Wal-Mart - Initiatives That Benefit Society free essay sample

Abstract Since Wal-Mart opened its doors in the early 1960’s profit as with any corporation has been a main focus. Achieving and succeeding in this however is easier said than done, development and success of a company relies on efficiency in current practices and improvements in those practices to insure the future of the company. A strong sustainability strategy which is closely followed will allow for such growth and success; bringing profits to the organization. Wal-Mart is said to be â€Å"a template for 21st Century capitalism† [1, pg 3] they hold a reputation for low prices; however this reputation is not reflective of their profits, as seen during the fiscal year of 2008 Wal-Mart earned $12. 73 billion dollars. [2] With such sizable profits corporations can afford to take risks for potential loss or reduced profits in hopes of encouraging improvements to the environment and society. Some products have been incorporated into Wal-Mart’s stocking that hold little potential for profit, but improved environmental and social contribution. Wal-Mart has set goals to become more socially and environmentally responsible for the impact their products hold. [3] Topic Question †¢As evidenced by Exhibit 12, Wal-Marts sustainability strategy has generally been very profitable. However, two initiatives described in the case benefit society and the environment, but apparently decrease Wal-Mart’s profits. Identify those two initiatives and imagine that you are their internal champion. †¢How would you justify pursuing those initiatives? Intro As a team we identified two initiatives in which Wal-Mart provided a product that had the potential for social and environmental improvement, however did not meet typical profit expectations. Alaskan Salmon fillets which were caught in the Wild by commercial fisheries hold a social improvement for the consumer while the corporation saw little profit and in some cases minor losses. The other initiative which we identified was the environmental improvement associated with the E-Waste â€Å"Box Program† where boxes including ostage were provided to encourage the recycling of electronics at 35 to 50 percent of the cost of the material. [4] SWOT Strengths – Wild caught salmon has a decreased level of hormones and toxins then farm raised, this makes the fish provided at a loss by Wal-Mart a healthier alternative for the consumer. The quality and taste of the fish is also improved with wild caught salmon. Eutrophication has the potential to decrease with less farming improving quality of the ecosystem. Weakness – By selling these products below cost, profits will be lost. It is hard to promote the benefits of programs if consumer is not interested, in the case of the recycling program as consumers were unwilling to pay to participate. [4] Opportunities Change consumer’s view of Wal-Mart’s concern for the environment, by reducing its environmental impact by providing a low cost recycling program. By making organic and environmentally friendly products affordable for everyone such as the Salmon in this case, and set the standard for environmental responsibility by discouraging fish farming and throwing away electronics. Threats – While the wild Alaskan caught salmon has greater health benefits it still cost more than frozen farm raised; consumers don’t want to pay the extra, even if Wal-Mart is taking a profit loss. This threat could leave products on the shelf to spoil, and Wal-Mart was already taking a loss by just providing the fish to consumers. Recommendations We recommend that Wal-Mart continue in its efforts to keep involved in providing products and services which are socially and environmentally progressive. Being that they are such a large corporation an example can be set to others in the industry to recognize the importance of these programs. While loss on a product in retail is not ideal, the overall profits of the company are high and affected very little through a few programs with potential for important social and environmental impact. Justification Farm raised salmon was found to contain 10 times more toxins than wild salmon; by providing fresh wild Alaskan Salmon at a reduced price consumer have a healthier alternative at a moderate price. The same article also stated that farm raised salmon poses risks of cancer, so the decision to provide wild salmon reduces the risk of cancer of the consumer. [5] Salmon that is caught in the wild is a much more nutritious alternative to farm raised, wild fish contain 20% more protein, and 20% less fat , wild fish also contain a healthier ration of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids; all of these factors play a role in the taste of the fish, which overall is said to be better then farm raised salmon. 6] The amount of fish farms has the potential to decrease with a distributor the size of Wal-Mart turning to wild caught fish; this is a strength as the effects to ecosystems will be reduced. Fish farming is thought to be a contributing factor to eutrophication due to the excess organic matter behind in the form of feces, this leads to poor water quality affecting the oxygen content of the water. This subjects the area to increases in algae, and would affect the aquatic life in nearby waters further deteriorating the ecosystem. 7] Cost/Benefit analysis Costs – The supplier is often stuck with extra costs associated with products like Wild caught salmon, from the increase in pay out to their suppliers, potential for product going bad on the shelves as prices are higher than frozen farm raised products. Benefits – Providing healthier alternatives will attract another market of consumers increasing their sales. By providing services and products which are more environmentally and socially responsible, the stock prices have the potential to increase. Economists suggest that stock could be worth over 8% more if they could develop a better reputation in regards to the image associated with their environmental responsibility plan. [4, pg 3] Works Cited [1] Erica Plambeck, L. D. (2007, April 17). Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Strategy. Case: OIT-71 REV. 09/30/08 . Stanford Graduate School of Business. [2] http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/23232814 [3] http://www. nytimes. com/2009/07/16/business/energy-environment/16walmart. html [4] Erica Plambeck, L. D. (2007, April 17). Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Strategy. Case: OIT-71 REV. 09/30/08 . Stanford Graduate School of Business. [5]Science 9 January 2004: Vol. 303. no. 5655, pp. 226 229 DOI: 10. 1126/science. 1091447 Reports Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon Ronald A. Hites,1* Jeffery A. Foran,2 David O. Carpenter,3 M. Coreen Hamilton,4 Barbara A. Knuth,5 Steven J. Schwager6 [6] http://www. paystolivegreen. com/2009/02/wild-salmon-vs-farmed-raised-which-is-better/ [7] http://ec. europa. eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/184na5. pdf

