Saturday, August 31, 2019

A Multiple Choice Test on Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 Name_____________________________________ MULTIPLE CHOICE UNIT TEST 1 – Julius Caesar I. Matching/Identify _____ 1. Strato _____ 2. Lucilius _____ 3. Octavius _____ 4. Artemidorus _____ 5. Brutus _____ 6. Caesar _____ 7. Casca _____ 8. Calpurnia _____ 9. Mark Antony _____ 10. Portia _____ 11. Lepidus _____ 12. Decius _____ 13. Pindarus _____ 14. Cassius _____ 15. Soothsayer A. Captured by Antony's soldiers, mistaken for Brutus B. Persuades Caesar to attend Senate meeting C. First to stab Caesar D. convinces Brutus to join conspiracy with false letters E.Holds the sword for Brutus to kill himself F. Wife of Brutus G. The least important member of the 2nd triumvirate H. warns Caesar â€Å"Beware the Ides of March† J. Joins and then leads conspiracy to kill Caesar K. Emperor of Rome L. Caesar's wife M. Heir of Julius Caesar; joins Antony N. servant who gives a false report to Cassius O. Devoted follower of Caesar; avenges Caesarâ⠂¬â„¢s murder P. Gives Caesar a letter of warning Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 II. Multiple Choice 1. The play begins immediately after: a. Caesar’s victory at Philippi b. the announcement of Caesar’s heir 2. Julius Caesar’s most loyal follower was: a.Lepidus c. Antony b. Brutus d. Casca 3. The Feast of Lupercal was a celebration of: c. Calpurnia’s marriage to Caesar a. fertility b. weather d. Caesar’s victory at Lupercal 4. Cassius could be described as: a. greedy and driven b. malicious and vengeful c. Caesar’s crowning d. Caesar’s victory over Pompey c. honorable and valiant d. all of the above 5. Why does Cassius want Brutus to join the conspiracy? a. Brutus is well thought of by the people. If he supported the conspiracy the conspirators would be in better favor with the people following the assassination. b. Brutus has the best knowledge of the layout of the Capitol.It would be easy for him to plan a secret attack. c. Brutus has great influence over the soldiers. Cassius needs Brutus to direct them not to help Caesar. d. Brutus is very wealthy. They will need a lot of money to set up the new government. 6. How does Cassius plan to convince Brutus to join the conspiracy? a. He is going to ask Casca and Brutus to have dinner with him the following evening to discuss what to do about Caesar. b. He plans to hold a reception in Caesar's honor to make amends with him. c. He is going to forge notes to Brutus from several citizens in order to help sway Brutus against Caesar. d. He is planning to kill Brutus. . Brutus believed Caesar’s assassination was necessary because Brutus: a. wanted to rule Rome himself b. thought it would be best for the citizens of Rome c. was afraid of Caesar’s wrath d. wanted Cassius to rule Rome 8. Who said that the conspirators needed no oath because they were bound by their cause and not by empty words? a. Cassius c. Brutus d. Strato b. Caesar Julius Caesar M ultiple Choice Unit Test 1 9. How was Caesar physically challenged? a. he was blind in his left eye b. he was deaf in his right ear c. he was deaf in his left ear d. his right arm was partially paralyzed 10. Why was Brutus against killing Mark Antony? a.Mark Antony would be the next consul of Rome, and will accept bribes from Cassius. b. Killing Mark Antony would be too bloody. c. Mark Antony will fear for his life when Caesar is dead. d. If they kill Mark Antony, the Army will retaliate. 11. Of what does Calpurnia try to convince Caesar? a. Her dreams are omens of tragedy and he should not go to the Senate meeting. b. Her spies have told her that there is a plot against Caesar. c. There is going to be a terrible earthquake, and he should cancel the Senate meetings. d. He should let her and the other wives be present for his coronation. 12. Caesar yields to Calpurnia's wishes at first.Why does he change his mind and decide to go to the Senate meeting? a. His servants tell him the pr iests said it was alright for him to go. b. He knows that his army is strong and will protect him. c. He has seen a good luck omen in the sky. He thinks it is stronger than Calpurnia's dreams. d. Decius reinterprets Calpurnia's dream to entice Caesar to go to the meeting. 13. What is ironic about the timing of Caesar's murder (in relation to the preceding events)? a. He is murdered just as he is reading the warning from Portia. b. He is destroyed just after proclaiming his magnificence and indestructibility. c.It occurs just after a great storm and earthquake. d. Brutus has changed his mind, but is not able to stop the others. 14. According to the play, Caesar was stabbed _______ times: a. 300 c. 13 b. 33 d. 3 15. What did Brutus say to the people at the funeral? A. He told them the assassination was the only logical way to do the best thing for the people. B. He told them he would be a much better ruler than Caesar, and asked for their trust and support. C. He said he would divide Caesar's wealth among the people after the funeral. D. He criticized Caesar for being a cruel and evil ruler. Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 6. What did Antony say to the people in his funeral speech for Caesar? A. He accuses the conspirators of treason and demands that they be put to death for Caesar's murder. B. He says the Caesar deserved to die, and the people should thank the conspirators. C. He contradicts the accusations made by the conspirators of treason and demands that they be put to death for Caesar's murder. D. He praises Caesar and asks that a memorial be built for him. 17. Octavius and Antony form a triumvirate with: a. Cassius c. Young Cato b. Lepidus d. Flavius 18. Who had his birthday in the play? a. Cassius c. Caesar b. Antony d. Brutus 19.How does Brutus die? A. Antony kills him in a fight. B. He kills himself with his sword. C. The ghost of Caesar frightened him to death. D. He is taken prisoner and one of the soldiers accidentally kills him. 20. In w hat year was Shakespeare born? b. 1564 c. 1599 a. 1613 21. What country was Shakespeare’s birthplace? b. Scotland c. Ireland a. England d. 1584 d. Wales 22. Under which two monarchs did Shakespeare perform and write? a. Elizabeth, and John I b. Elizabeth, and Mary c. Henry VII 23. What are three types of plays Shakespeare wrote? c. history, mystery, comedy a. comedy, history, tragedy b. romance, tragedy, history d. omedy, tragedy, mystery 24. How many plays did Shakespeare write? a. over 200 b. 154 c. 37 or 38 25. In what year did Shakespeare die? a. 1616 b. 1599 c. 1564 d. 1569 d. King Lear d. no one knows for sure Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 III. Quotations: Identify the speaker of the quotations. A = Brutus B = Soothsayer C = Cassius D = Caesar E = Antony 26. â€Å"Beware the Ides of March. â€Å"(1. 2. 18) 27. â€Å"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once† (1. 2. 3233) 28. â€Å"This was the noblest Roman of them all. † (5. 5. 67) 29. â€Å"Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look. He thinks too much.Such men are dangerous. † (1. 2. 195-196) 30. â€Å"Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed/ that he is grown so great† (1. 2. 150) 31. â€Å"Cry ‘Havoc! ’ and let slip the dogs of war† (3. 1. 276) 32. â€Å"Caesar, thou art revenged,/Even with the sword that killed thee. † (5. 3. 44-45) 33. â€Å"- not that I loved Caesar less, but /that I loved Rome more. † (3. 2. 22-23) 34. â€Å"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. † (3. 2. 78) 35. â€Å"Caesar, now be still: I kill'd not thee with half so good a will. † (5. 5. 51) 36. â€Å"Into what dangers would you lead me, Cassius,/That you would have me seek into myself/for that which is not in me? (1. 2. 65-67) IV: Vocabulary 37. assure : guarantee :: a. alleviate : aggravate c. drive : road 38. bidding : request :: a. cooperate : hinder c. quarrel : dispute 39. fre edom: bondage :: a. emulate : copy c. gather : flowers 40. fawned : flattered :: a. benign : malignant c. motivate : stimulate b. pressure : force d. anxiety : reassurance b. wait : bus d. trouble : ease b. worry : distress d. indulge : deny b. offer : refuse d. reduce : stress Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 41. gorging : nibbling :: a. dangerous : safe c. rabbit : fur b. chance : opportunity d. serious : grave 42. venged : retaliated :: a. lazy : languid b. dark : damp c. seethe : soothe d. energetic : lethargic 43. demeanor : mien :: a. possible : impossible c. push : pull 44. peevish : genial :: a. gracious : hospitable c. relinquish : surrender 45. perils : dangers :: a. rural : urban c. employee : boss 46. spoils : awards :: a. sculptor : sculpture c. excellent : average 47. virtue : vice :: a. perfect : ideal c. possible : likely b. intimidate : threaten d. prey : pray b. marker : sign d. mature : juvenile b. faithful : pious d. honest : deceitful b. trivial : incon sequential d. menial : important b. onument : column d. transparent : opaque 48. misconstrued : comprehended :: a. burly : brawny b. label : answer c. dirty : clean d. temerity : audacity 49. face; appearance a. lamented b. fain 50. an absolute ruler a. tyrant b. provender 51. enlarged a. augmented b. spurn c. visage d. base c. vex d. conspirator c. chidden d. fret Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 52. to reject a. avenged b. vex c. exalted d. spurn 53. imitation; copying in admiration a. malice c. avenged b. emulation d. exalted 54. deep thoughts; musings a. cogitations c. infused b. chidden d. fain 55. mourned; cried a. barren b. chidden . lamented d. exalted 56. honorable; noble in action a. spoils c. tyrant b. valiant d. prodigies 57. eagerly; preferably a. base b. shrewd c. affable d. fain 58. to annoy, irritate, or confuse a. beseech c. emulation b. vex d. appertain 59. a flag showing allegiance or nationality a. valiant c. ensign b. valor d. provender 60. property tha t has been taken by force a. prevail c. provender b. legacy d. spoils 61. sought revenge against a. augmented c. avenged b. affable d. appertain 62. spitefulness; showing evil a. imminent c. appeased b. malice d. vex Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 63. to worry a. purn b. abide c. visage d. fret 64. one who plots against someone else a. conspirator c. coffers b. apparition d. ensign 65. fodder for livestock a. base b. provender c. coffers d. peevish Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 Quotation Analysis Directions: Answer the following questions about the quotation of your choice in complete sentences. Make sure that your answers are thorough and descriptive. 1. Copy down the quotation, including citation. 2. Identify the speaker/listener/other people on stage who are important to the quotation. Explain the context of plot events leading up to the quotation. 3.Paraphrase the quotation: put it in your own words 4. Explain any figurative language or rhetorical devices being used by the speaker (hyperbole, simile, personification, metaphor, irony, alliteration, repetition, etc. ). Julius Caesar Multiple Choice Unit Test 1 5. Identify the importance of the quotation. Explain what the quotation reveals about the characters and their motivations or actions. Explain any effect the quotation causes or foreshadows. Explain how the quotation reveals any themes at work in the play. Explain what rhetorical effect the quotation has on the listener (hint: ethos, logos, pathos).

