Critique Of School-to-work Programs

Critique Of School-to-work Programs Now we have to Work in School In her article "An Avenue to High Academic Standards,"  senior editor Lynn Olson of Education Week, a national newspaper which covers topics of kindergarten to 12th grade education, promotes efficient school-to-work programs which combine the learning found in high school and the learning from job internships because Olson feels such programs prepare high school students for college and their workplace. Olson's argument is appealing because her motive is to help high school students deal with a problem, their transition to college and the workplace. So should we agree with Olson that school-to-work programs be instituted in schools? No, because although Olson's intent to help high school students is honorable, whether supplementing academic curricula with workplace teachings through an internship will help a majority of students prepare for work is not conclusive. School-to-work programs should not be utilized in high schools because the experience a student has in a job internship during high school may differ from the experience the student will have in the workplace.English: Class in Samdach Euv High School, Siem Re...Lynn Olson explains that school-to-work programs integrate teaching academics and skills for the workplace through an internship to prepare students for college and careers. High school internships prepare students for college and careers by showing students that success in academic courses results in success in their current work programs and eventually their future careers. Once students realize the connection between academics and success in their internships and careers, students have been inclined to undertake more academic coursework in high school. After graduating high school, positive experiences with internships continue to motivate students to take on academic coursework by encouraging students to enroll in college because students want to have successful careers in the field they interned in. To ensu re students reach their next goal of a successful career...

Profile of Serial Killer John Eric Armstrong

Profile of Serial Killer John Eric Armstrong John Eric Armstrong was a 300-pound, former U.S. Navy sailor, who was known for being mild-mannered and who had an innocent child-like look, so much so, that while in the Navy he was nicknamed Opie by his mates. Armstrong joined the Navy in 1992 when he was 18 years old. He served seven years on the Nimitz aircraft carrier. During his time in the Navy he received four promotions and earned two Good Conduct medals. When he left the Navy in 1999, he and his wife moved to Deaborn Heights, a working-class neighborhood in Michigan. He got a job with Target retail stores and later with the Detroit Metropolitan Airport refueling airplanes.   Those who lived around the Armstrongs thought of John as a good neighbor and stand-up guy who was a committed husband and devoted father to his 14-month-old son.   A Call to the Police Detroit investigators became suspicious of Armstrong after he contacted them in regards to a body he saw floating in the Rouge River. He told the police that he was walking on the bridge when suddenly he felt ill and leaned over the bridge and saw the body. Police pulled the body of 39-year-old Wendy Joran out of the river. Joran was known to the police. She was an active drug user and prostitute. Investigators noted that Jorans murder was very similar to a string of murders of prostitutes which had recently occurred. Police Suspect Armstrong Investigators looking into the possibility that a serial killer was murdering local prostitutes found Armstrongs walking along the bridge story to be highly suspicious. They decided to place him under surveillance. Once they had Jorans DNA and other evidence collected they went to Armstrongs home and requested a blood sample and asked if they could collect fibers from around his home and from the inside of his car. Armstrong agreed and allowed the investigative inside his home. Through DNA testing the investigators were able to link Armstrong to one of the murdered prostitutes, but they wanted to wait to get a full report from the testing lab before they arrested Armstrong. Then on April 10, three more bodies were discovered is various stages of decomposition.   Investigators set up a task force and began interviewing local prostitutes. Three of the prostitutes admitted to having sex with Armstrong. All three of women described his baby-like face and   the 1998 black Jeep Wrangler that Armstrong drove. They also said that after having sex, Armstrong appeared to go crazy and tried to strangle them. Arrest On April 12, police arrested Armstrong for the murder of Wendy Joran. It did not take long for Armstrong to crack under pressure. He told investigators that he hated prostitutes and that he was 17 years old when he first committed murder. He also confessed to killing other prostitutes in the area and to 12 other murders that he committed around the world while he was in the Navy. The list included murders in Hawaii, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore, and Israel.   He later recanted his confessions Trial and Conviction In March 2001, Armstrong went on trial for the murder of Wendy Joran. His lawyers tried to prove that Armstrong was insane, but their efforts were unsuccessful. On July 4, 2001, Armstrong bargained down to a plea of second-degree murder, and as a result he was sentenced to 31 years of life in prison for the murders of Brown, Felt and Johnson. All together he received two life sentences plus 31 years as punishment for his killings. Armstrong later said that he began killing prostitutes after his high school girlfriend broke up with him for another man, who he claimed seduced her with gifts. He viewed it as a form of prostitution and began his killing spree as an act of revenge. FBI Launches an International Investigation The FBI continued to try to connect Armstrong to similar unsolved murders in countries such as Thailand, and all other places Armstrong was based while in the Navy.