Sarah and the ways to cope with her problems Essay Example

Sarah and the ways to cope with her problems Essay Sarah had worked for fifteen years as a driver with the Greenline Bus Company .But she had to give it up because of her back-pain. That means ,it is almost certain that she would have continued as an efficient driver even now if such inconvenience did not come her way ,incapacitating her! It might have left a streak of frustration at some corner of her mind, perhaps in the subconscious layer! Psychologically speaking, Sarah is a woman with serious manic-depressive syndrome which hardly surfaces. This again is coupled with outer insouciance and inner feeling of insecurity. Psychological imbalance may be the joint results of chronic suppression of a feeling of exhaustion and bipolar disorder . The latter drives her to swing between action and inaction, thus making her excel in some areas of her duties and fail in some others. Sarah is now a trainer and she is admired by her boss for her adaptability and amiable disposition. But the problem is that she cannot be declared as an efficient assessor as she shows poor ability in interviewing and even if the trainers come and point out her inefficiency she cannot admit it. She tends to forget the previous lessons though she does well with the recent lessons. She lacks in concentration or she has a poor memory to remember the lessons imparted in the previous classes. But she does not understand why she is being undermined . She finds no problem with herself. Perhaps, she has been overconfident about her capabilities. This is again perilous! We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah and the ways to cope with her problems specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah and the ways to cope with her problems specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sarah and the ways to cope with her problems specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Sarah might even be in difficulty with the methods of teaching the skills. the lesson-kits should have been concise and easy-to-remember. After giving up her regular job as a driver, she might have suffered from a sense of insecurity along with frustration . Every moment she feels that she might even lose the job of interviewer even. This inward tension keeps her on tenterhooks of which she is unaware outwardly. We are assuming all the possibilities so far. But, one thing must be kept in mind that Sarah is able to take up all the lessons taught for the nonce. If she had less intelligence could she ever take up such intricate lessons? NO! That means, while she is taught her lessons she applies al her gray cells to assimilate it. But, along with passage of time or lack of its application, the knowledge acquired fades out . It is due to lack of retentive power. Of course, it has a connection with her willingness to remember. As she is in the good book of the manager , she is complacent in some way. But, as her inefficiency as an interviewer is pointed out, she falters and feels insecure. But, again she may develop the willingness automatically if she finds the teaching process interesting. It may be that she strains all her intellectual faculty to absorb the lesson imparted at a time, either because of its lengthiness or of its drab, dull nature. So, though she remembers the present lessons , the previous lesson slips off her memory. The learning method that she follows may not tally with the teaching process. Perhaps the teaching method demands learning by rote, which she because of her certain incapability may not always adapt. That may be one reason why she tends to forget the previous lesson. Karen Horney in her Neurotic Personality of our Times thinks that a person become neurotic and panic-stricken when he/she finds a secured position in life standing threatened. As Sarah knows well that if this job of an interviewer stands jeopardized and if always she is informed by her instructor that her performance level is poor, her future may be bleak. Hence this fear-psychosis leaves her trembling and she tends to forget the previous lesson. Naturally, while she goes for taking an interview everything goes awry. On hearing repeatedly of her failure as an interviewer, she grows recalcitrant and feels that keeping her boss in good humor will only solve all problems. She therefore looks adaptable, undemanding, amiable to him. But all the faults lie in choosing and applying her   interview-techniques that she learns in the specific classes. It may be that as thee is fault with her learning method, she cannot remember the nitty-gritty and hence comes out a cropper while application of the techniques come. So her learning methods must be supported by practical application of the theory simultaneously with the teaching of the basic tenets of the same. While interviewing the others a strange inferiority complex too might creep in to play foul. Even if we take it for granted that   she remembered all the interviewing skills she had been taught , she might forget all the tenets while seeing a prospective interviewee. It is simply because of her past designation which had come to a close quite pathetically for a sudden deadly back-pain. In her unconscious , she keeps thinking that she could easily be in her confirmed challenging position of an efficient driver but now she is NOT! For the nonce, she forgets all reasons behind her relinquishing, and feels irritated that she is now an assessor whose ability is constantly suspected and questioned. Naturally, she develops some sort of withdrawal symptoms that ultimately results in alienation and she keeps cutting a sorry figure as an interviewer. May be that for this reason he is internally aloof from the lessons and this lack of deep involvement erases all that she learns from that less on immediately after the interaction. But as I have already said, exerting all her strength she tries to assimilate the immediate lessons. Whatever the case may be, there can be no doubt about her predilection rather fixation with the past. Here, Sigmund Freud in his well-acclaimed book   Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis writes, â€Å"But on the subject of fixation to a particular phase in the past we may add that such behavior is far more widespread than neurosis. Every neurosis includes a fixation of that kind , but not every fixation leads to a neurosis , coincides with a neurosis or arises owing to a neurosis. A perfect model of an affective fixation is provided by mourning , which actually involves the most   complete alienation from the present and the future.