Improving Teaching and Learning Essay

As all children’s experiences and development are individual, every child will have their own unique ‘starting point’ from where to continue their learning of a subject from. Ausubel (1968) puts forward the interesting thought that we should design our teaching to start from where the pupil is. However, as Littledyke & Huxton (1998) suggest, it is almost impossible to take into account every individual child’s educational ‘starting point. I tried to establish a ‘common starting point’ by getting the whole class to brainstorm what they knew about metal. This would provide me with a vague idea of the knowledge each child held and enable me to successfully plan suitable investigative activities. This matches Piaget’s (1926) notion of ‘cognitive match’. The need to pitch the learning experience at the right level, for each child. † The teacher leads a discussion on a topic to draw out a range of ideas from this the teacher may be able to judge which children are most or least knowledgeable. However there may be several children within the class about the teacher knows very little even after the brainstorming session. † (Littledyke & Huxford, 1998, p22) To combat this problem that Littledyke and Huxford (1998) mention I talked to children who did not take part in the whole class session individually to found out their level of knowledge on the subject. One of the objects on my display table was a magnet. Many of the children seemed fascinated by the magnet, as groups of children would constantly pick it up and play with it. After seeing this I decided I would get the children to investigate which materials are attracted to a magnet. This seemed like an excellent idea as I had already observed that the children were interested in this subject. The investigation would be carried out in a constructivist manner, with the children working individually. From this I could see that Rodney had had no past experience with magnets and therefore had no knowledge that magnets are made of metal. All he knew was that the object he held in his hand was called a ‘magnet’ and that it stuck to metal objects. He had guessed that the magnet was made of plastic (probably due to the fact that it was coated in plastic) and constructed a misconception. On analysing this conversation I concluded that carrying my investigation out in a constructivist manner and pitching my investigation at an intermediate level, had missed Rodney’s (and no doubt others) ‘starting point’ of subject knowledge leading him to create his own incorrect idea. I believe this evidence contradicts a constructivist way of teaching as without positively intervening, questioning and explaining to Rodney that the magnet was made of metal, more problems may have arise in the form of further misconceptions or being unable to carry out following work effectively. Instead it matches Littledykes & Huxtons (1998) suggestion that matching every child’s ‘starting point’ is extremely challenging and if not done accurately, as shown from the evidence, can cause problems for the child. This brings to light that maybe a different teaching style needs to be adopted. Maybe I should have used the transmission approach of teaching at the beginning of the lesson and clarified vital pieces of information so that non of the children would have had misconceptions and the investigation would have succeed to the best of its ability. This however would have been uninteresting for the children. In using a constructivist method of teaching, allowing the child to work independently building on old ideas to construct new ones, there is always a risk that misconceptions may arise. When children are discovering a convention for themselves and intervention from a more knowledgeable source is absent, children may take the information and instead of placing it in the perspective of conventional science they place it in their own logical perspective. For example, after the investigation, I sat with each ability group and asked them to inform me of their findings. Through discussion and questioning within the group, I challenged ideas, aiding children to have access and maybe use of other children’s ideas and therefore make their own clearer. The following conversation was typical of all the groups. In conclusion, I believe that constructivism is an effective way in enabling children to build on or amend active ideas as it allows the child to undertaking ‘hands on’ activities and actually appreciate a theory in action. This in turn could either deepen understanding or change misconceptions they may have emerged throughout the topic. Practical activities subsequently help the children to retain the information as ‘doing’ experiments, which are of interest to them, help them remember the vital information needed. These facts could then be recalled instantaneously when re-visiting and building on a similar topic, later on in the curriculum. Due to all the disadvantages mentioned earlier in my assignment, it is obvious that constructivism cannot stand-alone. It is acceptable to use constructivist methods but they must be used in conjunction with other teaching methods also mentioned earlier. This, as teachers, is down to our professional judgement to decide when and where they should be used. The right teaching style should accommodate the right job and although constructivism is a sound way to allow children to investigate, it does not always fit the purpose of the scientific investigation wanting to be carried out. However I believe that we adopt many different teaching styles throughout a lesson without even knowing it. Bibliography ASHCROFT, K & LEE, J (2000) Improving Teaching and Learning in the Core Curriculum. London: Falmer. ATKINSON & FLEER (1995) Science with Reason. Hodder & Staughton. COLLINS EDUCATIONAL (1995) Nuffield Primary Science, materials: teachers guide. London De BOO, M (2000) Science 3-6 Laying the foundations in the Early Years. ASE Hatfield. DFEE, (2000) The National Curriculum: Handbook for Primary Teachers in England. London: DFEE & QCA. FARROW, S. (2000) The Really Useful Science Book. London:Falmer.

Territory and borders are increasingly irrelevant in todays global economy

The natural way we imagine the concept of territory and borders is through a nation state, since defining one is a bit of a tricky task but for our purposes, a nation state can be defined as one which has a functioning centralised government put in place that possesses the ability to exercise authority over a distinctive territory. Unless you’re over the age sixty you've only ever known a world of nation states. Nationhood and empire have long been the dominant way we’ve organized ourselves economically, politically and socially or at least the way that other people have organized us, the ottomans to former Soviet Union and the United States are great examples, but the global market exceeds that level of influence or with no fixed borders. The shrinking world concept best describes the globalisation process with regional integration, plus increasing transborder flows, put a big question mark on the importance of state sovereignty and territorial borders with more Internationalisation taking place. However in the mitts of this global downturn state sovereignty and territorial borders have taken resurgence in importance so liberalisation that took place in the boom years is now being met with serious criticism. Quote by The Economist ‘The world became as tightly linked, economically, as it had ever been. It makes perfect sense that a downturn anywhere would become a downturn everywhere. Previously Borders were becoming less of significant issue in Europe, since the European Union was established back in 1957 with six original member’s states which now include nineteen more in this economic and political union centralised in Brussels. The ability of free movement of EU citizens between member states plus the easy transfer of goods to trade in 27 economies with lower taxation are obvious incentives to join, however with the decision making coming from one centralised location by imposing polices that have not been produced and approved by individual states means the ability of those individual representatives have a tougher time in truly representing the interest of their people, this would be more challenging for minority members to get a equal say so as more established members. By trying to get rid of these barriers contributed unintentionally to internal divisions, resulting in stronger claim of peripheral borders. Events such as the ones which occurred in the Arab world have contributed to an already tense situation with patrols in the Mediterranean built up now titling Europe Fortress Europe. Only the India- Pakistan, the Senkaku Islands conflict and Cambodia-Thailand probably the most blatant incidences of the frequent significance of borders. The contrast effects globalisation can have on two different nation states, the tiny Mediterranean state of Monaco smallest country in the world after Vatican City to Ethiopia 27th largest country in the are complete polar opposites. Monaco being is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. ‘The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, non-polluting industries’. So will argue Ethiopia's economy on the reliant on agricultural employing eighty five percent of its workforce which suffers from poor farming practices and regular occurring droughts which is made worst their borders is being compromised by the participation in transnational agency by the effects of the enhanced green house effect. So the size of territory is insignificant Monaco knowing already that’s it’s at a disadvantage due to size with no recognised natural resources has specialized itself into a service based sectors employing 95% of its workforce which has a better compatibility with today’s globalized world. A viewpoint which you receive might come from someone with a more nationalistic that says that the significant of territory and borders are more important to today than at any other period in time, you may point out the significant GDP and wealth destructions difference between Monaco and Ethiopia as a clear winner in the discussion but Monaco role and the activi ties it plays in the global market place leave it quite vulnerable. ‘The dependence on its service sector in areas such as banking and tourism for its economic growth and stability has left it quite vulnerable to a downturn experienced in neighbouring France and other European economies which are the principality’s main trade partners. In 2009, Monaco’s GDP fell by 11.5% as the euro-zone crisis precipitated a sharp drop in tourism and retail activity and home sales. A modest recovery ensued in 2010 with GDP growth of 2.5%, but Monaco’s economic prospects remain clouded in uncertainty tied to future euro-zone growth. Weak economic growth also has deteriorated public finances as the principality recorded a budget deficit of 1.9% of GDP in 2010. Ethiopia may not have the same ability to generate has a power presence in human history with all three abrahamic faiths origins begin here so more integrated westernized Ethiopia would be a sad lost for mankind so it will come down to what you value. To conclude on the whole, the sovereignty or the ability of nation states to uphold power and influence in its own recognised territory is deteriorating everyday in order to keep their economic stability and a competitive nature since it needs to open their markets due to globalisation. But the idea of the nation state has come under some questioning as of late some have actually questioned the nation state of ever being previously completely economically independent as false. It’s difficult to finger out an answer but I would say globalisation hasn’t weaken the influence of the nation state but condition under which their off power is executed.

Erp Question Paper

ERP Question Paper Q. I . (A) Write a note on business modeling? (5) (B) What is the impact of Internet and World Wide Web on ERP products? (5) (C) Explain the concept of Supply Chain Management? State its benefits? (5) (D) Write short note on GAP analysis? (5) (or) (D)Explain integrated business model? (5) Q. II . (A)Explain direct and indirect benefits of ERP? (7) (B)Explain Financial Accounting Module? (7) (C) What is BPR? (6) Q. III . (A) Discuss the purchase order management process? (7) (B)What is data mining? (6) (C)Give importance of package evaluation in the ERP implementation lifecycle? 7) Q. IV. (A)Write a short note on MIS? How it differs from data processing system? (7) (B)Explain any 2 subsystems under HR module? (7) (C)What are the drawbacks of in-house development of ERP? (6) Q. V. (A)Differentiate between Data Mining & Data Warehousing? (7) (B)Describe functions of material management? (7) (C) Write a short note on OLAP? (6) Q. VI . (A)Why end-user training is said t o be critical to the success of ERP implementation? (6) (B)Explain the function of shipping module? (6) (C)Explain different phases of ERP implementation lifecycle? (8) Q. VII . (A) Write short notes on :- (8) i)EIS (Executive Information System) (ii)DSS (Decision Support System ) (B) Distinguish between OLAP & OLTP? (6) (C)Why do ERP implementations fail? (6) Q. VIII . (A)ERP Systems are superior to any legacy system. Explain? (6) (B)How ERP package is evaluated? (8) (C)Explain General Ledger in detail? (6) Q. IX . (A)Describe the vendor evaluation and inventory management activity of material management? (6) (B)Explain how ERP forces the best of practices? (6) (C)Write short note on Lead time and Data Warehousing ? (8) Q. X . (A)Discuss the reasons for the growth of ERP market? (8) B)Describe the role of the vendor? (6) (C)How is Business Integration achieved through ERP? (6) Q. XI . (A) Justify the statement â€Å"The success of ERP evaluation is in the hand of end-users†? (8) (B)Describe the advantages of ERP? (8) (C)Write short note on Just In Time(JIT) inventory? (4) Q. XII . (A)Explain order management in Sales & Distribution module? (8) Q. XIII . (A)How the ERP package is evaluated? ( 7) (A)Short note on Implementation team training? (5) (A)Explain the role of end user in ERP implementation? (6) (A)What is the purpose of GAP analysis and how the Gaps are fixed? (7)

