dan review, dalam konteks kehidupan sehari-hari. 4. Menulis Mengungkapkan makna secara tertulis dalam wacana interpersonal dan transaksional, secara formal maupun informal, dalam bentuk recount, narrative, procedure, descriptive, news item, report, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, spoof, explanation, discussion, dan review, dalam konteks kehidupan sehari-hari All those four skills are expected to prepare senior high school students to enter the higher education or work fields, especially those requiring English skills. Due to the objectives of teaching English for senior high school, that is to develop students communicative competences through an integral development of the four macro skills, the learning resources and materials that are used in teaching learning processes have to give students more chances to communicate in English. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter explains about how this research is accomplished. It considers the methodological design, the subjects, and the instruments of the study also data analysis techniques. 3.1 Design of the study This study aims at examining the use of learning resources and materials by English teachers at one senior high school in Jakarta. It is conducted through a collective case study in order to find in depth what learning resources and materials employed by English teachers. In accordance to Burns definition (2000:460) a case study is relevant to study uses how and what questions. This design is also suitable for a small-scale research which is conducted in one place. Bell (1993:8) also suggests that case study is particularly appropriate for an individual researcher as it gives an opportunity for one aspect of a problem to be studied in some depth within limited time scale. The study deals with three English teachers in one senior high school in Jakarta and their students. In order to get more information about the learning resources and materials used in classroom, the writer conduct the interview to the teachers and students, non participants observation, review of the documents, and distribute the classroom survey. 3.2 The Subjects of the Study The subjects chosen are considered as the representatives of senior high school English teaching condition in general because the school offers English to be implemented as part of its National Curriculum and has English teachers with English Education background.

Marriage and Power in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Oth

Marriage and Power in Othello  Ã‚   There is more to Shakespeare’s Othello than just the characters in the play. There is a message of power, and who has it, as well as the ones that want it. Two of the central characters in the play are both married. Their "love" for each other is questionable. The message that Shakespeare is sending is not really about "love", but about the power that one holds in the marriage. Two of the main characters in the play are Othello and Iago. Othello who is married to Desdemona, and Iago who is married to Emilia. Both marriages have some similarities as well as some dissimilarities. First to understand the marriages of these four complex people, it is important to find out who these people really are. From that we can understand their actions. The main character, Othello, is a very interesting character. He is bold is every wear. He is an insecure person. His only experiences are the ones that he has had on the battlefield. He is a General who is a strong willed and is demanding, in his own way. He is socially inexperienced, and you can tell by the marriage that is apparent. The way that Othello treats Desdemona. You almost feel as if he has a kind of control over her. When Othello thought and suspected that Desdemona was having an affair, he confronts her. That is then followed by her death. [scene 5 act 2]Desdemona "O banish me, my lord, but kill me not!Othello: Down, strumpet! Desdemona: Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight. Othello: Nay if you strive- Desdemona: But half an hour! Desdemona: But while I say one prayer!- Othello then proceeds to strangle Desdemona. He was best described as " one that loved not wisely, but too well." It almost seemed as if he had so much love and trusted D... ...Iago and Emilia is as much as a mystery as are the motives of Iago. However it is evident that Emilia loves Iago and tries to make him happy as much as she possibly can. For example when she takes Desdemona’s handkerchief, in attempt to plot with Iago, against Othello. Emilia is a quiet character, however at the end she admits to what she knows, and ultimately it gets her killed. Both marriages portray the role of woman. Both Emilia and Desdemona are under the control of their husbands. They were almost forbidden to speak up. Shakespeare is trying to show that that notion of "love", is not all that it is intended to be. Up until the end of her life, Desdemona defended her husband [act 4 scene 2] "I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.""O, heaven forgive us!". It seems as in all of Shakespeare plays, love always end in a tragedy. This proves to be true in Othello. Marriage and Power in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Oth Marriage and Power in Othello  Ã‚   There is more to Shakespeare’s Othello than just the characters in the play. There is a message of power, and who has it, as well as the ones that want it. Two of the central characters in the play are both married. Their "love" for each other is questionable. The message that Shakespeare is sending is not really about "love", but about the power that one holds in the marriage. Two of the main characters in the play are Othello and Iago. Othello who is married to Desdemona, and Iago who is married to Emilia. Both marriages have some similarities as well as some dissimilarities. First to understand the marriages of these four complex people, it is important to find out who these people really are. From that we can understand their actions. The main character, Othello, is a very interesting character. He is bold is every wear. He is an insecure person. His only experiences are the ones that he has had on the battlefield. He is a General who is a strong willed and is demanding, in his own way. He is socially inexperienced, and you can tell by the marriage that is apparent. The way that Othello treats Desdemona. You almost feel as if he has a kind of control over her. When Othello thought and suspected that Desdemona was having an affair, he confronts her. That is then followed by her death. [scene 5 act 2]Desdemona "O banish me, my lord, but kill me not!Othello: Down, strumpet! Desdemona: Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight. Othello: Nay if you strive- Desdemona: But half an hour! Desdemona: But while I say one prayer!- Othello then proceeds to strangle Desdemona. He was best described as " one that loved not wisely, but too well." It almost seemed as if he had so much love and trusted D... ...Iago and Emilia is as much as a mystery as are the motives of Iago. However it is evident that Emilia loves Iago and tries to make him happy as much as she possibly can. For example when she takes Desdemona’s handkerchief, in attempt to plot with Iago, against Othello. Emilia is a quiet character, however at the end she admits to what she knows, and ultimately it gets her killed. Both marriages portray the role of woman. Both Emilia and Desdemona are under the control of their husbands. They were almost forbidden to speak up. Shakespeare is trying to show that that notion of "love", is not all that it is intended to be. Up until the end of her life, Desdemona defended her husband [act 4 scene 2] "I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.""O, heaven forgive us!". It seems as in all of Shakespeare plays, love always end in a tragedy. This proves to be true in Othello.

the wasteland Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout his presentation of London and its citizens, Eliot creates a tremendous and oppressive sense of inertia and stagnation. He evokes brilliantly both the literal wasteland which World War One left and also the profound spiritual dissatisfaction which many at that time felt, as well as the need for a rebirth or resurrection. The first words of this section; ‘Unreal City’ convey perfectly the sense of awe and even dread with which Eliot views London life. There is something incredibly intense and surreal about this opening, which leads fittingly on to images of hell, war and dissatisfaction. It is clear that Eliot thought much of life was going nowhere, with people, like water, moving but never reaching a true destination or conclusion: ‘A crowd flowed over London Bridge’ and he links this image in a dream-like way to Dante’s reaction to the dead in limbo: ‘So many, It had not thought death had undone so many’ That the people Eliot is describing are actually not dead, makes this all the more haunting, as though London life is actually a living death. In fact, because Dante was talking of those who even in life had never really experienced anything, Eliot also conveys a chilling sense of dissatisfaction and isolation, with no-one ever really connecting to those around them: ’Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled, And each man fixed his eyes before his feet.’ Into this bleak vision of loneliness, the brief excitement of recognising a face in the crowd ‘There I ...