The study of Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The study of Society - Essay Example For example, carnivorous animal like tiger or lion dependents on the annihilation of its prey like deer or rabbit for survival. The deer and rabbit themselves depend on living vegetation for food and survival. These situations are part and parcel of our daily lives. Hence, it escapes our notice and attention for major part of our lives. They have been so prevalent and ingrained as a phenomenon that we have failed to sufficiently go into the underlying forces and factors that influence them. It is not that attempts were not made. Biology as a branch of science has emerged because of the curiosity about various life cycles and their influences on environment as a whole. The study of biology and environment provides rich insight into their various forms, forces and marvels on micro and macro scales. From the budding of a flower to the formation of thunder, lightning, and volcanic eruptions, this world is one example of the vast terrain of greenery and marine life that hides innumerable volumes of destruction and glory biology and environment have witnessed. (Judith Lorber). The genetics of living objects and their mutability is currently one of the most modern branches of science. Genetics help in mapping pre-historic existence, DNA, deeper understanding of organisms, etc. Generally, the existence of biology is assured through the cycles of births and deaths, pollination, and other factors. We are aware the earth is no more home to gigantic and monstrous dinosaurs and theriomorpha simply because of its inability to sustain these. Other forms of life are also becoming extinct due to man's inroads into the domain of flora and fauna, causing conflicts heavily one-sided in favor of man. The intrusion of man into natural resources like gas, oil and metal is also causing environmental hazards inimical to biology. (Will H. Courtenay). At present, it is premature to decisively conclude biology's role in shaping destiny. Nevertheless, it is difficult to think in terms of destiny without biology. From microbes to plants, animals and humans, biology overwhelmingly dominates the physical framework of living objects. However, there is no evidence to state with confidence that biology has the capability to metamorphose and consequently shape destiny. II. Marx's views to contemporary period Introduction The working pattern and culture have changed radically over the past few decades. The changes have been driven mainly due to rapid advancements made in technology during this period, globalization, and the internet. The new pattern brought along changes and transformations from the organizational to individual levels. It metamorphosed the organizational hierarchy, improved efficiency, shook the mandarins of power, and weakened the trade unions. The information age following closely on the heels of the electronic era did much to advance the causes espoused by the manifesto of the communist party. On the demographical scale, the gap between the bourgeois and the proletariat increased, the rich and poor divide widened, the illiterate class felt the pangs of lacking in education, and prompted those with poor knowledge of the English language to quickly learn