Investing in Back Bay-Beacon Hill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investing in Back Bay-Beacon Hill - Essay Example As the report declares the main aspects of the real estate industry in Beacon Hill are as follows. First, properties in the area are valued at a price that is either double or triple of its value ten years ago. This presents an opportunity for profits for investors and developers in the long run. Second, properties in the area are either rented as apartments ranging from $1,600 for one-bedroom apartments up to $2,100 for two-bedroom apartments. Third, speculators forecasted the â€Å"back slope† in the northern part of the Beacon Hill area to increase value in the future. Fourth, due to state legislature, which established the Beacon Hill area as an historic district, constructions of new buildings have been prohibited. As a result, the values of existing buildings were enhanced, while land values were limited. This paper stresses that given the aforementioned characteristics of the real estate market in Beacon Hill, Alexander concluded that buying a property in the â€Å"back slope† would be most profitable because of the relatively lower values of properties there. Furthermore, he realized that it would be best to purchase a property, which would require an extensive amount of renovation to have better control on the property’s income potential. The property that interested Alexander was a 4-unit apartment in the â€Å"back slope.† The property is located in the middle of the block and is set 100 feet from the road.

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager Essay

Global Industries experience with the then Pension Fund Manager - Essay Example According to his analysis the funds represent a small fraction of the U.S.-managed fund industry, but despite this their net assets grew by 262% from 1998 to 2005, compared to a 10.8% increase in U.S. high-yield bond funds. There was significant public attention but academic research did not give much attention to the emerging market bond funds. So did the Pension Fund Manager who also did not pay proper attention to this fund. I would have gone deeper in my research as Pension Fund Manager and would take correct and patient decision before shifting from the fund. I would also for a diversified fund investment rather than concentrating on single fund and suffering. Similarly, if we study carefully the Lazard’s Emerging Market Equity Market Returns annually from 1993 to 2008 we can note of certain emerging markets doing very well. In 1997 Turkey, Hungry and Mexico returned more that 50% from the equity market. In 1998 Korea and Greece returned more than 50%; in 1999 Russia and Turkey returned more than 200% % and Indonesia, India and Korea returned more than 75% from this market. 2000 was a poor market but from 2001 the equity market again started looking up. By 2002 the return was very lucrative: Pakistan returning 150% and Check Republic and Indonesia returning about 40% and above. Minimum five important emerging markets continued yielding sound returns till 2007 The main problem concerns about reading the market trends correctly and selecting the target market with the help of proven experts in the market. Perhaps the Pension Manager could not foresee the correct trends in the market and his decision about investment yielded losses. In 2003 the loss incurred was due to wrong reshuffling of his portfolio to US Treasury Bills for two years and Treasury notes yielding only 1% to 3% return.  

Information Systems and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information Systems and Business - Essay Example In this background, this paper analyzes the questions where these researchers make significant compromises and who does the better job of operationalization in their research article. In their article, Hirschheim and Sabherwal make significant compromises when they deal with the issue of alignment between IS and the business strategies which has traditionally been a key issue facing IS management. Due to insufficient research being conducted on how such alignment is achieved and sustained over time, the authors find it difficult to conceptualize and operationalize their original variables. "Thus, our view of strategic alignment focuses on an organization's ongoing efforts to establish and maintain a series of interdependent relationships between business and IS strategies. These relationships involve the movement (i.e., change) of business strategy and/or IS strategy in such a way that the two are in alignment." (Hirschheim and Sabherwal, 2001, p. 87).

Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affirmative Action - Essay Example Since time immemorial, women have always been regarded as the lesser gender in almost all aspects of the economy. For a long time this gender stereotype has seen the women belonging to the lower ranks in the society below the male domination. As a result, a great percentage of them have been barred from decision making opportunities and also positions in society and school (Vidu, 1999). Apart from women, affirmative action seeks to change the perception of persons in relation to racism, ethnicity and gender. According to Sander (2004), discrimination on racial grounds is not a new scene in the world. The mostly racially abused group is the African Americans. Some years back, it was difficult and almost impossible for a black person to have equal opportunities in education, employment or business. Puddington (1995) emphasizes that affirmative actions tend to eradicate these issues in all levels of the society. This paper will focus on some of the advantages of affirmative action. Addi tionally, it will also cover critics of the affirmative action and detect instances where affirmative action has been useful. Over the years groups that have made initiatives in indulging in affirmative action have increased significantly. The rising numbers of these groups has given discriminated people hope of a better future. Moreover, in as much as people are not involved in affirmative action, there is a wide global support. One of the notable groups is the women. All over the world, women have the same aim of gaining equal opportunities in all sectors of the economy for instance, education, employment and business (Jacobs, 2004). It is evident that the process of empowering of women around the world has been a tune from the past decade. Due to this, there has been an upward trend on the rising number of significant figures in society working for the cause. An example is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has been credited for her ability to instil confidence among many women in the quest to advance themselves and champion for their rights all over the world. However, affirmative action has critics who oppose these moves in all ways possible. Some people argue that legal practices and courts take positive action to the matter for the purpose of building their reputation. According to Skrentny (2004), some judges tend to make rules in favour of affirmative action groups sp that they can gain more support in their line of duty. Additionally, some affirmative action groups may use manipulation to gain what they need as well as gain attention. It is, nevertheless, vital to note that although affirmative action is for a positive cause in the society, misusing the attention they get is not a positive thing either (Orfield, 2001). In the course of time, affirmative action has risen to be the best tool to use in a court of law. This gives the people the assumption that affirmative action is more than legal practices. In modern society, there are the minority who try to gun dow n affirmative action. Their efforts have been futile since there is no court or counsel which will support any case against affirmative action. In the views of Ibarra (2001), the minority group does not aim to bring back issues of racism experienced in past years, but attempt to expose the other point of view apart from the affirmative action point of view. Schwartz (2009) indicates that, since the realization of affirmative action, the marginalized groups tend to take full advantage of the global support and gain society class and recognition. The major question remains

Art Appreciation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Art Appreciation - Essay Example Although these artists came from different places, their works exhibited some similarities. Equally, they had many differences including the intention and purpose of their artworks. During the ancient time, the pharaohs and other Egyptian authorities were powerful and had much influence on every economic sector. As a result, Egyptians were subjected to strict artistic laws. The authorities ensured every artist in the country worked and performed his/her acts under the specific rules of symmetry enacted by the government (Robins 12). In addition, the authorities dictated their work and used them mostly for ceremonial activities organized in the country. On the other hand, Greeks had freedom and power to perform their arts freely without interference from the government. They had the freedom to use their talents and gifts to experiment with every style and concept they liked or saw. As a result, art in Greece was a way of expressing ones thoughts and ideas freely as opposed to Egypt where artists were restricted and had suggestions of what to do from the authorities. Furthermore, Egyptian artist`s works were much more religion-oriented. They did pictures and portraits depicting their gods with holy writings of the scriptures on their artworks. Most of their royal hieroglyphs and incantations were written throughout their beautiful and attractive pyramids (Robins 18). Furthermore, due to the authoritative and influential nature of their kings and officials, artists viewed their king as holy and divine and did most of their artworks to honor and respect them. In contrast, in Greece artworks were not religious oriented. These groups of brilliant and creative artists did their work based on the philosophy and moral balance. Most of their artworks reflected their thoughts and views on various important and pressing issues in the society and world at large. For instance, Greeks statues exhibited emotions. Greeks brought out their real

Assess the power of the National Rifle Association in U.S. politics Essay

Assess the power of the National Rifle Association in U.S. politics - Essay Example This would provide both the parties an opportunity to express their minds as well as discuss the pros and cons of either having or not having the guns. There are gun control laws existent in the US, according to National Rifle Association, which has made a principled agreement, one that cannot be changed by any person, or who does so in an individual capacity becomes immediately invalid or void for that matter. It must be noted here that this issue takes its birth as well as dies its own death in the name of safety and security, the other matter being that of animal hunt, which is strictly banned in some regions of the United States. The Opinion Journal has written in its editorials that Germans who want to get hold of a hunting rifle have to experience certain checks which have a span of more or less a year and those who desire to own a gun for sporting activities and the like, have to register as a member of a particular club as well as attain a stamped license from the police authorities. Similarly, the editorial is of the view that those Frenchmen who wish to own a gun must possess legal gun permits that are given after a comprehensive background as well as health checkup and a need is seen as to whether its demonstrated in the papers and documents or not. The gun control is also dependent upon the intensity of the need for the person concerned. This permit is valid for a span of three years, thus showing the French system of strict litigation and legal proceedings. Moving ahead, Switzerland has also taken some due steps in the same department whereby it has changed its liberal laws into somewhat tighter dea lings with the police authorities. America has also undergone a complete revamp ever since it had its laws in place concerning gun control and the like way back in the year 1985, when just eight states possessed the most liberal right-to-carry laws that mechanically allowed grant permits in the case applicants pass a criminal background check as