How To Get Better At Basketball :: essays research papers

Hey all you amateur basketball players out there. Read this to find out how to improve your game! Tip 1: To be a great basketball player, you first must know your strengths and weaknesses. Big tall people don't need to shoot threes and short people shouldn't be in the middle struggling to get rebounds. Very physically able players should use that to there advantage to jump higher, run faster, and play better than their opponents. Not very strong or fast players should use fakes and their brains to score points. Tip 2: Team mates hate ball hogs, especially ball hogs who don't have any skills. Team mates respect passers who can penetrate and pass. Tip 3: If you're on a fast break and there aren't any defenders, then you don't need the whole team running down the floor, duh. Some people should stay back on defense. Move 1: The Drop Step This is a move to help you get to the basket. While your powering off the dribble and about to take a lay-up, instead of the two steps, you can land of your two feet at the same time, pump fake, and then get in the air again and shoot the ball. This helps your self from tripping over legs because you can easily jump over them. Move 2: The Jumper While your putting the moves on the defender but you're not getting anywhere, bounce the ball "behind" your back, not "around" your back (there is a difference), then jump backwards, catch the ball in your hands and shoot it. This move shakes off your defender for enough time to give you space for a good shot. Move 3: The Spinning Crossover Start with dribbling the ball with either hand, then cross over to the other hand but while its still in the other hand, spin around that way to bring it back to your right. For example, let's say you start with your right hand, once you take the ball to your left hand the defender might move to the left thinking you will go that way. Instead the bring the ball back around to the right again giving you enough space to burn past your defender and "take him to school.

Mineral Particles Derived From Rocks Environmental Sciences Essay

Chapter 2LITERATURE REVIEW2.1. IntroductionDirts are composed of five chief constituents ( Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000 ) : mineral atoms derived from stones by enduring ; organic stuffs – humus from dead and disintegrating works stuff ; dirt H2O – in which alimentary elements are dissolved ; dirt air – both C dioxide and O ; and populating beings including bacteriums that help works decomposition. Soils differ in their birthrate degrees, because they have different proportions of these constituents and because the mineral atoms have been affected to different grades by enduring. Age of dirt minerals, predominating temperatures, rainfall, leaching and dirty physico-chemistry are the chief factors which determine how much a peculiar dirt will endure ( Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000 ) . Soil therefore, is of import to everyone either straight or indirectly. It is the natural organic structures on which agricultural merchandises grow and it has delicate ecosystem ( Sinha and Shrivastava, 2000 ) . South Africa ranks among the states with the highest rate of income inequality in the universe ( Aliber, 2009 ) . Compared to other in-between income states, it has highly high degrees of absolute poorness and nutrient insecurity menace ( FAO, 2009 ) . As portion of this, a possible subscriber to nutrient security might be small-scale agricultural production. Aliber ( 2009 ) indicated that input support aiming smallholder husbandmans could hike production and nutrient security. Use of uncultivated cultivable lands and subsistence agribusiness might be one option to lend to incomes and/or nest eggs, every bit good as to promote nutrient variegation ( Altman et al. , 2009 ) . Land with high agricultural suitableness is considered to hold greater long-run security with respects to both agricultural production and development. From a planning position, high agricultural flexibleness is hence considered an appropriate step of high quality agricultural land that is extremely productive and fertile. Merely a little proportion of universe ‘s dirts have a really good degree of birthrate, most of which have merely good to medium birthrate and some have really low birthrate, and are frequently referred to as fringy dirts ( Ashman and Puri, 2002 ) . Well-known fertile dirts are deep alluvial dirts formed from river clay, organic matter- rich dirts on loess stuff, alimentary rich Vertisols and volcanic dirts ( Brady and Weil, 2004 ) . Under hapless direction, dirt birthrate can be earnestly depleted and dirts may go useless for agribusiness. 2.2. SOIL PHYSICO-CHEMISTRY Soil is a natural medium on which agricultural merchandises grow and it is dependent on several factors such as birthrate to be considered productive ( Shah et al. , 2011 ) . The birthrate of the dirt is depended on concentration of dirt foods, organic and inorganic stuffs and H2O. These soil physico-chemical belongingss are classified as being physical, chemical and biological, which greatly influence dirt birthrate ( Ramaru et al. , 2000 ) . To pull off dirt birthrate, cognition and apprehension of these belongingss is required ( as discussed below ) .2.2.1. Physical dirt belongingss( I ) Dirt textureSoil texture refers to the comparative proportions of the assorted size groups of single atoms or grains in a dirt ( Rowell, 1994 ) . It is dependent on the mixture of the different atom sizes present in the dirt. Based on these different sizes, dirt atoms are classified as sand ( 0.05- 2mm ) , silt ( 0.002-0,5mm ) and clay ( & lt ; 0,002mm ) ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Soil texture is arguably the individual most of import physical belongings of the dirt in footings of dirt birthrate, because it influences several other dirt belongingss including denseness, porousness, H2O and alimentary keeping, rate of organic affair decomposition, infiltration and cation exchange capacity ( Moberg et al. , 1999 ) . Clay particles keep larger measures of H2O and foods, because of their big surface countries ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . This belongings causes the puffiness and shrinkage of clay dirts, but merely those with smectitic group of clay minerals. The big surface country of clay atoms gives foods legion adhering sites particularly when the surface charge denseness is high, which is portion of the ground that mulct textured dirts have such high abilities to retain foods ( Velde, 1995 ) . The pores between clay atoms are really little and complex, so motion of both air and H2O is really slow ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Clay atoms are negatively charged because of their mineralogical composing. Dirts with such atoms normally have high CEC and can retain H2O and works foods ; therefore such dirts are considered to be fertile and good for works growing ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . The cognition of the proportions of different-sized atoms in dirts is critical to understand dirt behaviour and their direction. Since sand atoms are comparatively big, so are the nothingnesss between them, which promote free drainage of H2O and entry of air into the dirt ( Brady and Weil, 2002 ) . The deduction of free drainage in flaxen dirt is that dirt foods are easy washed down into the dirt and go unaccessible for usage by workss ( Brady and Weil, 2002 ) . Sandy dirts are considered non-cohesive and because of their big size, have low specific surface countries and therefore have low alimentary keeping capacity ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Sand atoms can keep small H2O due to low specific surface country and are prone to drought, hence have a really low CEC and birthrate position ( Petersen et al. , 1996 ) . The pores between silt atoms are much smaller than those in sand, so silt retains more H2O and foods ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Soils dominated by silt atoms hence have a higher birthrate position than sandy dirts and provides favourable conditions for works growing when other growing factors are favourable ( Miller and Donahue, 1992 ) .