Shangri La Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shangri La Case Study - Essay Example However, he should make sure that the firm will get predictable benefits from the wage increase in the long run. Bridl must consider that Shangri-La has certain competitive advantages over its rivalries in the Chinese market. Unlike the new entrants, Shangri-La has already gained customer loyalty and reputation in the Chinese hospitality industry. The new entrants have to overcome a lot of barriers to ensure their position in the market, and their survival is uncertain. If Shangri-La initiates a sudden and huge increase in wage in response to the competitors’ employee-poaching, it will affect the firm in several ways. For instance, if the new competitors do not thrive in the market and retire instead, Shangri-La may not be able to bring wages back to lower levels. Also, since Shangri-La involves a vast chain of hotels and resorts across China, the firm cannot afford huge wage increase. In the same way, increasing or decreasing staffing levels are also not advisable for a few r easons. As the case indicates, since Chinese employees are not good at exercising decision making authority, reducing staffing levels will affect their productivity. ... As Rizwan et al (2011) point out, enhancing employee participation can greatly influence employee behaviour and thereby the overall performance of the company. Obviously, wage increase itself cannot guarantee employee retention. Therefore, Bridl can propose an ‘employment bond’ which the employee will sign agreeing to work for the company for a certain length of time in exchange for employment related training the company offers him. Another strategy is that like its rivals, Shangri-La can also give priority to experienced hands from other firms during its recruitment processes. It is advisable for Shangri-La to promote outstanding performers to a ‘trainer’ level so that they will feel that they are the integral part of the organisation. Job commitment and satisfaction are the key factors contributing to the overall organisational productivity (Lumley et al. 2011). The level of participation required to produce the feeling of ownership may vary from industry to industry. When an employee gets the feeling of ownership, s/he would be very cautious in his work and try to minimise material wastage and thereby costs (ibid). As mentioned above, wage increase should take place gradually along with other motivational strategies. The firm should also focus on intrinsic rewards to satisfy non-money motive employees. In addition to promotion, tactics like higher level training, tours, family get together etc can be applied. It is important consider the feedback of the tenured employees before implementing changes. Since Chinese employees are accustomed to traditional working environment, they may be resistant to change. Therefore, Bridl has to ensure that objectives are effectively communicated until the employees

Utilitariansim and Dickens Hard Times Essay Example for Free

Utilitariansim and Dickens Hard Times Essay Hard Times offers a critique of the Utilitarian ideology from a romantic perspective. Hard Times demonstrates that one cannot reason oneself to happiness, but that relying solely on the faculties of the mind will not fulfill the complexities of the human being. John Stuart Mills, in his paper Utilitarianism proposed the philosophy is not something to be contradistinguished from pleasure, but pleasure itself, together with exemption from pain; and instead of opposing the useful to the agreeable or the ornamental However, Dickens did not find this harmony to be a possible outcome of the rigidity of logic, but found the imagination to be a more fertile ground for producing happiness. Dickens wrote of utilitarianism as it was applied during British industrialization. In the economic climate of the Industrial Revolution capitalism prevailed and social equality was more rhetoric than practice. Capitalism combined with the philosophy to put an emphasis on the individual achieving his or her own goals, rather than focus on the greater good. Mills did believe in the greater good, but Dickens believed a very logical approach to life would pervert this ideal. Rationalization could overcome virtue by creating mechanical sensibility devoid of caring, which plays an important part in maintaining morals. Throughout Hard Times Louisa expresses apathy towards life when she asks why she should care about important events, even being married. Rather than suspect something is wrong, the other characters believe she is being logical. Such a response is acceptable to them, even though it is an expression of her unhappiness. Through this example Dickens makes the point reason alone is not enough guidance for a human beings happiness. None of the characters that follow the utilitarian lifestyle are truly happy. Only Sissy, who fails to be taught to be so logical, is actually happy. Dickens wrote his characters to express emotion or care after realizing how flawed logic can be when applied to human nature. After Mr. Gradgrind realized how unhappy his fortress of numbers and logic made everyone he was able to save his son from prosecution by the law and support his daughter in leaving an unhappy marriage. The collapse of the marriage he had proposed in  very logical terms for his daughter, Louisa, was what made him realize how rational decisions may not be the best ones. Although Louisas response to the marriage proposal was: Since Mr. Bounderby likes to take me thus, let it be so (p 112). Though Louisa clearly lacked any sentiment commonly enjoyed in marriage, Mr. Gradgrind accepted her response as proper. He later learned the logical response was less correct to such a proposal than an emotional response, which would have lead to a better outcome. After having experienced the affections of someone other than her husband, Louisa realized she could not remain in her marriage. She went to her father and explained to him the error of his beliefs (utilitarianism). How could you give me life, and take from me all the inappreciable things that raise it from the state of conscious death? Where are the graces of my soul? Where are the sentiments of my heart? (p 236). After exposing her unhappiness, Louisa fell to the floor. Dickens used her fall to capitalize the inevitable inapplicability of utilitarianism. (Mr. Gradgrind) saw the pride of his heart and triumph of his system, lying, an insensible heap, at his feet (p 239). Besides the risk of placing what is reasonable above what is human, and thus creating unhappiness, there are other ways in which utilitarianism may go astray. Dickens character Mr. Bounderby exemplifies how striving for happiness can easily be perverted to striving for personal gain. Although he promotes himself as an example of a self-made man who achieved success through industry, he is eventually exposed as having come from a well-to-do family rather than the street. The discovery makes his self-serving airs all the more deplorable. Mr. Bounderby seems to derive all his satisfaction from being a capitalist, which is economically logical, but socially crippling. He is ultimately left by his wife, Louisa, and fires the only woman who ever tolerated him, Mrs. Sparsit, for offending his reputation. Although Mr. Bounderby has many opportunities to do good things and create happiness due to his powerful position, he values only fiscal achievement. He is cold and friendless. Therefore he is a good example of utilitarian principle at its most humanitarianly corrupt. Although Mr. Bounderby claims he is a self-made man, it isnt the truth. Contrary to his claims, Josiah Bounderby was raised in a well-to-do house by a caring mother. In Hard Times it is apparent that despite rhetoric about egalitarianism, the people are governed by very different rules according to class. When a working stiff, Stephen Blackpool asks his employer, Mr. Bounderby for advice on how to obtain a divorce from his alcoholic wife, he is chastised. However, in the same scene it becomes apparent Mrs. Sparsit herself was divorced, but only thanks to her social status and wealth. Bounderby is angered Blackpool should even think of himself as having such liberties. The scene represents the disempowered situation of the lower class. Blackpools employer reminds him he has no rights and immediately expresses concern he will next want more workers rights. At points like this Dickens makes turn of the 19th century Britain seem almost feudal. Charles Dickens uses Hard Times to criticize the newly industrial Britain for losing touch with humanity by suppressing imagination and emotion and allowing social inequality to persist, despite the technologically modernizing society. Hard Times does a beautiful job of embodying exactly what Dickens is afraid utilitarianism will destroy, an imaginative, rich invention. The book contrasts an enjoyable piece of literature against the severity of the politics discussed within the story. Citations Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. Modern Library. 2001. Mills, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill2.htm.