The Spanish Republic and the civil war 1931-1939 Essay Example for Free

The Spanish Republic and the civil war 1931-1939 Essay Tragically in 1939, after three years of bitter civil war and with the loss of around 750,000 Spanish lives, Spain fell to the rule of a Fascist dictatorship that was to last for almost four decades. The Spanish tragedy has been told and analysed by countless historians, and of these works Gabriel Jacksons The Spanish Republic and the Civil War 1931-1939 is widely referred to as the definitive liberal history of the Spanish Republic. Jackson begins with an outline of the nineteenth century monarchical and political upheavals that preceded the birth of the Spanish republic in 1931. From there, we are given a detailed account of events leading to Francos final victory in 1939 and finally a synopsis which attempts to address some of the criticisms that have been levelled at Jacksons depiction. One such criticism is that Jackson leaves a crucial part of the story untold, namely that of the struggle of workers and peasants against not just the nationalist forces, but too against the conditions of capitalism and semi-feudalism. One of Jacksons most ardent critics has been Noam Chomsky, who through his Objectivity and Liberal Scholarship has provided an excellent theoretical framework to enable a critical reading of Jackson, primarily in his depiction of events from 1936-1937. In this work Chomsky points to the subordination of liberal intelligencia, universities in particular, to the military- industrial complex, in this case the American State and big business. In other words, writers of ostensibly objective historical works become compromised by their social, economic and political ties to the prevailing ideology, leading them to interpret events with the notion in mind of the inevitability and desirability of bourgeois democracy. Alongside this, according to Zbigniew Brzezinski, the largely humanist-oriented, occasionally ideologically-minded intellectual-dissenter, who sees his role largely in terms of proffering social critiques, is rapidly being displaced either by experts and specialists, who become involved in special governmental undertakings, or by the generalists-integrators, who become in effect house-ideologies for those in power, providing overall intellectual integration for disparate actions.1 The search for objective truth then is subordinated in these instances to the subjectivity of the author/investigator and in the final instance we are given a partial and distorted view of historical events, as is the case with Jacksons work. The motivations and actions of those directly involved are written out of the story, and instead the logic of liberal scholarship gives precedence to the political leadership of the natural parties of government. As Chomsky points out, Jackson makes it abundantly clear that he is, in favour of liberal democracy, as represented by figures such as Azana, Casares Quiroga, Martinez Barrio, and other responsible national leaders. and, makes little attempt to disguise his antipathy towards the forces of popular revolution in Spain, or their goals. 2 Therefore, mass action is generally regarded as of secondary importance to the manoeuvrings of the Popular Front government, even when in practice it was often powerless. Further, when these masses threaten the natural order of capitalist production, by acts of collectivisation, expropriation, land seizure and abolition of money, they are described as, naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve, counterproductive, ill educated, fundamentally conservative and misled. Only when these masses follow the lead and policies of the natural elite does Jackson recognise and applaud mass contribution, and Jackson fails to recognise the crucial nature of the revolutionary/counterrevolutionary period from the summer of 1936 to 1937 in which, the revolution was largely spontaneous with mass participation of anarchist and socialist industrial and agricultural workers; the counterrevolution was under communist direction3 To partly summarise Chomskys criticisms, two examples of Jacksons subjective analysis of this period are, the role of the Communist Party in Spain and collectivisation in Catalonia. Under a Moscow directive, the PCE was founded in Spain with only 800 members in 1930. This number grew to around 20,000 in 1934 while the PCE had dropped its social fascist stance regarding other left groupings, to embrace all parties of the left under the Popular Front umbrella. Stalin had concluded that international fascismposed a threat after allHis answer was the adoption during 1934/35 of a Popular Front policy for resisting fascism.4 This membership grew to over 250,000 during the first eight months of the war, 40% of this number being made up the petit bourgeoisie. The PCE, again under orders from Moscow, embraced bourgeois democracy, their only task to defend the Republic, and revolutionary action by the masses was not on Stalins agenda. In responding to a plea from help from Spains Popular Front government, Stalin was perusing what he perceived to be in the foreign policy interest of the Soviet UnionWhat Soviet aidbegan to reach Spain in October 1936, was emphatically not intended to advance the cause of social revolution in Republican Spain.5 Jackson however claims, The interrupted movement toward world revolution, as well as the security of the Soviet Union, might well be advanced by a Republican victory in Spain.6 Chomsky rightly regards Jacksons view of The Soviet Union as a nation hungry to embrace world revolution as entirely mistaken, and indeed the Soviet Union of the 1930s had come a long way from the days of the storming of the Winter Palace in the November Revolution of 1917. Russia is a totalitarian regimethe frame of mind its leaders is cynical and opportunist. To expect such men to lead a social revolution in Spain, where the wildest idealism is combined with great independence of character, was out of the question.7 Political purges and show trials in the Soviet Union in 1934-36 had seen potential political opposition to Stalin brutally removed, many being accused, as was Leon Trotsky, of having been in league with Hitler. Russia was then a country with a revolutionary past, not a revolutionary present.8 Stalins main aim in 1936 was to ward off any threat from Hitlers Germany, by allying himself with Britain and France. Accordingly, a proletarian revolution in Spain could not be allowed to succeed, bringing as it would a threat of instability to ruling classes the world over, and a shift in the balance of European power. Communist policy as regards Spain then was one of subordinating their [PCE] national policies to the USSRs supposed international interests.9 In effect this meant the defence of all legitimate middle-class authority at the expense the grass root militancy that could have helped avert the tragic outcome to Spains civil war. As one communist student of the time, critical of such policy noted, But a more revolutionary course will only frighten the democracies, people said. What nonsense! The capitalist democracies were frightened enough already by what was happening in Spain. Stalin wont agree, said others. But was that the case? Would Stalin not have had to do what he did anyway and a lot more, perhaps if we had pursued a more revolutionary course? Could he afford to be seen betraying a proletarian revolution?10 The next bone of contention, is the account Jackson gives of collectivisation. In the initial process of collectivisation, Jackson berates unions in Valencia and Barcelona for abusing their sudden authority to place the sign incautado on all manner of buildings and vehicles.11 However, as Chomsky notes, this wording belies Jacksons ignorance towards the reality of the revolutionary situation. While Jackson recognises the occurrence of ..the most profound social revolution since the fifteenth century..12, it seems that he is not inclined to recognise the actions that are an integral part of such a profound social revolution. Later, Jackson claims that in 1936, the revolutionary tide began to ebb in Cataloniaaccumulating food and supply problems, and the experience of administering villages, frontier posts, and public utilities, had rapidly shown the anarchists the unexpected complexity of modern society.13 Chomsky on the other hand points to the attack led by the Communist Party to destroy the gains made by workers and peasants without the blessing of any legitimate government force. First win the war then make the revolution, was the slogan that epitomised the drive to subordinate the revolutionary aspirations of the masses to the will of the legitimate powers. Collectivisation brought order to the chaotic situation All the parties and organisations solemnly agreed to respect the letter and the spirit of the new law; but within three months the Republican parties were systematically obstructing it; and soon afterwards the communists were sabotaging it..14 and International capitalism was determined to do everything in its power to force the failure of the collectivised Catalan economy.15 Chomsky too challenges Jacksons attitude towards and analysis of war production and distribution in collectivised areas. For example, In Catalonia, the CNT factory committees dragged their heels on war production, claiming that the government deprived them of raw materials and was favouring the bourgeoisie,16 Firstly this is in stark contrast to Jacksons charitable attitude towards production methods in fascist controlled areas, and his fairly uncritical depiction of later communist methods which involved substantially restoring a free market in essential without any apparent benefits to the war effort. Secondly, as Chomsky notes, Jackson does not substantiate his statement with fact. These two criticisms perhaps point to another instance where Jackson noticeably favours traditional capitalist production against that of the collective. In any case, evidence points to the fact that while conditions were favourable, with access to raw materials for example, collective production rivalled that elsewhere in Spain. The war industry in Catalonia had produced ten times more than the rest of Spanish industry put together and .this output could have been quadrupled as from beginning of September if Catalonia had had access to the necessary raw materials that were unobtainable in Spanish territory.17 Further, it is evident that the central government denied much needed financial assistance because of its lack of sympathy with, rather hostility towards collectivisation. Only in exchange for government control would they give financial assistance.18 Whatever accusations may be levelled at the running of the collectives, at least two points must be remembered. Firstly, in many instances, collectivisation came as the result of a huge surge from below, The revolution was like a dog shaking itself when it comes out of the water the Spanish people shaking itself free of 400 years injustice. There was nothing we militants could do but go ahead or shoot ourselves.19 Secondly, against overwhelming odds, the Catalan working class kept collectivised production going for thirty months of war.20 In conclusion, this paper has only managed to briefly capture Chomskys detailed criticism of Jackson, and to follow on from Chomsky is no easy task given his coherent, thoroughly researched critique. Chomsky highlights Jacksons apparent lack of understanding of the true nature of revolutionary struggle, which leads him to mistakenly identify the 1930s Soviet Union as a revolutionary force and to disparage the actions of mass movements lacking conventional political leadership. The first mistaken belief is, as Chomsky points out, entirely in keeping with the American Cold War mythology that has invented an international Communist conspiracy directed from Moscow to justify its own interventionist policies.21 The two beliefs together lead him to significantly underplay the destructive role played by Communist policy in Spain, which, while not wholly to blame for the Fascist victory, significantly dented the workers will to fight. Many theorists have argued that only a successful revolution could have ultimately beaten the fascists, and that an early arming of workers could have averted three years of carnage. However, We werent being armed because the Republican authorities were more frightened of the working class than off the military. (Francisco Cabrera, Communist Youth, Seville) Communist insistence on an exclusively Popular Front, petty bourgeois programme was disastrous, which ultimately undermined the fight against Fascism. The loss of the Civil War in Spain to the fascists was more than just a military defeat, as in the words of Ronald Fraser, For the objective was not only to castigate the defeated but to crush for all time working class militancy and the threat of socialist revolution, so that Spanish capitalism could prosper. Quotes 1 Chomsky, N, Objectivity and Liberal Scholarship, p30 2 Chomsky, p75 3 Chomsky, p81 4 Blinkhorn, Democracy and Civil War in Spain, p36 5 Blinkhorn, p36 6 Jackson, The Spanish Republic and the Civil War 1931-1939, p259 7 Chomsky, p84 8 Chomsky, p85 9 Fraser, Blood of Spain, p328 10 Fraser, p329 11 Jackson, p279 12 Jackson, p277 13 Jackson, p314 14 Fraser, p215 15 Fraser, p216 16 Jackson, p365 17 Chomsky, p89 18 Chomsky, p90 19 Fraser, p229 20 Fraser, p234 21 Chomsky, p86 Bibliography Jackson, G, 1965, The Spanish Republic and the Civil War 1931-1939, Princeton University Press Fraser, R, 1979, Blood of Spain, Penguin Blinkhorn, M, Democracy and Civil War in Spain Chomsky, N, Objectivity and Liberal Scholarship