( two ) Dirt constructionThe term dirt construction refers to the agreement of dirt atoms into sums ( Six et al. , 2000 ) . Dirt construction is affected by biological activities, organic affair, and cultivation patterns ( Rowell, 1994 ) . It influences soil H2O motion and keeping, eroding, alimentary recycling, sealing and crusting of the dirt surface, together with aeration and dirt ‘s structural stableness, root incursion and harvest output ( Lupwayi et al. , 2001 ) . Dirt construction can be platy, prismatic, farinaceous, crumbly, columnar and blocky ( RCEP, 1996 ) . An ideal dirt construction for works growing is frequently described as farinaceous or crumb-like, because it provides good motion for air and H2O through a assortment of different pore sizes and it besides affects root incursion ( RCEP, 1996 ) . An ideal dirt construction is besides stable and immune to eroding ( Duiker et al. , 2003 ) . Organic affair and humification procedures improve structural stableness, and can reconstruct debauched dirt constructions ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Therefore it is critical to return or add organic stuff to the dirt and to keep its biological activity in order to heighten dirt construction for works growing. Favorable dirt construction and high sum stableness are hence critical to bettering dirt birthrate, increasing agronomic productiveness, heightening porousness and diminishing erodibility.( three ) Water keeping capacityWater keeping capacity refers to the measure of H2O that the dirt is capable of hive awaying for usage by workss ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Soil H2O is held in, and flows through pore infinites in dirts. Soil H2O can be described into the undermentioned phases: gravitational, capillary, and hygroscopic, based upon the energy with which H2O is held by the dirt solids, which in bend governs their behaviour and handiness to workss ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Water keeping capacity is an of import factor in the pick of workss or harvests to be grown and in the design and direction of irrigation systems ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . The entire sum of H2O available to workss turning in field dirts is a map of the rooting deepness of the works and amount of the H2O held between field capacity and wilting per centum in each of the skylines explored by the roots ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Field capacity is the sum of dirt wet or H2O content held in dirt after extra H2O has drained off and the rate of downward motion has materially decreased, which normally takes topographic point within 2-3 yearss after a rain or irrigation in pervious dirts of unvarying construction and texture ( Govers, 2002 ) . The ability of the dirt to supply H2O for workss is an of import birthrate characteristic ( RCEP, 1996 ) . The capacity for H2O storage varies, depending on dirt belongingss such as organic affair, dirt texture, bulk denseness, and dirt construction ( RCEP, 1996 ) . This is explained by the grade of dirt compression, where jobs will originate if inordinate compression occurs which would consequences in increased majority denseness, a lessening in porousness and aeration and hapless H2O drainage ( Gregory et al. , 2006 ) , all ensuing in hapless works growing.( four ) Electrical Conductivity ( EC )Soil electrical conduction ( EC ) , is the ability of dirt to carry on electrical current ( Doerge, 1999 ) . EC is expressed in milliSiemens per metre ( mS/m ) or centimeter ( cm/m ) . Traditionally, dirt scientists used EC to gauge dirt salt ( Doerge, 1999 ) . EC measurings besides have the potency for gauging fluctuation in some of the dirt physical belongingss such as dirt wet and porousn ess, in a field where dirt salt is non a job ( Farahani and Buchleiter, 2004 ) . Soil salt refers to the presence of major dissolved inorganic solutes in the dirt aqueous stage, which consist of soluble and readily dissoluble salts including charged species ( e.g. , Na+ , K+ , Mg+2, Ca+2, Cla?’ , HCO3a?’ , NO3a?’ , SO4a?’2 and CO3a?’2 ) , non-ionic solutes, and ions that combine to organize ion braces ( Smith and Doran, 1996 ) . Salt tolerances are normally given in footings of the phase of works growing over a scope of electrical conduction ( EC ) degrees. EC greater than 4dS/m are considered saline ( Munshower, 1994 ) . Salt sensitive workss may be affected by conductions below 4dS/m and salt tolerant species may non be impacted by concentrations of up to twice this maximal agricultural tolerance bound ( Munshower, 1994 ) . Electrical conduction is the ability of a solution to convey an electrical current. The conductivity of electricity in dirt takes topographic point through the moisture-filled pores that occur between single dirt atoms. Therefore, the EC of dirt is determined by the undermentioned dirt belongingss ( Doerge, 1999 ) : . Porosity, where the greater dirt porousness, the more easy electricity is conducted. Soil with high clay content has higher porousness than sandier dirt. Compaction usually increases dirt EC. . Water content, dry dirt is much lower in conduction than damp dirt. . Salinity degree, increasing concentration of electrolytes ( salts ) in dirt H2O will dramatically increase dirt EC. . Cation exchange capacity ( CEC ) , mineral dirt incorporating high degrees of organic affair ( humus ) and/or 2:1 clay minerals such as montmorillonite, illite, or vermiculite hold a much higher ability to retain positively charged ions ( such as Ca, Mg, K, Na, NH4, or H ) than dirt missing these components. The presence of these ions in the moisture-filled dirt pores will heighten dirt EC in the same manner that salt does. . Temperature, as temperature decreases toward the stop deading point of H2O, dirt EC decreases somewhat. Below freeze, dirt pores become progressively insulated from each other and overall dirt EC declines quickly. Plants are harmfully affected, both physically and chemically, by extra salts in some dirts and by high degrees of exchangeable Na in others. Dirty with an accretion of exchangeable Na are frequently characterized by hapless tilth and low permeableness and hence low dirt birthrate position, doing them unfavourable for works growing ( Munshower, 1994 ) .