Friday, August 30, 2019

Redgrove Axial Workshop Case Study

What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve5 Challenges of a New Position6 Corporate Culture6 Axial Workshop7 Beneath the Surface7 Use/Abuse of Discretion8 Scope of the Problem10 Stakeholders10 Identification of Available Options10 Ethical Principles Discussion 14 Consequentialist Theory14 Deontological Theory19 Virtue Ethics21 Recommendation23 References25 Appendix A: Picture of Ornament Found in Workshop Storage 26 Appendix B: Redgrove Monthly Plant Scap-Metal Sales, 27 12-Month Period Appendix C: Excerpt from ITE Code of Conduct28Appendix D: Summary of Redgrove Records of Material29 Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 Appendix E: Consequentialist Analysis – Option A 30 (Do Nothing) Appendix F: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident, 31 Request Guidance Appendix G: Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, 32 Handle Incident In-House Appendix H: Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident 33 but Recommend Actions and Gain Upper Managem ent Buy-In Abstract This paper addresses the ethical issues at Redgrove Axial workshop.Marc Fontaine is the manager of the compressor manufacturing division at the Redgrove Plant, and has been on the job approximately one month when he discovers employees have been using company equipment to build personal decorative ornaments utilizing scrap material which is normally sold to recycling companies. This practice is against the company's written code of conduct; however, the workshop foreman’s knowledge of the practice and failure to prevent it has condoned the behavior.The analysis of the ethical problem begins by listing the facts of the case and defining the scope of the problem Fontaine is faced with. After reviewing all the aspects of the case, four courses of action have been identified. A brief discussion of the three ethical principles will lead us to our final recommendation of what Fontaine should do in order to resolve the ethical problems at hand, thereby providing benefits to all stakeholders. Case Study – Redgrove Axial WorkshopFacts of the Case: Marc Fontaine has recently become the manager of compressor manufacturing at Redgrove Axial Workshop, part of the International Technology and Electronics (ITE) Corporation. This position is a temporary one as part of a larger ITE accelerated leadership program. After a month on the job, Fontaine discovers a number of ornaments (Appendix A) in the workshop’s storage room which appears to be made from the same material used to make the compressors.Fontaine believes employees of his department may be using company materials, comprised of scraps and metal shavings – normally sold to a local recycling company (Appendix B) – for personal use and felt he needed to notify the Manufacturing Director (Sam Collins) and Plant Director (Peter Garland) about the incident. Upon further investigation, Fontaine discovers the practice of utilizing production materials for personal use is against ITE’s Code of Conduct and punishable by warnings, termination, withheld pay, criminal charges, and suspension (Appendix C).Fontaine also acquired a list of previous incidents and related punishments (Appendix D). Fontaine approaches Jim Page, a plant foreman who supervises the Axial Workshop, about the ornaments. Page states he has not seen the objects in the supply room, and the personal work was infrequent and of little value because they were made of scrap. As far as he knew, employees made projects on their own time and he had never made an issue out of the practice because the workshop is Redgrove’s most productive unit.In order to gain a better understanding of the practice, Page recommends Fontaine speak with Peter Kadosa, a workshop employee. Kadosa was a good worker, had a good attitude, and was moving to a new position on the West Coast in January. Upon questioning â€Å"off the record,† Kadosa provided the following information: he was unsure of the history regarding the practice; implied the more experienced and better craftsmen were involved; and only occasionally would one of the workers ask him to set aside a bigger piece of scrap.Fontaine also learned of the unwritten code of conduct in the workshop which applied to the gift / ornament making: new material could not be used (scraps only); before anyone started a project they were expected to obtain approval from one of the senior craftsmen; selling projects was frowned upon; and the plant foreman did not care to know about the practice. What Fontaine is Trying to Achieve: Fontaine is aware the use of scrap material for personal projects is against the company’s Code of Conduct and feels obligated to report the misappropriation.However, he also observes how well the workshop’s employees work together, how productive they are, and the existence of an unofficial code of conduct which is followed in regards to the practice of creating ornaments. He is torn on whether or not to bring attention to this practice because he wants workers to continue to work efficiently and effectively and taking away their projects may disrupt this; however, he also wants to follow the rules and has an obligation to the company as well as to the employees in his division. Challenges of a New Position:What makes this situation more difficult for Fontaine is that he is new to the company and being in the accelerated leadership program, will most likely not be in his position for long. This adds to his dilemma because one of the biggest challenges when taking on a new position in a new organization is getting comfortable with the corporate culture. When first joining an organization, an employee handbook is provided which dictates all of the do’s and don’t's outlined by management – but the new employee may not immediately understand how closely the company actually follows these rules.In this case, Fontaine knows the rules prohibit usi ng scrap materials for personal use, but the corporate culture has allowed these projects to continue for a long period of time; this places Fontaine in a precarious position considering his relatively short tenure (between one year and 18 months) – does he attempt to change the well established but unwritten corporate culture, or does he condone the behavior and allow his successor to deal with the ethical issues? Corporate Culture: From the initial readings of the Case Study, the corporate culture of the workshop is one of Collaboration, or â€Å"Clan† culture.The workshop is an open place to work which accepts the employees as peers. Group loyalty is important, and an unofficial chain of command exists within the workshop with the more senior and talented employees being seen as the leaders and mentors to the newer, younger employees. In addition, the better and more skilled craftsmen take the time to train others on the more difficult skills. Assuming the company p roactively addresses the issue, the corporate culture will change to that of control, or hierarchical.Rules and procedures would be put in place based on the recommendation of Fontaine and buy-in from upper management, whereby employees can practice their skills to become masters in their field, while simultaneously maintaining workshop cohesion and morale. Axial Workshop The Axial Workshop team is extremely effective. They are referred to as â€Å"the AXE,† and contribute 20% of the Redgrove Plant’s annual revenues and 23% of its operating margin. The AXE has been described as the most effective in the plant. The AXE team is known to be hard workers, and people rarely transfer out of the workshop.Senior workers work closely with junior workers showing them techniques they have developed and getting the junior workers acquainted to the workshop. Beneath the Surface Workshop employees use scrap metals from production of the compressors to produce personal ornaments made by utilizing company machinery. Employees work on these projects infrequently on their own time (off the clock). Workers have unwritten rules to the practice of personal work including: projects must be approved by a senior craftsman, no new material can be used, projects cannot be made in order to be sold, etc.In addition, the workshop foreman has condoned the behavior – though he is aware of the practice, he has allowed it to continue; employees believe the practice is acceptable. Use / Abuse of Discretion: Discretion is the right to choose something, or to choose to do something, according to what seems most suitable in accordance with a situation. However, this discretion can be easily abused especially when management condones or turns a blind eye towards behavior which may border on the unethical.For example, the workshop’s Foreman, Jim Page, has decided to turn a blind eye to the practices going on within the workshop. Fontaine is now faced with the ethical pro blem and has the discretion to do something about it. The use or abuse of discretion can become a problem in many professions. The following are examples of profession’s use or abuse of discretion. 1) Banking (specifically lending) – Banks have the discretion on whether or not to authorize a loan to a customer (based primarily on information such as income, use of loan proceeds, credit score, amount of current debt, etc).During the recent banking debacle, banks approved questionable loans (ie no income verification). 2) Police officers – Generally have the discretion to write a speeding ticket or not. This power is abused when the police officer frequently allows family and friends off without a ticket, even when they were speeding in excess of twice the speed limit. 