Essay --

The novel Lord of the Flies is obviously a fiction novel, not a real story. But that said it has a lot of real life morals that we can relate to and even compare and contrast to our everyday life. It takes morals from our everyday life and even history of humans, some biblical perspectives even. Some topics are how the island can be represented as the Garden of Eden, the fight for leadership, struggle to survive, and the symbolism of the conch. First we’ll look at the biblical view; the island is like the Garden of Eden. The island was described as perfect and a paradise, then the plane crashed and the boys came. The book describes the island with beauty and majesty and just a great place to be- a tropical paradise. If we take a look at the bible in Genesis, it describes the Garden of Eden the same way, no sin, no danger, nothing bad. Then the influence of man came. The plane in LotF makes a scar on the island when it crashes, making the island imperfect, the boys quarrel and fight, the spill the pigs blood on the surface, start fires, build homes, the boys basically colonize the island in their own little way, and in the end, basically burn the whole thing. Same with the Garden, God makes the Garden of Eden beautiful, and perfect. The trees, animals, and everything else all live together. Then the serpent comes and tempts the woman, whom gives to the man, and then the fall happened. Man’s sinful nature sh ows through in both these stories, all that was good and beautiful is destroyed by man. The fight for leadership is a huge conflict in this story, maybe even the main one. Ralph has the good leader figure about him; he finds the conch and makes sit a symbol of power almost. It is something that in the beginning can con... ...s boys do. These boys in the book though take these actions to a new level, they murder two of the boys with them, burn the island, hunt to live but also brutally kill the pigs to. But in the end they are only young immature boys, when the captain comes in the end then the author describes Jack, this great, powerful, barbarian leader just a small lost boy chasing other boys with spears made of rocks tied to sticks. They end up being nothing more. The novel Lord of the Flies is obviously a fiction novel, not a real story. But that said it has a lot of real life morals that we can relate to and even compare and contrast to our everyday life. The boys on the island have relatable situations to us in our world today and the world in the past. The fiction novel is a great book, the author makes connections between the two worlds, and they are easily distinguishable.

