Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Teamwork in companies and corporate change Research Paper

Teamwork in companies and corporate change - Research Paper Example In short, individuals will get more freedom and flexibility in their works in organizations where team work prevails. â€Å"The main characteristic feature of the team is synergy through which team members act together and achieve better results than if they perform alone or in other organizational forms†(Petrov, 2010, p.91). While working in a team, individuals get more support from his team members and therefore his jobs stress will be considerably reduced. Reduced job stress will increases his performances and productivity. Another major advantage of team work is the â€Å"creation of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts, because synergy pools individual talents and efforts to create extraordinary results† (Judeh, 2011, p.203). 1+1 = 2 is correct in Mathematics; but in business 1+1>2 because of the possibility of extraordinary results teamwork can generate in an organization. While working as part of a team, the members may deliver more than 100% of their efficiency. Sheng & Tinag (2010) have pointed out that â€Å"employees would have more loyalty and ties to those in groups working with them as a team because they could have immediate feedback from these people† (Sheng & Tinag, 2010, p.1297). Man is a social animal and he dislikes individual work. Nobody wants to work in a lonely atmosphere in which no communication occurs or no support received. While working in groups or teams, he gets enough opportunities for communication and therefore his capabilities will come out automatically. In this article, Bob Frisch point out some of the major drawbacks of teamwork along with the benefits of teamwork. In his opinion, even though the employees in a team will get more freedom and flexibility in their works, the chances of increased blaming of the individual employees cannot be ruled out. Team work also helps to have assertive conversations, give and receive feedback, and

Monday, October 28, 2019

Fun, Family and Flashbacks Essay Example for Free

Fun, Family and Flashbacks Essay The beauty of photographs is that they can frame one single split-second moment of your life to help you remember good times. The rest of the story on how you got to the picture or what happened after becomes history and remains a flitting memory that may or may not be triggered to resurface once the photograph is again seen. One such precious instant happened when I was eight years old†¦ an age where I used to find so much delight in simple things such as a photography session with my brothers. My eyes in the picture are sparkling with laughter at all the trouble my mom had to go through for this snapshot. It was nearly father’s day and my mom thought a great secret gift would be a professionally shot picture of all three of us children. As soon as lunch was over, she quickly packed all of us up and we went to this posh photo studio. While waiting for our turn, she excitedly dressed us all up in such fine and neatly pressed clothes (as if the wrinkles would be noticeable on film). My hair was combed probably more than one hundred times over just to make sure no single strand would go astray out of her plan. As we were passing the time till our photo opportunity, mom would keep our energy up by making us practice different kinds of poses and smiles. A few more minutes passed and my mom was already getting impatient with all the excitement. Alas! The photographer came up to my mom just to tell her that there seemed to be something wrong with the camera and that he could not take our pictures at that moment. Horrified and panicky due to the unexpected long time of having to wait for a useless chance to get some shots professionally done, my mom swiftly packed all of us up at once and went home. We wanted to laugh at mom’s dismay over the problems of this great idea of hers but we knew better than to irk her even more. As soon as we got home, she quickly brushed us up and with quick thinking, got our own camera to make her own snapshots instead. It was not hard for us to smile as we knew the pains she was going through just to keep her hand still on the camera button. We all knew that our father was about to arrive in just a few minutes and her panic was with cause. After some quick clicks, she quickly made us dress up into our play clothes again and had us do some wrestling matches just to erase the more than 100 times brushed up look she gave our hair. This was one of the most enjoyable memories of my life yet the camera was only able to show three children with smiles on their faces†¦everything else precious was left for us to relive in our own imaginations.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

China’s Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status Essay -- essays research pape

China’s Most-Favored-Nation Trade Status If the United States is going to stand by and let China break the agreement that we have set then what is the point of having rules or laws in the first place? If we can accept the fact that China is breaking our laws then we can also understand that this behavior can very well lead to a state of anarchy and lawlessness. These are all things that are breed by a lack of law, and also facilitated by a lack of proper enforcement of our current laws. This is a warning also for the future as we show China that the United States will not stand for the flagrant breaking of its laws. United States policymakers employ economic sanctions not only to equalize trade and investment disputes, but also to reach non-economic policy objectives. This has been especially true with respect to China. Currently, the United States imposes the following economic sanctions on China. Restrictions on export licenses are things that the United States may deny if it was determined that the product could make a direct and significant contribution to the development of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems, electronic and submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, nuclear power projection, and air superiority. This restriction was placed on China on November 23, 1984. Another restriction placed on China dealt with the withholding of generalized system of preferences status. Section 502(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 prevents the President of the United Sta...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Buzzwords or best practice?