( V ) Bulk Density ( BD )Soil majority denseness is defined as the mass of dry dirt ( g ) per unit volume ( cm3 ) and is routinely used as a step of dirt compression ( Gregory et al. , 2006 ) . The entire volume includes atom volume, inter-particle nothingness volume and internal pore volume ( Gregory et al. , 2006 ) . Bulk denseness takes into history solid infinite every bit good as pore infinite ( Greenland, 1998 ) . Therefore soils that are porous or well-aggregated ( e.g. clay dirt ) will hold lower majority densenesss than dirts that are non aggregated ( sand ) ( Greenland, 1998 ) . Plant roots can non perforate compacted dirt every bit freely as they would in non-compacted dirt, which limits their entree to H2O and foods present in sub-soil and inhibits their growing ( Hagan et al. , 2010 ) . Compacted dirt requires more frequent applications of irrigation and fertiliser to prolong works growing, which can increase overflow and food degrees in overflow ( Gregory et al. , 2006 ) . The majority denseness of dirt depends greatly on the dirt ‘s mineral make up and the grade of compression. High bulk denseness normally indicate a poorer environment for root growing, reduced aeration and unwanted alterations in hydrologic map, such as decreased infiltration ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . The presence of dirt organic affair, which is well lighter than mineral dirt, can assist diminish bulk denseness and thereby heightening dirt birthrate ( Hagan et al. , 2010 ) .2.2.2. Soil Chemical belongingssSoil chemical belongingss which include the concentrations of foods, cations, anions, ion exchange reactions and oxidation-reduction belongingss, but for the intent of this survey focal point will be based on belongingss that have an deduction on dirt birthrate including:( I ) Soil pHSoil pH is an of import dirt belongings that affects several dirt reactions and procedures and is defined as a step of the sourness or alkalinity of the dirt ( Bohn, 2001 ) . It has considerable consequence on dirt procedures including ion exchange reactions and alimentary handiness ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Soil pH is measured on a graduated table of 0 to 14, where a pH of 7.0 is considered impersonal, readings higher than 7.0 are alkalic, and readings lower than 7.0 are considered acidic ( McGuiness, 1993 ) . Most workss are tolerant of a pH scope of 5.5-6.5 which is near impersonal pH scope ( Bohn, 2001 ) . Soil pH is one of the most of import features of dirt birthrate, because it has a direct impact on alimentary handiness and works growing. Most foods are more soluble in acid dirts than in impersonal or somewhat alkalic dirts ( Bohn, 2001 ) . In strongly acidic soils the handiness of macronutrients ( Ca, Mg, K, P, N and S ) every bit good as Mo and B is reduced. In contrast, handiness of micronutrient cations ( Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu and Al ) is increased by low dirt pH, even to the extent of toxicity of higher workss and micro-organisms ( Bohn, 2001 ) . The pH of a dirt is besides reported to impact so many other dirt belongingss ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) , including alimentary handiness, effects on dirt beings, Fungis thrive in acidic dirts, CEC and works penchants of either acidic or alkalic dirts. Most workss prefer alkaline dirts, but there are a few which need acidic dirts and will decease if placed in an alkaline environment ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) .( two ) Cation Exchange Capacity ( CEC )Cation exchange capacity is defined as the amount of the sum of the exchangeable cations that a dirt can keep or adsorb ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . A cation is a positively charged ion and most foods cations are: Ca2+ , Mg2+ , K + , NH4+ , Zn2+ , Cu2+ , and Mn2+ . These cations are in the dirt solution and are in dynamic equilibrium with the cations adsorbed on the surface of clay and organic affair ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Clay and organic affair are the chief beginnings of CEC ( Peinemann et al. , 2002 ) . The more clay and organic affair ( humus ) a dirt contains, the higher its CEC and the greater the possible birthrate of that dirt. CEC varies harmonizing to the type of clay. It is highest in montmorillonite clay, lowest in to a great extent weathered kaolinite clay and somewhat higher in the lupus erythematosus weathered illite clay ( Peinemann et al. , 2002 ) . Sand atoms have no capacity to interchange cations because it has no electrical charge ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . CEC is used as a step of dirt alimentary keeping capacity, and the capacity to protect groundwater from cation taint ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . It buffers fluctuations in alimentary handiness and dirt pH ( Bergaya and Vayer, 1997 ) . Plants obtain many of their foods from dirt by an electrochemical procedure called cation exchange. This procedure is the key to understanding dirt birthrate ( Rowell, 1994 ) . Foods that are held by charges on a dirt are termed ‘exchangeable ‘ as they become readily available to workss ( Rowell, 1994 ) .The higher the CEC of a dirt, the more foods it is likely to keep and the higher will be its birthrate degree ( Fullen and Catt, 2004 ) .Factors impacting cation exchange capacityThe factors impacting cation exchange capacity include the undermentioned ( Brady and Weil 1999 ) , dirt texture, dirt humus content, nature of clay and dirt reaction. Soil texture influences the CEC of dirts in a manner that it increases when dirt ‘s per centum of clay additions i.e. the finer the dirt texture, the higher the CEC as indicated in Table 2. CEC depends on the nature of clay minerals present, since each mineral has its ain capacity to exchange and keep cations e.g. the CEC of a dirt dominated by vermiculite is much higher than the CEC of another dirt dominated by kaolinite, as vermiculite is high activity clay unlike kaolinte which is low activity clay. When the pH of dirt additions, more H+ ions dissociate from the clay minerals particularly kaolinite, therefore the CEC of dirt dominated by kaolinite besides increases. CEC varies harmonizing to the type of dirt. Humus, the terminal merchandise of decomposed organic affair, has the highest CEC value because organic affair colloids have big measures of negative charges. Humus has a CEC two to five times greater than montmorillonite clay and up to 30 times greater than kaolinite c lay, so is really of import in bettering dirt birthrate. Table 2.1: CEC values for different dirt textures ( Brady and Weil, 1999 )Dirt textureCEC scope ( meq/100g dirt )Sand 2-4 Sandy loam 2-12 Loam 7-16 Silt loam 9-26 Clay, clay loam 4-60( three ) Organic MatterThe importance of dirt organic affair in relation to dirty birthrate and physical status is widely recognized in agribusiness. However, organic affair contributes to the birthrate or productiveness of the dirt through its positive effects on the physical, chemical and biological belongingss of the dirt ( Rowell, 1994 ) , as follows: physical – stabilizes dirt construction, improves H2O keeping features, lowers bulk denseness, dark colour may change thermic belongingss ; chemical – higher CEC, acts as a pH buffer, ties up metals, interacts with biological – supplies energy and body-building components for dirt beings, increases microbic populations and their activities, beginning and sink