3) Judges – Have the discretion to approve a certain sentence (whether maximum or minimum). Power can be easily abused, as seen in class by the FBI presentation on white collar crimes and the amount of punishment doled out.Additionally, judges also rule on Social Security Disability cases – a Wall Street Journal Article on 26NOV11 discusses the abuse of power by a certain judge who has only disallowed 4 cases out of over 1000 during the past year – well beyond what is expected by the Social Security Administration 4) Retail – managers have the authority to grant discounts to certain groups of personnel – for example, Dave’s Cosmic Subs ordinarily gives discounts to police officers and firefighters in uniform, but certain managers will also provide a discount to members of the military, contrary to guidance provided by the chain's owners. ) Commanders in the military – have the discretion to dole out non-judicial punishment for small, minor offenses. Being both judge and jury, Commanders have the discretion to determine the punishment – but occasionally, Commander’s abuse this authority by not fitting the punishment to the crime (a requirement) – resulting in the punishment being overturned upon appeal. Scope of the Problem: Fontaine is faced with how to handle the misappropriation of the scrap materials and utilization of company machinery to support the practice. He is new to the company and is not yet familiar with the corporate culture.He wants his division to continue to run effectively and efficiently, but is concerned that bringing attention to the practice of making personal projects could disrupt his division. However, allowing the practice to continue could force Fontaine and his employees to face severe repercussions. Stakeholders in the Case: Plant employees; workshop employees; Marc Fontaine (manager of compressor manufacturing); Jim Page (workshop foreman); Peter Kadosa (workshop employee); investors to the company; and upper management of the plant (Sam Collins – manufacturing director, and Peter Garland – plant director). Identification of Available Options :Prior to developing various options to deal with the dilemma, Fontaine should do the following: ascertain with H/R to determine if a requirement exists when an employee is hired to review the Company’s Code of Conduct; if employees are required to sign an acknowledgement after reviewing the Code of Conduct; if employees are periodically required to conduct refresher training on the Code of Conduct; if employees are required to review the Code of Conduct upon transfer from different departments; if the Code of Conduct is posted in public locations within the factory; any agreements between the union and the plant which may authorize employees to use scrap and company machinery for personal use; and if violations of the Code of Conduct and related disciplinary actions are publicized or posted in public locations throughout the factory.Once all of this information is ascertained, we can assess the available options:1) Option A – Do nothing.Fontaine could elect to do noth ing, allowing employees to continue the practice of occasionally using scrap metal for personal projects on company machinery and not report it to upper management. Staying silent would keep things as they are now with high employee morale, teamwork, and efficiency. However, if Fontaine decides not to say anything and upper management discover the practice, then Fontaine, Page, and the workers involved are all susceptible to sanctions.2) Option B -Report the incident to upper management and ask for guidance on how to proceed.This may be a viable option since Fontaine is unsure as to whether upper management approves of the practice in order to maintain high morale, combined with his short tenure as the manager of compressor manufacturing. However, management may feel negatively towards Fontaine for not providing recommendations on dealing with the practice – specifically, that he is not ready to lead. But, as seen in Annex B, management has been fairly strict with similar vio lations in the past; reporting the practice may lead to unwanted investigations and punishment for workshop employees.3) Option C – Fontaine does not report the incident but handles the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe. † He can have a meeting with all employees in the workshop, and explain the following: a.The ITE Code of Conduct authorizes the use of production materials only for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation; b. The list of infractions from 1998-2007 along with the associated sanctions; c. The items discovered in the storage room, and the fact that though the activity was condoned before, it does not make the practice justifiable. However, because the activity was previously condoned, the new policy of not conducting personal work and utilizing material scraps and company machinery takes effect immediately; d. The liability of the company should an employee become injured while working on an ornamental piece while not in a â€Å"paid† status; and e.Material is purchased by ITE for a specific purpose, which ITE receives compensation from a recycling company for production scraps – and the unlawful use of such material is in fact theft from the company; Fontaine should then share the recycling amounts by poundage and dollar amounts. He should also explain that this material, even if small when compared to the total amount recycled, affects ITE's balance sheet and therefore affects all employees in regards to pay and bonuses, as well ITE's owners (whether public or private). 4) Option D – Report the incident to the Director of Manufacturing and the Plant Director, recommending a course of action on how to proceed within the â€Å"Axe† in order to gain upper management buy-in.This option allows for Fontaine to groom himself as a better leader, while showing management he is prepared to deal with issues within his area of responsibility. These recommended actions would include: a. Amnesty for employees due to the practice being condoned by the workshop foreman; b. H/R training for Page, the workshop foreman, specifically focused on supervisor duties and responsibilities, as well as a review of all company policies to include the Code of Conduct; c. Implement an H/R policy where employees sign an acknowledgement of the Company's Code of Conduct upon hiring; d. Annual review of the Code of Conduct for all employees; e. Review of the Code of Conduct upon transfer from one part of the factory to another part; . Request an exception to policy whereby employees can purchase scrap from the factory at the same rate the factory sells it to the recycling company, or offer a small percentage of scrap to employees for free as an added benefit. In order to have better skilled workers, allow these employees a certain amount of time each pay period (possibly an hour per week) to hone their skills whereby they are covered by worker's compensation should they become injure d during this additional training time; and g. Permission to post the Code of Conduct and the Material Misappropriation and Sanctions List throughout the â€Å"Axe. † Ethical Principles Discussion:Three ethical principles will be used to offer an analysis to the ethical issues Fontaine is currently facing; we will use Consequentialist Theory, Deontological Theory, and Virtue Ethics. Consequentialist Theory: An ethical decision should maximize benefits to society and minimize harms. What matters is the net balance of good consequences over bad for society overall. Identify the stakeholders in the situation as well as the alternative actions and their consequences (harms/and or benefits) for each. Looking at this case using a consequentialist view we examine how each of the four alternatives we have devised affects each of the stakeholders identified. Option A: Do Nothing (see Annex E for the Consequentialist Analysis to this option). This alternative involves Fontaine leaving the workshop as it is and turning â€Å"a blind eye† to what is going on in the shop. Stakeholder benefits to this option include: Continued high morale of employees by not having to purchase materials and continued use of company equipment; maintains Fontaine’s reputation by being â€Å"one of the guys† by not taking action; prevents Page from possibly getting into trouble for condoning the practice; and protects Kadosa from providing information to Fontaine on the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Plant employees not aving the ability to possibly receive bigger pay or bonuses due to the lack of the company receiving all proceeds it is entitled to from the sale of scrap material; workshop employees possibly being injured on the job while conducting unauthorized work; company investors/owners not receiving the full value of the sale of scrap and possibly being liable for any injury a workshop employee experiences while participating in unsanctio ned/unauthorized work; Fontaine violating his personal integrity and values by condoning the activity which violates the company’s Code of Conduct; and upper management not receiving bigger pay or bonuses due to the company not receiving all proceeds from the sale of all scrap. – Option B: Report the incident, but request guidance from upper management (see Annex F for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).Stakeholder benefits to this option includes: if upper management stops the practice, plant employees may see higher salaries or bonuses due to the company being able to garner all proceeds from the sale of all scrap material; company owners/investors receiving all value from the sale of all scrap material; upper management believing Fontaine’s integrity is beyond reproach; upper management being able to implement the changes it sees fit in order to recover company resources; and the company and management not being liable to any employees who may be injured during unsanctioned work. Stakeholder harms to this option include: possible suspension or termination of those workshop employees who have been identified as condoning and participating in unsanctioned work; upper management thinking Fontaine is not ready to be a manager by asking for guidance; Page possibly being implicated for condoning the practice of unsanctioned work, possibly resulting in suspension or termination; and Kadosa being implicated by his co-workers for confirming the practice to Fontaine, resulting in the loss of respect from his peers.Option C: Do not report, but handle the situation in-house within the â€Å"Axe† (see Annex G for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option). Stakeholder benefits to this option include: plant employees receive their fair share of salaries or bonuses tied to the profits resulting from the recycling of all scrap material; workshop employees and Fontaine both build rapport with each other by handling the issue in-ho use without any further repercussions; company owners/investors have more in the balance sheet through the sale of all scrap material if the practice is stopped; and Page does not face the possibility of termination or suspension for condoning the practice.Stakeholder harms to this option include: Workshop employees may view this as an intrusion into their autonomy; no recoupment to company owners/investors for the practice of taking scrap material; Fontaine being potentially liable for not reporting the incident up the chain of command as you would expect a manager to do; Kadosa losing credibility with his coworkers for confirming the practice to Fontaine; and upper management having lower level management condoning the prior bad practices and starting anew without repercussions, thereby usurping their authority. – Option D: Report the incident, but recommend actions to upper management and obtain their buy-in (see Annex H for the Consequentialist Analysis for this option).S takeholder benefits to this option include: Unsanctioned work is stopped and plant employees may see an increase in salary/bonuses; workshop employees may be able to continue creating ornaments if upper level management authorizes/sanctions extra work as a benefit to an employee who is honing his/her skills; company owners/investors see an increase to the balance sheet from the proceeds of all scrap material, while at the same time being protected by workers compensation should an employee get injured while honing his/her skills under authorized work; Fontaine gains the respect of his superiors for thinking outside the box and coming up with his own solutions while protecting the employees and the company; Page receiving requisite training to become a better supervisor who supports the