Developmentally Appropriate Practice Buzzwords or best practice? By Jocelyn Smrekar and Andrea Hansen Teachers and parents are sometimes fooled into thinking that children must learn to read by age 5, usually in kindergarten. Consider this example: Jamie has trouble reading in kindergarten. Her teacher says it’s because she only played in preschool. In first grade, Jamie is called learning disabled because she still doesn’t read. By third grade though, Jamie is reading fluidly with her peers. Have teachers cured Jamie of a disability? No!Jamie’s reading development followed its own course and leveled into a lifelong skill and what teachers call â€Å"working at grade level. † Children develop at different rates in separate areas: physical, emotional, cognitive or intellectual, language, and social. Differences, including abilities and disabilities, affect the way and speed with which children develop skills. Genetic traits, temperaments, learning style, en vironment, cultural and racial expectations, and experiences influence learning. Some children learn to say words at 8 months, others not until they’re almost 2 or older.Many children learn to walk at 9 months, while others wait until they are 15 to 18 months. Charts of developmental milestones—walking, talking, running, or stacking three blocks, for example—are based on averages. Parents and teachers frequently worry when a child doesn’t have a skill at the targeted time. Most often, skills develop according to children’s interests and temperaments—that is, a child’s basic approach to people and events. Foundation for Further Learning Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a term coined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.It describes teaching techniques that identify and foster the developmental needs of children, both individually and in groups (Bredekamp, 1987). DAP is a set of guidelines suggest ing curriculum content and practice serving children birth through age 8. Simply stated, these guidelines encourage early childhood programs to provide an educational environment that responds to the needs and interests of children. In that environment, trained teachers use observation to plan for the class and the individuals in it. In DAP classrooms, children’s play is the primary vehicle for learning.This article will focus on DAP in school settings, prekindergarten through third grade. DAP deals with all the levels and stages children grow through, building a strong foundation for future learning. Children remember, classify, repeat, and modify their experiences as they learn about the world and the people in it. For example, Zach, age 6, is eager to put together a puzzle with 100 pieces. He has experience with puzzles—first with five-piece wooden puzzles in a frame, then with cardboard floor puzzles, and finally with boxed 60-piece puzzles.He knows that the pictur e on the outside of the box will be a guide as he separates the straight-edged pieces from the curved ones. He locates the four corners, looks for matching colors, and after 45 minutes of concentrated effort, completes the puzzle. He has used his past experiences to build new ones that include abstract tasks like classifying, matching, counting, sorting, identifying, and experimenting. He has improved his small motor skills, increased his ability to concentrate on a complex task, and learned the virtue of tenacity, sticking to the task until completion.Zack’s alert teacher notes his success and plans new ways to challenge his skills and foster new interests. A teacher’s understanding and use of DAP are keys to educational success. Learning experiences in a DAP classroom Children are active learners—they need opportunities to investigate and explore with objects, materials, and equipment in order to construct a base of information about their world. Through first hand experiences, children are able to connect what they already know with new, more complex information.Teachers who use DAP in their classrooms provide opportunities for children to interact with a variety of materials. They offer uninterrupted time to actively explore not only intellectual skills, but also social, emotional, physical, and language skills. Specific teaching techniques include asking open-ended questions, modeling, demonstrating, exploring, coaching, and direct instruction. These techniques extend learning and guide children to skill mastery (Bredekamp and Copple, 1997). Young children learn best and most when they actively and playfully explore materials and activities, using all their senses.Developmentally appropriate classrooms are set up so individuals or groups of children can become directly involved with materials. Children move between free or spontaneous play and organized play. In free play, for example, a puppet show evolves into a performance by childr en in dress-up clothes. In organized play, children might chart the favorite fruits of class members. Role of Play A central issue in DAP is the role of play in the curriculum. Because adults don’t depend on play to learn, they tend to dismiss it as a pleasant time spent without profit. In children, however, play is an essential part of a child’s education.Sometimes called children’s work, play supports a child’s development by providing the tools, equipment, and interpersonal experiences that help children grow. Through play, children acquire information, master activities, use concrete materials as symbols, organize previous learning, learn perseverance and focus, solve problems, and develop creativity. Are Children Really Learning? While many teachers agree that DAP helps children develop cognitive, social, emotional, language, and physical skills, parents often ask, â€Å"Is my child really learning? All I see is play. â€Å"Standardized tests given after second grade to children in both DAP and traditional classrooms have revealed little difference in general reading skills (Kostelnik, Soderman, and Whiren, 1993). Children in DAP classrooms scored significantly higher in tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, expressive language, and reading and writing mechanics in context. In standardized tests of math, the two groups showed similar scores in overall math skills, but the DAP children scored significantly higher in conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills than children in traditional classrooms.Children who had been in DAP classrooms for five years scored significantly higher in reasoning and problem-solving skills. Most importantly, children in DAP classrooms reported great enthusiasm for school and high involvement in the learning process. What Does a DAP Classroom Look Like? The physical setup of a DAP classroom indicates how learning takes place. The teacher’s desk is usually in an inconspicuous pl ace, not in the front of the room. Student desks, if provided at all, are clustered into learning centers. Most often, long tables replace individual desks, encouraging cooperative group work.Room arrangements and traffic patterns may change throughout the year as children grow and change intellectually, and they meet specific educational goals. Another difference in DAP classrooms is the way textbooks and worksheets are used. Often in traditional classrooms, printed materials are the primary source of instruction; teachers dictate the use of textbooks, worksheets, and other teaching materials. In a developmentally appropriate classroom, children learn through materials that are concrete, real, and relevant to their lives.In a kindergarten class that is studying insects, for example, the classroom is rich with pictures, colorful field guides, and posters. It may also have an ant farm with magnifying glasses, a box of silk worms spinning cocoons, a tomato plant with resident praying mantis, and a butterfly house. Children are encouraged to collect insects and sort them by size, color, function, or benefits to humanity. They use math skills like counting, estimating, and graphing in the daily routine. They have opportunities to draw and paint their impressions of insects as well as to sing and act out the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly.In a DAP classroom textbooks are resources, not the primary source of information. All equipment and supplies—including manipulatives, construction materials, art music, and role-playing props—are accessible to the children as they explore and discover answers and new questions. Teachers support learning by setting up centers and providing the materials and guidance necessary for the children to learn. DAP as Best Practice Teachers who have adopted developmentally appropriate practices consider each child’s uniqueness and skill level when planning activities.Allowing children to progress through the stages of development at their own rates is the best way to build the foundation for future learning. This philosophy is reflected in the classroom environment and activities planned. Learning takes place naturally, because it is child-centered and relevant. Children are constantly learning, building on what they know to create new ways of thinking and seeing their world. Isenberg, J. and N. Quisenberry. â€Å"Play: A necessity for all children,† Childhood Education, 64 (3), 138-145, 1988. Statements of Developmentally Appropriate Practice Space and Furnishings 1. Indoor spaceChildren need sufficient space that is well lit and has a comfortable temperature for learning and playing. Indoor space that is well maintained and in good repair sends a message to the young child that is welcoming and inviting. 2. Furniture for routine care, play and learning Children need appropriate furnishings to meet the demands of their daily schedules. Basic furniture such as cots, tables and c hairs should be sturdy and appropriate to the size of the children in the group in order for children to be comfortable, have proper body support, and focus on learning, playing, and routine activities rather than their own discomfort.Caregivers need easy access to routine care furnishings, such as cots, in order to maintain proper supervision and provide smooth transitions between activities. 3. Furnishings for relaxation and comfort Children need space and opportunity to relax and rest. Soft furnishings and toys allow children opportunities for relaxation and comfort. Cozy areas provide a space for quiet activities to occur and should be protected from active play so children can snuggle, daydream and lounge. 4. Room arrangement Creative room arrangement promotes a child's positive self-image and encourages a wide variety of age appropriate activities.Well-defined interest centers where materials are accessible help children to understand about organization and returning materials to their proper place. 5. Space for privacy Some children experience unacceptably high levels of stress when exposed to constant activity and interaction. Places where children can escape from the pressures of group care promote positive self-esteem. Providing a child with opportunities, space, and time to be alone can contribute to positive classroom behavior. 6. Child related display Every child needs to know that others value his/her play or work.Artwork or other individual work that is created by the children should be displayed in the classroom at the child's eye-level. This promotes feelings of positive self-esteem and sends the message to the child that his/her work is valued and appreciated. 7. Gross motor play Children need daily opportunities to exercise large muscles, run in open spaces, and practice gross motor skills. (Safety is always a number one priority. ) Space to develop children's large muscles through a variety of play experiences should be made safe by providi ng adequate cushioning for fall zones.All play equipment should be safe and effective monitoring should be implemented to teach children safe play behavior and to safeguard against accidents. 8. Gross motor equipment Children need age appropriate stationary and portable equipment to promote a wide variety of skills that exercise large muscles while developing confidence and abilities. Equipment should be sound, sturdy, safe and accessible to children daily. Personal Care Routines 9. Greeting/Departing Parents and children need a warm, welcoming, and pleasant atmosphere to make the daily greeting and departing routine a happy one.Positive greetings help to promote the children's self-esteem and create a welcoming environment for parents. 10. Meals/Snacks Meals and snacks that follow USDA guidelines contribute to the health of children and provide a model for good nutritional habits for life-long practice. Proper hand washing along with careful food preparation teach children proper h ygiene and promotes sanitary conditions. 11. Nap/Rest Nap and/or rest time should be appropriately scheduled and supervised for the children in the group. Adequate separation of cots helps to prevent the spread of germs.Soft music or a soothing story helps to facilitate a peaceful rest time that is important in helping children to balance the day and renew their energy. 12. Toileting/Diapering Young children need appropriate supervision of the toileting process in order to care for basic needs and to teach the importance of good health habits. The schedule should be individualized. Provisions, such as soap and steps near the sink, should be convenient and accessible so that children can wash hands after toileting; this promotes self-help skills and good personal hygiene.Diapering should always be managed in a manner that promotes safety and good health practices. 13. Health practices Practicing preventive measures, such as washing hands after handling pets or wiping noses, help to e ducate children to achieve life-long health practices. Taking appropriate action when children are sick will minimize the spread of germs. 14. Safety practices Protecting children is critical in providing quality care, whether through adequate supervision or minimizing hazards both inside and outside. Caregivers should anticipate potential safety problems and demonstrate, model, and teach children safe practices.Language-Reasoning 15. Books and pictures The use of books and pictures is an important means of learning for children as they make sense of the world around them. Books, pictures, and language materials should be available in sufficient number both for independent use in a reading center and for use by a teacher with children in formal and informal settings. 16. Encouraging children to communicate Activities and materials that promote language development should be available for use throughout the classroom and the daily schedule. Teachers should establish an environment wh ere language exploration and usage is encouraged.17. Using language to develop reasoning skills Logical relationships and concepts should be presented in appropriate ways. Children learn through interaction with materials and people, both peers and adults, in the context of play and daily routines. Language provides the key tool for success and problem solving, as children are encouraged to talk through their thought processes. 18. Informal use of language Language is a way for children to expand understanding. Caregivers should engage children in give and take conversations for enjoyment and learning.They should support child-to-child conversations as well. Activities 19. Fine motor Children need a variety of age-appropriate and developmentally-appropriate toys and materials that they can manipulate with their hands and play with at will. These activities strengthen fine motor control while encouraging skill development that contributes to academic readiness. 20. Art Children benef it from exposure to child-initiated art activities that are open-ended and process oriented. Children's art should be respected and appreciated as individual, creative expression.Materials and opportunities to create art projects at a beginning and more advanced level should be available as children are developmentally ready for them. 21. Music/movement Music and movement are valuable means of learning. Children need a supportive environment that includes a teacher and a variety of tools to encourage their self-expression through music and related activities. 22. Blocks Block play, with a variety of blocks and accessories, allows children the opportunity to explore spatial, mathematical, and role-play possibilities.Powerful block play requires sufficient space in a protected area and time to expand on concepts and ideas. 23. Sand/water Sand and water play gives children the opportunity to learn concepts through active exploration with their senses. The addition of interesting props extends the learning potential offered through sensory play. 24. Dramatic play Dramatic play gives children the opportunity to discover an array of roles and responsibilities. It provides a vehicle through which they make sense of their world. Dramatic play is enhanced by space, time, props, materials, and supportive teachers.25. Nature/science Science and nature activities and materials foster curiosity and experimentation benefiting the young learner through direct experience and application to other areas of learning. Concept and observation skills are strengthened through science procedures. 26. Math/number Math skills, when introduced through appropriate hands-on methods, form a foundation for school readiness and later academic success. Math skills can be taught effectively through routines, schedule, and play activities. 27. Use of TV, video, and/or computerTV/video viewing and computer use tend to be passive in comparison to active involvement with materials and people. The use of each should be confined to subject material that is age-appropriate and mentally stimulating. Time limits encourage more active learning. Participation should not be required. 