for foods, ecosystem resiliency, affects dirt enzymes. Soil organic affair consists of a broad scope of organic substances, including populating beings, carboneous remains of beings which one time occupied the dirt, and organic compounds produced by current and past metamorphosis of the dirt ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Soil organic affair plays a critical function in dirt procedures and is a cardinal component of incorporate dirt birthrate direction ( ISFM ) ( Brady and Weil, 2004 ) . Organic affair is widely considered to be the individual most of import index of dirt birthrate and productiveness ( Rowell, 1994 ) . It consists chiefly of decayed or disintegrating works and animate being residues and is a really of import dirt constituent. Benefits of Organic affair in dirt harmonizing to Ashman and Puri, ( 2002 ) include: increasing the dirt ‘s cation exchange capacity and moving as nutrient for dirt beings from bacteriums to worms and is an of import constituent in the food and C rhythms. Organic affair, like clay, has a high surface country and is negatively charged with a high CEC, doing it an first-class provider of foods to workss. In add-on, as organic affair decomposes, it releases foods such as N, P and S that are bound in the organic affair ‘s construction, basically copying a slow release fertiliser ( Myers, 1995 ) . Organic affair can besides keep big sums of H2O, which helps foods move from dirt to works roots ( Mikkuta, 2004 ) . An of import feature of organic affair in dirt birthrate is C: N ratio. The C: N ratio in organic affair of cultivable surface skylines normally ranges from 8:1 to 15:1, the average being near 12:1 ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . The C: N ratio in organic residues applied to dirts is of import for two grounds: intense competition among the microorganisms for available dirt N which occurs when residues holding a high Degree centigrade: N ratio are added to dirts and it besides helps find their rate of decay and the rate at which N is made available to workss ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) .( four ) Plant FoodsPlants require 13 works foods ( Table 2.2 ) ( micro and macro foods ) for their growing. Each is every bit of import to the works, yet each is required in immensely different sums ( Ronen, 2007 ) . Essential elements are chemical elements that workss need in order to finish their normal life rhythm ( Scoones and Toulhim, 1998 ) . The maps of these elements in the works can non be fulfilled by another, therefore doing each component necessity for works growing and development ( Scoones and Toulhim, 1998 ) . Essential foods are divided into macro and micronutrients as illustrated in Table 3. Macronutrients are those that are required in comparatively high measures for works growing and can be distinguish into two bomber groups, primary and secondary 1s, ( Uchida and Silva, 2000 ) . The primary macro-elements are most often required for works growing and besides needed in the greatest entire measure by workss. For most harvests, secondary macro foods are needed in lesser sums than the primary foods. The 2nd group of works foods which are micronutrients are needed merely in hint sums ( Scoones and Toulhim, 1998 ) . These micronutrients are required in really little sums, but they are merely every bit of import to works development and profitable harvest production as the major foods ( Ronen, 2007 ) . Categorization Component Function in works growing Beginning Lack symptoms and toxicities Macro foods – Primary Nitrogen ( N ) Chlorophyll and Protein formation Air/Soil, applied fertilizers Slow growing, stunted workss, greensickness, low protein content Phosphorus ( P ) Photosynthesis, Stimulates early growing and root formation, hastens adulthood Dirt and applied fertilizers Slow growing, delayed harvest adulthood, purple green colour of foliages Potassium ( K ) Photosynthesis and nzyme activity, amylum and sugar formation, root growing Dirt and applied fertilizers Slow growing, Reduced disease or plague opposition, development of white and xanthous musca volitanss on foliages Macro foods – secondary Calcium ( Ca ) Cell growing and constituent of cell wall Dirt Weakened roots, decease of workss ‘ turning points, unnatural dark green visual aspect on leaf Magnesium ( Mg ) Enzyme activation, photosynthesis and influence Nitrogen metamorphosis Dirt Interveinal greensickness in older foliages, curling of foliages, stunted growing, Sulfur ( S ) Amino acids, proteins and nodule formation Dirt and carnal manure Interveinal greensickness on maize foliages, retarded growing, delayed adulthood and visible radiation viridities to yellowish colour in immature foliages Micronutrients – necessity Iron ( Fe ) Photosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, component of assorted enzymes and proteins Dirt Interveinal greensickness, yellowing of foliages between venas, twig dieback, decease of full hitch or workss Manganese ( Mn ) Enzyme activation, metamorphosis of N and organic acids, formation of vitamins and dislocation of saccharides Dirt Interveinal greensickness of immature foliages, step of picket green colour with darker colour next to venas Zinc ( Zn ) Enzymes and auxins constituent, protein synthesis, used in formation of growing endocrines Dirt Mottled foliages, dieback branchlets, lessening in root length Copper ( Cu ) Enzyme activation, accelerator for respiration Dirt Scrawny growing, hapless pigmentation, wilting of foliages Boron ( B ) Reproduction Dirt Thickened, curled, wilted and greensick foliages ; reduced blossoming Molybdenum ( Mo ) Nitrogen arrested development ; nitrate decrease and works growing Dirt Stunting and deficiency of energy ( induced by nitrogen lack ) , searing, cupping or turn overing of foliages Chlorine ( Cl ) Root growing, photosynthetic reactions Dirt Wilting followed by greensickness, inordinate ramification of sidelong roots, bronzing of foliages Extra foods Carbon ( C ) Component of saccharides and photosynthesis Air/ Organic affair Hydrogen ( H ) Maintains osmotic balance and component of saccharides Water/Organic affair Oxygen ( O ) Component of saccharides and necessary for respiration Air/Water/ Organic affair Table 2.2: Essential works elements, their beginnings and function in workss ( Ronen,2007 ) Lack of any of these indispensable foods will retard works development ( Brady and Weil, 2004 ) . Deficiencies and toxicities of foods in dirt present unfavourable conditions for works growing, such as: hapless growing, yellowing of the foliages and perchance the decease of the works as illustrated in Table 3 ( Ahmed et al. , 1997 ) . Therefore proper alimentary direction is required to accomplish upper limit works growing, maximal economic and growing response by the harvest, and besides for minimal environmental impact. In add-on to the foods listed supra, workss require C, H, and O, which are extracted from air and H2O to do up the majority of works weight ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Achieving balance between the alimentary demands of workss and the alimentary militias in dirts is indispensable for keeping dirt birthrate and high outputs, forestalling environmental taint and debasement, and prolonging agricultural production over the long term.2.2.3. Soil Biological