How To Straighten Teeth Without Wearing Braces English Language Essay

How To Straighten Teeth Without Wearing Braces English Language Essay You might wonder if it is really possible to straighten your teeth and have them in a pearly row without having to wear braces. A few years ago if you had buck teeth or uneven teeth then your only option of getting them straightened was to opt for braces. This is considered to be quite cumbersome as it involves the painful process of wearing braces. However this is a thing of the past. This will spare you from having to wear braces for years. You now do have the option of being able to cut short the process of straightening your teeth and not go through the painful and long drawn out process of having to wear braces. And yet go on to have the best of teeth. The latest is the use of invisalign in place of the traditional braces that have always been used. The way the invisalign is made is that it has a set of retainer like mouthpieces. The role of these are to ensure that your teeth are straight and in a row. It takes about a year to straighten out your teeth by using invisalign and sparing yourself the use of braces. However, the flip side to invisalign is that they work well on teeth with minor misplacement. Another option for you could be the use of veneers. The use of veneers ensures that you are able to apply them directly to your teeth and you wont have to deal with the old imperfect row of teeth any longer. There are two different kinds of veneers that you can choose from which are either porcelain or composite. You can discuss it further with the orthodontist regarding whether it will be the right kind of thing to opt for, for your kind of teeth. If your teeth are overcrowded then you might be able to go for cosmetic contouring rather than having braces on. This is an absolutely pain free process and will have your teeth reshaped by a cosmetic dentist. Within a visit or two to the dentist you will be done. Therefore, it does not take that long a process as with braces. There are removable orthodontic appliances that you can wear at night or on specific days. These though work best on the upper row of teeth. If you want to avoid the use of braces then this might work out to be a good enough option to talk over with the orthodontist. There are retainers that can help correct the alignment of the teeth. Ask your dentist if one of these can be designed specifically for your teeth. However, keep in mind that most of these techniques work for people who need minor corrections to their teeth. In case they need major straightening of the teeth then they might not be the right kind of candidate for this kind of procedure. If you have already worn braces for a while and then given up on them, then this kind of procedure will work fine for you. 11.  Ã‚  Ã‚  How Can I Remove Stains From Ceramic Braces? Many people prefer to opt for ceramic braces as they are less visible and intrusive. They are more aesthetic than the full metal ones. These ceramic braces need to be attached to the tooth surface using ligatures which are tiny rubber bands and thin metals. This helps in the realignment of the teeth. This in turn adds to the stain on the teeth as they easily pick up the stains from the food and drink that they are exposed to. This starts looking ugly and unattractive and can go on to give your teeth a really ugly yellowish hue to them. The first thing that you should do is to bring to the attention of the orthodontist the stains and how they affect you. The glue that is used will be minimized and regular visits to the orthodontist will ensure that you have no noticeable stains on your teeth. When you choose the colors for the ligature ensure that you choose right. There are some colors that stain less when compared to other colors. It is a not a good idea to opt for ligatures that are invisible and white in color as the chances of them getting stained are more. On the other hand ligatures that are dark in color such as blacks and maroons will stain less. The only thing that you might mind with these dark ligatures is that they make the wearing of braces obvious. Pastel colors are a good option and they show less of staining with enough good dental hygiene. The next thing that you need to consider in order to go on and keep your cosmetic braces and teeth stain free is good hygiene. This includes brushing and flossing of your teeth diligently and regularly. Ensure that you are able to reach the hard to reach areas as well. 12.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Take Care of Your Braces To Get The Best Smile If you want to be left behind with one of the most dazzling of smiles after the braces treatment then you do need to ensure that you take good care of the braces. The thing is that when you have braces on you have more bands, brackets and wires in your teeth than you will have at any other time in your life. This makes brushing of your teeth far more difficult that is the reason you need to learn of the right way to go about and brush your teeth. Also, with the braces on you will not be able to chew in the most normal of fashions. This is one of the reasons why you should maintain top hygienic conditions in order to avoid any development of cavities in your teeth. This can further foster the entrapment of food and pieces of your meal which can go on to create tartar and plaque on your teeth. As you brush between the wires of your braces you should ensure that you take due care of them. Also you should ensure that you do follow the restrictions that have been laid down by your orthodontist. This will go on to increase the treatment options and within no time your braces will be off and you will be left behind with a sparkling smile to boot. Ensure that you make the right food choices when you have your braces on. Do not gorge on sticky food as this will cause more dental decay and make it difficult for you to go on and clean between your braces. Also, try and eliminate hard and crunchy foods from your diet as this might go on to harm your braces and interfere with the treatment. The hard food can go on to bend and warp the braces which will interfere with your treatment. Also, the rubber bands will be loosened and this will not go on to place enough tension on to your teeth. Do not put anything into your mouth whilst you have braces on such as pencils, pens, fingers, ice cubes as this will affect your braces. Do not eat food with a high content of citric acid as it will make your teeths enamel weak and dissolve it. The next thing to keep in mind when you have your braces on is that you do need to take the utmost care of your teeth and hygiene in fact more than what you did previously. What you need to do is to brush and floss your teeth diligently at least three times a day if not multiple amounts of times. Also, floss with great care so as to remove the hidden particles of food from every nook and crevice of your teeth. Do not bite your fingernails or plastic packaging. If you take all of these considerations, the moment you remove your braces you will be left behind with the most dazzling of smiles. 13 Affordable Orthodontics How to Find Cheap Dental Braces You know htat you need to have braces on your teeth in order to straighten them out and get the best smile possible for yourself, but what is holding you back in the cost for the braces. Do not despair as there are ways by which you can go on to have the best possible braces for yourself without emptying out your wallet. What you need to consider is the finding of cheap dental braces. There are ways in which you can go on to save big money on your braces. You might want to look at your insurance policy but unless you have a separate policy for dental care your policy will not go on to cover it. Moreover, you should have taken the policy way before the need for one arose. Also, with the insurance policy there is a specified limit and once you go on to cross that limit you will not find any further financial help. Another alternative to this is to opt for a discounted dental plan. This is a plan that goes on to offer you a hefty discount on the orthodontist treatment that you opt for. This discounted dental plan goes on to work even for existing concerns unlike in the case of an insurance plan. What you need to do is to join the plan and then you can avail of the discounts right away. Another way to get yourself cheap braces is to discuss it with your orthodontist or their office. You might feel hesitant and embarrassed to ask for a discount but you will be amazed at the amount that you can save that way. There are dentists who might offer you a discount in their fees or the materials that goes into the treatment for braces. There are several trainee hospitals that need patients for their students to be able to learn. You can take an appointment with one of these. These might be completely free or they might just charge you for the materials used. You need not worry as the students are under the strict vigilance of their coach who is a trained professional orthodontist. The only flip side to this is that it might take a wee bit longer than envisaged. But, it is certainly worth it as you end up getting the treatment almost free of cost. If you are looking for saving more money on the braces then you can let your orthodontist know about that and they will show you braces that are not that aesthetic to look at but work just as well. these are priced at a far more lower rate and they actually work in straightening out your teeth and getting you a discount as well. The approximate costs for braces works out to be about $5000 but if you play it smart you can get them done at a far cheaper rate than that. 14 How to Clean Your Mouth With Dental Braces When you have braces on your mouth is going to be filled with wires, brackets and metal of all kind. This will make it all the more hard for an ordinary tooth brush to reach the various parts of your mouth and teeth. But, it is absolutely imperative that you brush and floss diligently several times in a day if you want to keep cavity and gum disease at bay. That is one of the reasons why you need to adopt a stringent hygiene control method that will have you cleaning your teeth and mouth in the right manner. you need to ensure that you eat the right kinds of food that are not sticky and hard so as to stick to your teeth and be hard for a brush to remove. Also, avoid food that is highly acidic in nature in order to guard your teeth enamel against weakening and wearing off. Avoid all kinds of food that is high in fructose and glucose as they are sticky and a natural breeding ground for bacteria. The first thing to remember when you have braces on is to brush and floss your teeth after every meal that you eat. Before you go to bed at night it is imperative that you clean your mouth well and remove all traces of food from it. You need a soft brush and one that is able to give you a thorough brushing. Make your toothbrush and toothpaste your best friends and carry them along with you wherever you go. This will enable you to get into the habit of brushing after every meal no matter where you are. Every time that you visit your orthodontist they will clean your teeth professionally in order to remove any build up of plaque and tartar. There are dentists that might go on to apply braces wax on your teeth in order to go on and protect it from the harmful effect of food on it. Also, there are a few readymade braces cleaning kits available in the market. The braces kit will consist of a range of toothbrushes, toothpastes, and dental wax. When you have all of this in one place you will be more likely to reach out for them and use them. Make sure that you pay special attention to the kind of toothpaste and tooth brush that you use. The toothbrush should have an angular head and be able to brush at all angles. The bristles on it should be soft. The toothbrush should have special ingredients to help it fight tooth decay and work at it for a longer duration. There is no two ways about oral hygiene being extremely important and more so when you have braces on. You need to strive really hard to keep your teeth; braces and mouth squeaky clean and stop the buildup of bacteria in them. Using all of these techniques you are bound to have teeth that are sparkling even with braces on. 15.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Things to Know Before Getting Dental Braces Is there one person in this world who does not want the best of smiles? A good smile is one that has all the teeth in a row and sparking white. All of us are not gifted with the best of teeth but with the help of braces you can go on to significantly straighten out your teeth. Braces are certainly going to be good for you but you need to ask a few relevant and pertinent questions before you go about with them. This will enable you to know what you are getting into. The first thing that you should ask your orthodontist is about the treatment and how long will it take. You will also want to find out the cost about the treatment for the braces so that you arent in for any unpleasant shocks mid-way through the treatment. Also, ask if you need braces for the top and the bottom row of teeth. This can further lower the cost for you. Furthermore, check the kind of braces that you will get. Will they be metal, ceramic or invisalign? This will decide on the cost. The average costs of braces come up to $5000. The next thing for you to do is to find out whether your insurance plan will cover the cost for the braces and how much of it. Go though the insurance policy that you have in order to find that out. Ask your orthodontist what you should expect at each stage of the braces treatment. This will allow you to know the exact duration, and outcomes so that you wont be disappointed or expect more than need be. When you are asking your orthodontist the questions ensure that you ask them about the care and precautions that you will have to take with your braces on. This will ensure that you are ready to make all the sacrifices needed in order to go ahead and eat the right kind of food. You will have to realize that you will have to give up smoking, all kinds of carbonated drinks and sticky sugary food. But all of this is certainly going to be worth it when you see your smile in the mirror and your teeth in a straight row. Also, you will be able to gain the kind of confidence like none other. You might also want to ask your orthodontist which braces will suit you the best. If your teeth are really crooked and need a whole lot of straightening work to be done on them then you need metallic braces. There are also the latest almost transparent invisalign braces. Ask the right kind of questions and get yourself for the most beautiful of smiles once your braces are off. When you go in for the next dental check up and are considering getting yourself braces then go on and ask these questions to your dentist to make the right decision. 