28. Promoting acceptance of diversity Children need to be exposed to the similarities and differences of people in positive ways through books, pictures, toys, materials, and interaction. This exposure encourages respect for others and lessens misunderstandings. Interactions29. Supervision of gross motor activities Caregivers should use gross motor activities as learning opportunities to promote positive social interactions and to encourage the development of skills and new experiences Diligent supervision of gross motor activities, whether indoors or outdoors, is critical to preventing accidents and insuring safe, active play. 30. General supervision of children (other than gross motor) During activities, caregivers must balance the level of supervision and control based upon the ages, abilities, and i ndividual needs of the children.Adequate supervision and awareness of the whole group is required for children's health and safety and in the recognition of accomplishments, which is necessary for children's emotional well-being. 31. Discipline The set-up of the environment, teacher expectations, available materials and opportunities, and daily schedule significantly impacts children's behavior in childcare. A classroom and curriculum geared toward developmentally appropriate practice will lead to generally good behavior that is the product of self-motivation rather than the result of punishment and control. 32. Staff-child interactionsCaregivers, who are nurturing and responsive, promote the development of mutual respect between children and adults. Children, who trust adults to provide for their physical, psychological, and emotional needs, develop their own sense of self-worth and self-esteem. 33. Interactions among children Because self-regulation, proper emotional expression, a nd positive social relationships are such essential skills for later schooling and life, teachers must encourage children to develop acceptable behaviors by providing a setting that encourages real opportunities for initiative taking and competence building.Providing opportunities for children to work and play together, to solve conflicts in productive ways, and to participate in group activities are ways teachers promote positive social relationships. Program Structure 34. Schedule Children thrive on having a consistent routine that provides a balance of activities designed to meet individual needs and foster physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Best practice promotes a daily schedule with large amounts of time for play, smooth transitions between activities, and a balance between child-initiated and teacher-directed activities. 35. Free PlayWhen children are permitted to select materials and companions, and, as far as possible, manage play independently, they practic e making decisions and having control of their world. Caregiver intervention should be in response to children's needs, an invitation, or an opportunity to expand play activities. 36. Group Time In group-care situations, the focus needs to be on meeting individual needs and guiding children as they interact in small groups. Whole group activities should be kept to a minimum and limited to gatherings that follow the interests and involvement of the children. 37. Provisions for children with disabilitiesMeeting the needs of children with disabilities requires knowledge of routine care needs, developmental levels, individual assessments, and the integration of the children in ongoing classroom activities. It also requires the involvement and establishment of a partnership between the parents and staff in setting attainable goals that will assist the child in reaching his/her full potential. Rutter, M. â€Å"Family and school influences on cognitive development,† Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26, 683-704, 1985. Maybe little Janie can't read or count because her teacher can't teach.Or worse still, maybe the teacher doesn't know enough about English or math or history to teach the subject. Mischievous speculation? No. It happens, as a result of a historically flawed system in America of educating mostly average or below-average students to be public-school teachers. As evidence continues to pile up that American children are not learning the basics in school, critics are quick to blame the youngsters, their parents, the schools, television, or the curriculum. But increasingly, the focus has shifted to the teacher, the most vital link in the education process.Now, a four-month study at teachers colleges by The Washington Times indicates that the problem of unsatisfactory classroom learning is rooted in the early selection and education of students who say they want to be teachers. These students then are being taught by professors who differ wild ly on what teachers need to know. â€Å"Schools of education are cash cows to universities,† says Dean Edwin J. Delattre of the Boston University School of Education. â€Å"They admit and graduate students who have low levels of intellectual accomplishment, and these people are in turn visited on schoolchildren.They are well-intentioned, decent, nice people who by and large don't know what they're doing. † Mr. Delattre is one of the harshest critics of schools of education. â€Å"It would be possible in terms of the quality of their research, the significance of their research, and the quality of their instruction to give an intellectual justification for perhaps three dozen of them – certainly no more than 50,† he says. There are about 1,300 schools nationwide teaching students to be teachers. Roughly 2 1/2 million public-school teachers are responsible today for the education of 46 million children in kindergarten through high school.Although many teach ers perform well, a significant number are products of an entrenched training system that almost guarantees mediocrity in the classroom. New initiatives are under way in some of the preparatory schools and colleges, but, for the most part, the old ways and faddish new ways are still shaping the teachers of tomorrow. To become a public-school teacher, graduates have to be certified by the state. A college student must take required courses, do a stint at student teaching, and pass a series of general-knowledge examinations.The passing scores for these tests vary from state to state but tend to be fairly low. Curiously, many aspiring teachers never get in front of a classroom until their final days in college – an experience that sometimes persuades many to seek other careers. A major in education has long been considered an easy route to a college degree. Elementary education majors were especially easy to spot on any campus. They were the ones cutting out letters of the alpha bet to make posters while the English majors worried over a paper on Shakespeare's treatment of religious themes. Rigorous academic training was seldom demanded.â€Å"You just had to love kids to become a teacher,† says J. Michael Davis, dean of the School of Professional Studies at 105-year-old East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Thirteen years ago, it was possible to graduate from East Stroudsburg with a major in elementary education without ever taking a math class, Mr. Davis recalls. Twenty years ago, some University of Maryland campuses gave short shrift to reading instruction. Serious concerns about teacher training surfaced in 1983 with the publication of â€Å"A Nation at Risk,† a landmark national report on the state of America's educational system.It found that too many teachers had poor academic records and low scores on tests of cognitive ability. Students who went into teaching programs scored below nearly all other majors on college entrance exam s, then graduated not knowing enough about the subjects they were teaching. Not much has changed in 15 years. Anyone who believes that the problem of unqualified teachers is overblown or confined to a couple of subject areas such as math and science has only to look at the experience of a New York state school district last spring when it tried to fill 35 teaching vacancies.The Connetquot district on Long Island got 758 applications in response to an advertisement. District officials decided to narrow the pool by asking applicants to take a short version of a multiple-choice reading comprehension test taken from the state's old 11th-grade Regents English exams. Just 202 applicants correctly answered at least 40 of the 50 questions. Such incidents keep teacher education in the public consciousness and on the radar screens of elected officials at the state and federal levels. Initially, state legislators turned to higher salaries to try to attract higher-caliber students.From 1981 to 1997, average salaries for public-school teachers rose from $17,209 to $38,611. That's for what is essentially a 180-day school year plus in-service days spread over nine months. Then, lawmakers linked salary increases to policies aimed at raising standards such as requiring new teachers to have more education and raising the passing scores prospective teachers must attain on standardized tests such as the National Teacher Examinations and its successor, Praxis. The teachers colleges responded with talk of â€Å"restructuring† teacher education, and some institutions actually did move to raise admissions and curriculum standards.East Stroudsburg has raised entry standards and toughened course requirements. Students still need to take 60 hours in general education, but they no longer have a smorgasbord of courses to choose from. The college recently raised the grade point average needed to get into elementary education from 2. 5 to 2. 75. In 1996, Boston University began to ta rget only teacher applicants with high SAT scores, resulting in a 17 percent drop in the inquiry pool. As a result, prospective teachers in last fall's freshman class had average SAT scores of 1,276, compared with 964 for all 85,442 self-declared education majors who took the 1997 SAT.George Mason University decided in 1989 that teachers should get a bachelor's degree first and then train to teach in a fifth-year graduate-level program. The Fairfax County school says it annually rejects half the applicants for elementary education training because they don't meet admissions standards. It takes a 2. 7 GPA to get into the University of Maryland College of Education at College Park and a 3. 0 to prepare for special education, a five-year program. â€Å"We're not getting the best and the brightest kids,† says University of Maryland Dean Willis D. Hawley. â€Å"We're getting some of the best and brightest.Some kids are really smart. What there aren't anymore are kids who are real ly dumb. † But the perception lingers, even among insiders, that a lack of academic rigor continues to plague the nation's teacher training programs. â€Å"The truth is, students get into colleges of education – particularly early-childhood education majors – because it's the easiest thing they can get into,† says John E. Stone, professor of education at East Tennessee State University and founder of the Education Consumers Clearinghouse – an Internet source for parents, taxpayers and policy-makers.â€Å"Here at ETSU, the schools of education are kind of at the bottom of the pecking order,† he says. â€Å"Students flunk out of nursing or business and come to Ed to get some kind of college degree. † Since the concept of a formalized vocational training program for teachers was established nearly 160 years ago, that training has combined lessons in subject matter with courses in methodology, or â€Å"how to teach. † The training a lso has included theories of child development and practical field experience. From the start, teaching preparation emphasized methods of teaching at the expense of the content of courses.Often the subject matter would be watered down and presented in courses tailored especially for teachers, instead of requiring teachers to take the same math, for example, that liberal arts majors were required to take. â€Å"Their focus is process, and that hasn't changed,† says C. Emily Feistritzer, who as president of the private Washington-based National Center for Education Information has conducted a number of studies of teachers and teaching. â€Å"Resistance to change is extraordinarily high at the same time there is a high level of conversation about change.† Many critics of teacher training programs argue that a solid grounding in the liberal arts with a concentration in the subject to be taught is all that is needed to teach math, science, history or English. But Mr. Hawley at Maryland's College of Education disputes that. Chances are, he argues, that a rocket scientist would make a terrible science teacher. â€Å"You have to have the ability to transfer knowledge,† he says. That ability generally has to be learned, says Dean Gary R. Galluzzo of George Mason's Graduate School of Education.He believes that only 5 percent of the population might be â€Å"born† teachers, while 65 percent have knowledge but need to learn how to impart it. Boston University recently doubled the amount of time its prospective teachers are required to spend in math class. It also requires juniors and seniors in education to take an ethics course that exposes them to the icons of Western civilization. â€Å"We try to make the fact that teachers are deeply involved in character and values formation obvious to our students,† says professor Kevin Ryan, who teaches an introductory education course.† `What is the right thing to do? ‘ is a question teachers need to ask the young. And we want them to see that America has a moral heritage. † Adds Charles L. Glenn, chairman of BU's Department of Administration, Training and Policy Studies, who teaches a course on the social and civic contexts of education: â€Å"Teachers have to be moral exemplars to students. We raise questions that are usually raised in a religious context. On what basis can you say certain behaviors are right or wrong? I don't know how you can send someone who hasn't grappled with those questions out to teach a 7-year-old.†Schools of education, reacting to social and political pressures, are perceived to be more interested in promoting equity, diversity and social justice than in transmitting knowledge. And many of the educational practices they encourage are often criticized as fads. East Stroudsburg's administrators, for example, proudly describe their teacher training program as focused on the learner and on â€Å"outcomes,† committed to â€Å"developmentally appropriate practice,† â€Å"modeling,† inclusion, and â€Å"hands-on† and cooperative learning.These are the buzzwords and the practices that permeate nearly all of the nation's teacher training institutions. â€Å"Schools of education are currently the origins of our problems, not their solution,† says E. D. Hirsch Jr. , professor of English and university professor of education and humanities at the University of Virginia. Testifying before Congress, Mr. Hirsch sharply criticized what's known as â€Å"developmentally appropriate practice† – the philosophy that a child should not be pressured to learn anything until he signals that he is ready and receptive.â€Å"The doctrine,† he said, â€Å"is drummed into almost all teachers who take early-education courses. The intention is to ensure caring treatment for young children, yet the ultimate effect of the doctrine is to cause social harm. To withhold demanding content from young children between preschool and third grade has an effect which is quite different from the one intended. It leaves advantaged children [who get knowledge at home] with boring pablum, and it condemns disadvantaged children to a permanent educational handicap that grows worse over time. â€Å"The schools that hire new teachers appreciate the increased attention college and university training programs are giving to practical experience. â€Å"Teaching colleges are getting a lot better,† says James Dallas, a Fairfax County support coach for new teachers. â€Å"They have begun to structure their programs to the needs of the school systems. † Where practical experience used to come in the senior year, it now begins at many places in the freshman year, where it can serve to weed out those who discover that life in an elementary classroom is not what they thought it would be.While there is general agreement among the deans about the value of practical exp erience, they part company on the ideal program to train elementary teachers. Mr. Galluzzo of George Mason would opt for a solid general education foundation in an undergraduate or graduate program. â€Å"You should be required to take a liberal arts major of about 80 [semester hours] or two-thirds of the college experience for general education plus major combined.Then you should study the four core disciplines – math, science, history and English – roughly 15 credits each. Spend the other 20 hours getting smart in one of these areas. And in the undergraduate program, the other 40 credits are in learning to teach those things, because now you have something to say. † In many programs, a lot of the basic discipline has to be taught in the methodology classes because the prospective teachers don't know enough math or science to stand up in front of a class and teach, he says.One of his concerns is that too many future teachers take a concentration in psychology i nstead of English, math, science or history, thinking it will help them understand children. In fact, psychology is a subject they will never teach in elementary school. â€Å"What does it mean to know your subject? † asks Maryland's Mr. Hawley, whose background is in the liberal arts and political science. â€Å"You probably don't need to understand quadratic equations to teach fourth-grade math, but you ought to understand algebra and calculus. â€Å"