†[cf Freud, 1991,p-316] Naturally , if   Sarah’s plight is judged minutely, her previous occupation will be seen to come to intervene .Sarah’s learning too gets impaired   when she learns that her performance as an interviewer is very poor . She tries her best to adopt the lessons minutely but all the efforts go in vain when she is reminded of her loopholes. To sum up, it is concluded despite all her problems it cannot be gainsaid that Sarah has definite problems with the immediately previous lessons. It may be because of three reasons. Firstly, because of lack of concentration and poor retention power the previous lesson drops off her memory. Secondly ,as the assessors din into her brain always that her interview techniques are wrong she stays in tension and though she can respond to the immediate lessons well, the previous lessons betray her. Calm of mind, a tension-free tranquility are essential for remembering that. Thirdly, the lessons are either lengthy or boring for her.   Again, a sense of frustration   gets the better of her while taking interview of the persons for fresh recruitment in the same post [i.e. bus-driver], she had been .Her personality disorders come in the way of acting rightly. Sarah as an assessor may face problems in taking up the lessons imparted to her. Before all, it must be seen that the teaching-learning techniques get suited to her needs. The lessons must be planned in such a manner that Sarah must not face any difficulty in taking them up. For example, these lessons may be broken up in short modules to suit her level of understanding, concentration and further retention. The lessons may be made so interesting that Sarah feels like remembering them for a long time. An example may come handy: A driver must have a good vision and intuition. While taking a hairpin bend on a hilly path, he must make sure to keep his ears pricked up to listen to each and every honk at each and every turn of the road. On a straight path, again, he must keep an eye on the road as well as the side -mirror to keep track of every vehicle that whisks past his car at breakneck speed. A picture is put up on the LCD projector then to show different inclining angles. Sarah must understand and assimilate this much lesson and then the instructor should pass on to the next one. The teacher should make it sure that the short lessons must be supported by paintings, pictures, photographs r any other tool with immense visual appeal. It must enable Sarah to remember every lesson vividly. Audio-visual method of teaching is bound to be effective with persons like her. Sarah as a person too should be analyzed minutely. In Section I , it has been said again and again that   she may have a seed of frustration and insecurity sown in her mind immediately after giving up her job as a   regular driver with the Greenline Bus Company. But why? She had given it up because of her back-pain, a veritable reason, no doubt. Again, she had been re-appointed by the same company as an assessor. But, at the back of her mind   a fear of insecurity unnerves her when her flaws as an interviewer are pointed out .To shrug the unsavory sense off, she tends to disbelieve that she has any such drawback at all. For the aforesaid reasons, Sarah may be taken for certain psychometric tests like Rorschach test and thematic and perceptive tests to ascertain the personality disorders in her. And then of course, depending on the subsequent findings necessary steps may be taken to rectify her demeanors .Similarly, the teaching techniques may be modified according to her learning needs. For example, if it is found that she has a learning disorder she may be given a total psychotherapy treatment and then she may be given her assignments later. If she is found to suffer from a manic-depressive syndrome[bipolar disorder] ,she may be given a breather or a leave for one month or so and then she may be allowed to choose he dates of her lessons and can be lectured in brief sessions. If she is found to have fault with her retention capacity she may be given a respite with a certain task of solving a series of memory tests. Barring all the above-mentioned possibilities, it should be kept in mind that the process of discouragement must be stopped for the nonce. Even if she has faults in her interviewing she should not be said anything blatantly. For the time being, she may be kept aside from the interviewing process. If she asks whether the interviews are being held or not, a lie may be told to deter her. For example, the fresh recruitment has been withheld for the time being or so. Later on, after imparting her short and interesting lessons, she may be tried again with the assignment of an interviewer. This time, she may even excel in her efforts. The instructor should be understanding, cooperative, compassionate and adaptive. They must in a playful manner impart the short lessons to her and a subsequent test must be taken immediately after the completion of the lecture. Of course, the instructor must not forget to ask her about the previous lesson in a light and playful manner. If a light attitude is displayed, she may not forget the previous lesson. Another thing must be kept in mind : her former job of a bus-driver wit the same Company must never be mentioned. Let alone, speaking about her back-pain which was the reason behind her giving up the work. Lionel Trilling in his interesting book The Liberal Imagination says, â€Å"Freud showed, too, how the mind ,in one of its parts, could work without logic, yet not without that directing purpose, that control of intent from which, perhaps it might be said, logic springs. For the unconscious mind works without the syntactical conjunctions which are logic’s essence. It recognizes no because, no therefore, no but †¦.†[Trilling, 1950,p-50] In case of Sarah the problem lies in the fact that she does not understand that her performance as an interviewer is not of any commendable standard. Hence , Sarah’s problem with learning can be solved by following certain methods like: Easy play-method: Not the child’s method of learning, but a kind ,cooperative method of teaching. Memory games: In order to encourage her memory, some intelligent games may be given to her by way of recreation. Psychotherapeutic measures: Some measures may be followed to help her get back a sense of security and come out of the complex, inferior or whatever, she otherwise might have   had. Supportive attitude: The Company must proffer a friendly hand to her by not reminding her of her inefficiency of taking an interview. Rather her training process may be prolonged and shorter and interesting lessons may be provided to her.Her past involvement with the same Company as a driver should never be mentioned because she quit it owing to an excruciating back-pain, which might be the cause of her personality disorder and subsequent amnesia. She must be encouraged to develop a positive attitude towards learning . Sarah’s personality disorder owes a lot to alienation and lack of adaptation to the compulsory necessity.     If we delve deep into the minds of a hundred persons we will find that all of them are ill in some way or the other. For each person separate therapeutic methods produce wonderful results. Naturally, Sarah’s case is not a strange or detached one. If the above methods or steps are followed, she is sure to overcome her difficulties and prove her mettle in course of time.