16.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teeth and Gums Care While Wearing Dental Braces The good thing about wearing braces is that you will be able to get your teeth in line and the smile that you deserve. However, the flip side to wearing braces is that you need to ensure that you maintain the best of hygiene in order to be able to keep your teeth and gums in top notch condition. There are several hard to reach areas in your mouth and they become all the more difficult once you have metals and wires in your mouth. Under that circumstance, what you need to do is to ensure that you clean your mouth multiple times in a day. This will make certain that you are able to avoid cavities and the multiplying of harmful bacteria in your mouth. The first thing that you need to ensure once you have the braces on is the dental hygiene and the time and effort that you devote to it. You dont want to be left with straight teeth but those full of carries. That will certainly serve no purpose for you. Invest in a braces cleaning kit. This will consist of different kinds of toothbrushes such as the angular headed ones that are able to reach the most hidden of nooks and crevices in your mouth. Also, you will need a special kind of toothpaste that is good at fighting tooth decay and works for a longer time. The onus of brushing and flossing your teeth regularly lies completely on you. Braces can be one of the hardest of appliances to brush because of the multitude of rubber bands, wires and metals on them. If you dont brush well enough then you can be left behind with the most ugly of stains on your teeth that will refuse to go away. Do not allow any particles of food to cling to your teeth. With vigilant and stringent brushing you will be able to remove them right away. Also, ensure that you gargle after every mouthful that you eat. This will ensure that you have no food particles and harmful bacteria left in your mouth. Another thing that you need to care about is the kind of food that you eat. There are chances of the braces breaking or the rubber bands losing their tension if the food that you eat is hard, crunchy and hard to bite. Therefore, the best thing is to avoid these kinds of food that can not only hamper with your braces treatment but also come in between the way you are able to maintain your teeth. Try and avoid a whole lot of uncooked food as they are not only tough but tend to harbor more bacteria on them. This will go on to gather more tartar and plaque. Acidic food and carbonated drinks will wear off the enamel off your teeth and leave permanent stains on them. Avoid these while you have braces on. All these techniques will ensure that you are able to keep your teeth sparklingly clean and tidy. 17.  Ã‚     Take Care of Your Braces To Get The Best Smile Once you have decided to get yourself braces the next thing that you should ensure for the optimum success of the treatment is that you take good care of them. Usually, a braces treatment lasts about two years and within those two years if you take care of your braces you will come out with a row of the pearliest white teeth. The two things that you need to keep in mind are that you need to be careful about the kind of food and drink that you choose and the maintenance of dental and gum hygiene. Once you are able to care for these two things you will be able to go about your natural activities and ensure that the braces last you throughout the treatment. Also, you will be able to get for yourself the best of smiles ever in the shortest of duration. The care that you take of the rubber bands, the metal wires and the overall braces bracket will ensure that they work really well for you. The best thing for you to do is to go ahead and brush your teeth in the right manner. With the help of the right brushing technique you will be able to brush your teeth in such a way that there is no build up of hidden food at all. Ask your orthodontist about the right way of brushing and flossing and they will be able to guide you about this. The mouth care regime should become one of your top most priorities once you have braces on. This will ensure that you are able to care for your teeth and gums and not have any cavities developing in them. The best thing about the braces is that the care for them is really simple and you need not invest in a whole lot of expensive material to do so. All that you need is a braces kit that consists of the right kind of toothbrushes, toothpastes and flossing material. The next thing that you need to ensure is what kind of food that you eat with the braces on. You need to avoid hard and sticky food as that is the thumb rule with braces on. Do not keep anything in your mouth such as pens, pencils and your fingers as well. avoid a whole lot of raw food such as apples and carrots as biting into them is difficult and might cause you problems. Do not have too many carbonated and acidic drinks as well as this will go on to wear off the enamel and make your teeth stain easily. Sticky food such as gum, sweets, food with a whole lot of sucrose and fructose in it, chips, popcorn and peanuts are best avoided when you have braces. With this minimal amount of care you will be just fine with your braces on. 18.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Color Ideas for Braces Gone are the days and times when wearing braces was considered to be the end of fashionable you. Rather, with the new age braces you can choose from the ample amount of different colors available and go on to make the best fashion statements possible. You will love the way you have so much of color variety. There are almost thirty or so colors that you can go on and choose from. The first thing that you should do is to find out from your orthodontist what the colors that they would recommend are. Ask for the color wheel at the orthodontist to get an idea of it. The dentist will be able to tell you about the different kind of hues and color tones that look good on teeth, your face, your personality and facial features. The usual colors that people usually reach out for dark shades such as blues, reds and maroons. The colors that you certainly need to keep away from are whites and yellows as they highlight the stains on your teeth and make them look yellowish. The colors that you can choose can be according to your affiliations. You can go on and choose the colors of your country, your school or the sports team that you love. You need not only pick one color. Rather you can go on to be as creative as possible. You can choose different colors for alternate teeth such as odd and even. You can also choose different colors for your upper and lower teeth. There are several color selectors online that can help you in your choice of colors. If you like Barbie doll and are a girl then you can pick pink. This is considered to be a real hot color for braces at the moment. In pink you can choose different shades such as hot pink and baby doll pink. All that you need to do is to let your imagination and creative side run wild. You can keep in mind the current festivals, celebrations and match the colors of your braces according to that. Another way of matching the color on your braces is with the help of the colors that are predominant in your wardrobe. You will love the way you can get the most worn color or a contrast to that color on to your braces. It is so much fun to choose the best of color braces and flaunt your color style on your teeth. You will love the way you are able to make a fashion statement with the help of your braces. You can choose the color combination of orange and black for Halloween or for Thanksgiving yellow and black. Go ahead and use your braces to add on the right kind of fun element. However, keep one thing in mind that the colors the way they will look on a color selector spectrum or on the color wheel might be slightly different in reality based on the colors, the materials used and how they reflect the light on your teeth. 19 Red White And Blue Invisible Braces a comprehensive view The most used colors for braces and therein the most popular as ones are bound to be red, white and blue. This is because they look really wonderful and ensure that your teeth will look the whitest. There are several patients who love to wear braces as it promises them teeth that are in a straight line. Teeth that are aligned well enough will make so much of a difference to the way you look. This will go on to affect your personal and professional life as well. However, people werent sure of wearing braces because of the way that they would make them look but with the new age color invisalign braces on, they have become more of a color co-ordinate fashion statement for the youth. In fact people who dont have braces have begun to wish that they did. The best of colors to choose from are red and blue. The reason being these dark colors reflect the light that falls on them really well making your teeth look brighter and whiter than what they are. On the other hand be careful when you use white for your braces. The reason behind this is that white stains easily and because of this you will have your teeth magnifying any stains on them, having a yellowish hue and tinge on them. What you can do in case of white braces is to brush your teeth stringently and change the color at your next visit to the orthodontist. The three colors red, white and blue are the perfect colors to use for invisible braces. It will go on to add the right color spark and at the same time help in straightening out your teeth. This will give you the right kind of cutting edge in your braces treatment. The invisalign braces are the latest in braces technology and it will help you to straighten out your teeth and minimize any gaps that exist between them. The new age innovative designs along with the best of colors will ensure that you are able to use the very best of technology to get the kind of teeth that you have always dreamed of. Even before the braces are of, long before that you will be able to go ahead and bare your teeth and smile at the world as the color braces will add the right zing to wearing braces. The red, blue colors will add the right kind of sparkle and color. if you dont want your braces to be noticeable then you can go for the invisible white color in your braces. You can remove them when you want to and every six to seven weeks at your next orthodontists visit you can go ahead and change the color. You will love the way the new age color braces can empower you. 20.  Ã‚     How to Prevent White Spots From Braces If you have been wearing braces for a long time and when you remove them, you might notice white spots on your teeth. These white spots can be for a multitude of reasons. But, now that your braces are off you do want to go ahead and remove them so that you have the well-aligned pearly set of teeth ever. The first thing for you to keep in mind is that these white spots are predominantly formed from the food that gets entrapped in between the wires and metal of the braces and the bacteria start to work on it. The first thing that you should ensure is the best of oral hygiene. Constant brushing and flossing of the teeth at regular intervals will ensure that the white spots are not there or minimalistic white spots are there once you remove your braces. Ensure that you use fluoridated toothpaste as that will ensure that there is no build up of bacteria on your teeth. Also, use a toothbrush with an angular head so that it is able to reach all the nooks and crevices of your teeth. As soon as you eat something you should go ahead and brush your teeth and if you cant do that then rinse your mouth with water. When you have your braces on avoid acidic food. This will wear off the enamel on your teeth and will go on to make your teeth look yellowish and stained. You need to avoid all kinds of sugary food such as candies, brownies, carbonated drinks, sticky food and the like if you want no spots to be left behind once your braces are off. Also, at the next visit to your orthodontist ask him if you need to take any other precautions in order to ensure that what is left behind after the braces treatment are teeth that are not only straight but sparkling and pearly white. Look at your tooth brush carefully and replace it often enough. The bristles on your toothbrush should be soft and reach the hardest to reach area in your mouth. What you need to do is to brush as often as possible and the moment you see your toothbrush showcasing signs of wear and tear then go ahead and replace it. Also, when you have your braces on go ahead and drink plenty of water after you have eaten. This is an easy way to dislodge any food particles that might be stuck in your mouth and in between teeth. If you must use a mouthwash then dont use the ones that are bought off the shelf. These contain alcohol that go on to dry your mouth and results in more problems. Make a mouthwash at home if you must using herbs such as mint. There can be nothing to replace regular brushing and flossing of your teeth if you want to have no stains on your teeth after the braces are removed. The one simple rule is that if you want to avoid white spots keep your teeth clean.