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping

Since the birth of humanity, man is termed as a social animal, a specie which lives in assemblage of his own kind, which has the ability to communicate, express and exhibit his feelings and emotions, a rare and perhaps the only part of the animal kingdom which can relate to each other and share their problems and help resolve them in the most effective and efficient way. This ability of man to co-relate to each other makes him the highest specie out of God’s great creations.Jacquelyn Small’s book â€Å"Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping,† whose first edition was published in 1989, expresses the same point of view of how humans tend to provide help to each other in time of pain and suffering, it being the primary note of providing psychological support to the victim of it. Jacquelyn Small is a well known writer whose work focuses upon inspirational writings, spiritual growth and psychological training.She is also the creator an d administrator of an organization founded upon therapeutic and guidance known as Eupsychia, established in her native land in Austin, Texas. Through her institute she helps people to regain confidence and insight within themselves, by healing up the wounds of their past and also in bringing a deeper understanding of life through spirituality and studies of sacredness. She is the novelist of many self help books such as ‘Including Awakening in Time’,’ Sacred Purpose in Life,’ and her most recent book ‘Becoming a Practical Mystic.’ This book caters an audience of all ages, from children to the adults it’s a must read, which concerns life at every level. The word â€Å"therapeutic† as the dictionary describes it is a process designed to deal with illnesses, usually psychological, helping one to relax and calm down over his worries. It makes a person understand of how he can be of help to his loved ones, who are suffering through su ch an illness. It is a process which involves one to open up and start the process of healing through the mere connection of hearts and communication.It is a book which contains secretive ways of how one might me able to influence and change the life of others by not even being overly possessive about them, and how this phenomenon has backfire effects which would eventually help the healer himself in solving his own mental disturbances. The spirit of healing as the writer describes, lies within every individual, just requires a little bit of encouragement and it would be able to work freely.Moreover, in this edition she describes ten various characteristics, from warmth to correctness, which are held within everybody, just requiring a little bit of realization and insight. The basic art of this therapy is to lower down and break the boundaries between the helper and the victim, how to help the other person to open up to you, even if you are his teacher, judge or even his family. The book also holds samples of clear dialogues and conversations, which the therapist and patient could have within, complimented by examples setup in different situations; creating a path to inner peace and devotion for others.This book helps one to understand ones God gifted ability to understand the pain of others and how he could help himself in bringing out the therapist from within. It is a simple book, with specific techniques which has been changing lives throughout the world. References Small, J. (1989). Becoming Naturally Therapeutic: A Return to the True Essence of Helping. Topeka Bindery ISBN: 1417715588

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Why Fossilized Shark Teeth Are Black