Globalisation and the Future of Islam

The relationship between the Western world and the Islamic world is a complicated matter which has raised many questions allover the world. These bloody relations have been characterised by consistent confrontations that have existed between the two sides for many centuries.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Globalisation and the Future of Islam-West Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Muslims, who appears to be on the receiving end of these confrontations, have always viewed this as a one-sided onslaught by the Western world, probably owing to their culture and religion. The other possible reason which has contributed toward these Islam-Western confrontations is the Muslim perception that the main reason as to why Western countries would invade their territories was to plunder their rich resources and take full control of their markets. However, the issue of this tense Islam-West relationship being an insoluble problem is a far-fetched issue. This is because there is a big contrast in the way the two repelling sides treat each other. For instance, while the attitude of the Westerners toward the Muslim societies appears to be more positive, Muslims have viewed Westerners as their biggest antagonists in life, and have always defined them with negative characteristics. In other terms, Muslim societies have always felt more embittered toward the Western world than vice versa, where the Islamic followers seem to blame the West for the bloody relations between them. This is owing to the US foreign policy which appears to punish Islam, and also for their decision to consistently support the UK and other allied dictators from the Western region against the Muslims. Despite the constant wars against Muslims, which seems to take many forms, there have also been plans and negotiations all over the world to establish a permanent solution to this progressive issue. Moreover, the rapid wave of globalisation taking place in the current world has promised to change many things including the bad relations that have existed between some countries and communities. In this regard, Islam-west relations are likely to improve in the near future as a result of globalisation.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Globalisation, as we all know, involves bringing nations and communities together using processes which are likely to promote global exchanges of important aspects of life. Globalisation involves removing existing barriers to pave way for harmonisation among people of different ethnic groups, religions and culture. As a matter of fact, protests against Islam are taking place in various forms in the West. An example is the insulting form of resistance which the people of Islamic culture have to put up with in some Western countries, due to hatred and discriminati on. Most of these discrimination cases are said to be common in work places, learning institutions and shopping zones, among other places of common interest where people are likely to meet (Blankenhorn 59). Even though there have never been serious cases of Muslim discrimination from Western governments, Islam followers have always associated Westerners with all sorts of negativity. One of the major concerns that have been expressed by the Muslims against the Western world is that, the latter has been hostile towards them. This, however, has been one of the many issues that have necessitated repression of the Arabs by the Western world. Apart from the several reasons that have been expressed earlier on, these anti-Muslim attacks have also been necessitated by the Western belief that some Muslims societies have been supporting terrorism and other acts of violence happening the world today. These sentiments of enmity against the Muslims have occurred following the belief that Muslim f ollowers have constantly being involved in major terrorist attacks around the world. This antagonistic way of life between the Muslims and the West has led to devastating issues and events that would necessitate bloody relations between the two sides. In fact, the world has not forgotten the implications of the recent US disarmament war on Iraq – a devastating exercise which has left the Muslim world almost torn apart into pieces.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Globalisation and the Future of Islam-West Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After many years marked by wars and riots over speculated weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, most people in the world are still convinced that the relationship between Muslims and the West is generally worse these days than before. Even though past attempts to unite the two sides have proved futile, there is optimism that the future holds much h ope for the Islam-Western relations. This is possible, considering the current aspects of globalisation which have continued to play a significant role in bringing further interdependence of cultural and economic activities in the world (Center 87). As it would be observed, globalisation offers a promising basis upon which the current Western-Islam state of affairs can be addressed and resolved collectively. For instance, the current aspects of globalisation have made it easier for peaceful negotiations aimed at uniting the two sides to be conducted. As mentioned earlier, globalisation involves the destruction of old habits and adoption of new styles in aspects of social life, politics and the economy, among other things. These changes are likely to occur as a result of current advancements in technology, which appears to be taking place so fast across the world. As it would be observed, the rampant technological wave allover the world is characterised by significant developments an d advances in transport and telecommunications infrastructure. As Lyons observe, the use of engaging aspects of interaction such as the internet have played a key role in enhancing communication by increasing the flow of information among people allover the world (102). What is interesting about these improvements however is that, they have opened up important avenues through which the international communities can take part in healing the wounds, simply by posting ideas that could help improve the Muslims’ relationship with the Western world. It should be observed here that, these improvements have made human improved human interactions in the world, compared to the past where effective interaction and communication would be a serious challenge.