Evolution of Management Essay

From the Biblical times we find monarchies of the time use some form of management to lord over the great kingdoms such as the Egyptians who used hierarchy management to build the pyramids, Moses leading the Israelites through the desert to the promised land and King David when he was in charge of the kingdom of Israel. In Ancient civilizations, the Roman Empire made use of devolved government to manage the vast empires resources. This was done through governors’ who were in charge of certain areas as we see in the bible during the birth of Jesus Christ. We can find artifacts that in old cities such as Jerusalem where we find aqueducts that give us an idea of how they managed the water resources. Modernization of the world led to cities and towns that brought about the need to manage the resources in order to provide services to the people living within them. We also find management in the church and military before the industrial revolution. The Roman Catholic Church is one example that has had an impact on management as we see in the catholic hierarchy led by the pope and includes cardinals, patriarchs, and bishops. The Military has greatly influenced management through power vested in positions in the chain of command. Management continued to evolve and we find individuals in history who have made contributions to the art of management as we know it; Luka Pacioli was an Italian mathematician considered the father of accounting. He invented the double entry accounting system. Adam Smith was a political economist whose concepts on economics at the beginning of the industrial revolution contributed greatly to management today. Robert Owens, Charles Babbage, Henry Vernum Poor and Henry Robinson Towne are other individuals who were influential to management in this era. With the onset of the industrial revolution, new ways of management came into play as new generations looked to increase productivity of organizations. Classical Era Scientific Management Scientific management was pioneered by Frederick W. Taylor a mechanical engineer who sought to improve industrial efficiency. He saw the need to have management design jobs properly and provide incentives to motivate workers to achieve higher productivity. His ideology was to find the best practice, decompose the task into its constituent elements and get rid of things that do not add value. Taylor’s scientific management gave way to specialization and is considered the basis to many other management systems that came after. Taylor was supported in this new way of management by Henry Gantt who is accredited with the Gantt chart that is widely used for project management. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were also early advocates of the scientific management system. Through the motion study, Frank sought to make the processes more efficient by reducing the motions while Lillian’s interest was on the human aspect of work. The human aspect of the scientific management principles seek to understand the workers personality and needs. Administrative Management Henri Fayol, was a French engineer and manager of the mines developed the administrative theory of management. He viewed management as an activity common to all human undertakings. He is credited to giving us the first comprehensive functions of management; 1.Planning  2.Organizing 3.Command/Direct 4.Coordinate 5.Control He urged that management was an all encompassing activity that should be taught in schools, colleges and universities. This approach proposed that management is a skill which can be acquired if its principles are understood and rejected the idea that â€Å"managers are born, not made†. Bureaucratic Management A German Sociologist, Max Weber’s approach to management was by focusing on the organizational structure. His views divided organizations into hierarchies with clear lines of authority and control, divided labor such that authority and responsibility are clearly defined and legitimized, organizational officials are appointed and not elected, organization members are selected on the basis of their technical qualification obtained through formal education and training. Organizations are to treat all employees and customers equally and not be influenced by differences. Weber’s principles on organizing can create stable, organized and systematic organizations but make it difficult for the organization to adapt to changing environments and new challenges. Neo-Classical Era Operations Management (Research) Operations management, also known as quantitative management, gives a quantitative basis for decision making. It is characterised by the search for the optimal answer to a problem by using quantitative models. It specially deals with the development of mathematical models to aid in decision making and problem solving. This theory holds that managing is a logical and rationale process, so it can be expressed in terms of mathematical models.