Why Fossilized Shark Teeth Are Black Shark teeth are made up of calcium phosphate, which is the mineral apatite. Although shark teeth are sturdier than the cartilage that makes up their skeleton, the teeth still disintegrate over time unless they are fossilized. This is why you rarely find white shark teeth on a beach. Shark teeth are preserved if the tooth is buried, which prevents decomposition by oxygen and bacteria. Shark teeth buried in sediments absorb surrounding minerals, turning them from a normal whitish tooth color to a deeper color, usually black, gray, or tan. The fossilization process takes at least 10,000 years, although some fossil sharks teeth are millions of years old! Fossils are old, but you cant tell the approximate age of a shark tooth simply by its color because the color (black, gray, brown) depends completely on the chemical composition of the sediment that replaced the calcium during the fossilization process. How to  Find Shark Teeth Why would you want to find shark teeth? Some of them are valuable, plus they can be used to make interesting jewelry or to start a collection. Plus, theres a chance youll find a tooth from a predator that lived 10 to 50 million years ago! While its possible to find teeth just about anywhere, your best bet is to search at a beach. I live in Myrtle Beach, so every time I go to the shore I look for teeth. At this beach, most of the teeth are black because of the chemical composition of the sediment offshore. At other beaches, fossilized teeth may be gray or brown or slightly green. Once you find the first tooth, youll know what color to seek. Of course, theres always a chance youll find a white shark tooth, but these are much harder to see against shells and sand. If youve never looked for shark teeth before, start out looking for black pointy objects. If the teeth are black, there will also be some black shell fragments that resemble shark teeth.  How do you know if its a shell or a tooth? Dry off your find and hold it up to the light. Even though a tooth could be millions of years old, it will still look glossy in the light. A shell, on the other hand, will show ripples from its growth and maybe some iridescence. Most shark teeth also maintain some of their structure. Look for a cutting edge along the edge of the blade (flat part) of the tooth, which may still have ridges. Thats a dead giveaway youve scored a shark tooth. A tooth may also have an intact root, which tends to be less shiny than the blade. Teeth come in a variety of shapes. Some are triangular, but others are needle-like. Good places to start are at the waterline, where the waves can help reveal the teeth, or by inspecting or sifting through a pile of shells. Keep in mind, the size of the teeth you can find is usually similar to the size of surrounding debris. While its possible to find a giant Megalodon tooth in the sand, large teeth like this are most often found near similar-sized rocks or shells.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Jay Gatsby

The title character of The Great Gatsby is a young man, around thirty years old, who rose from an impoverished childhood in rural North Dakota to become fabulously wealthy. However, he achieved this lofty goal by participating in organized crime, including distributing illegal alcohol and trading in stolen securities. From his early youth, Gatsby despised poverty and longed for wealth and sophistication- he dropped out of St. Olaf’s College after only two weeks because he could not bear the janitorial job with which he was paying his tuition. Though Gatsby has always wanted to be rich, his main motivation in acquiring his fortune was his love for Daisy Buchanan, whom he met as a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight in World War I in 1917. Gatsby immediately fell in love with Daisy’s aura of luxury, grace, and charm, and lied to her about his own background in order to convince her that he was good enough for her. Daisy promised to wait for him wh en he left for the war, but married Tom Buchanan in 1919, while Gatsby was studying at Oxford after the war in an attempt to gain an education. From that moment on, Gatsby dedicated himself to winning Daisy back, and his acquisition of millions of dollars, his purchase of a gaudy mansion on West Egg, and his lavish weekly parties are all merely means to that end. Fitzgerald delays the introduction of most of this information until fairly late in the novel. Gatsby’s reputation precedes him- Gatsby himself does not appear in a speaking role until Chapter III. Fitzgerald initially presents Gatsby as the aloof, enigmatic host of the unbelievably opulent parties thrown every week at his mansion. He appears surrounded by spectacular luxury, courted by powerful men and beautiful women. He is the subject of a whirlwind of gossip throughout New York and is already a kind of legendary celebrity before he is ever introduced to the reader. Fitzgerald propels the novel for... Free Essays on Jay Gatsby Free Essays on Jay Gatsby The title character of The Great Gatsby is a young man, around thirty years old, who rose from an impoverished childhood in rural North Dakota to become fabulously wealthy. However, he achieved this lofty goal by participating in organized crime, including distributing illegal alcohol and trading in stolen securities. From his early youth, Gatsby despised poverty and longed for wealth and sophistication- he dropped out of St. Olaf’s College after only two weeks because he could not bear the janitorial job with which he was paying his tuition. Though Gatsby has always wanted to be rich, his main motivation in acquiring his fortune was his love for Daisy Buchanan, whom he met as a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight in World War I in 1917. Gatsby immediately fell in love with Daisy’s aura of luxury, grace, and charm, and lied to her about his own background in order to convince her that he was good enough for her. Daisy promised to wait for him wh en he left for the war, but married Tom Buchanan in 1919, while Gatsby was studying at Oxford after the war in an attempt to gain an education. From that moment on, Gatsby dedicated himself to winning Daisy back, and his acquisition of millions of dollars, his purchase of a gaudy mansion on West Egg, and his lavish weekly parties are all merely means to that end. Fitzgerald delays the introduction of most of this information until fairly late in the novel. Gatsby’s reputation precedes him- Gatsby himself does not appear in a speaking role until Chapter III. Fitzgerald initially presents Gatsby as the aloof, enigmatic host of the unbelievably opulent parties thrown every week at his mansion. He appears surrounded by spectacular luxury, courted by powerful men and beautiful women. He is the subject of a whirlwind of gossip throughout New York and is already a kind of legendary celebrity before he is ever introduced to the reader. Fitzgerald propels the novel for... Free Essays on Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald, in The Great Gatsby, imparts upon the reader a very specific impression of glamour and allurement in a "perfect," yet shallow, upper class society. Unlike his friends and the people that attended his parties, Jay Gatsby was a very decent person despite most of his acquaintances and his occupation.. He was also a very altruistic person. He analyzed all of the things with regard to accuracy of observation. A perfect example of this regard is shown when he has all the parties of his, and he stands from afar to watch and join in all the fun from a distance. Jay Gatsby makes a potent character due to the fact that his characteristics are a key to analyzing the other characters. Jay, as a younger man was love struck, and from then on only thought of one thing, Daisy. This shows that he is very companionate towards the ones that believe in true love and innocence, and therefore seeks out Nick because he sees that in him, and needs help from someone that believe in the same. He is a very hard worker, as we can tell how Daisy does not marry him because he does not have enough money, so he leaves town to seek out enough money to that Daisy would take one look at him and see that he is all she every needs. Jay continues this train of thought until his very last moment on earth, when he is killed by Wilson, because Gatsby was relatively kind to everyone despite how anyone treated him, and therefore he never dynes his love for Daisy, not once....

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Translating Names of Minerals to Gemstones and Back

Translating Names of Minerals to Gemstones and Back When certain minerals compress under specific conditions, most often below the surface of the earth, a process occurs which forms a new compound known as a gemstone. Gemstones can be made of one or more minerals, and as a result, some minerals refer to more than one gemstone name. In order to better understand the interaction between the two, reference the two charts below - the first details each gemstone and the minerals that combined to form it and the second lists each mineral and the gemstones it can produce. For instance, Quartz can form Amethyst, Ametrine, Citrine, and Morion (and a few more) gemstones depending on which other minerals and elements compress together and at what depth in the earths crust and temperature the compression occurs at. How Gemstones Are Formed Most gemstones are formed in either the crust or the very top layer of the earths mantle in the molten magma bubbling in the depths of the world, but only peridot and diamonds are formed deep in the mantle. All gems, however, are mined in the crust where they can cool to solidify in the crust, which is made up of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. Like the minerals that make up gemstones, some are associated with one kind of rock in particular while others have several types of rock that go into the creation of that stone. Igneous gemstones are formed when magma solidifies in the crust and crystallizes to form minerals then an increase in pressure starts a series of chemical exchanges which eventually cause the mineral to compress into a gemstone. Igneous rock gemstones include amethyst, citrine, ametrine, emeralds, morganite, and aquamarine as well as garnet, moonstone, apatite, and even diamond and zircon. Gemstones to Minerals The following chart serves as a translation guide between gemstones and minerals with each link going to photos of the gems and minerals: Gemstone Name Mineral Name Achroite Tourmaline Agate Chalcedony Alexandrite Chrysoberyl Amazonite Microcline Feldspar Amber Amber Amethyst Quartz Ametrine Quartz Andalusite Andalusite Apatite Apatite Aquamarine Beryl Aventurine Chalcedony Benitoite Benitoite Beryl Beryl Bixbite Beryl Bloodstone Chalcedony Brazilianite Brazilianite Cairngorm Quartz Carnelian Chalcedony Chrome Diopside Diopside Chrysoberyl Chrysoberyl Chrysolite Olivine Chrysoprase Chalcedony Citrine Quartz Cordierite Cordierite Demantoid Garnet Andradite Diamond Diamond Dichroite Cordierite Dravite Tourmaline Emerald Beryl Garnet Pyrope, Almandine, Andradite, Spessartine, Grossularite, Uvarovite Goshenite Beryl Heliodor Beryl Heliotrope Chalcedony Hessonite Grossularite Hiddenite Spodumene Indigolite/Indicolite Tourmaline Iolite Cordierite Jade Nephrite or Jadeite Jasper Chalcedony Kunzite Spodumene Labradorite Plagioclase Feldspar Lapis Lazuli Lazurite Malachite Malachite Mandarin Garnet Spessartine Moonstone Orthoclase, Plagioclase, Albite, Microcline Feldspars Morganite Beryl Morion Quartz Onyx Chalcedony Opal Opal Peridot Olivine Pleonast Spinel Quartz Quartz Rhodochrosite Rhodochrosite Rhodolite Almandine-Pyrope Garnet Rubellite Tourmaline Rubicelle Spinel Ruby Corundum Sapphire Corundum Sard Chalcedony Scapolite Scapolite Schorl Tourmaline Sinhalite Sinhalite Sodalite Sodalite Spinel Spinel Sugilite Sugilite Sunstone Oligoclase Feldspar Taaffeite Taaffeite Tanzanite Zoisite Titanite Titanite (Sphene) Topaz Topaz Tourmaline Tourmaline Tsavorite Garnet Grossularite Turquoise Turquoise Uvarovite Uvarovite Verdelite Tourmaline Violan Diopside Zircon Zircon Minerals to Gemstones In the following chart, the minerals in the column on the left translate to the gemstone name on the right, with links contained therein forwarding to more information and additional of the minerals and gemstones associated. Mineral Name Gemstone Name Albite Moonstone Almandine Garnet Almandine-Pyrope Garnet Rhodolite Amber Amber Andalusite Andalusite Andradite Demantoid Garnet Apatite Apatite Benitoite Benitoite Beryl Aquamarine, Beryl, Bixbite, Emerald, Goshenite, Heliodore, Morganite Brazilianite Brazilianite Chalcedony Agate, Aventurine, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Chrysoprase, Heliotrope, Jasper, Onyx, Sard Chrysoberyl Alexandrite, Chrysoberyl Cordierite Cordierite, Dichroite, Iolite Corundum Ruby, Sapphire Diamond Diamond Diopside Chrome Diopside, Violan Grossular/Grossularite Hessonite, Tsavorite Garnet Jadeite Jade Lazurite Lapis Lazuli Malachite Malachite Microcline Feldspar Amazonite, Moonstone Nephrite Jade Oligoclase Feldspar Sunstone Olivine Chrysolite, Peridot Opal Opal Orthoclase Feldspar Moonstone Plagioclase Feldspar Moonstone, Labradorite Pyrope Garnet Quartz Amethyst, Ametrine, Cairngorm, Citrine, Morion, Quartz Rhodochrosite Rhodochrosite Scapolite Scapolite Sinhalite Sinhalite Sodalite Sodalite Spessartine Mandarin Garnet Sphene (Titanite) Titanite Spinel Pleonast, Rubicelle Spodumene Hiddenite, Kunzite Sugilite Sugilite Taaffeite Taaffeite Topaz Topaz Tourmaline Achroite, Dravite, Indigolite/Indicolite, Rubellite, Schorl, Verdelite Turquoise Turquoise Uvarovite Garnet, Uvarovite Zircon Zircon Zoisite Tanzanite