belongingss( I ) Soil beingsSoil beings include largely microscopic populating beings such as bacteriums and Fungis which are the foundation of a healthy dirt because they are the primary decomposer of organic affair ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Soil beings are grouped into two viz. soil micro-organisms and dirt macro beings ( Table 2.3 ) . Table 2.3: Dirt Macro and micro-organisms and their function in works and dirt ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) Categorization Organisms Function in works and/or dirt Beginning Microorganisms Bacterias Decomposition of organic affair Soil surface and humus atoms Actinomycetes Beginning of protein and enhance dirt birthrate Surface beds of grass lands Fungus kingdoms Fix atmospheric N and enhance dirt birthrate Soil ( without organic affair ) Alga Add organic affair to dirty, better aeration of swamp dirts, and repair atmospheric N Moist dirts Macro-organisms Nematodes They can be applied to harvests in big measures as a biological insect powder Dirt and works roots Earthworms Enhance dirt birthrate and structural stableness Aerated dirts Ants and white ants Soil development Dominant in tropical dirts Dirt can incorporate 1000000s of beings that feed off disintegrating stuff such as old works stuff, mulch & A ; unrefined compost ( Ashman and Puri, 2002 ) , Microorganisms constitute & lt ; 0.5 % of the dirt mass yet they have a major impact on dirt belongingss and procedures. 60-80 % of the entire dirt metamorphosis is due to the microflora ( Alam, 2001 ) . Micro-organisms, including Fungis and bacteriums, affect chemical exchanges between roots and dirt and act as modesty of dirt foods ( Kiem and Kandeler, 1997 ) . Soil organic affair is the chief nutrient and energy beginning of dirt micro-organisms ( Ashman and Puri, 2002 ) . Through decomposition of organic affair, micro-organisms take up their nutrient elements. Organic affair besides serves as a beginning of energy for both macro and micro beings and helps in executing assorted good maps in dirt, ensuing in extremely productive dirt ( Mikutta et al. , 2004 ) . Macro-organisms such as insects, other arthropods, angleworms and roundworms live in the dirt and have an of import influence on dirt birthrate ( Amezketa, 1999 ) . They ingest soil stuff and relocate works stuff and signifier tunnels. The effects of these activities are variable. Macro-organisms improve aeration, porousness, infiltration, aggregative stableness, litter commixture, improved N and C stabilisation, C turnover and carbonate decrease and N mineralization, alimentary handiness and metal mobility ( Amezketa, 1999 ; Winsome and McColl, 1998 and Brown et al. , 2000 ) . The assorted groups of dirt beings do non populate independently of each other, but form an interlocked system more or less in equilibrium with the environment ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Their activity in dirt depend on wet content, temperature, dirt enzymes, disintegration of dirt minerals and dislocation of toxic chemicals. All have a enormous function in the development of dirt birthrate ( Alam, 2001 ) . Their actions involve the formation of structural systems of the dirts which help in the addition of agricultural productiveness ( Alam, 2001 ) .2.3. SOIL CLAY MINERALOGYThe clay fraction of dirt is dominated by clay minerals which control of import dirt chemical belongingss including sorption features of dirts ( Dixon and Schulze, 2002 ) . Minerals are of course happening inorganic compounds, with defined chemical and physical belongingss ( Velde, 1995 ) . Minerals that are formed in the deepnesss of a vent are called primary minerals ( Pal et al. , 2000 ) . Feldspar, biotite, vi treous silica and hornblende are illustrations of primary minerals. These minerals and the stones made from them are frequently non stable when exposed to the weathering agents at the surface of the Earth ( Dixon and Schulze, 2002 ) . These stones are broken down ( weathered ) continuously into little pieces by exposure to physical and chemical weathering procedures ( Dixon and Schulze, 2002 ) . Some of the elements that are released during weathering, reform and crystallise in a different construction organizing secondary minerals ( Melo et al. , 2002 ) . Secondary minerals tend to be much smaller in atom size than primary minerals, and are most normally found in the clay fraction of dirts ( Guggenheim and Martin, 1995 ) . Soil clay fractions frequently contain a broad scope of secondary minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite and aluminium hydrated oxides, whereas the sand or silt atoms of dirts are dominated by comparatively inert primary minerals. The clay fraction is normally dominated by secondary minerals which are more chemically active and lend the most to dirty birthrate ( Melo et al. , 2002 ) . Two major secondary mineral groups, clay minerals and hydrated oxides, tend to rule. These groups can look in assorted mixtures frequently in association with dirt organic affair ( Brady and Weil, 2004 ) . Clay minerals are hydrated aluminum phyllosilicates, sometimes with variable sums of Fe, Mg, alkali metals, alkalic Earth metals and other cations, ( Joussein et al. , 2005 ) . They are derived from enduring of stones and are really common in all right grained sedimentary stones such as shale, mudstone and siltstone and in all right grained metamorphous slate and phyllite ( Van der Merwe et al. , 2002 ) . There are besides non-clay minerals such as vitreous silica and calcite which are derived from enduring of pyrogenic stones, ( Van der Merwe et al. , 2002 ) . Clay minerals are indispensable stages in dirt chemical science and play highly of import functions in ion exchange reactions ( Brigatti et al. , 1996 ; Barrow, 1999 ) . Soils which are texturally and chemically similar may differ in productiveness or birthrate due to the presence or absence of little sums of peculiar clay minerals ( Van der Merwe et al. , 2002 ) . For illustration, smectite clays are various and strong cationic money changers and their presence can greatly act upon the mobility of potentially toxic elements. Vermiculite has been widely used in the survey of short- to medium-term fluctuations ( seasonal and one-year ) in dirt procedures ( Monterroso and Macias, 1998 ) . Soil clay mineralogy plays a critical function in dirt birthrate since mineral surfaces serve as possible sites for alimentary storage ( Tucker, 1999 ) . However, different types of dirt minerals hold and retain differing sums of foods ( Velde, 1995 ) . Therefore, it is critical to cognize the types of minerals that make up a dirt so as to foretell the grade to which the dirt can retain and provide foods to workss. Knowledge of the clay mineralogical composing and the different clay minerals present in dirt is of import in understanding usage, and direction of the dirt, and in finding the agricultural potencies of dirts.2.3.1. Happening of clay and clay mineralsClaies and clay minerals occur under a reasonably limited scope of geologic conditions ( Velde et al. , 2003 ) . The environments of formation include dirt skylines, Continental and marine deposits, geothermic Fieldss, volcanic sedimentations, and enduring stone formations ( Joussein et al. , 2005 ) . Most clay minerals form where stones are in contact with