company's values and ideals; and upper management having an empowered subordinate while increasing the balance sheet from the recycling of all scrap. Based on the tenets of consequentialist theory, op tion D promotes the greatest benefit with the least amount of harm to each of the stakeholders.Deontological Theory: Bases the decision on what is right on a broad, abstract universal ethical principle or value such as honesty, fairness, loyalty, rights, and respect for human beings and property. Certain moral principles are binding, regardless of the consequences. Therefore, some actions would be considered wrong even if the consequences of the actions were good. Looking at this case using a deontological perspective, we xamine what the duties of Mr. Fontaine are. As a manager at the company Fontaine has a duty to both the company and the stockholders of the company. However, he also has a duty to the employees he manages and to look out for their best interests. Based on these duties, the first alternative does not serve the best interests as it does not fulfill his duties to the company and the investors. By taking no action the company will continue to lose the revenue which cou ld be generated from the stolen scrap material. The second alternative serves Fontaine’s duty to the company by ensuring that the business will not lose any further revenue to misappropriation of assets.However, this alternative could harm his employees as they will likely lose their jobs if there is an investigation into the scrap material. The third alternative allows Fontaine to handle the incident in-house without having to inform upper management. This alternative allows Fontaine to build rapport with his employees; however, he fails to do his duty by not reporting what he has found to his superiors. In addition, this alternative allows Fontaine to lay out his expectations of what is right and wrong with his employees, while at the same time protecting the reputation of Page, who previously condoned the activity by not stopping it. Fontaine exhibits loyalty to his subordinates, but he is not exhibiting loyalty to upper management by not reporting the incident.The final a lternative, to report the incident while obtaining upper management’s buy-in to recommendations, maintains the loyalty of Fontaine to the company, as well as to the employees. Because the practice has been condoned in the past, it is unfair to punish the employees; what is fair, however, is to seek some type of median, such as employees purchasing the scrap and utilizing company machinery to hone their skills, which maintains morale and allows the company to have better trained and skilled workers. Based on deontological theory, the final alternative embraces honesty, fairness, loyalty, and respect for company property. Using scrap material to make personal objects has an overall positive impact on employee morale.Obtaining buy-in from upper management to sanction this activity, whereby employees pay for scrap but in turn the company has a better trained worker, illustrates loyalty from the company to the employee. Virtue Ethics: This approach focuses more on the integrity of the moral actor than on the moral act itself. This perspective considers the actor’s character, motivations, and intentions. According to virtue ethics, it is important that the individual intends to be a good person and exerts effort to develop him or herself as a moral agent, to associate with others who do the same, and to contribute to creating an organizational context which supports ethical behavior.The â€Å"Axe† has been operating under the auspices of virtue ethics when dealing with manufacturing ornamental decorations. This is evidenced by: a. Page did not feel that the projects were of material value, because the employees used scrap; b. Page thought the employees made the objects on their own time; c. Kadosa’s impression was that the practice was limited to some of the better craftsmen in the group – the ones who typically did the best work, volunteered for overtime, and often helped out other employees who were having trouble; d. Kadosa beli eved that the workers involved in the practice clearly did not see themselves as â€Å"thieves,† but rather as skilled builders who took scarps and made something beautiful from them; e.Kadosa recalled an incident when he saw some of the craftsmen scold an employee for using new material to make a small ashtray – the point was the employee attempted to use new material to make it. f.Before anyone began an unofficial project, they were expected to touch base with a few of the more senior craftsmen to see if it was OK; g. Kadosa felt that making something to sell, compared to something what was mainly for personal use, was collectively frowned upon. The motivations for the group which manufactured the â€Å"gifts† were deemed as a noble cause and were meant for personal use, normally as gifts. Additionally, an unwritten set of rules, or unofficial â€Å"Code of Conduct,† ppears to have manifested itself within the workshop, such as seeking permission, only using scraps and not new material, and using the objects for personal use rather than for personal gain. Option A, to do nothing, does not contribute to ethical behavior by allowing employees to continue to the practice of using company materials and equipment for personal use. Option B, reporting the incident to upper management and seeking guidance on how to proceed, facilitates ethical behavior; however, employees may be punished when the activity was blatantly condoned by a member of management. Option C, not reporting the incident and handling the situation in-house, facilitates ethical behavior in the workshop employees; however, Fontaine does not exhibit ethical behavior since he is not reporting the incident to management.In accordance with deontological theory, Option D, reporting the incident but obtaining management buy-in on the recommendations, truly creates an organizational context which supports ethical behavior; employees are able to hone their skills, sanctioned by upper management, resulting in a highly motivated and more efficient employee, both which contribute to the Company's success. Recommendation: The practice of using scraps of material and company machinery in order to build decorative ornaments has been condoned by management for years. In addition, these ornaments have already been made (being stored in the storage room), so it will be difficult to ascertain those personnel responsible for the practice. Each of the three ethical principle analyses resulted in Option D being the favored course of action. Fontaine should inform upper management of the incident upon discovering the ornaments and obtain their buy in with his recommended course of action.Upon approval: remind employees of the Code of Conduct and post it prominently throughout the workshop; post throughout the workshop the infractions and punishment for recent misappropriations of material, next to the Code of Conduct; request H/R to implement new policies to annually h ave employees review the Code of Conduct, as well as upon transfer to different departments within the plant; have required training for Page on company policies to make him a better leader; allow employees to purchase scrap at cost; and possibly request permission for employees to use scraps and machinery for special purposes/events (ie Christmas, going away gifts), as a means to improve the skill and capability of all employees as a version of on-the-job-training. Ultimately, the company will have highly motivated employees with better skills and high morale, resulting in improved production in the â€Å"Axe. † REFERENCES Anteby, Michel, & Hyman, Mikell (2011). The Redgrove Axial Workshop (Rev. Jan. 5, 2011). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School. Trevino, L. K. , & Nelson, K. A. (2011). Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right (5th Ed. . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. www. haworth. com/en-us/Knowledge/Workplace-Library/Documents/Four-Organizatio nal-Culture-Types_6. pdf Last Call: an Interactive Multimedia Simulation. Facilitator’s Guide Page 12. Protection of Company Assets ITE employees must protect company assets.Company assets include a) intellectual property and trade secrets, b) business strategy, c) financial data, d) production materials, e) equipment, f) fleet, furniture, and g) computer supplies and software. Company assets are intended for the exclusive use of advancing the mission of the ITE Corporation. 3b. Sanctions Failure to protect company assets will result in sanction commensurate to the company loss. Sanctions can range form warnings to termination, and might include withheld pay. Criminal charges in courts might also be filed if deemed necessary by the ITE Corporation. Source: ITE documents. APPENDIX D Summary of Redgrove Records of Material Misappropriation Incidents and Sanctions, 1998-2007 ) February 1998: A workshop worker was reported by an anonymous source to be â€Å"stealing company mate rials. † (The HR department received a letter). Upon closer inspection, it turned out the worker was making a window frame for his house, and doing this at the end of his day shift. He received a â€Å"stern warning,† â€Å"two days without pay,† and was told that the next infraction would lead to termination. 2) December 1998: A storage room employee was discovered with raw, expensive materials (titanium) in his car as he was driving out of the plant. The employee was fired. 3) November 1999: During a random search of employees exiting the plant, a guard found a miniature turbine. The worker who was found with it claimed it was a gift for his brother.The worker received a three-day suspension and was warned that any additional discoveries would result in the termination of his employment. 4) June 2002: The purchasing director found a number of workers distributing pins they had manufactured to â€Å"commemorate† the launch of a new aircraft. The pins were made from workshop scraps. Three of the workers were suspended without pay for two days. 5) March 2003: A visiting ITE director asked about a set of metal candlesticks at a local â€Å"antique shop. † The vendor explained that they had been made at the nearby Redgrove plant. The director asked for the maker’s name, but the shopkeeper claimed ignorance. An internal audit was conducted to no avail.The candlesticks disappeared a few weeks later from the shop: â€Å"bought by a city person,† according to the shopkeeper. 6) January 2005: In a regular random search of a car exiting the plant one evening, the on-duty guard discovered metal forging tools and workshop scraps in the trunk of an employee’s car. The incident resulted in a â€Å"warning,† and the employee retired several months early, shortly thereafter. Source: Casewriter ANNEX E Consequentialist Analysis – Option A (Do Nothing) [pic] ANNEX F Consequentialist Analysis – Report I ncident, Request Guidance [pic] ANNEX G Consequentialist Analysis – Don’t Report, Handle Incident In-House [pic] ANNEX H Consequentialist Analysis – Report Incident but Recommend Actions, Gain Upper Management Buy-In [pic]