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Business Proposal Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Proposal Paper - Essay Example The paper will intend to provide a detailed business proposal for the reason of starting up a fresh business that is of a gift shop. A comprehensive structure of the business along with the required procedures for starting a fresh business will be explained in the business proposal. The business proposal will provide a lucid comprehension of the entire process of setting up a fresh business. Business Idea The sector of gift shop is learnt to be growing presently in Saudi Arabia but it has also been observed in this respect that the existing gift shops fail to cater to the overall requirements of the customers owing to dearth of innovative competence. Taking this aspect into consideration the business plan to establish a gift shop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was developed. The gift shop has been decided to be known to people by the name of ‘Customise your Gift’ and is planned to be situated in one of the renowned shopping malls of Riyadh. The gift shop is expected to cater to the requirements of its respective customers with the help of its unique products as well as services. The gift shop has been planned to offer gift products with a certain unique edge which is believed to prove to be quite appealing for the customers. The shop will offer gift items which will include sketching or portrayal on t-shirts by the customers and even making sculptures or carvings on silver, bronze and silver metal forms. The carvings or the made sculptures will be turned into exclusive pieces of jewelleries by the expert artisans of the shop. The customers will be given the preference of creating customised t-shirts or jewellery with their own respective designs or they will be also provided with the option of selecting designs from the catalogues offered by the shop itself. This exceptional idea of customising gifts particularly in the form of jewellery will provide an innovative edge to the products which will help the gift shop attain competitive advantage over its other competitors. Customise your gift will also aim towards offering certain special services to its respective customers which will include credit card service, gift card, home delivery and even membership cards which can be used for special discounts. Th e facility of online shopping and ordering of products has also been planned

Friday, October 18, 2019

Virtual Team Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Virtual Team Management - Research Paper Example Research and Development Ââ€" virtual teams offer an environment for enhancing innovations in R&D and also bring in knowledge spillovers in the organizations bridging place and time. Therefore, involving the R&D functional area in a virtual team is not a choice but rather a requirement. The R&D representative conducts the research on the best way to improve the product, organization, and the entire project team.This department operates with a sense of urgency can create and conceptualize quickly. The sales representative will benefit the team and organization by ensuring that the product reaches its intended consumers in the most efficient manner while maximizing profits.Management Ââ€" studies show that virtual teams perform well when executives support the development of the social relationship across the team and thereby enhancing trust among members. The executive management makes sure the team performs optimally and that it returns the expected outcomes.Collaborating with seve ral functional areas in the virtual team have posted some challenges that may slow or inhibit the team's performance. One of these problems is the differences in the cultural background such differing technical skills, and different styles of work. For example, a member from the production area may not have similar technology skill like those with a member from the IT department. This difference brings a challenge in adapting to new communication tools, systems, and applications, as well as learning how to use them.

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 18

Answer the question - Essay Example The practices should be friendly enough for the students to be interested to adopt and implement them and continue focusing on them rather than the socially unacceptable behaviors. I agree with the teachers that the fourfold interest is good for the children to use to pursue their own interests and gain experience. However it is necessary for them to learn the subjects even if juts the basics if their knowledge is to widen and they are to learn more about the world outside their schools and homes. Subject such as English is important for their communication. Not all children have their first language as English and hence may have difficulties communicating in proper correct English if they are not taught. History is important for the children to grasp the concepts of their country, how it came to be as well as about the other continents. Children not exposed to these subjects are bound to have closed minds which is not good for the global environment in this day and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam Essay

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam - Essay Example One of the key elements that was prevalent in both Islam and Buddhism is the fact that both possessed a charismatic leader that propagated for their religions. George Bernard Shaw once said about Muhammad:  "He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness".   Muhammad  was the most reviled figure in the history of the West from the 7th century until quite recent times. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was confident, poise, compassionate and had an amazing personality. One of the reasons why Muhammad is truly an influential figure ever witnessed by the mankind was due to the fact that he was a key prophet. In Islam, the tradition of prophethood is extremely vital (Staples 63). Yet, Muhammad was an astonishing leader in his community morally and intellectually. This is essential because he becomes a mo del for his followers. Muhammad was extremely kind-hearted, and had amazing character (Staples 65). Before Mohammad even achieved his prophethood, he was some illogical traditions that were barbaric. For example, Arab and Persian tribes had a tradition of burying their young daughters alive (Varisco 139). The reason was due to the mentality that girls were considered a burden in the family, while the young son can facilitate his dad in earning the daily bread. When Muhammad saw these cruel acts, he immediately put an end to it. Similarly, Buddha possessed similar capabilities that allow both individuals to propagate their message to a mass populous which needed a savior during their times. Buddha was an amazing character because he has struggled to achieve his salvation and adapted a lifestyle that few could tolerate. Both Buddhism and Islam ousted these illogical traditions and solidified a root foundation of justice that was so critical in those eras. For instance, when Muhammad w as born, the Arabian Peninsula was in chaos (Hart, 9). However, traditions such as burying young born girls alive, oppression and cruelty was prominent. Similarly, Buddha was born in a wealthy family but continues to severe signs of poverty that plagued society. Both Islam and Buddhism implemented reform in a manner that no other religions had the ability to do so. It was inevitable that Muhammad and Buddha both changed the political, economical, and social spheres in their respective societies. Without a doubt, Islam was reached due to theological factors for many reasons. First and foremost is the fact that Islam banished interest and alcohol. Alcohol was the main cash crop of Arab back in that era and was the root foundation for trade (Hart, 22). Moreover, merchants were not able to charge interest unjustifiable, which was detrimental to their business. The social movement of reform that Islam implemented was clearly a brilliant indication of an unforeseen change that would dynam ically modify the globe. Buddhism is a religion that teaches peace and is regarded to be one of the most common meeting grounds for all the Asian cultures. Unlike Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, Buddhism does not embrace the idea of divine holiness. The components that create Buddhism are critical as they embrace peace and allow individuals to reflect from within. Hence Buddhism is embraced my Asian cultures because it rejects diety, promotes

The Good, the Bad, and Your Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The Good, the Bad, and Your Business - Essay Example The pressure to make the correct business decisions is often unbearable to many managers. Indecision, anxiety, or a misstep can bring the company to its knees in today's highly competitive economy. While ethical dilemmas remain unsolved, employee morale can plummet, productivity can drop off, business competitors can take a large proportion of your profits, and dissatisfied customers can free (Seglin, 1999). This is bad news for business managers. It is on this premise that Jeffrey L. Seglin wrote the book, The Good, the Bad, and Your Business to give business managers some useful insights on how to conduct their businesses more efficiently and navigate through their everyday moral business dilemmas. Business mistakes can put a decent professional in serious ethical troubles. This essay attempts to answer some ethical considerations and questions using the above named book. The four point's test, otherwise called the CEO test is credited to Norman Augustine, a former Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin (Maslanka, 2008). In his contribution, Augustine asked business managers to reckon four questions whenever they were faced with an ethical dilemma. First, a manager should ask if the ethical dilemma is legal to avoid getting engaged in illegal activities that could further dent the image of the company. Secondly, the manager should spend time pondering about the fairness of the ethical dilemma if it was personally meted on him or her instead of the employees. If the ethical dilemma was splashed in the front page of the local newspaper, would the manager feel contented Finally, the manager should ask himself if he would feel satisfied if her mother saw him implement the ethical dilemma. If the manager answers to the affirmative in all the above questions, then the decisions he makes on the dilemma are ethical (Seglin, 2007). Q2: Comparing and contrasting the Four-point e test with the twelve-point test. The twelve-point test offers a more pragmatic framework for most mangers in dealing with ethical issues and dilemmas. First, a manager must ask himself if he has defined the problem accurately. Secondly, the manager must ask himself how he would have viewed the dilemma if he was an employee. Further, the manager must dig into how the problem occurred in the first place and who was involved in the situation in the first place. After evaluating the above, the manager should then stop to ponder what his intentions are in making the decision that he wants to make and how will the intentions compare with likely results. Afterwards, the manager must evaluate the consequences of his decisions. The eighth question, which is the most crucial question, is whether the manager can engage the affected party in discussing the problem before making a final judgment. Afterwards, the manager should stop to ponder about the longevity of the decision he makes. Will it appear valid over a long period of time as it appears now Another crucial question for the manager is whether he could disclose the decisions that he has made to his boss, CEO, board of directors, the society, and family members without any misgivings. The manager should also consider the symbolic potential of the action he is about to take. Finally, the mana

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam Essay

The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam - Essay Example One of the key elements that was prevalent in both Islam and Buddhism is the fact that both possessed a charismatic leader that propagated for their religions. George Bernard Shaw once said about Muhammad:  "He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness".   Muhammad  was the most reviled figure in the history of the West from the 7th century until quite recent times. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was confident, poise, compassionate and had an amazing personality. One of the reasons why Muhammad is truly an influential figure ever witnessed by the mankind was due to the fact that he was a key prophet. In Islam, the tradition of prophethood is extremely vital (Staples 63). Yet, Muhammad was an astonishing leader in his community morally and intellectually. This is essential because he becomes a mo del for his followers. Muhammad was extremely kind-hearted, and had amazing character (Staples 65). Before Mohammad even achieved his prophethood, he was some illogical traditions that were barbaric. For example, Arab and Persian tribes had a tradition of burying their young daughters alive (Varisco 139). The reason was due to the mentality that girls were considered a burden in the family, while the young son can facilitate his dad in earning the daily bread. When Muhammad saw these cruel acts, he immediately put an end to it. Similarly, Buddha possessed similar capabilities that allow both individuals to propagate their message to a mass populous which needed a savior during their times. Buddha was an amazing character because he has struggled to achieve his salvation and adapted a lifestyle that few could tolerate. Both Buddhism and Islam ousted these illogical traditions and solidified a root foundation of justice that was so critical in those eras. For instance, when Muhammad w as born, the Arabian Peninsula was in chaos (Hart, 9). However, traditions such as burying young born girls alive, oppression and cruelty was prominent. Similarly, Buddha was born in a wealthy family but continues to severe signs of poverty that plagued society. Both Islam and Buddhism implemented reform in a manner that no other religions had the ability to do so. It was inevitable that Muhammad and Buddha both changed the political, economical, and social spheres in their respective societies. Without a doubt, Islam was reached due to theological factors for many reasons. First and foremost is the fact that Islam banished interest and alcohol. Alcohol was the main cash crop of Arab back in that era and was the root foundation for trade (Hart, 22). Moreover, merchants were not able to charge interest unjustifiable, which was detrimental to their business. The social movement of reform that Islam implemented was clearly a brilliant indication of an unforeseen change that would dynam ically modify the globe. Buddhism is a religion that teaches peace and is regarded to be one of the most common meeting grounds for all the Asian cultures. Unlike Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, Buddhism does not embrace the idea of divine holiness. The components that create Buddhism are critical as they embrace peace and allow individuals to reflect from within. Hence Buddhism is embraced my Asian cultures because it rejects diety, promotes