Learning through exploration, active participation and imitation

Learning through exploration, active participation and imitation Young children learn through exploration, active participation and through imitation and as such quality arts programme comprising of all art forms visual art, music, media, dance and drama should be included as part of the curriculum in the early childhood classroom. As stated by Spodek,1993 (cited in Isenberg Jalongo, 2001) through participating in the art activities children are able to express themselves and it provides opportunities for development of creativity , symbolizing and enhances their learning about aesthetics which further helps them gain academic knowledge. Smith, 1982 (cited in Wright, 1991) mentioned that children are able to organise their experiences and know about themselves and their world through participating in the arts. Dyson (1990, p.52) further stated that art and play have critical roles in childrens growth as symbol makers . Like play, art is voluntary and intrinsically motivated as children are free to choose the content and direction of the activity . There are no external demands or expectations and children are free to explore, experiment and investigate with the people, objects and materials provided. He also mentioned that children pursue art activities for intrinsic pleasure rather than external rewards. Furthermore, the gestures and first words children use during make believe play reflect upon peoples actions and things around their daily lives which is the early understanding of symbolisation as well as the basic foundation that develops into drawing pictures, spoken and written words in their later stages. Based on my practical experiences in the classroom and as well as through the readings from books I believe that arts is just as important as any other subject in the curriculum and children do learn and develop their physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills through participating in the arts activities. It is also a requirement by the Ministry of Education that the arts be included as part of the curricul um in the Singaporean classroom. (cited in Framework for A Kindergarten Curriculum in Singapore, 2006). This essay is a brief attempt at looking at the importance of the arts in the education of young children drawn from two art forms which are music and drama. According to Isenberg Jalongo, (2001) four types of learning are promoted through the arts and they are 1) knowledge about the arts 2) skills in the arts 3) dispositions towards the arts and 4) feelings about the arts. As knowledge about the arts is developed through sensory experiences and explorations of materials, children provided with such opportunities to observe, explore and discover about the world, develop their cognitive ability and it further enhances foundation for later learning in the preschool years whereby they use symbols, language and make believe play develops. Skills in the arts are developed when children are allowed to explore and experiment in a safe and healthy art environment provided with a variety of tools and materials under the guidance of an adult who has already acquired these skills. For example, children creating a paper use the skill of printing, painting, tearing, rolling, and colour mixing. They use their fine motor skills, eye hand coordination and social interaction skills. Throughout the activity they engage in the process of problem solving as they experiment with colour and texture to create the paper. There is a certain amount of trial and error while they experiment with the tools. Self expression as children are able to use their own imagination and creativity to express themselves while creating the paper. (Isenberg Jalongo, 2001) Vygotsky, according to Berk, (2000) viewed childrens cognitive development as a socially mediated process whereby processes and skills are transferred and supported from more knowledgeable adult as children try new tasks. He also believed that as long as children acquire language, their ability to communicate with others leads to changes in thought and behaviour that vary from culture to culture. As such, the third type of learning dispositions towards art depends on the adult being the role model and the interaction with more competent peers and teachers to support the child to parti cipate successfully in the arts. Providing feedback as stated by Wright, (1991) is part of summative assessment that guides childrens learning and helps them acquire the elements, concepts, forms, and vocabulary about the arts. When children are given opportunities to respond to art works created by others, for example, when they are taken for visits to art galleries and teachers model ways to respond thoughtfully while viewing the works by professional artist children learn to respect the work of others and when teachers value childrens work and display them, these develops their sense of efficacy and enables them to have positive feeling about the arts. On the other hand, Swanwick, (1998) mentioned that the three elements of play applicable to learning through the arts are mastery, imitation, and imaginative play. Mastery involves learning of a skill associated with an art form for example children learning to make finger puppets for a drama performance or trying to keep to the rhythm while experimenting with a musical instrument during a musical percussion session. Children being able to identify things and people other than themselves as well as learning how to express sympathy, empathy and show concern explains the expressive nature of the art form known as Imitation. Based on my classroom experience, preschoolers making musical sounds for pigs running away from the wolf and moving their bodies to suggest movements of a wolf and expressing through facial expressions as an angry wolf for a drama performance of the story Three Little Pigs are examples of imitation. Imaginative play focuses on the structure of an art form. Examples of imaginative play during the Three Little Pigs drama are when children experiment with different musical instruments until they are able to create the sound that best resembles the pigs running away from the wolf and when experimenting with the different ways as they can move that suggests the movement of the wolf. Swanwick, (1998) also suggests that all three elements of play must be in action for all ages in order to learn through the arts. Isenberg Jalongo, (2001) claim that music contributes to the total development of the child cognitive, physical, social, emotional, cultural and aesthetics. In my centre, we have a music and movement area equipped with a variety of musical instruments like bells, tambourines, triangles etc. Children participate in music and movement activities whereby they move as well as sing along and play musical instruments. Through these activities children develop their large muscles of their bodies as they invent actions to go along with the songs .They develop fine motor skills as they play musical instruments and become aware of beat, tempo, and pitch. These activities also build kinaesthetic intelligence. Gardner, (1973, cited in Isenberg Jalongo, 1997) Children gain experience with music and use of language as they sing the songs for instance when singing the song If you happy and you know it clap your hands they link words with actions and focus on the sequence and task and all these i nvolves childrens ability to process mentally the tone, rhythm, and melody and thus involves thinking skills and cognitive connections between music and learning. As mentioned by Isenberg Jalongo , 1997 that Bruners three learning stages enactive, iconic and symbolic suggests developmentally appropriate musical experience for children and they add that Bruners enactive stage relates to Piagets(1952) sensorimotor stage and Eriksons (1950) trust-building stage where physical activity and music are intertwined. Thus, musical activities stimulate the childrens senses, cognitive development and also build social relationships. Childrens creativity is enhanced when they are asked to decide on the other actions and movement apart from those suggested by the teacher. As stated by McAllester, (cited in Isenberg Jalongo, 1997) music encourages participation, sharing and cooperation .Through participating in the musical activities, there is cooperation and sharing when children get together and work with a partner or in a group and these develops their social skills. Music is also an excellent tool to familiarise children with the different culture. When children are given the opportunity to experience and listen to different cultural music, they begin to appreciate and understand what each ethnic group is about.and these develops their aesthetic skills and understand the art form. Cornett (1999) supports the need for teachers to integrate creative drama in the classroom as she states that drama being a part of everyday life, prepares an individual to connect to real life situations. Cornett (1999) adds that when children are participating in the drama, they are able to look at problems from different points of view, respect diverse thinking, and realise that there are many ways to settle one problem. She further states that through drama, children learn to exchange feelings and emotions with each other. This enhances their personality development. Cornett (1999) also states that personal development takes place when children control their body and words as they express ideas and feelings during the drama activities. She also indicated that positive self image and confidence are developed through the problem solving situations. Cornett (1999) reiterates that children engaging in situational confrontations during their role play, also become aware of the different emotions people feel for example happiness, sadness .anger, fear. She adds that the children learn that these feelings can be dealt with, thus developing a tolerance towards them. Isbell Raines (2007), agree that social skills can be developed in drama as children working in a group overcome difficulties through problem solving skills. They experience working with peers as they negotiate plans to stage the drama. During interactions, children learn to negotiate with each other, work cooperatively, and develop respect for each other. In my centre, besides the dramatic play in the home corner, my class of four year olds involve in simple puppetry and mask drama using rhymes and childrens stories. Rhymes like This little pig went to market are taught to children using puppets and later children retell the rhyme using the puppets. In addition, children take turns to dramatise the rhyme each child given a mask of a pig (mask designed and made by child), actions like going the market, eating roast beef are incorporated. Puppets and mask are excellent props in focusing childrens attention. Through such activities children are able to participate in dramatic action using the element role, as they pretend to be someone other than themselves. Language is enhanced as they retell rhyme and children are able to express ideas and feelings through dramatic movement. (Isbell Raines, 2007) .As mentioned above, experts strongly believe that musical activities and drama enables children to develop their physical, cognitive, social, emotional and aesthetic skills as well as to provide opportunities for development of self expression, creativity, symbolizing all of which enhances their academic knowledge .There are many opportunities for children to learn and develop skills, knowledge and processes through participation in the arts , as such having discussed the benefits and leaning outcomes of childrens participation in the arts , I strongly believe that the arts is important in the education of preschoolers and all art forms should be integrated into the preschool curriculum with equal emphasis as any other subject in the curriculum.

Strategic Planning Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strategic planning is defined by intestorwords.com as the process of determining a company’s long-term goals and then identifying the best approach for achieving those goals. But this definition is too broad and does not identify the true advantages of strategic planning for large to small businesses. Strategic planning provides the foundation for the policies, procedures, and strategies for obtaining and using resources to obtain the goals of the organization. Some believe that in today’s rapidly changing environment, strategic planning is becoming more difficult and therefore more obsolete because changes are occurring so fast that plans-even those set for just months into the future-may soon be obsolete. The fact is that with the fast changing environment it is even more important to have strategic planning in every business today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First to fully define what strategic planning involves; assessing the current business environment, defining your company’s purpose mission, deciding what you want the business to look like in three to five years, recognizing your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and lastly mapping out a course in which to take the company from its current to its desired position (Policastro). Strategic planning has historically been taken care of by top management every one to ten years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A little history; â€Å"by the early 1980s, as U.S. companies...