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One important aspect of these interactions is that they have helped in establishing and strengthening cross-cultural contacts among people allover the world. More importantly, these developments have widely been used to spread democratic ideas which are aimed at resolving the progressive conflicts existing between the Muslims and the Westerners, thus enhancing social benefits between the two sides. Even though both the Western and the Muslim worlds appears to have a common agreement in the perception that the Muslim societies should be more economically stable than they are today, there are also varied reactions from the two sides against each. According to Hunter, while the Westerners have expressed concerns that Muslims have consistently resisted their policies and plans to help them get rid of the harsh economic challenges facing them, Muslim publics have dismissed these claims, blaming the West for their lack of prosperity with their so-called policies (24). In other terms, majo rity of the Muslim societies have remained adamant in the perception that Western policies are the major cause of the vast economic challenges observed in their region nowadays. On the contrary, majorities of the Western nations such as the U.S., France and the UK have constantly argued that Muslims are in fact the ones to blame here, presumably owing to the corrupt nature of their governments and the inadequate levels of education observed in many Muslim nations. In real sense, this is arguably the highest level of misunderstanding which can occur between any two countries or communities. This actually is where the idea of globalisation comes in. It is time for the two repelling sides to have more in common than they do differ, and there is no way this can be achieved, except by adopting and embracing the aspects of globalisation which are likely to speed up global interconnection. One effective approach here is for both Muslims and the West to make good use of the interactive plat forms offered by globalisation to convince one another of their best plans and opinions towards each other. This will not only enhance understanding between the two regions, but it will also give way for improved relations between them. As a matter of fact, globalisation also involves the process of increasing interdependence of production, commodity marketing, financial markets and national economies among other keys aspects of development. Naturally, the concept of globalisation plays a key role in drawing attention to technological and economical aspects of life (Mayall 244). In this regard, globalisation remains a key factor when it comes to building and strengthening international relations between communities and people of different cultural identities. The idea of globalisation has proved to be effective in facilitating the ability of Muslim societies and the Western world to converge into economical and political grounds. This continued integration and active participation t hrough social matters in the light of globalisation are likely to generate new thoughts, especially positive ones, thus helping in eradicating the negative perceptions that have existed between the West and the Muslims. More importantly, these varied interactions on economical grounds have also added up to establish a new order of relations by which the two regions are likely to become united through the activities of transnational business. As it is observed in this paper, the idea of globalisation and its positive aspects in life are likely to play a significant role in determining Western-Muslim relations in the near future. Tension between the two powers, which appears to have heightened in the last one decade or so are likely to lessen in today’s turbulent world, where matters of international affairs and relationships have been prioritised as key issues that must be given much concern and attention. As the West and the Muslim societies adapt to the changing demands and interests of the international community, they are able to discover new lessons through different levels of interactions. These interactions, as observed in this paper, are some of the vast ways through which the concept of globalisation applies in linking cultures and international relations. No matter all the formidable obstacles and challenges, the relationship between the Muslim world and the Western world is likely to take a different course in the near future, owing to the current aspects of globalisation. Works Cited Blankenhorn, David. The Islam/West Debate: Documents from a Global Debate on  Terrorism, US Policy, and the Middle East, Lanham: Rowman Littlefield, 2005. Print. Center, Pew. The great divide: how Westerners and Muslims view each other, New York: Pew Research Centre for the People and the Press, 2006. Print. Hunter, Shireen. The future of Islam and the West: clash of civilisations or peaceful  coexistence? Westport: Praeger Publishers, 1998. Print. Lyons, Jo nathan. Islam through Western Eyes: From the Crusades to the War on  Terrorism, New York: Columbia University Press, 2012. Print. Mayall, James. â€Å"Globalisation and International Relations.† Review of International  Studies 24. 2 (1998): 239-250. Print. This term paper on Globalisation and the Future of Islam-West Relations was written and submitted by user Graysen Floyd to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

What Is CTY at Johns Hopkins Complete Guide

What Is CTY at Johns Hopkins Complete Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips CTY, or Center for Talented Youth, at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) offers an assortment of resources to gifted students. These resources include summer programs and courses, written resources, community awards/recognition, and college counseling. The first step to many of the CTY programs is registering for the Talent Search. Even the programs that are open to everyone give priority to students who participated in the Talent Search. For your convenience, we’ve compiled everything here into one magnificent blog entry guide. I recommend reading it all the way through, but if you only want to read one particular section, you can pick it out from the Table of Contents. I'll start off by going in depth into the Talent Search and then mention other programs along with links if you want more information than I give in this article. feature image credit: Lanyard by Kevin Wong, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Table of Contents CTY Talent Search: A Primer Talent Search Participants Only Programs Family Academic Programs Recognition Ceremonies Programs Open To Everyone Who Qualifies (Not Just Talent Search Participants) Summer Programs CTY Online Study of Exceptional Talent Other CTY Resources Tips for CTY Actions To Take What Is the CTY Talent Search? The CTY website calls its Talent Search the "gateway to CTY†...meaning, I think, that the Talent Search is the portal through which many students experience CTY programs. Since there are different Talent Searches for each CTY International program, I'm going to limit my discussion to the U.S. Talent Search (including those students who apply to the U.S. Talent Search internationally). The CTY Talent Search involves the following steps: Step 1: If you're eligible for the Talent Search (more on that next), register with CTY Talent Search. Step 2: Next, you select the test that’s right for you, register for that, and take