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Innovation and Creativity and Enterprise Research Paper - 1

Innovation and Creativity and Enterprise - Research Paper Example Through illustrations to back up this statement, the article shows how viable this notion by Schumpeter is; decades after its realisation. Emirates Airline is the national flight company of the emirates of Dubai that was established in 1985. The airline is located at Dubai International Airport and it also serves the United Arab Emirates. With regard to the number of passengers ferried, Emirates Airline is the largest airline globally and the fastest developing with expansions across all continents. The fleet largely comprises of Airbus and Boeing crafts. The Airbus A830 is the prime passenger carrier in the fleet. The flights cover various destinations around the world such as: Middle East, Africa, South Asia, North America, Europe and Australasia. The air shipping segment serves over 40 terminuses (Centre for Aviation). The airline industry in the Middle East, like anywhere else is subject to cyclical fluxes. Emirates Airline has experienced various hurdles and overcome them to gain its current standing. Technological and economical innovation are a part of the strategies assumed by the airline in a bid to stay ahead of the competition. Joseph Schumpeter acknowledged innovation as the critical dimension of economic development. According to Joseph, market power and entrepreneurial activities rely on innovation for them to flourish. The short lifespan of certain technologies is the catalyst that provokes development in various industrial fields for it creates a temporary monopoly in the market that the rivals compete to outdo. He believed that the innovation process was driven by major firms that spared no expense in research and development undertakings (McGraw 2007, pp. 4-6). The innovation theory formulated by Joseph has in varied forms been implemented by Emirates Airline in its brand positioning and market entry approaches. In the

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

English Composition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

English Composition - Essay Example On the contrary, they should consider an argument as a learning process wherein they are able to learn some ideas from their opponents as they also teach them with new and well-researched information. Moreover, they also get the chance to improve their verbal communication and develop new strategies in articulating their arguments and counterarguments. The statements above describe an ideal scholarly argument but it is a fact that it is not just the scholars who argue. Argument is perhaps a common occurrence in people’s lives regardless of their education and status because of their differing ideas and convictions. For instance, in my own experience, I often argue with my mother. One of the arguments that we often have is my future life. She wants me to become a doctor because of the possibility of the many advantages it could give me but I want to major in marketing because that is what I am interested in. Oftentimes, I use logic to make her agree with me but sometimes we both get emotional and so, we are not able to settle the issue. Similarly, I can see that the use of logic works well in a scholarly arguments but being emotional will definitely overshadow

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

CAPM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

CAPM - Assignment Example An investment of risky investment calls for compensation of the respective investor for the time and money devoted to the investment. Typically, the time value of money is symbolized by risk free (rf) in the formula. This is meant to reimburse an investor for investing money for some period of time. On the other hand, the risk measures the amount of reparation that is needed by an investor for taking an additional risk. It is computed by taking the beta that measures the return of the asset in the market over a period and market premium. Other assumptions of the model are: there is perfect competition in the market and, therefore, an individual cannot affect any price of an asset by selling or buying. All the investors have the same information regarding the availability of the securities prices and their respective risks involved. All investors in the market have an idea of making decisions based on variances and expected returns of the portfolios they desire to invest. It should be noted that beta indeed measures the amount of risk that is involved in investing in a particular stock in relation to the market risk. For example, if the market beta is 1 and an investor’s security has a beta of 2, it would be riskier than an investor’s security of 0.25. The theory postulate that expected return of a portfolio is equal to risk free security plus a risk premium then multiplied by systematic risk of the asset. Ra = rf + Beta (rm –rf). For example in the market, the risk free rate =4%, the beta of the stock = 2 and market return is 12% over time, the expected return of the stock will be 4%+2(12%-4%) =20%. The beta, therefore, provides an answer to the risk return relationship. CAPM model provides a vital account for pricing the debt and equity. This is because it takes into consideration factors like risk free rate that is

Monday, August 26, 2019

Argumentative Synthesis-Extreme Obedience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Argumentative Synthesis-Extreme Obedience - Essay Example in addition, is the factor that led to the regime’s collapse and dissertation amidst stripping of anything that could be looted by the prisoners such as windows, doors and bricks. This paper describes the implications engulfed in the extreme obedience necessity. The open answer to the extreme obedience necessity is a no. Extreme obedience suppresses creativity and innovation, as people are afraid of giving their innate opinions to the relevant authorities. Morality and military obedience though necessary should allow for the exchange of liberal opinions between the junior military officers and senior ones. During the Vietnam era, divergent opinions in scholarly and secular writing predominantly was a sign of disobedience to authorities especially the military authority (Milgram & Zimbardo, 2009). Nonetheless, psychologically, the suppression of military groups in relation to their morality and obedience was the factor that led to the dysfunctional nature of the warfare activities in which the military personnel were undertaking. Currently, there have emerged change times in regard to morality and military obedience hence the emergence of ultimate shifts of attitude towards obedience as reflected on the dual military tension between autonomy and freedom of individual soldiers. In conclusion, in order for human beings to aptly maintain their social stability and individuality, a balance between insubordination and obedience must be achieved through a liberal collective bargain between the authorities and the individuals. Obedience is overly harmful especially in extreme cases where it appears to be the reason for all the individualistic physical and or mental anguish. Okinawa’s residential protest in Japan in commemoration of the Second World War postulates a situational cause of mental and physical anguish as a result of continues and forceful obedience into these residents. The American military was preeminently portrayed as the party charged with causing

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Scenario planning for the future of Energy Essay