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Final Project on Maternity Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Final Project on Maternity Fashion - Essay Example The essay "Final Project on Maternity Fashion" concerns the maternity fashion. The idea of maternity wear in the modern sense of the word came first time around the middle of the 19th century when it was thought that such unmentionable circumstances as pregnancy had better stay hidden. This idea then evolved into a whole industry curtailing to the need of the modern pregnant woman. It offers women who are pregnant comfortable, trendy and everyday maternity clothing. The most inconvenient thing during pregnancy is the process of modifying dresses to the ever increasing stomach or choosing what to wear that would not look like a tent. Today a pregnant woman does not need to wear her husband’s clothes to hide her which will male her look dowdy and uncouth. Also she does not need to wear dresses made as if there was only one standard model called pregnant and nothing else. In the contemporary world, the options for pregnant women to choose from are humongous. Maternity clothing un derstands that some women like to show off their bump while other modest conservative women might think otherwise. During the nine month period of pregnancy women undergo several bodily changes. Till the first three to four months, for most women, this change is not apparent. However, from the fourth month onwards changes become unmistakable. The belly and hips begin to enlarge, for most women, there is a swelling and the body begins to bloat. Maternity clothing is manufactured to cater for the expanding breasts.... Obviously it also caters for the bump that is sitting out in front. Amongst pregnant women, some of them might have brownish or yellowish patches known as "mask of pregnancy," on their faces. There might also be some dark lines in the center of their lower abdomen. Also there is darkening of the skin of the nipples, external genitalia, and anal region. The above symptoms are a result of changes in the hormones during the pregnancy. The pigmentation might not be even in nature; therefore, the skin may darken in the areas where the patches appear. This pigmentation cannot be prevented but its effect can be minimized applying sunscreen and avoidance of ultraviolet rays. Acne is another skin problem during this nine month cycle because the skin oil production increases. It is not only pimples which appear on the face or the body, but moles and freckles which had been lighter earlier might darken in response to this increase in oiliness. The area around the nipple also darkens in color which is permanent. But all the other skin problems disappear after delivery. SWOT ANANLYSIS S-Strengths Our maternity line focuses on developing a relationship with the customer. It is one-on-one basis, where customers' needs are individually catered. The life span our product line is not short as the clothes bought during pregnancy can also be utilized afterwards with provision of pre- and post-natal services. A customized line for our customers is also developed, to fulfill their special needs accordingly. This customization can be done on the basis of color, design, size, texture or any other feature that the customer may require. The focus is not just maternity clothing, but out brand aims at the emancipation of the pregnant women with full range of

It was a bitter winters night Essay Example for Free

It was a bitter winters night Essay It was a bitter winters night and George was sitting in his big white house. Georges lapdog, Tony, was lying at his owners feet. His big pointy ears were jiggling and his huge forehead was creasing up as he breathed in and out. George was watching television. Although he was not really mentally capable of understanding some of the intellectual humour he was watching, he happily sat there giggling away at the Tweenies with Tony. George and Tony deserved to relax after the hard day they had had at school. George was head boy at his school, the United School of Akronica, and he was having a spot of trouble with one of the other boys. Sammy Whosayne was bullying other children in his class and George thought that he should do something about it. George also believed that Sammy had some stink-bombs of mass poignancy but he could not prove anything. Although George was head boy, it did not mean he could do what he wanted; he had to speak to one of the teachers first. The teacher that he had to speak to on this occasion was called Mrs. U.Benn. She was in charge of the committee against bullying, Necessitarians Against The Oppressors. Usually, U. Benn and NATO sorted out problems between different groups within the school but this time she said no because George could not prove that Sammy had stink-bombs of mass poignancy. George was furious; he couldnt believe that they had said no to him. He soon got over it though when he saw something shiny on the floor. George realised that if he want to do anything about Sammy Whosayne, he was going to have to do it himself. He realised that he could not do it by himself. He asked help from his friend Pierre Le-Grenouille. Unfortunately for George, Pierre was a bit of a wimp and said that he did not want to go to fight anyone. What a coward. Anyway, although slightly disheartened, George continued to plan his fight against Sammy after hed finished his warm milk and colouring in. George had gathered up his friends and they looked quite impressive, his dog Tony and he made quite a team. The two of them burst into Sammy Whosaynes classroom. They were much more heavily armed than him. George was equipped with the latest advances in paper aeroplanes. The planes flew into the class room taking out everything in their path (providing it was also made out of paper). This was lucky because Sammy had built his defences entirely out of paper. George attack completely wiped out the bullys fortresses. He fled with his friends for fear of getting a paper cut. George was so happy that he couldnt stop himself from giggling like a little girl. After Georges crushing victory, he embarked on a search of the classroom for the stink-bombs of mass poignancy. He started this colossal task by checking in Whosaynes locker. Obviously not realising that the locker was open, George set about trying to push the door open. He pushed as hard as he could for a good forty-nine minutes. Eventually Tony the dog, who had watched the whole pathetic affair, decided he couldnt take it anymore and decided to show George that the door was unlocked and all he had to do was pull it. Tired out after pushing a solid piece of metal for forty-nine minutes, George languidly routed through the deviants locker for any signs of the stink bombs of mass-poignancy. The locker was covered in dust, much like a certain middle-eastern country whose name escapes me. He searched every nook and cranny of the cupboard. He went bravely into the cracks and caverns without knowing what he would find. After what seemed like months of searching (it was actually about twenty minutes), George was fruitless. As NATO had guessed, Sammy did not have any stink bombs of mass poignancy. George did not even catch Sammy. He was very embarrassed. He was also quite worried as there was an election coming up for head boy. He realised that he had to find Sammy and then possibly his reputation would be saved although, if were being perfectly honest, his reputation wasnt really one worth saving. He searched the playground for the rest of break and just as things were looking bad, he saw someone hidden in the climbing frame that looked very much like the fugitive bully. He went up to him but he realised that hed gotten the wrong person because the person hed found had a beard. He apologised and walked off. As he was walking off, Tony kicked him which provoked thought. He thought that a boy having a beard was rather unusual at a school. He went back and the boy looked a little worried at the sight of a jolly giggling little man rushing towards him. George went up to him with a stern look of concentration on his face. He opened his mouth and, to the horror of Tony, he asked the bearded boy what life was like in the sixth form. As we all will have guessed by now, the bearded boy was actually Sammy Whosayne in what was frankly a pretty pathetic disguise (although it did fool George). Sammy opened his mouth and thats when George finally realised who it was. He grabbed him and took him out to show the rest of the play ground. Ive caught him he shouted. Not realising that nobody cared and that they werent listening he carried on his speech. I have capturidafied this hooligan and hopefully he will not continue to tormentify us any more. Thank me very much for giving me your attention. It was a good job that no one was listening because he would have made a complete ass out of himself. Not only had his speech included words that didnt exist but where he believed he was holding a master criminal, he was actually clutching a piece of tarpaulin with some loose bits of hair stuck to it. By this point Tony the dog had given up trying to help him. This is the end of my tale about a stupid man with power and his pet. As of yet, we do not know if George will be elected as head of the United School of Akronica but lets hope, for all our sakes, that someone with more common sense gets the job.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Marketing Islamic Travel Destinations A Religious Perspective Tourism Essay