Free College Admissions Essay :: College Admissions Essays

College Admissions: Essay for Stanford    As the beast ran rampant through the streets, I couldn't help but wonder if my work had been for naught. Trying to salvage any remains, I chased my dog from the room and stared at the havoc left in his wake. The city lay in ruins; the buildings were razed. The prospect of beginning from scratch was ponderous, but I instantly welcomed the challenge. With patience and determination, I began returning the small plastic bricks into their former glory; and then greater glory. Block by block I rebuilt my cities and block-by-block they built me. From these Legos I learned valuable lessons in versatility, creativity, and tenacity.    The sheer vastness of possibilities that Legos present is both intimidating and exhilarating. The colorful blocks lay strewn about in no particular pattern and no particular order. From this chaos virtually anything can be created. As a child I gradually learned not to be intimidated by the endless possibilities but to embrace them, to relish the opportunity to create something from nothing.    A preschool teacher recommended holding me back one year. Because I preferred the challenge of Legos to running about with the other children on the playground, she believed that I was socially and psychologically unprepared for school. Little did she realize that the creativity these blocks taught me became a cornerstone for the rest of my life. The seemingly insurmountable challenges gave me confidence and taught me to value cooperation. Watching my Lego edifices grow slowly but surely skyward taught me patience. Watching them fall again taught me the tenacity to continue onwards. Remembering how each task was created piece by piece allowed me to, line by line, memorize the works of history's greatest playwrights. I was able to join MEChA and help lead the Latino community as co-president, arranging events with our two hundred members. My organizational skills were further utilized as the commissioner of elections. Legos also taught me to help others and to ask for their help. I realized that with the creativity another person at my disposal, we could build things we had never even dreamed of on our own. During my senior year of High School I was introduced to crew. I was enthralled by the rhythmic grace of the sport. My dreams soon had me breathing the early morning air nearly flying over the surface of the water.

Digital Fortress Chapter 46

Phil Chartrukian slammed down his receiver. Jabba's line was busy; Jabba spurned call-waiting as an intrusive gimmick that was introduced by AT T to increase profits by connecting every call; the simple phrase â€Å"I'm on the other line, I'll call you back† made phone companies millions annually. Jabba's refusal of call-waiting was his own brand of silent objection to the NSA's requirement that he carry an emergency cellular at all times. Chartrukian turned and looked out at the deserted Crypto floor. The hum of the generators below sounded louder every minute. He sensed that time was running out. He knew he was supposed to leave, but from out of the rumble beneath Crypto, the Sys-Sec mantra began playing in his head: Act first, explain later. In the high-stakes world of computer security, minutes often meant the difference between saving a system or losing it. There was seldom time to justify a defensive procedure before taking it. Sys-Secs were paid for their technical expertise†¦ and their instinct. Act first, explain later. Chartrukian knew what he had to do. He also knew that when the dust settled, he would be either an NSA hero or in the unemployment line. The great decoding computer had a virus-of that, the Sys-Sec was certain. There was one responsible course of action. Shut it down. Chartrukian knew there were only two ways to shut down TRANSLTR. One was the commander's private terminal, which was locked in his office-out of the question. The other was the manual kill-switch located on one of the sublevels beneath the Crypto floor. Chartrukian swallowed hard. He hated the sublevels. He'd only been there once, during training. It was like something out of an alien world with its long mazes of catwalks, freon ducts, and a dizzy 136-foot drop to the rumbling power supplies below†¦ It was the last place he felt like going, and Strathmore was the last person he felt like crossing, but duty was duty. They'll thank me tomorrow, he thought, wondering if he was right. Taking a deep breath, Chartrukian opened the senior Sys-Sec's metal locker. On a shelf of disassembled computer parts, hidden behind a media concentrator and LAN tester, was a Stanford alumni mug. Without touching the rim, he reached inside and lifted out a single Medeco key. â€Å"It's amazing,† he grumbled, â€Å"what System-Security officers don't know about security.†