Scenario planning for the future of Energy - Essay Example After decades of thought and consideration, countries have mutually consented to get rid of cars altogether. Now, in 2030, roads are crowded with bicycles. People are generally happy to use bicycles because they have not only obviated the need to use oil, but has also rapidly decreased the number of road accidents. The bicycle-bicycle collision is far less as deadly and dangerous as a car-car collision used to be few years ago. Besides, regular peddling has been a good source of exercise and has helped people burn their calories. In the midst of Shanghai lives Chen with his family in a condominium. Today is Chen’s final exam, and he needs to get into the school within fifteen minutes. He lives one and a half miles away from the school. He catches his bicycle, but the tire is punctured. He can not wave to a taxi because there are no taxies, no bus, no car whatsoever! Mum and dad have gone to work over their respective bicycles. Chen has only two options to reach the school, eit her walk his way up to the school, or else, seek lift from somebody else. But most bicycles are overloaded because that is the only thing people have as a means of travel. Normally, if a person does not have a bicycle of his own, he/she has to suffer, though Chen is lucky enough to find a cyclist, Koto, with no one sitting on the back seat. Chen asks Koto the favor to drop him to school. Koto agrees to do the job provided that Chen purchases him a tin of cooking oil since he comes from a very poor family and can not afford to buy the cooking oil. Chen agrees and the two set off. Second Story: Saudi Arabia is suffering from a financial crisis as a result of her inability to meet the global demands of oil. Saudi Arabia’s predictions of her oil reserves have turned out to be overstatements which had no concern with reality. In reality, Saudi oil reserves had been depleting at a dangerous rate and much of the oil has been drawn out of the known reserves till 2025. For the last fi ve years, Saudi Arabia has reduced the supply of oil and is now suffering from a financial crisis. Ted, a teenager, turns the TV on to hear the news. Newscaster: Saudi Arabia’s attitude is being criticized for the turmoil in oil supply. For the past twenty years, Saudi Ministers have been making unnecessarily optimistic statements about their ability to make uninterrupted and sustained supply of oil to the world for a long period of time. Saudi Ministers have always been reluctant to get their oil reserves audited nor have they ever revealed accurate information about the volume of oil reserves. Much of the disparity in the demand and supply of oil in the contemporary age is attributed to the non-serious and inconsiderate attitude and short-term vision of the oil producing companies in Saudi Arabia. Experts are of the view that had Saudi Arabia allowed the auditing of her oil reserves and generate correct information about the oil reserves, it would have been possible for the world to take precautionary measures in time. The economy of Saudi Arabia has declined as a result of the reduced oil supply. Third Story: The New York City in 2030 looks totally different from the way it looked in 2010. On the roof of every house, there is a solar panel that faces the sun and revolves according to it in order to keep its surface exposed to the sunlight throughout the day. On every garage, there is a car that is driven by biofuel or electricity. Every individual

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Letter to the editor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Letter to the editor - Essay Example Does dieting cause weight loss?No, dieting does not cause weight loss, on the contrary it is the main contributor of obesity among many people. The reason as to why dieting results to weight gain instead of weight loss is that by not eating, one is bound to get hungry. Whereas people that are not dieting eat only once, this is not the case for persons on diet. This is because unlike their counterparts not on diet, these people consume little food but on several occasions (Brune). Hence, at the end of the day such people end up consuming more than those who are not on diet. People on diet have the belief that fats cause obesity; hence, they avoid food enriched with fats and opt for carbohydrates. According to Brune, this ends up doing more harm than good to those on diet. Studies show that too much consumption of carbohydrates promotes the increase in blood sugar levels causing high insulin levels. Insulin is directly responsible for increase of fat storage in the body. It is therefore evident that instead of weight loss, dieting plays a major role in weight gain. Although many researchers claim dieting does more harm than good to one’s body, not everyone is in agreement with this claim. This is because some researchers claim that dieting indeed causes weight loss. For instance, according to Yuhnke (2), there are certain types of food that if consumed could result to cutting of calories. According to Yuhnke, some of the foods that one ought to consume while on diet include Egg-Tofu, Sandwich pepper and Sardines pepper. Dieting is the process where one restrains from the normal consumption of food in a move to reduce his or her weight. Although many people have the perception that dieting results to weight loss, it is not the case. This is because studies show that dieting makes one fat instead of slim. The reason why dieting promotes weight gain is because it triggers body hormones hence making them behave as if they are starving and are

MARKETING RESEARCH FOR A NEW MATERNITY CARE PRODUCT LINE NORTON Essay

MARKETING RESEARCH FOR A NEW MATERNITY CARE PRODUCT LINE NORTON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL - Essay Example Along this line, a marketing research is required to produce the needed information. (Please see Appendix B.) As far as identifying the problem, there is actually none. This is being stated because the hospital has the capabilities to introduce and establish the proposed maternity care unit. It is only as to how extensive the new product line should be to capitalize on the local market, which indeed appears to be a captured market, and to therefore maximize the earnings of the hospital. The concern of the top hospital men is therefore more on the leverage of answers rather than of a problem. There are no problems. Instead, there are answers that must be sought in making the final decision on whether or not to push the project. The aims of the research is (1) to obtain as much information on the reaction of the local market to the idea of establishing a full-service maternity care department or division in the children's hospital, and (2) to document all these information and data to become the basis of management on whether or not to so push through with the introduction and establishment of the new product line. The research design uses statistical data gathering with 270 responde... Aims of the Research The aims of the research is (1) to obtain as much information on the reaction of the local market to the idea of establishing a full-service maternity care department or division in the children's hospital, and (2) to document all these information and data to become the basis of management on whether or not to so push through with the introduction and establishment of the new product line. Research Design and Procedures The research design uses statistical data gathering with 270 respondents in the local community. The demographical spreads are divided into age, gender, marital status, education and income. Upon the other hand, the questions regarding preference have been anchored on the reputation of the hospital, quality of care, distance from home, advice from doctor, advice from friends, advertisements, friendliness of the staff, maternity facilities, nursery facilities and maternity insurance. In the end, the results will be quantified as to maximum, minimum, median and mean. The survey taking is to be done directly on a person-to-person basis for each respondent as this is the most effective approach. In sum, statistics will be the prime source of information and data that will serve as the main tool in the decision making process as envisioned by the management of the hospital.2 Results of the Samples 1. Overall demographics Among the respondents, the most come from females, married, aged 26 to 40, have obtained some college education, and with income range from 70,000 to 99,000, while the least come from males, never married, aged 41 to 55, high school graduates, and those with income less than 20,000. (Please refer to Appendix E.) 2. Interest in the Idea of a Children's Hospital For those

Friday, August 23, 2019

What event of the 20th century has had the greatest impact on the Essay

What event of the 20th century has had the greatest impact on the world in which we live today Justify your answer and describe the relationship between the ev - Essay Example The Second World War, which raged between1939-1945, although primarily a war between European nations had a ripple effect, and soon countries as far flung as America, Japan, China were actively involved in the war. This war strengthened the notion that wars are conflicts fought between societies, populations and ideologies and not just battles for annexation. This war also had far-reaching impact on the economies of the world and led to the creation of new economic policies which brought about greater affluence as well as advances in science and technology. The world, after 1945, or rather, after the end of the Second World War, had a distinctly different look. Apart from the damage to humans, their habitats and industry, the war led to a re-alignment in the political and social sphere. The division of the world into pro-U.S. and pro-Russia camps emerged and capitalism and socialism began to define economic systems. Up until the Second World War, Germany had dominated Europe and Europe the world, but now the era of European supremacy was over. The age of global supremacy had begun. Europe, which was economically, politically and socially shattered by the war, lay in debris, but from this debris sprung new nations, because the bankrupt European nations could not control their colonies, spread all over the globe. The process of decolonization had begun, and the end of the war saw numerous new nations being added to the world map. One of the most important of these, in terms of impact, was the nation of Israel. It was born out of the idea that Jews needed a place which they could call their own, and since Judaism as a religion, had roots in Palestine, a portion of this Arab populated and Arab speaking land was handed over to the Jews. A resolution passed by the newly formed United Nations Organization partitioned Palestine into separate Jew and Arab states. While the Jews were overjoyed, the Arabs resented this snatching away of their

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Top Two Issues Facing Community College Essay Example for Free