Marketing Islamic Travel Destinations A Religious Perspective Tourism Essay Literature on tourism and destination marketing research is rich with key themes which seek to explain why people travel and select specific destinations. Many of the studies are based on the theory of pull and push motivations. The theory posits that tourists are pushed by internal desires or emotional factors to travel as well as pulled by external factors in the form of the attributes of various destinations. While many studies have been conducted to investigate the various types of destination attributes, there has been a lack of research on the religious attributes of the destination and its impact on tourists choice as well as satisfaction. Moreover, when it comes to Islamic religious attributes, the lack of study is more noticeable and profound. The objective of this study is to investigate whether there exists a basis for segmenting the tourism market by Islamic religious attributes through studying the views and opinions of tourists visiting Malaysia. 2. Significance of the Study The Muslim tourism segment may consider a target for destination marketers. Assuming religion represents one of important factors in the decision-making process in regards to travel destinations(Collins Tisdell, 2002), it is important to ensure that Islamic religious attributes are available in those destinations. This may lead to tourist satisfaction as well as encourage multiple return visits. Muslims are well-ordered to follow Islamic teachings which directly and indirectly impact on their decisions concerning leisure and travel plans (Hamira Henderson, 2009). In this regard plans to market destinations for Muslim tourists should be guided by Shariah (Islamic code of life) rules specifically those that pertain to tourism activities. In recent years, it has been observed that there is a growing interest in new tourism concepts such as Islamic tourism. Another concept is Halal hospitality which is akin to the concept of Halal food, a concept already recognized in many countries including those in the Middle East(WTM, 2007). Newspaper articles consider this to be a new phenomenon in the United Arab Emirates and Middle Eastern countries. Halal tourism has attracted many tour packages entirely based on what they term Islamic culture (Javed, 2007) which is defined as a type of religious tourism which is in conformity with Islamic teachings regarding behaviourisms, dress, conduct and diet (WTM, 2007). Heyers (2008) elaboration on the rapid large-scale development of Shariah-compliant hotels is but another expression of the existing trends towards increased Islamisation of activities which in the past focused more on banking, insurance and finance. Thus, tourism is generally encouraged by Islamic law as following the re ligion entails etiquettes, mannerisms, rules and regulations regarding conduct, dress, food, and prayer(Hamira Henderson, 2009). Halal tourism operators target families from the Gulf region known for their conservative interpretation of the teachings of Islamic Shariah. The World Travel Market Report (2007) shows that Halal tourism has the potential to develop into a resilient market. Promising market potentialities cause it to be targeted by industry operators and market researchers. Focus on this market is further increased by a forecasted increase in growth whereby tourist income for the Middle East is expected to grow 108% to a staggering US$ 51 billion while domestic tourism is expected to grow by 82% to reach US$24 Billion by 2011. Much of the forecasted growth is due to increased numbers of Middle Eastern tourists which underlines the need for tailored Halal tourist packages offering services catering to Muslim needs. The negative side of western tourism causing Halal tourism to be increasingly popular among Muslims is issues which have a negative impact on the Muslim community such as the consumption of alcohol, prostitution, inappropriate dressing, kissing in public and open affection between sexes in public (Sindiga, 1996). However, non-Muslim countries continue to attract Muslim families, including those from the Gulf region interested in visiting attractions such as nature parks as these comply with Islamic Shariah. In response to this the current study is an attempt to greater understand the new concept of Halal tourism. Muslims constitute a global market of 1.82 billion potential customers (Muslim population worldwide, 2009). Islamic religious attributes are bound to be very important considerations when a Muslim decides to travel abroad. Given the potential problems expected from non-Halal tourism, the Muslim tourist may decide not to travel to a particular destination due to the absence of these attributes. According to Uysal et al. (2008, p. 413) a study of a the particular attributes of any given destination would provide clues and/or insights that destination marketers could use in developing and promoting their tourism destinations. Bogari et al.(2004) claim that destination attributes and issues pertaining to Islamic culture were not sufficiently covered by researchers. In effect, the study focuses in the Islamic attributes of destinations which could be used as a base to attract Muslim tourists in destination marketing programs. The marketing of Islamic destinations is certainly not an easy task(Henderson, 2008b) because of the variance between the demands of western tourists and the Islamic teachings. Therefore, exploring Islamic attributes may help destination marketers to tailor products and services that satisfy Muslim tourists in addition to using them in promotional programs. In addition, this study attempts to offer insights into the tourism expectations and experiences of followers of the Islamic religion. Muslim tourists could be influenced by religious aspects in their destination choice. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore which Islamic attributes of destinations such as worship facilities and Halal food that may be important to the Muslim tourist; especially in the Muslim world. 3. Literature review: Religion plays a large influence on many peoples behaviour as customers (Essoo Dibb, 2004). In the context of tourism, religion may influence the choice of destination and tourists product preferences(Adi Ron, 2008). According to Poria et al. (2003), the effects of religious belief on behaviour come from two main sources First, there are the yes and nos, dos and donts of a persons religion which are to be observed. Examples consist of the religious rules prohibiting Muslims from consuming pork, or Hindus from consuming beef. The second means by which behaviour is influenced is the fact that religion shapes the culture, attitudes and values of society. This is supported by Grigg (1995) whose research provides evidence on the influence of religion and religiosity on dietary habits. Further support is found in Essoo and Dibb (2004) who demonstrated the influence of religion on consumer behaviour by identifying the differences in consumer spending between Muslims and Hindus. Although the relationship between tourism and religion has been addressed in the literature on tourism, there remains a shortage of theoretical publications in the area of tourism in the context of Islam. Religion and religiosity are acknowledged factors influencing behaviour according to various social settings. In spite of this widely acknowledged fact, research that explores relationships between religion, behaviour and tourist destination choice remains highly limited (Adi, 2006; Adi Ron, 2008; Din, 1989; Fleischer, 2000; Howe, 2001; Poria et al., 2003; Rinschede, 1992). Din (1989) argues that social scientists have tended to overlook the importance of religion in tourism studies. Its importance is emphasized by Adi and Ron (2008) who underline the general importance of the relationship between tourism and religion. For this reason Heo et al. (2004) recommend more related studies that identify and discuss special tourist requirements and preferences. Although neglecting to menti on religion specifically, Fang et al. (2008) conclude that tourists are more likely to choose destinations believed to best satisfy tourist push needs and preferred destination attributes. Studies conducted in this area include Adi (2006) which investigates the religious needs of Christian tourist in the hospitality industry and Fleischer and Nitzav (1995) which investigates the religious needs of Christian pilgrims in the tourism industry. Likewise Hoffmann (1994 Cited in Adi 2006) conducts research on Jewish ultra-orthodox tourism segment. In addition to this, some papers complement the aforementioned research by discussing the religious requirements in the tourism food sector. For example, Dugan (1994) presents the religious necessities in food supply for Muslim, Christian, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists. When it comes to the relationship between tourism and religion, particularly Islam, the lack of literature is more obvious especially regarding Islamic religious attributes and their impact on tourist needs in general and Muslim tourists in particular. The only studies available typically focus only on the needs of Muslim pilgrims (when they visit Makkah for the Haj) rather than the needs of tourists. However, Adi and Ron (2008) forecast increased number of religiously-minded tourists who join dynamic multipurpose packages especially from developing countries many of which are Muslim countries. 3.1 Religious Attributes What does the term `religious attributes of destinations really mean? There are many aspects that can constitute `religious attributes of destinations. The following sections present the literature on the matter: 3.1.1 Hotels Meeting the Religious Needs of Patrons Additional religious services and provisions in hotels may result in attracting new markets and improved hotel rates (Adi, 2006). A study in Israel conducted by Mansfeld et al. (2000) recommended placing Makkah stickers or `Qibla stickers (stickers with ornamented arrows pointing towards the city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia for prayer directions) as well as placing a copy of the Quran in every room occupied by Muslim visitors. Din (1989) found that hotels in Kuantan, Malaysia catered to Muslim needs in the hospitality industry by requiring first class hotels to provide prayer rooms fully equipped with prayer mats, the Quran, Suruh Yasin, and Tasbih, plus Qibla stickers. Adi (2006) presented a number of suggestions to improve the religion-friendliness of hotels. The suggestions begin by simply providing a bible in hotel rooms along with providing information on religious activities and institutions. This keeps religiously-minded tourists in direct contact with scripture and informed of available services. Employment of Christian workers creates a religious atmosphere in the hotel. The hotel may choose to organize its own religious activities. It should provide a place of worship within the hotel itself or be in close proximity to a church. Christian symbols within a hotel such as a cross and images of the Virgin Mary help to provide a religious environment and dà ©cor. Religious values play a role in catering to religious needs. For example, Collins-Kreiner Kliot (2000) hypothesizes the Protestants need for a bible in hotel rooms based on their belief in direct communication with God. Fleischer (2000) compares between Catholic and Protestant pilgrims in terms of the peculiarities of their tourist needs. The study reveals that Protestants appreciate religious symbols and opt for religious-sensitive tourist packages more so than Catholics. Moreover, Adi (2006) recommended catering to such Christian needs in the hotel room as that may increase the satisfaction of Christian tourists Empirical studies on the impact of catering to Islamic religious needs and the level of satisfaction of Muslim tourists are very few. Some of the studies discuss services of this nature which may include Muslim religious restrictions such as activities of vice and forbidden entry for unmarried couples (Din, 1989; Hamira Henderson, 2009; Henderson, 2003) . They also found that hotels may provide religious information such as the location of nearby mosques or prayer times and nearby Halal restaurants (Henderson, 2003). Furthermore, as Muslims avoid free mixing between the sexes, hotels could offer separate swimming pools and recreational facilities (Al-hamarneh steiner, 2004; Henderson, 2003; Timothy Iverson, 2006). Hashim et al. (2007) suggest that providing Halal food on the hotel menu or information on nearby Halal restaurants would enhance the holiday experience. Timothy and Iverson (2006) also suggest that hotels should educate their staff on cross-cultural communication to all ow them to treat Muslim tourists with respect and consider recruiting religious staff. 3.1.2 Places of worship The five daily prayers are of great importance to practicing Muslims. Therefore, the mosque (a Muslim house of worship) or prayer room is considered to be one of the most crucial facilities for Muslims (Al-hamarneh steiner, 2004; Syed, 2001). Adi (2006) suggests that proximity to a mosque may influence Muslim tourist preferences when making hotel reservations. Mohsin (2005) conducted a study to assess Peninsular Malaysians attitude towards choosing the Northern Territory of Australia for a holiday as a tourism destination and found that Muslim respondents were concerned about the availability of mosques. Mohsin and Ryan (1997) recommend that the ease of access to Islamic services are important when they explored the attitudes of Malaysian and Indonesian business people towards the possibility of holidaying in Australia. It is also suggested that Middle Eastern countries take concrete steps to develop Halal tourism internally by having prayer rooms at tourism sites (WTM, 2007). Syed (2001) also suggested that the availability of mosques at tourist destinations may increase satisfaction levels. The mosque itself may be considered as a tourist attraction if they are unique and outstanding (Henderson, 2003). 3.1.3 Availability of Halal food Dugan (1994) presented findings on food service requirements by Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. Evidence from Browns (1996) ethnographic study shows the influence of religious prohibitions on determining their expectations regarding services provided by a hotel such as appropriate ingredient choice and preparation. This is further supported by Williams (2002) who identified the role of the Jewish Kashrus (Jewish religious requirements) in prohibiting certain foods and regulating compliance procedures for food preparation. For Muslims, the issue is centred on the concept of Halalness. Halal food refers to food that can be lawfully consumed when conditions for Islamic food preparation are met. Food that is unlawful to Muslims includes pork, pork-derived foods including lard and bacon and meat and other products from carnivorous animals or those that feed on carrion. Consumption of any food or drinks with alcoholic content is also prohibited (Dugan, 1994). One important distinguishing feature of the Halal label is that animals must be slaughtered in the name of Allah (God). There are many studies that show the importance of the availability of Halal food to Muslims in choosing their tourist destinations (Adi, 2006; Adi Ron, 2008; Mohsin, 2005; Mohsin Ryan, 1997; Syed, 2001). The importance of this to some Muslims is reflected by the fact that even when served halal food, many are still concerned over whether the food is genuinely halal. Henderson (2003) found that some firms in the Western tourism industry are concerned over this issue. Some Muslims ask about the ingredients the meal is made up of because pork and alcohol in all its many forms are forbidden. Therefore, meals which are provided to Muslim have to be alcohol and pork-free and the utensils have to be uncontaminated by these two elements (Dugan, 1994). Catering to Muslim tourists needs in terms of providing Halal food in any particular destination may increase their overall satisfaction and loyalty. Mansfeld et al. (2000) gives explicit recommendations for providing food which complies with Shariah laws. Therefore, a caterer who is aware on how to satisfy Muslims or who offers religious groups dietary needs will attract more Muslim customers (Dugan, 1994). 3.1.4 Banning of Alcohol Consumption and Gambling According to Islamic Shariah, it is completely forbidden for Muslims to drink or sell alcohol. Muslims are also prohibited from gambling and being involved in the gambling industry. It is stated in Al-Quran: O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satans handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. (Al-Quran, 5:90). Moreover the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Alcohol is the mother of all evils and it is the most shameful of evils. (Ibn Majah, 2004). It is also not permissible for Muslims to visit places where alcohol is consumed and gambling is practiced (Al-hamarneh steiner, 2004; Din, 1989; Hamira Henderson, 2009; Hashim et al., 2007; Henderson, 2003, 2008a). Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia implement very restrictive policies related to gambling and the sale of alcohol. Other countries are not so restrictive. For example, in most states in Malaysia alcohol is freely available although Muslims can be punished for drinking in public. 3.1.5 Sexual permissiveness The Shariah expressly forbids Muslims from engaging in fornication or adultery. Activities deemed conducive to sexual permissiveness are not allowed to take place in public. This is based on many verses in The Holy Quran including like: Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils). (Al-Quran, 17: 32). Many Muslim scholars take the view that it is Haram or not permissible to visit, for the sake of tourism, places where sexual permissiveness is rampant. Their opinion is based on the principle that Islam came to impede all roads leading to evil. If some tourist activities result in the facilitation or the commission of sins then it is not permissible for Muslims to be involved in such tourist activities (Rasma, 2008). Most Muslim countries including Malaysia prohibit adultery. The Malaysian licensing policy prohibits prostitution and behaviours such as public or indecent displays of affection (Din, 1989; Hamira Henderson, 2009; Henderson, 2003, 2008a). Moreover, in some Malaysian towns municipal enactments for lodging establishments explicitly forbid unmarried couples from being in close proximity (Din, 1989). Many Muslim authorities frown on tourism in general due to the perception that tourism is associated with sexual permissiveness (Din, 1989). Therefore, some Muslim scholars prohibit sex tourism as practiced by some Arab Muslims from the Middle East in travelling to Europe or Bangkok (Din, 1989). What is more, using sexually provocative images in marketing tourist destinations to Muslim customers is also frowned upon. According to Shariah, promotion techniques must not use sexual appeal in international marketing (Mohammad et al., 2001). Female images are therefore not featured in tourism promotion in some Malaysian states like Terengganu (Henderson, 2003). Mohsin (2005) is of the opinion that the use of sexually provocative images of bikini-clad girls to promote a destination will not attract Muslim tourists. 3.1.6 Dress code According to Shariah Muslim women must not expose their hair and body. The Holy Quran states: O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Al-Quran, , 33: 59) Men are supposed to cover their thighs (Timothy Iverson, 2006). In deciding tour destinations, Muslims look at the local dress codes in that particular region of the world being considered. Such considerations are to gauge the level of conformity to Islamic dress norms in order to determine if they will or will not be comfortable visiting that particular destination. This is particularly so for Arab tourists who have to observe strict dress codes in their native countries and prefer not to expose themselves and families to environments that may threaten their sense of proper dressing. Hashim et al (2007) demonstrates the Malaysian Tourist Boards awareness of Islamic dress sensitivities by restricting their marketing campaigns to present only traditional Malay Muslim dress codes. Women with headscarves and men wearing Songkoks-a black rimless hat worn by Malay men usually for praying-were depicted on advertising billboards and home pages. Some conservative Malaysian states enforce appropriate dress norms prohibiting people from disturbing cultural norms by wearing revealing clothes such as bikinis. Furthermore, western tourists are expected to adorn the Islamic attire when visiting religious places like mosques (Henderson, 2003). Hamira and Henderson (2009) claim that Shariah laws prohibit improper dressing. Al-Hamarneh and Seiner (2004) assert that considerations of the religious conservatism of any particular region including prescribed dress codes should be respected. Such cultural considerations are expected more so of tourism operators in all aspects of the tourism industry as they are interacting directly and regularly with foreign tourists (Adi Ron, 2008). 4. Methodology The objective of this study is to explore Islamic religious attributes which may be important to Muslim travellers. In order to achieve this objective, focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted and were followed up with interviews to explore opinions and travel experiences in more depth. This combination of the FGD and the interviews has its advantages. Firstly, in identifying a range of Islamic religious attributes from the FGD. Secondly, to explore in depth, by conducting interviews using a relatively wide range of participants in order to discover more Islamic attributes and to check the conclusions with the FGD (Morgan, 1996). The FGD and the interviews are research techniques pertaining to qualitative research (Myers, 2009, p. 121). The aim of the FGD is to collect information through group interaction but the interview is considered an opportunity to discover new information from individuals (Cavana, Delahaye, Sekaran, 2008, p. 138). Semi-structured questions were designed in this study for the purpose of conducting interviews and focus group discussions. Semi-structured questions were designed in this study for the purpose of conducting interviews and focus group discussions. The participants were asked about the Islamic attributes they would require when traveling in a Muslim country or a non Muslim country. They were then asked specifically about these attributes when visiting Muslim countries. This was followed by probing questions that sought to explore in detail specific attributes generated from FGDs such as access to worship facilities, availability of Halal food, services provided in hotels, and morality. Two focus group discussions were conducted in June 2009. The participants of these focus groups were international PhD students currently studying in Malaysia in different areas of research. The participants of FGD1 consisted of eight males from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Mauritania, Oman, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt and Sudan. The duration of FGD1 was one and a half hours. The participants of FGD 2 consisted of seven females from Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Nigeria, Oman, Turkey, and Algeria. The duration of FGD 2 was one hour and fifteen minutes and the participants did not agree to record the session digitally. The reason for this may be culturally related. All FGD participants had overseas travel experience for various purposes such as tourism, business, learning, and visiting friends. A total of 53 interviews were conducted with tourists in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia; 27 interviews in July 2009 and 26 interviews in October 2009. Thirty of the interviewees were males, and twenty three were females. Only those who professed to be Muslims were selected. 38 tourists did not accept to be interviewed. The duration of most interviews was between 35 to 45 minutes. 41 interviews were recorded digitally. The rest were unable to be recorded due to objections from the interviewees who were females from the Middle East. The interviewer transcribed both the FGDs as well as all interviews session. Some interviewees from the Middle East preferred to communicate in Arabic while the rest were conducted in English. The interviewer adopted the probing technique during the session to encourage the participants to provide more details. Some demographic information was also gathered. The digital recording of the interviews was changed into text. The data was organized fo r easy categorization and systematic data analysis. 5. Findings Results of the analysis were categorized into two major aspects which are tangible and intangible. The tangible aspect consists of Islamic religious facilities such as, worship facilities, Halal food, and Islamic recreational facilities: (A)Prayer facilities: Mosque: all interviewees were concerned about the availability of Mosques (Masjid) or prayer rooms for their tourist destination. Easy access to a mosque/prayer room is considered a vital aspect for Muslim tourists and should not be ignored by tourism planning but should be considered a necessary service. This can be shown in the following response: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Masjid or prayer room must be available in the streets and public places. In other words, a prayer room should be available in all places which I may visit in the destination such as hotels, shopping malls, and airports. Even in the airplane to destination, it should allocate a place for prayer. (FGD No. 1) Masjid is available in most of the places in the destination during my journey, in shopping malls, highwaysà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and of course in the hotel. (Int. No.1, USA) It is noticed from the previous responses that Muslim tourists expect easy access to a Masjid and/or prayer room to be a primary requirement in Muslim countries. They also highlighted that they expect to find prayer facilities readily accessible during tourist activities. Islamic call (Azan) for prayer: 31 interviewees were concerned about the need for public calling of the Azan (prayer time). Destination operators should provide information about Muslim prayer times. 17 interviewees recommended a prayer time call during flights or journeys to their destinations, hotels, shopping malls and parks. Some also requested prayer time clocks (which ring with each prayer time) or a prayer timetable in the hotel room. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I need also Prayer time call in the airplane, airport, hotel or at least prayer timetable in hotel room. (Int.No.2, Canada) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Prayer timetable or Alfajr clock (Prayer time clock brand) should be found in hotel room. (Int.No.4, Saudi Arabia). In Islam Muslims should pray five times daily but they are permitted to merge and shorten the prayers while travelling according to the length of the journey and other Islamic legal rules and requirements. As such, the participants preferred that they be reminded about prayer times in order that they may choose between praying at the usual times or merge them. Quran and Qiblah direction pointer: all interviewees emphasized the importance of the provision of Qurans and Qiblah direction pointers in hotel rooms. Some proposed that one or two simple Islamic books to be provided in hotel rooms and in aeroplane seat pockets. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It will be fine if I find Quran book in hotel room, some Islamic leaflets in the airplane seat pocket, Makkah direction pointer, Sejadda for prayer (prayer mat), simple Islamic book in hotel room à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (FGD No. 1) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I need the Holy Quran book inside the hotel room, some Islamic books which I can read; I dont want any statue or sculpture like a Buddhist. I found that in India when I was there. Also direction of Qibla is important to meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Int. No.15, Djibouti) The Quran is the Holy book for Muslims. Muslims are requested to read the Holy Quran. Although most of Muslims have a soft copy of the Quran on their hand phones, the hard copy represents the preferable option for reading. Moreover, the Makkah direction pointer is a basic demand of Muslims as they perform their prayers elsewhere even though in public places. Some hotel industry practitioners, even some hotels in non Muslim countries, already provide Qiblah pointers inside their hotel rooms but some participants report that they did not find it in some hotels in Muslim countries. Muslim toilets: 36 interviewees who have travelled to western destinations complained about the bath room because they could not perform ablution (Muslim mandatory washing before performing prayers). There is no such facility inside airport toilets and hotels. Therefore, they requested Muslim toilets to be provided in all airports, hotels and public places. Muslim toilet is very important in airport because the regular toilets provide only tissue. As Muslims, we need water supply inside the toilet. It should be found in public places because in the hotel you can find water but in public it is difficult. (Int. No.14, Thailand) I will be very happy if I find à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and Bidet in the bathroom (Int. No.2, Canada). Muslim followers must do ablution before prayers. They are required to clean themselves with water when using the toilet. Some countries adopt modern toilet designs which do not enable users to wash themselves using water; providing only tissue. However, some Muslim countries have modified this style and have adopted a Muslim design for their bathrooms which provide water. From previous participant responses, they find it satisfying when water facilities are made available in toilets. (B)Halal food: all interviewees reported that the availability of Halal food is a basic need for all destinations. It is noticed that all interviewees need Halal meals in flights to their destination. Moreover, they recommended that hotels and restaurants in the destination should provide Halal meals free from pork and alcohol. Some of them were worried about the preparation of Halal meals. Seven interviewees highlighted that the kitchen should also be Halal which means that Halal and non-Halal foods cannot be cooked together in the same kitchen and with the same utensils. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I need Halal food to be available. The mosques and Halal food restaurants, mostly they are close to each other. Last week, I was in Cambodia. Once I was close to the Masjid I found Halal restaurants. (Int. No.13, Turkey) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Some hotels, in breakfast they provide Halal food and non-Halal food from the same kitchen that means the Halal and non Halal food are cooked together using the same facilities. I need Halal kitchen. Moreover, some Arabian tourists cant read English so they eat non-Halal meat. (Int. No.12, Egypt) The travel experiences of some participants highlighted that easy to find Halal food is one factor in choosing the destination for their vacation. Some are very sensitive regarding Halal issues and go well beyond Halal labels. They want to make sure the meat and ingredients used in cooking are Halal and do this by usually asking the service providers. On top of this they also ask whether the kitchen is Halal or not. In response to this some hotels in Malaysia allocate two kitchens; Halal and non-Halal. (C)Islamic entertainment: 39 interviewees gave high priority to finding Islamic-oriented recreations s