it. Step 3: After you get your score report, CTY sends you a Certificate of Participation as well as a list of other CTY programs your score qualifies you for. Step 4: If you're not satisfied with your score, or your score is too low for the programs you want to participate in, you can retest at a later date. Who’s Eligible for the CTY Talent Search? The CTY Talent Search is open to all 2nd-8th graders who qualify by: Scoring 95th percentile (or higher) on a nationally normalized test. Examples of these tests include the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children or any of the Woodcock Johnson Tests. Scoring 95th percentile (or higher) on any other the other qualifying state tests. Examples of these tests include the NY Statewide Testing Program or the California Standards Test. Displaying superior academic performance. This criterion is ONLY for students without standardized test scores. In order to qualify under this criterion, you must display superior math and critical reasoning abilities. For more on Talent Search eligibility for 2nd-8th graders, go to the CTY's website. What if you're in 9th grade or above? Unfortunately, students in grades 9-12 are too old to qualify for the Talent Search; instead, to gain access to CTY programs, they must either take the qualifying tests (SAT, ACT, Advanced SCAT, or STB) on their own or go through the Diagnostic and Counseling Center. I'll talk a little bit more about the DCC later in this article. Where Do You Apply for CTY? You can apply for the Talent Search online. When Does the CTY Talent Search Happen? For CTY purposes, the academic year is July 1-June 30, so to qualify for CTY for the next school year you should apply after July 1st (more on deadlines here). It's also not just about when you apply to CTY - your test dates also determine your eligibility. What do I mean by this? Let's say you apply to CTY at the end of your 7th grade year (e.g. June 19th), but don’t take the SCAT, STB, SAT, ACT, etc until after July 1st. Because you took your qualifying test after July 1st, CTY will consider you an 8th grader and require you to meet 8th grade score requirements for all programs and recognition ceremonies, even though you technically registered while you were in 7th grade. I have more information on specific SAT and ACT score requirements here. Calendar* by Dafne Chole, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Why Should You Do the CTY Talent Search? What do students get out of the CTY Talent Search? One perk is the opportunity to take what Duke calls â€Å"above-level† tests (that is, you take the SAT or ACT before you're in high school) and compare your results with similarly gifted peers. Why is this helpful? It can give you information early on about areas you might want to further develop and give you a preview of the test-taking process. For instance, let's say you take the SAT as a 7th grader and score a 300 on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, which is below par compared to your peers in CTY. You'll know that you have to work on that skill, and as a result be able to better plan with your family for high school and the college admissions process. If you just took the SAT as a 7th grader without taking part in the Talent Search, you would not have the opportunity to know how you stack up against other students in your grade and age group; instead, you would end up being compared to much older students, which doesn't really tell you anything about where you should be now. Taking part in the Talent Search also opens up opportunities to enroll in CTY programs, like Family Academic Programs. Even programs for which the Talent Search is not a mandatory prerequisite, like Academic Explorations or CTY Online,give preference to students who are Talent Search participants. CTY Talent Search participants also gain access to a wide variety of other resources. I'll discuss these resources later on in more detail. Finally, there's the recognition of your prowess at the (aptly named) Award Ceremonies. At year-end ceremonies, CTY recognizes the highest scorers on the SAT or ACT out of all the Talent Search participants. We have more information about these ceremonies in our articles about the SAT and ACT score requirements to qualify, but for now, I'll just say that it is usually gratifying to get special recognition for your talent. It's not just about the medal (although you do get one at the Award Ceremonies)- it's knowing that other people value your hard work. Devil's Advocate: When Should You NOT Apply to CTY at Johns Hopkins? IF... ...you don’t care about taking college entrance exams early, OR ...you don’t have any interest in taking part in any of the CTY programs or using any of their other resources, THEN it might not be worth it to do CTY at Johns Hopkins. Why? Most colleges don’t care about what you did in elementary or middle school, unless it was something truly spectacular, like qualifying for the Olympic Games or playing a solo concert in Carnegie Hall. Bottom line:if you’re going to use the resources and take advantage of the programs open to you through CTY, then do it. If not, save your money (and time). How Much Does CTY Cost? To enroll in the CTY Talent Search, there is a fee of $44 if you live in the United States, or $57 if you are an international student. In addition, you must pay test fees (currently $50.50 for the ACT without writing and $47.50 for the SAT without essay). Disclaimer: all costs mentioned here and in the rest of the article are as of the time this article was published- it's possible that they may change in the future, so be sure to double check before making a budget around these numbers. Can You Get Financial Aid? Yes. If you qualify for free or reduced school lunches and are US permanent resident, then CTY will reduce your Talent Search application fee to $10 (from $44) and provide you with a voucher to waive your test fees for one test session (either the SAT or ACT). For more information about financial aid for the Talent Search, as well as for other CTY programs, go to this site. Unfortunately, there is no financial aid for international students available through CTY. In addition to need-based aid, CTY also provides scholarships to students already part of CTY through the CTY Scholars program. Talent Search Only: Family Academic Programs Family Academic Programs at Johns Hopkins’ Center for Talented Youth are designed for students andtheir families or guardians. The programs range from all-day or overnight programs to extended (week-long) educational explorations. Costs vary widely, depending on the length of the program and what it involves. Just from the research I did for this article, it seems like there are a bunch of amazing opportunities in all sorts of areas for students and families alike (not that I'm jealous or anything, but upcoming programs includetraveling to Morocco!). As far as I can tell, Family Academic Programs are open to all studentsand their families, with no score