Hp and Compaq Merger

Webster University November 6, 2011 Hewlett- Packard Company, referred to as HP, is an American multinational information technology company. Its headquarters is based in California USA. The company was founded in 1939 built in a Palo Alto garage by Bill Hewlett and David Packard and is now one of the world’s largest information technology companies operating worldwide in almost every country. It has 87,000 employees in 120 countries. HP specializes in developing, manufacturing computing, data storage, and networking hardware. In addition it designs software and delivers services. A majority of HP’s product lines include storage devices as well as computing devices, and a wide range of imaging products and last but not least, printers. Its products are widely available to households, small to medium sized businesses, as well as through online distribution, office supply retailers, and major technology vendors. It also caters to enterprises and office supply retailers. The late 90’s brought innovation but low sales growth, as HP faced troubles in keeping up with the changing market. It was at the point where Carly Fiorina was appointed as the new CEO. The focus then became on customer and internet sales. Carly revamped organizational structure. This led to a revenue growth however, share prices still declined and HP faced recession in 2001, which led to pay cuts and layoffs. Stock prices continues to soar which led to the consideration of acquisitions. HP is committed to the development of products, information, and services that are widely accessible to everyone including those with disabilities. The commitment it provides in catering to everyone supports its diversity and â€Å"Total Customer Experience† objectives ensure that its technological benefits serve all. According to Dave Packard, â€Å"it is necessary that people work together in unison toward common objectives and avoid working at cross purposes at all levels if the ultimate in efficiency and achievements is to be obtained. † HP has a vision of diversity as being a main factor that drives success as well as personal leadership from everyone within the company. Their competitive advantage allows them to learn and to adjust through the depth of their values. It is vital for HP managers to come together regularly in order to discuss and assess the â€Å"HP Way† which ensures their top priorities through lower costs, information technology system improvements, increase in business growth, an improvement in efficiency, and customer service improvements. HP is organized in the form of two groups. The first is the Business Customer Organization, and the second group is the Consumer Business Organization (Wagonfeld, Rubenstein, and Block, 2001). Both groups are supplied through the following product divisions: Computing systems, imaging and printing systems, and embedded personal systems. In addition HP services are available which works between the consumer, the product, and the groups. Major product lines include personal computer (PC), desktop and mobile personal computers, software solutions, copiers, scanners, networking solutions, and consulting services. In addition, the company’s support group offers consulting, education, and solution financing to its users. Compaq was founded in 1982 by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto and its headquarters is based in Houston, Texas. The three founders invested $1,000 each in order to begin the formation of their company and began their first product, a portable personal computer to run all the software being developed at the time for the IBM PC. Four years into operation, the company was able to pave way to the Fortune 500 more rapidly than any other company in the same domain. Compaq products were developed and placed in three different groups. The first group is the Enterprise Computing Group which designs and develops servers, internet products, and networking products. The second group is the Commercial PC Group which designs and develops commercial desktops, and small and medium business solutions. The final group is the Consumer PC Group which designs and develops consumer products such as desktops, printers, and portables. Compaq markets its products mainly to consumers from the following sectors: Business, home, government and education. In 2001, Compaq and HP engaged in a merger. The new HP will become the second largest global technology provider with around $87 billion in revenue as well as many opportunities to create competitive advantages with their existing resources. It then had the ability to provide a multiple number of solutions and will be in position of competitive advantage in comparison to the leader IBM. Prior to Compaq’s merger with HP, its ticker symbol was CPQ, however after the merger its ticker symbol is now HPQ. . The management’s reasons for the merger included the following: Improved economics and innovation, complementary eadership in key markets, strengthened business provides critical mass in key growth market, and financial benefits. First of all, combining HP and Compaq would result in creating economies of scale, direct sales channel, and a more flexible distribution channel. Second of all, the merger would facilitate the industry leading product line in the entire server category, and gain a broader portfolio of pro ducts and services. Thirdly, having around 65,000 IT architects in 160 countries accelerates growth and leads to better customer loyalty. Finally, financially, it estimated $2. 5 billion in annual cost savings by mid 2004 and the merger would also allow HP to increase investment in the imaging and printing business. Reasons against the merger were the following: HP’s business portfolio would be worse due to an increased exposure in unprofitable PC business, and the PC market was expected to shrink. Second of all, the integration risk of the proposed merger is substantial as no merger involving computer companies had ever met expectations, and analysts estimated a revenue loss that could be as high as 15-17%. Third of all, it would have a negative impact on HP stockholders as a dramatic drop in stock price was announced after the proposal of the merger and Wall Street predicted low estimates for future financial performance. A fourth reason against the merger is that HP’s strategic position will not materially improve as neither company had a profitable business model nor successfully transitioned into a direct distribution model. Furthermore, a merger would not materially improve HP’s market position in high profit areas. Despite the debate for or against the merger, there was a 51. % approval margin and supporters believed it was the best option available for both firms. SWOT analysis: The strengths of the merger are Compaq-Server category and overall storage, HP high-end storage, and strong brand recognition. HP and Compaq were to save $2. 5 billion in operating costs by 2004. After their merger, there was an increase in cash flow. The weaknesses they faced are the develo pment of a direct distribution model, consulting and outsourcing (low market share), and Compaq printers (low market share). Consumers were unsure about the reliability of new products, and HP’s market share was to increase to 18. % only. The opportunities they were faced with are the improvement the merger could have of economics and innovation namely economies of scale. It also strengthened market leadership in storage, and market growth in IT services. Finally, the threats posed were the increases of pressure by Dell in the lower-end server market, and the entrants of IBM and Dell into the market that further eroded more market share. Michael E. Porter draws upon Industrial Revolution economics in order to derive the five forces that determine the competition and the overall profitability of a market. For example, an unattractive industry would be one that combines the five forces that drives down overall profitability. The first force in Porter’s model is the threat of the entry of new competitors. Profitable markets that yield high returns and will therefore attract new firms. The result of this is many new entrants which eventually decrease profitability for all firms in the industry. The merger that occurred between Compaq and HP raises a moderate level of threat for new entrants due to economies of scale that are achieved by the already existing players, and this is what results in their competitive advantage. In addition, there is need for high capital requirement for any new player that wants to enter the market. Another factor is product differentiation which results in a constant need for the improvement in technology in order to grab consumers’ attention. A third factor is moderate consumer switching costs. An example of this is the ease for customers to change their laptops due to the standardization of most computer components. In addition, the access to distribution channels makes it easy for consumers to approach the desired products, due to the availability of direct customer service and both internet and computer retailers. The second force in Porter’s model is the bargaining power of buyers. Moderate consumer switching costs makes it easier for consumers to be able to change their laptops, due to standardization of most computer components. A low number of suppliers are providing HP and Compaq products to consumers. In addition, suppliers operate with high fixed costs, which is the main reason there are a low number of suppliers. The third force in the model is the bargaining power of suppliers, which consists of a high number of customers that are fragmented and providing products to them is not an easy task, which is why suppliers bargain highly. There are however, a few large suppliers which are trustworthy, reliable, and recognized. They provide good quality raw material such as Intel and Hitachi. A fourth force in Porter’s model is the threat of substitutes. Switching costs for consumers is high because of low price HP Compaq laptops that indicate its target towards the middle class and upper middle class segment. These people find it harder to switch from one product to another which is why they are more likely to remain loyal. In addition, frequent product introductions and constant improvements in price serve as a cause for moderate threat. A final force in the model is rivalry. High fixed costs in the cost for setup of manufacturing units increases fixed cost, which makes it more difficult for the existing players to exit the market. Also, constant changes in products and price makes competition stiffer. It is important to note that the two big players that hold the top two market share spots in the computer hardware industry are IBM and Dell. IBM has strong research and development and marketing and gave rise to PC industry with Microsoft Windows OS. IBM global services also have strong customer assistance. The latter is a direct business model with low inventory costs, and Dell’s close relationships with its consumers helped build loyalty, and it ranked number one in the global PC market in 2001. In July 1999, Carly Fiorina was appointed as the CEO of HP, and the board believed she was the saviour of HP. Her goal was to reinvent the company according to the HP way. Her motto was: â€Å"Preserve the best and reinvent the rest. † At the time Carly took over, it was a collection of independent businesses, each selling a different kind of product. Her role was to execute an â€Å"e-services† strategy that would unify them into one profitable whole. After merging with Compaq, the main strategies that are focused on are the following: Sustainability where the new HP must both retain and grab additional market share, Uniqueness by being the largest IT company world-wide, value added by which the merger must demonstrate success, an increased product line through enhancement, adaptation to market forces through flexibility, and the retention of customer base through stability. Fiorina promised balanced revenue and earnings growth, targeting 12%-15% growth in 2000. The problem was that Carly Fiorina held too many offices as she was CEO, COO, and Chairman of the board. This led to an abuse of power, poor decision-making, and miscommunication. Both Compaq and HP were in an unwinnable price war with Dell. The merger of HP and Compaq clearly benefited both companies. From Porter’s five forces model of HP-Compaq, it is evident that there are moderate entry barriers, moderate threat of substitutes, high competition, moderate bargaining of power of buyers, and high bargaining power of suppliers. HP focuses on making technology more simple for its users from individual customers to large businesses. Its top priorities are to lower costs, improve its technology systems, increase business growth, and improve both efficiency and customer service. Despite the fact that both HP and Compaq were mature companies before the merger, the merger is still considered to be under restructuring, which resulted in the company losing some of its ground as a mature company. Blending the culture of both companies resulted in more innovative ideas and is now more supportive in providing more effective customer service. Through the successful merger of HP and Compaq, their costs were reduced by $3 billion annually. From the information provided above, it is important to note that the introduction of improved and more innovative products should be of focus as competition in existing players is high in order to gain market share and competitive position in the market. The company is focusing on its strategies in order to ensure achieving all business priorities by adjusting and optimizing the product line and enhancing high end services. When analyzing a merger between two companies like Compaq and HP, it is worth noting that if we were to do a segment analysis of this merger, a different conclusion would be drawn than an increase of profits in the merged firms. In a segment analysis, the combined firms would adversely lose money while trying to gain advantage over its product line in the business sector for example. A large business segment would only see a small increase in profits in this case. Depending on the elasticity in the market and the relevant position of the firms involved, the effects of a merger would vary significantly across different segments. For example, if Dell and Compaq were to have merged in 1998, it would have resulted in a negative consumer surplus. This in turn allows us to assume that the use of segment analysis can be valuable in assessing what impacts a merger could result in in various markets that have different consumer segments. The evolution of the market also plays an important factor. In the case of the HP-Compaq merger, if the same merge had occurred at a different period like 4 years earlier there would have been a smaller consumer welfare as opposed to the results yielded in its 2001 merger. Baker and Breshnan (1985) proposed a strategy of demand and supply to evaluate the effects of mergers. Products and consumers are observed by market participants according to Baker et. al, which in turn will be correlated with equilibrium prices which will lead the price coefficient to be â€Å"biased towards zero†. Furthermore, providing the consumers with a chance to not purchase any of the products available in regards to personal computers plays an important role as it allows the uniform price increase to change the quantities purchased. In addition, by using the demand parameters that are estimated, price-cost margins and marginal costs can be calculated without the use of actual cost information. According to Nevo (2000), in the HP-Compaq merger, â€Å"marginal costs and the number of products are held constant in their pre-merger level†. Furthermore, post-merger equilibrium elasticities are calculated based on the demand parameters in the pre-merger phase. From this, we can make the assumption that both consumer preferences and the value of the good did not change after the firms merged. However, one cannot ignore the fact that changes in the strategy after the merger took place accounted for price sensitivity and particularly changes outside the industry that could impact demand for the product places doubt on whether such an assumption is valid. A way one can look at the estimates of different segments is by looking at the aggregate demand elasticities over time. This is portrayed in a report by Foncel and Invaldi (2000). It is important to note that the total elasticity for the whole market is increasing over time. This is turn means that consumers are being less sensitive as the market is approaching its maturity, this would lead to the expectation that the demand for personal computers would be more elastic. Income effect plays a big role here as soaring prices means that purchasing a PC would become a smaller share of the budget over time. In addition, further developments in software widened the use of computers and have now become a necessity in our daily lives. The total elasticity of the home segment is the one that faces the largest rise. The reason for this is that this segment became less elastic over time due to two reasons. The first reason was due to high income elasticity and the second was due to higher usage of several developments in other domains such as the internet. Qualitative analysis of coordinated effects in the HP-Compaq merger is essential in understanding the formation of the merger that took place between both companies. In order to coordinate firms that are looking into merging should be able to come to an agreement which is not always easy as products in both firms are complex and differentiated. Compaq and HP should monitor one another’s behaviour closely to detect factors such as undercutting, and keeping rivals out by â€Å"collectively coordinating behaviour between them†, Stigler (1964). The distribution of brands and market shares varies both in time and across markets. Most firms are multi product firms which is why it is essential to bear in mind that there is a substantial number of products. Another important factor here is that firms may face elastic demands which arise from the consumers’ substitution of products in quality segments. In addition, market transparency ensures that all coordinating oligopolists are aware of the changes in the evolving markets. In the HP-Compaq merger, there are several market features that pave way for coordination in the server industry and others that prevent it from occurring. Also, competitors like Dell and IBM did not try to stand in the way of the merger. According to Freidman (1971), the merger between HP and Compaq affects the incentive to cooperate, yet it actively decreases the firms’ incentives to cooperate in a strategic manner. Freidman also goes on to portray that his model does not take into account either the entry or exit of a product, nor uncertainty. The reduction of costs, and enrichment of revenues, growth of the industry, and need of product diversification are several reasons why mergers and acquisitions have become proliferate over the last decade or so. When analyzing the financial results of the HP-Compaq merger, it is important to look at the profitability and efficiency ratios of the companies in the pre-merger and post-merger stages. In order to maximize profit and minimize products, HP and Compaq understand and adjust to the constantly shifting and changing markets, which technologies need acceleration, value creation for its consumers, and global development which serves as a shield against competitors like Dell and IBM. It is essential for a firm to understand its position in the industry especially in a market that is saturated with competition like the computer industry where competitors such as Dell, IBM, Toshiba, Sony, Vaio, are present. An organization must be able to identify the factors that have an effect on the firm such as its suppliers, consumers, and competitors. Those factors enable the industry to know how to maintain itself in such a marketplace in order to be in a â€Å"win-win† situation. One of the benefits that resulted from the HP-Compaq merger is the following. Both firms were in a no win situation price war with Dell. The merger resulted in Compaq and HP to stop competing with one another. In February 2001, Dell, the biggest competitor of HP-Compaq launched a campaign to become the largest competitor in the PC industry. In an attempt to grab the market share, Dell announced and intentional undercut in its prices by 10%. Although some mergers produce marginal results or lead to the sinking of companies, HP and Compaq’s merger created a new corporate culture. This helped the company focus its product development efforts. The company improved its position in a number of core markets. By completing the merger when they did, HP was able to position itself by taking the extra leap ahead of trends that were working against the two companies when they existed as independent entities. In addition, its commitment to cultural change helped the merger go through a smoother transition, although HP took certain measures like reducing its workforce size, the change of 2 CEO’s, and the reorganization of the management’s structure. â€Å"The HP-Compaq merger established what it had set out to. Its main aim was to provide the essential mass and ensure a long term-role in an industry that was undergoing a fundamental transition,† according to Jean S. Bozman, research vice president in IDC’s world-wide Server Group. Furthermore, he added that â€Å"this deal enabled the merged company to grow revenue and profits in an increasingly competitive marketplace. † References: Anon (2002): Investor relations- taking a fair share of the responsibility, Strategic Direction. Bradford: Vol. 18, Iss. 8, pgs. 13-16. Ahles, Andrea (2002): Hewlett-Packard Executives Say Its Company Is on Track to Produce Lasting Benefits, Knight Ridder Tribune Business News. Washington: Aug 28, pg. 1. Anon (2010): HP Hires Gail Galuppo to Lead Wordlwide Strategy and Marketing for Imaging and Printing Group, Business Wire. New York. Brown, Meredith, Kubek, Gary (2002): Court Demands Proof of HP-Compaq vote buying International Financial Law Review, London: Vol 21, Iss. 7; pg 25. Roy, Preeta; Roy, Probir (2004): The Hewlett Packard- Compaq Computers Merger: Insight from the Resource-Based View and the Dynamic Capabilities Perspective, Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge. Hollywood: Vol. 5, Iss. Pgs 7,8. Freidman J. (1971), â€Å"A Non-cooperative Equilibrium for Supergames. † Review of Economic Studies, 38, 1-12. Stigler, G. J. (1964) â€Å"A theory of Oligopoly†, Journal of Political Economy, 72, 44-61. Baker, J. P. and T. F. Bresnahan (1985). â€Å"The Gains from Merger or Collusion in Product-Di ¤erentiated Industries†, Journal of Industrial Economics, 33, 427-444. Nevo, A. (2000a). â€Å"Mergers with Di ¤erentiated Products: The Case of the Ready-to- eat Cereal Industry†, RAND Journal of Economics, 31, 3, 395-421. Foncel, J. and M. Invaldi (2001). â€Å"Operating System Prices in the Home PC Market†, mimeo, University of Toulouse. Bozman, J. S. (2006). HP-Compaq merger a success five years on: IDC. URL http://www. itwire. com/it-industry-news/strategy/6879-hp-compaq-merger-a-success-five-years-on-idc