H2O, air, or steam ( Hillier, 1995 ) . Examples of these state of affairss include enduring bowlders on a hillside, deposits in sea or lake undersides, profoundly inhumed deposits incorporating pure H2O, and stones in contact with H2O heated by magma ( liquefied stone ) ( Hillier, 1995 ) . A primary demand for the formation of clay minerals is the presence of H2O. Soil clay minerals ‘ formation occurs in many different environments, including the weathering environment, the sedimentary environment, and the digenetic-hydrothermal environment ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Clay minerals composed of the more soluble compounds e.g. smectites are formed in environments where ions can roll up ( e.g. in a dry clime, in a ill drained dirt, in the ocean, or in saline lakes ) ( Velde 1995 ) . Clay minerals composed of less soluble compounds ( for illustration, kaolinite and halloysite ) signifier in more dilute H2O such as that found in environments that undergo terrible leaching ( for illustration, a brow in the wet Torrid Zones ) , where merely meagerly soluble elements such as aluminium and Si can stay ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . Illite and chlorite are known to organize copiously in the diagenetic-hydrothermal environment by reaction from smectite ( Brady and Weil, 1999 ) . 2.3.2. Weathering of mineralsThe minerals ‘ parent stuffs form in the crystallization of liquefied stone stuff: these are known as primary minerals, and include olivine, quartz, feldspar and hornblende. Primary minerals are non stable when exposed to H2O, air current and extremes of temperature ( Hillier, 1995 ) . Some of the elements that are released during enduring reform and crystallise in a different construction: these are the secondary minerals, and include vermiculite, montmorillonite and kaolinite ( Hillier, 1995 ) . Secondary minerals tend to be much smaller in atom size than primary minerals, and are most normally found in the clay fraction of dirts. As minerals weather, they lose Si ( as soluble silicic acid ) , taking to increasing proportions of aluminates in weather-beaten clays, such as kaolinite. Aluminium hydrated oxide species are amphoteric. The rate and nature of the enduring procedure really much depends on climatic conditions. Intense enduring produced in a hot and damp clime can take to major alterations in mineral construction and the transition to hydrated oxides. There are four stages to be considered in the system that model the formation of clay minerals by the weathering of flinty stones as the clays have a definite composing: K-feldspar, Muscovite ( illite ) , Kaolinite and gibbsite: 3KAlSi3O8 ) +2H+ +12H2O i‚ «2K+ +6Si ( OH ) 4 +KAl3Si3O10 ( OH ) 2 ( K- Feldspar ) ( Illite ) †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ [ Eqn. 2.1 ] 2KAl3Si3O10 ( OH ) 2 + 3H2O + 2H+ i‚ «2K+ + 3Al2Si2O5 ( OH ) 4 ( Illite ) ( Kaolinite ) †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ . [ Eqn. 2.2 ] Al2Si2O5+ ( OH ) 4 5H2O i‚ «iˆ 2Si ( OH ) 4 + 2Al ( OH ) 3 ( Kaolinite ) ( Gibbsite ) †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ . [ Eqn. 2.3 ]

How to Make Spanish Rice

How to Make Spanish Rice Making Spanish rice is a fairly fast and easy process. It involves browning the rice, adding the ingredients, and cooking the rice. Before you begin you will need the following ingredients: cooking oil (vegetable or canola), long grain rice (I prefer Mahatma Jasmine), a tomato, an onion, water, and tomato bullion. The following seasonings are optional: Sazon Goya con azafran, Sazon Goya con culantro/achiote. found on Mexican food aisle at most grocery stores)You will also need a two quart sauce pan with a lid (a larger pan may be used, but the rice will cook faster, therefore the cooking time will vary), a large spoon, and a gas or electric stove top. You need to take caution not to brown the rice too fast. If you cook the Spanish rice according to the following process, the rice will be soft and moist, with no standing liquid in the pan. First you will need to brown the rice.In order to do this, you will need to add a half cup of cooking oil to a two quart s auce pan (a larger pan will work, but the rice will have more room to cook, therefore it will cook faster and take less time). Next, pre-heat the oil on medium heat for about two minutes. Then add two cups of long grain rice to the pre-heated oil. (I prefer Mahatma Jasmine long grain rice because it cooks fluffier and it looks better) Continue to cook the rice on medium heat, stirring often with a large spoon. While the rice is browning, chop a small tomato and half of a medium onion.When the rice starts to brown, you will need to stir the rice more frequently. The rice will burn if you fail to stir it often or have the heat too high. The rice will be a golden brown color when it is ready for the next process. Browning the rice usually takes about fifteen minutes. The second process is adding the ingredients. First, stir in the chopped onions and tomatoes. Then add five and a half cups of water and stir. Let the water heat, but not to boiling. When the water appears hot, add five te aspoons of Knorr tomato bullion.Then add two packets of each: Sazon Goya con azafran (orange/yellow box), Sazon Goya con culantro/achiote (two tone orange box). (This can be found on the Mexican aisle at most grocery stores. The Sazon Goya is optional. I use it because it gives the rice a little more color and I think a better flavor). Stir the mixture until the seasonings are well dissolved. Place the lid on the rice. You should then reduce the heat at this point to medium/low. The final step in cooking the Spanish rice doesn’t take long. I think it is the fastest process of the three.I usually let the rice cook for about thirteen-eighteen minutes. I do not stir the rice at all during this final step. I open the lid every few minutes to make sure the rice is not cooking too fast. You should see liquid for at least the first eight minutes or so. When you do not stir the rice, it appears fluffier and not so mushy looking. The Spanish rice will be ready when you no longer see s tanding liquid in the pan. You can carefully insert the large spoon down to the bottom of the pan of Spanish rice (without stirring) to make sure the rice is not cooking too fast and to see if the rice is ready.The rice will be soft when it is ready. Keep the lid on the pan until you are ready to serve it. If you have followed the previous steps of this process correctly, your Spanish rice will be fluffy and soft. If you browned the rice too fast, it will be hard and will not fully cook as it should. The rice will also have a burnt taste. In the event this happens, reduce the heat while you are browning the rice or stir more frequently the next time you make Spanish rice.If the Spanish rice is too dry or hard, it may be possible you had your heat to high after adding the ingredients. The next time you should cook it on a lower heat, or add a little more water. You may take into consideration that some stoves may vary. This process was done with an electric stove. You can make little tweaks in this process if you find it necessary. You can reduce the heat if the rice appears to cook to fast. The rice seldom ever cooks too slowly. If it cooks too slowly, it will usually just take a little longer to cook.