Top Two Issues Facing Community College Essay This topic came up repeatedly as I was researching critical issues for higher education in the community college environment, the vo-tech training schools, and the four-year postsecondary schools. Grace Chen (2011) writes â€Å"Community college leaders have not yet formed a consensus on what it means for students to be college ready, which could impact the quality of the education received†. This is a problem is because the receiving institutions make the entrance requirement and the core subjects (math, English, reading) in these various schools use various tests/standards for placement of students. Also, for the community college, there is no guarantee that adult students will attend in cumulative semesters so there is much more re-teaching required. Community college students can be as young as 16 and still in high school very driven to attend a post-secondary environment, or they can be a middle-aged person who is divorced, a single parent, just laid-off trying to gain some skills to re-enter the workforce. This â€Å"major issue facing community colleges, according to this study, is finding the right incentives and support to keep students in school† (Chen, 2011, Keeping Students in School, para.1). Arizona participated in a multi-state study that specifically looks at community colleges as the â€Å"Road to Nowhere.† Complete College America (2012) has a four step solution to â€Å"close remediation exit ramps†. These steps are: strengthen high school preparation, start students in college-level courses with built-in, co-requisite support, embed needed academic help in multiple gateway courses, and encourage students to enter programs of study when they first enroll. Transferability While I knew in my experience as a K-12 educator that this is a concern I had no idea that it was considered a â€Å"critical issue† to the point of earning my honor of spot number two! Working with credit transfer agreements (Dual Enrollment, Articulation, Concurrent Enrollment) I am aware of the difficulty that community colleges have in tracking data for students. As part of a federal/state R-POS (rigorous program of study) team I’m also acutely aware of how difficult it is to get data from a community college. In addition to the above-mentioned reasons, there is a consensus that transferability is a very difficult problem in the community college environment. According to the College Board (2011), â€Å"four-year institution leaders have been warned before about the need to enroll more transfers†. One reason is because during recessions and economic declines high school graduation rates tend to decline. This is a typical time for a community college to increase enrollment. â€Å"Despite considerable effort already generated†¦levels of transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions can be improved† (Pusser Levin, 2009, Executive Summary, para. 9) References Chen, Grace. June 2, 2011. What are the Biggest Issues Facing Community Colleges Today? New Study has Answers. http://www.communitycollegereview.com/articles/354 College Board. 2011. Improving Student Transfer from Community Colleges to Four-Year Institutions —The Perspective of Leaders from Baccalaureate-Granting Institution. http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/11b3193transpartweb110712.pdf Complete College America. April 2012. Remediation-Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere. http://www.insidehighered.com/sites/default/server_files/files/CCA%20Remediation%20ES%20FINAL.pdf Pusser, Brian and Levin, John. December 2009. Re-imagining Community Colleges in the 21st CenturyA Student-Centered Approach to Higher Education. http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2009/12/pdf/community_colleges_reimagined.pdf

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Benefits and Issues in using Learning Logs