requirements; however, if I find out that this is wrong I'll update this article accordingly. Return to Table of Contents Talent Search Only: Award Ceremonies CTY recognizes exceptionally high scoring students at award ceremonies at the end of each year. These students are 7th and 8th graders with qualifying scores, as well as students who are part of the Study of Exceptional Talent. While you must play for your own transportation and accommodations, the ceremonies themselves are free of charge. There are multiple regional Award Ceremonies every spring, located in various cities throughout the U.S., China, and in Hong Kong. I discuss what the score qualifications are for these ceremonies in SAT- and ACT-requirement articles, but basically these ceremonies are for 7th and 8th graders who participated in the Talent Search and scored extremely well on the SAT or ACT. In addition to the regional Award Ceremonies, CTY also has an international awards ceremony called the Grand Ceremony, held every year at John Hopkins' Shriver Hall. This ceremony recognizes the absolute top scoring students from the Talent Search and includes all students who are part of the Study of Exceptional Talent. Return to Table of Contents No.1_blue_ribbon by Oldbeeg, used under CC BY-SA 3.0/Resized from original. The following series of resources and programs are open to all qualified students, including those who did not participate in the Talent Search. But caveat emptor: at least for their summer programs, CTY explicitly states that â€Å"when we assign students to courses, we assign returning students first, then Talent Search participants, and then other applicants.† (bolding mine) Summer Programs There are multiple summer programs offered through CTY, offered in multiple locations across the US and in Hong Kong. Some are entirely course-based (Academic Explorations, Intensive Study, and Global Issues at Princeton), providing an opportunity for advanced students to challenge themselves with academic endeavors in the company of similarly advanced peers. Another program, the Civic Leadership Institute, offers courses in combination with real world experience, allowing students to work with actual communities and grapple with the issues facing them today. Who can take part in these summer programs? Any students in grades 2-12 who qualify (again, more about qualifying scores in these articles). Students in grades 2-4 are only eligible for the day programs, while students in grades 5-12 can do the residential programs. The summer programs tend to run from the end of June to the beginning of August, with varying tuition costs depending on the program content and locations. Return to Table of Contents CTYOnline CTY Onlineprovides online courses (including courses you can take at your own pace) year-round to students withâ€Å"outstanding academic ability.† If your high school does not have any advanced classes in a particular subject area, they may allow you to take CTYOnlinecourses for credit. Alternatively, some students useCTYOnline courses as a way to prepare for AP, IB, or SAT II tests. Out of all the programs through CTY at Johns Hopkins, CTYOnline courses are open to the widest age-range of students,from Pre-K students all the way up to 12th graders. The qualifications, of course, differ depending on age. In order to be eligible for the program, exceptional Pre-K through 1st graders need to have at least part of apsychoeducational assessment. Students in grades 2-8 who took part in the Talent Search must meet the SAT or ACT score requirements; if they didn't test in time through the Talent Search, they must apply for provisional admission. Students in grades 9-12 must submit official score reports for the SAT, ACT, or PSAT, or go through the Diagnostic and Counseling Center. So how much does this cost? The application fee is $15 (with an additional $20 charge if you are an international student), and courses range in cost from$370 for the Spanish Reader’s Workshop up to $1865 for AP Chinese Language and Culture (prices taken from most recent course listing). Visit the CTY Online websiteto read more about the program and see if you qualify to take CTYOnline courses. Return to Table of Contents Feedback checklist by AJC ajcann.wordpress.com, used under CC BY-SA 2.0. Study of Exceptional Talent The Study of Exceptional Talent, or SET, is open to students who scored extraordinarily well on the SAT at an early age (up to 13 years 10 months). We have more information on how the score requirements work in our article on SAT score requirements for CTY, but the short version is that if you took the SAT before age 13 and got ≠¥ 700 on Math or Verbal (either Critical Reading on the old SAT or Evidence-Based Reading and Writing on the new SAT), you're eligible for the SET. So what is the SET, exactly? SET is a free program that provides counseling, opportunities to interact with other similarly gifted students, access to CTY resources like the SET Precollege Newsletter, and supplemental letters of recommendation for students applying to college or competitive high schools/prep schools. Return to Table of Contents Other CTY Resources The Diagnostic and Counseling Center at CTY provides educational counseling and assessment services to all students. Students in grades PreK-1 and 9-12 may go through the DCC in order to qualify for CTY programs. In addition to assisting students in qualifying for CTY, the DCC also provides educational consultations for families who wish to discuss strategies and educational plans for their gifted child(ren). Depending on the service, the DCC provides assistance online, over the phone, or on the Johns Hopkins University campus. CTY's Imagine magazineresources provides information to all CTY students about academic competitions, academic summer programs, internships, distance learning resources, early college entrance programs, career exploration resources, and research resources. Return to Table of Contents Getting Into CTY: Cool (Free) Tips, Yay! That was maybe not one of my better reverse-engineered-acronyms, but more important than my failed acronym-ing: I've made up a list of helpful hints to boost your chances of getting into CTY's Talent Search and other CTY programs. If you haven’t done particularly well on school standardized tests within the last two years, take a look into some of the other test options. Maybe an IQ test would be a better way to identify your talent and potential. If you’re waffling between doing the Talent Search and waiting until later to apply to other CTY programs, definitely consider participating in the Talent Search. As I've said before, there are some programs and resources that are only available to students who took part in the Talent Search, and even the resources available to all students give priority to Talent Search participants. If you don't do well on the SAT or ACT when you take it through the Talent Search, you can always retest later. When you've started the 7th Grade Talent Search process, don’t forget to