Organizational Behaviour Written Assignment Essay

Organizations strive to be effective. However, conflicts within an organization can distort the effectiveness of organizations. Potential for conflicts can be found in all organizations. Nowadays there is a need for understanding what exactly causes conflict. With this knowledge, organization can decrease the possibility of encountering conflict. We can describe organizational conflict, as an open argument between two or more individuals/groups within an organization, which leads to a disrupt cooperation (Hatch, 1997). In organizations, conflicts can occur on a horizontal and vertical level. In our research we will focus on vertical level conflicts, which mean that the conflict takes place between people from different hierarchical levels. As Jung (2003) states, conflicts are clearly associated with power/ status within an organization. Therefore, vertical conflicts can be caused by a lack of acceptance of status and power in a hierarchal model. This last point can be attributed to ‘power distance’, one of the culture dimensions of Hofstede. Our moderator model starts with the independent variable â€Å"status† that leads to the dependent variable â€Å"conflict†, and the relationship between these two is influenced by the moderator â€Å"power distance†. Our research question is as follows: Does power distance (moderator) influence the relation between status (IV) and conflict (DV)? If we found out that power distance influence the relation between status and conflicts, we found a cause for conflicts in organizations and then we know how to reduce conflicts, that is the importance of this research question. Hypothesis An increase in status, the independent variable, will lead to a higher possibility of conflict, which is the dependent variable. Hofstede’s dimension of power distance acts as the moderator. Power distance explains how less powerful members of a society, in our case organization, accept that power is unequally distributed. A high power distance refers to an acceptance of a hierarchical order. A low power distance strives for equal distribution of power, and it asks for justification of inequalities of status (geert-hofstede.com). Therefore, our hypothesis is: If there is a hierarchical order and the status increases, the possibility of conflict will also increase. Especially if there is a low power distance. Explanation In this section we will explain what our expectations of the outcome of this research are. If the status of a person in an organization increases that person will have more power over the other employees. We expect that there will be more conflict in the organization due to the fact that there is a more unequal distribution of status. The lower employees have the feeling that they have no say in things, while their supervisor or manager has everything to say. In general this will lead to more vertical conflict. However power distance plays an important role in this. In organizations that have a low power distance, an increase of status will definitely lead to more conflict. This is because organizations with a low power distance strive for an equal distribution of power. The employees will most definitely disagree with the increase of status, and they will not easily accept this. However, in organizations with a high power distance, an increase of status might lead to a little more conflict. But the effect is not as described above. In such organizations there is a hierarchical order that is accepted, which means that we believe that an increase of status will be more accepted. Thus, leads to a lesser increase of conflict than when there is a low power distance. Method We develop a research method in order to determine whether the relationship between status and conflicts is negatively or positively influenced by power distance. The research type that we will use is a survey, more specifically, a questionnaire. We explain the process of how we will do the research method down below. Participants Around 270 people of several companies will be asked during our survey. We supposed that 270 people is a good amount to complete the research successfully and draw a sufficient conclusion. The expected participants who participate in our research are employees, who have to be 20 until 65 years old in order to include the different ages and their views on organizations. We try to equally choose participants from both sexes with a different employment status. We will ask, for example, a CEO, a sales manager and a janitor from the same enterprise to get a good overview through the whole organization and their thoughts about hierarchy and power distance. However, not every company has that much female employees in their organization. Therefore, we will ask more male employees than female employees if it is necessary. Furthermore, our participants will be from different continents, namely: Asia, Europe, and the United States. Procedure We have chosen for three continents to take off our questionnaire in order to make sure that the culture of different continents does not have influence on the results. Another reason that it is a necessity to ask organizations in different continents is the need to get adequate results. We will ask in every continent six companies to participate in our questionnaire, whereof three companies have a strong hierarchy and three companies do not have or have a low hierarchy. Furthermore, the three companies in every continent are divided into a small company with under 100 employees, a middle company with around 500 employees, and a big company with over 1000 employees. In every company, there will be 15 employees asked to participate in the questionnaire. The questionnaire will be taken off by the online-questionnaire method. We send the several CEOs of the companies the questionnaires by email. It is not possible for us to take off all the questionnaires face-to-face because of the geographical distance between the continents. However, we will provide the questionnaires with a very clear explanation about the questionnaire. We expect that the whole procedure will take around 15 minutes per person. Measurement Our questionnaire will include 20 statements regarding to hierarchy and conflicts at the workplace. The answers varying from a number of 1 to 7, with at the left side strongly agree and at the opposite site strongly disagree. The front page of the questionnaire is about some general background information like their age, sex, status in the company, and their nationality. However, there are also some limitations associated with the survey. Firstly, it is possible that organizations and participants do not want to participate in the survey for several reasons. Secondly, there is a chance that people do not understand the questions right and giving therefore an insufficient answer. Because we are not using the face-to-face method, it is not possible for us to explain the question clearly to the participator during the questionnaire. Lastly, there could be some message barriers because we make use of an online questionnaire send by email. For instance, the CEO does not read the email because it was marked as spam. To put all together, our research method is a survey, more specifically, a questionnaire with 20 statements regarding to the hierarchy and conflicts at the workplace. There will be asked 18 companies in three different continents with in total 270 employees. It is an online questionnaire send to the CEOs of the specific companies by email with clear explanations. Bibliography http://geert-hofstede.com http://ejbo.jyu.fi/pdf/ejbo_vol10_no1_pages_22-28.pdf Jung, S. (2003), â€Å"The effects of organizational culture on conflict resolution in marketing,† Journal of American Academy of Business, Vol. 3 September, pp. 242-46. Katz, D. and Kahn, R. L. (1978), The Social Psychology of Organization, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

The Astronomical vs. Meteorological Seasons

The Astronomical vs. Meteorological Seasons If someone asked you when each of the seasons occurs, how would you respond?  Your answer may depend on whether you think of the seasons  in a more traditional, or  a more weather-related way. Astronomical Seasons Change at the Equinoxes and Solstices The astronomical seasons are the ones most of us are familiar with because  their  start dates are  listed on our calendars. Theyre called astronomical because, like our calendar, the  dates of their occurrence are based on the position of Earth in relation to the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere: Astronomical winter is a result of Earths north pole being tilted its farthest away from the sun,  and the suns light aiming directly at southern latitudes. It begins on December 21-22.  Astronomical spring is a result of Earths north pole tilt moving from its maximum lean  away from the sun to one equidistant from the sun,  and of the suns light aiming directly at the equator. It begins on March 21-22.  Astronomical summer is a result of Earth being tilted its farthest towards  the sun, and the suns light aiming directly at north latitudes. It begins on June 20-21.Astronomical fall is a result of Earths tilt moving from its maximum lean  towards the sun to one  equidistant from the sun,  and of the suns light  aiming directly at the equator. It begins on September 21-22. Meteorological Seasons Change Every 3 Months Another  way to define  the seasons is by grouping the twelve calendar months into four 3-month periods based on  similar temperatures. In the Northern Hemisphere: Meteorological winter  begins on December 1. It includes the months of  December, January, and February (DJF)Meteorological spring  begins on March 1 and includes the months of  March, April, and May  (MAM).Meteorological summer  begins on June 1. It includes the months of  June, July, and August (JJA).Meteorological fall  begins on September 1 and includes the months of  September, October, and November (SON). Meteorologists didnt implement this classification just for the heck of it. Rather, they prefer to deal with data from whole rather than fractions of months, and align calendar dates more closely with the temperatures felt during that period, the scheme (which has been around since the early- to mid-1900s) allows weather scientists  to more easily compare weather patterns from one season to another something the astronomical convention makes cumbersome due to seasonal lag (the delay in seasonal temperatures settling in). Which Set of Seasons Wins Out? The astronomical seasons are the more traditional way of defining our four seasons. Although folks may not be used to the meteorological way, in a lot of ways its the more natural scheme for how we live our lives today. Gone are the days when we pore over the happenings of the celestial heavens and organize our lives accordingly. But organizing our lives around months and similar stretches of temperatures is more true to our modern reality.