study for the SAT/ACT. Why? Because while CTY is just using the SAT or ACT as a sorting mechanism, if you blow it off, it could prevent you from getting into a summer studies program that you totally deserve to attend (or at the very least cause you to have to retake the test in order to qualify). At the very minimum, you need to be familiar with the test structure and timing. How can you do this? Take a practice test to gauge where you are, then use this information to determine the amount you have to improve. Know how much time you have to study so you can plan your prep accordingly. For more advice along these lines, read our articles on if you should take the SAT or the ACT in 7th grade. Return to Table of Contents Actions To Take #1: Find out which of the accepted tests you’ve taken and what your scores were, including your composite scores on these tests. Because you can only upload one score with your Talent Search application, you want to be sure you're choosing and uploading your best test score. #2: Once you get into the Talent Search Program, study for the SAT or ACT. #3: Make sure to keep an eye on the Talent Search deadlines for updates on the 2018-2019 school year information, including when enrollment begins again. #4: If after reading this article you're still not sure if the Talent Search is right for you, read more about it on the Talent Search website, or go to the CTY website to find out more about their other programs. Thought plus action by Ben Tesch, used under CC BY 2.0. What’s Next? Find out more about CTY programs with SAT and/or ACT score requirements. Want to compare CTY with comparable programs? Read our articles about Duke TIP's 7th Grade Talent Search, Summer Institute for the Gifted, and Stanford EPGY. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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Proposal Argument I - Essay Example Meet the Parents† was made on this topic in which a male nurse fell in love with a girl and when they go to visit the parents of that girl everything become a nightmare just because the profession owned by that guy was nursing. The movie represents a true picture of our society because today, millions of people have a perception that nursing is only a field for females and they believe a man cannot fit in a feminine field. I believe this is totally wrong and unfair because the issue of inequality of male nurses is exactly the same to the issues of discrimination in other professions. To understand the reasons for inequality facing men in nursing, it is crucial to have an insight into the past of this profession. In the 3rd century, nursing was founded as an attractive profession in ancient rime and at that time it was dominated by men. In the 20th century, women dominated nursing and had kicked out men from this profession by creating a perception that nursing is a â€Å"feminine† profession. The biggest support with women was the foundation of the American Nurse Association in 1913, which banned the entry of men. Later, somewhere in 1930’s men were welcomed to nursing, but just in papers and documents because they were discriminated by teachers in school and later on by peers, patients and society in their workplace. I have been interviewing many registered male nurses and most of them complained about unequal treatment by teachers in school. Johnson is a registered male nurse and he told me that the course contents, class environment and teaching style were women centered, which compelled me to feel uncomfortable during classes (Johnson). Many authors also participated in making the issue of inequality in the field of nursing for male nurse by referring nurses as women in their books and text books which further discouraged males from choosing nursing as a profession. This is not the limit, as patients usually demand to have female nurses to take care of

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Introduction To HRM 2 - Coursework Example Before review, human resource management was characterized by punishing employees who were not performing according to Cafe Co instead of training them. Employees were not highly valued but treated just like any other resource and paid minimum wages Furthermore, employee engagement and communication was not valued and human resource activities were aligned to company’s strategy only. All human resource roles were left to human resource department only. Cafe Co was only concerned with employee performance and not development. After the review, the company adopted much of the soft approach though it continued to align human resource activities to company’s strategy. Soft human resource classifies employees as special and treats them as human beings that need to be respected and trusted. Theory explains that employees’ skills need to be developed and nurtured. It also stresses better remuneration and taking good care of employees. Cafe Co accepted to adopt soft appr oach by appointing human resource representative to the company’s board. Kim adopted much of the soft approach after the review because she emphasized development of employees’ competency, advocating for increase in employee compensation and prioritized retention of employees. Employees are valued and referred to as colleagues and partners towards achievement of company’s vision and mission. ... There are a number of both advantages and disadvantages of devolving HR activities to line managers at Cafe Co. Employees are likely to receive quick response from their line managers, appropriate employees are likely to be selected because line managers are more likely to make correct decisions and there is possibility of increased employee productivity as employees concerns are responded in time. Devolving HR activities on the other hand may increase work load to the line managers, decrease importance of human resource specialists and line managers may be incompetent on human resource issues. Cafe Co is likely to benefit from devolving HR activities to line managers. Employees are likely to develop commitment and loyalty when their issues are responded to on time because they feel cared for. As a result, much of employee time will be used to work thus increasing their productiveness. Line managers are more likely to motivate and mentor their employees than overall HR specialists. H ow each of Ulrich’s HR roles could help the HR manager solve some of the problems in Cafe Co. According to Ulrich, human resource department act as a strategic partner, administrative expert, change agent as well as employee challenge (Holbeche, 2009). As a strategic partner, human resource department can align human resource initiatives and activities with mission and vision of Cafe Co. Strategic partner role informs Kim (human resource manager) to design work positions, strategic compensation and benefits, appraisal systems, succession and career planning as well as employee development to respond to the needs of the company. Strategic partner role pushes Kim to make employees to be more