Benefits and Issues in using Learning Logs A learning log is an learning tool which is designed to improve the learning experience, while facilitating exchanges between students and teachers. Learning logs are used in schools all over the world, and there are a number of different approaches to them. In addition to being used in predictable school environments, learning logs can also be very beneficial to homeschoolers and other students pursuing non-tradition education. A learning assessment refers to the measurement of a students capabilities, progress and academic outcome. Learning assessments are important because both students and teachers can get a clear picture of what a student can do academically rather than what he or she cant do. When conducting a learning assessment, instructors consider past and present academic performances as well as the students values, behaviors and attitudes toward learning TASK ONE LEARNING LOGBOOK INTRODUCTION A Learning Logbook is basically a log or record or journal of your own learning. It is not necessarily a formal academic piece of work. It is a personal record of your own learning. As such it is a document which is unique to you and cannot be right or wrong. A Learning Log helps you to record, structure, thinks about and reflects upon, plan, develop and evidence your own learning I prompted to use my Learning Logbook from time to time in my Study Guide, but I didnt limit my entries to just these occasions. It could also be useful to explore ideas in a Discussion Forum. If I could keep my log electronically, I might even copy sections from my log for insertion into the discussion forum or vice versa. Using the logbook in this way helped me to reflect on all of the information presented in the Class and to come to my own understanding of it. Managing Study Time There are only so many hours in a day, a week, and a term. I cannot change the number of hours, but I can decide how to best use them. To be successful in Class, I must be carefully managing my study time. Here is a strategy for doing this. Term Calendar At the beginning of a module, I prepared a Term Calendar. Update it as the term goes on. Here is what I did to prepare a Term Calendar. Record my class assignments with their due dates and my scheduled tests. Record My planned Class activities. Record my planned module activities. Record my known out-of-Class activities. Weekly Schedule Each Sunday before a Class week, I prepared a Weekly Schedule. Update it as the week goes on. Here is what I did to prepare a Weekly Schedule. Record my daily classes. Entered things to be done for the coming week from my Term Calendar. Review my class notes from the previous week to see if I need to add any Class activities. Add any out-of-school activities in which I would be involved during the week. Be sure to include times for completing assignments, working on projects, and studying for tests. These times may be during the Class day, right after Class, evenings, and weekends. Daily Time Table Each evening before a Class day, I prepared a Daily time table for the next day. Place a next to each thing to do as my accomplish it. Here is what to did to prepare a Daily time table. Entered the things to do for the coming day from my Weekly Schedule. Entered the things that still needed to be accomplished from my Daily time table from the previous day. Review my class notes for the day just completed to see if I need to add any school activities. Add any out-of-school activities in which I will be involved the next day. My Weekly Schedule had more detail than my Term Calendar. My Daily time table had more detail than my Weekly Schedule. Using a Term Calendar, a Weekly Schedule, and a Daily time table helped to make the best use of my time. I developed my own ideas on using the log but the following points helped me initially: Date each entry Clearly distinguish entries about myself and my life from information about my study. Separate my summaries and notes of readings and lectures from my opinions, comments and reflections on these, working on a computer, use a different font or format to distinguish each. My Learning Log I used is: plan my study and make revisions as needed; write down questions for my tutor as they arise; make notes that help me to carry out my study, e.g. on essay writing, preparing for examinations, previewing and reading texts in depth; document my reading and viewing so that notes can be readily accessed for assignments and examinations; Document my reflections on my progress, problems encountered and ways that I might resolve them. TAKING NOTES Attended regularly the lectures and try to make detailed notices, but if some reasons I could not attend a lecture, I tried to get notes from a friends ( class mate) and if I could not understand some parts of lecture, I contacted the lecture during the office hours for more clarification. The field notes were written by hand on lined paper. They consisted of jotted notes and mental triggers (personal notes that would remind me of specific things when it came to writing the notes up). I took some direct observational notes recording what I saw where this was relevant to the research questions and, as I was aiming to get a sense of the culture and working environment, I also made researcher inference notes I found the notes taking process itself helpful, as it ensured that I listened carefully and decoded information. Not all the information I recorded was relevant, but noting what I found informative contributed to my ability to form an overview on re-reading. However, the reliability of jotted notes alone can be questionable. For example, the notes were not a direct transcription of what the subjects said but consisted of pertinent or interesting information. Firstly, the most obvious thing that I discovered was the advantage of working as part of a group. I learned that good teamwork is the key to success in class activities when time and resources are limited. As everyone had their own point of view, many different ideas could be produced and I found the energy of group participation made me feel more energetic about contributing something Secondly I discovered that even the simplest things on earth could be turned into something amazing if we put enough creativity and effort into working on them. Learning Journal Last weeks lecture presented the idea that RIT is the most useful module as a student studying Research in Information Technology module makes this an important issue for me and one I was thinking about while reading journal, texts, and other material is to gain more confidence while I was doing my assignment The first thing I tried in order to read and summarized a journal article is to understand the author and kept in mind e.g. Author of journal always have an argument they are trying to convince something but Also can be good or bad, but I didnt take what author said on blind faith, I questioned them When I read journal articles always remember that I did to write a paper based on what I read e.g. focus on the information in the article that is relevant to my research, think critically about what I read and tried to build my own argument based on it. Basically I look the structure of the article; most research articles follow the same specific format. First I red abstract and conclusion because this have got the main point and if I find anything in the abstract or conclusion that is important for my paper then I search for the information but if I need more information then I read the whole sections. Take notes on the Article Journal There are a few major ways to take notes, but this is a personal style choice I have taken. Pay attention to what each section is about; usually have the most important information. Take notes while I am reading (that way I dont have to go back and re-read it when am doing my assignment) Write summarizing notes for main points ( in the margin, or on a separate pieces of paper ) Highlight only very important quotes or terms. Reference I sometimes read journal articles which seem to need references to assert this module. Nevertheless, I do expect to see adequate reference for assertions. It may take the form of reference to previous writers, or it may be the reference of my own experience or my own arguments, but if it is needed, it will be cited in such a way as to enable me to find it if I wish. More to the point, I expected theory to be used to answer some questions and to pose others, rather than simply regurgitated for its own sake. Im really going to stick my neck out now for what it is worth, I expect a dozen or more references for a module assignment. But I do not expect such reference to be cited uncritically, on the basis that, if someone else has already said it and manage to get it published, it must be true Literate I know this is unfashionable and probably politically incorrect, but in practice I find it difficult to get past it. Literacy is not a sufficient condition to meet PGD level requirements, but in my book it is a necessary one. By literacy I mean: No spelling mistakes No (or very few) grammatical solecisms. No sentences without verbs like this one Punctuation which helps me to make sense of the text. No misused words or malapropisms. . TASK TWO 2.0 CRITICALLY REFLECTIVE REPORT 2.1 INTRODUCTION Critical Reflection in my context is a process of considering what I have learned, how useful it is, and how it may affect my future personal and career development. Critical reflection helps me to give some coherence to my learning by relating it to what I have already known, and to my plans for the future. The nature of reflection is very varied. Reflection may encompass The module is extremely well organized, when I first came into this Module, I really didnt know what to expect. I thought it would be just the same as other module. I was wrong. What we learned on this module is more detailed, I feel like I have become better in researching and presentation. I know this will help me in future. This module did meet my expectations. So many students told me it wasnt an easy module and that it was demanding compared to other module. I am not very satisfied at my progress but I think it wasnt bad at all I gave the module almost all the attention it required. Learned so many new things and Im glad that I did. Things were explained over and over again in this module until I really felt I fully understood. Overall, this course was good. 2.2 MAIN REPORT Method During my studies in Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Business IT Research in Information Technology Ive had to use a multi case study system especially for the research and know how, Due to my quest for information by this system, Ive come about the following draw backs: Lack of appropriate material, appropriate text books for additional research at the learning centre has proved to be a major drawback. However Ive been able to resort of other ways for gaining excess to the appropriate material. Purchasing the books, however being in a 3rd world country, such text books and write ups arent always freely available, which would cause me to have to order these from abroad but given the short time this isnt the best way not to mention the shipping cost. The Internet has been a great resource, however again, some of the best information has to be paid for or ordered using a credit card, something again which isnt freely available to all in a 3rd world country. However, Ive been able to work my way around this obstacle by trying to dig persistently and deeper in to the internet to seek out the appropriate material. Another cause of concern was that during the Tutorials, not all were effectively reviewed and detailed constructive criticism wasnt freely given so as to en-better the students work. This left the student(s) to reflect on ones work and at times get their fellow students to review the work and comment. Learning Outcome Topic Managing Time In this topic I learn how to manage my time during my studies, deciding what am suppose to do, analysing what am doing and categorized my goals e.g.:- Work goals, family goals, community goals and self goals. Planning my activities performed during the day, how long is spent on each activities, listing all the things I must do including schedule activities. To identify what am currently doing and determine whether am spending my time efficiently, categorized the time identified according to time table, activities performed during the day. Assessment Its an academic essay demonstrates both knowledge of topic related to academic writing. A report is a structured document written for a particular purpose and aimed at a specific audience. It should provide clear and concise information written in a formal, academic style. Written Coursework Basically in his topic I have learned how to write a coursework by following three stages. i. Essay Structure ii. Essay type iii. Report structure Before that read the assignment carefully and start working on it reasonably and asked the lecture questions if not clear about anything relating to the assignment. Planning Do understand how to plan Assignment analyzing question asked, reflection on the issue raised and gathering raw material. Draw up a plan of the assignment. Writing Up Understand how to write assignment Sustained Review Do revision of what I have done in the class text book and during my revision I make notice, summarized my notice divide material into topic. Presentation Clarity of oral communication and well developed inter personal skills when interacting in a group or one to one are attributes that makes more successful student, professionals and all round communicator. Listening skills Really key in to what the person is saying and not saying, to look for the meaning and the feelings behind what is being said, to think about and mentally process what I hear eg. Pay attention, show that am listening. Taking notes Basically in this topic I learned how to take notes e.g.: listen and note key points and supporting details. But in this topic we didnt learned how to record lectures, may be because of its involve more time and resources. Working in team Firstly, the most obvious thing that I discovered was the advantage of working as part of a group. I learned that good teamwork is the key to success in class activities when time and resources are limited. As everyone had their own point of view, many different ideas could be produced and I found the energy of group participation made me feel more energetic about contributing something. Background of Critical Reflection By June 2010 it was the end of the Module RIT, I began to realize how demanding this module is, but fortunately, I also realized that I learnt a lot from it. I think my choice to take this course was a good idea. I enjoyed it although it was difficult, this course was the most challenging course, I took this module RIT and I have struggled with it up till the final. As a whole it was a good learning experience, but not an easy one. This is a free elective for me and my performance hasnt been even close to that of other major module. The grade that I get in this module is the lowest compared to other module this semester that is why I re- sit for the second time On successful completion of this module I will be able to identify the broad context of ICT problems, including the problems condition, identifying possible contributing factors, and generating alternative solution strategies. Exhibit good teamwork skills and serve as effective members of multidisciplinary project teams. To critically valuate alternate assumptions, approaches, procedures and result related to IT problems. To create something to integrate ideas into solution, to propose an action plan, to formulate a new classification scheme. To apply knowledge to new situations to solve problems using required knowledge or skills I believe I have benefited a lot from this module. Completion of this module is considered by me to be one of the greatest and proudest accomplishments and for me the next logical step is to take Master of Science in Strategy Business Information Technology Many students become frustrated and find this module difficult because they do not have the cognitive skills required to process information properly, this include ability to analyze, evaluate, retain information, recall experiences, make comparisons and determine action I feel this module has helped me in many ways.   The exercises and moments of frustration in class when I did not understand something or could not get something to work, suddenly became clearer as I tried to apply some of my knowledge to the actual situation.   I was amazed at how  much information I had picked up in class and how quickly the lingo became familiar to me.   Without the instructional  techniques used in this module, the course portion would not be very beneficial.   Sure, anyone can learn procedures and how to make a research, but the understanding of how, what, when, where and why are never very clear.   This is appreciated more than you will ever know. I do not feel there are any significant areas in which the program should be altered.   Everyone has their own weak area and mine is probably in the math portion of the program.   Concepts relating to module are sometimes hard for me to grasp, but I eventually get a handle on them and comprehend their meaning.   Many of the students relate that they have a hard time following the instructional methods in some of the classes, but in my opinion, this is simply a lack of attention, desire, and dedication.   You cannot learn if you do not come to class.   I am amazed at the low attendance in some of the classes.   I really appreciate the support and guidance I got from IMIT especially our lecture Mr. Japhet and Ms. Priti Punatar not only to me but all PGD students. They wanted us to pass with flying colors. They had time for us whether during or outside the lectures, they wanted us to be the best and made every effort to ensure that we achieved that. They went out of our way to help us and hopefully, our results will show that their efforts were not wasted! I believe that the skills that they taught us in this module will be really helpful in the future, Also, I learned a lot about the right way of making presentations and project The Analysis The forming during the early stages of the course. This occurred during Lectures 1 and 2 ( managing time to Peer assessment) whereby a few topics were discussed, such as how to handle a full days work with the extra studying wed now had and trying to understand the syllabus As a result the students were able to participate more fully knowing we had to give our best as the group depended on each one. The forming was highly successful and showed the students had learnt to depend not only on the Lecturer but also on each other. The storming Stage The storming stage was made up of various factors which would include interpersonal issues and reactions due to the answers or responses that we as students received from the lectures. Another case was the delay in starting classes as at times the lecture would wait for all students to arrive, or him-self was late. The students were able to address this in a prompt and professional way by having a group meeting with the Lecturer and address the matter. One thing which was a drawback was the short of one of the students who postpone the course, which in effect broke up one group (which had two students) and cause the remaining student to join the remaining group (of two students), hence the result was that the entire study sessions were now made up of one group having 3 students. 2.3 CONCLUSIONS In conclusion I think this module and specially the module were very beneficial. Module (RIT) skills are invaluable in many different situations. There are some thing that I have done within a group that fits in with the RIT as discussed in the Peppard Book, whether I realized it or not, many of specific reports ,however, I think are often for granted. They are beneficial to realizing the scope and keeping it in focus. In conclusion, I have come to learn that what did I read for this module apart from notes, and what grabbed my attention†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Reflective thinking demands that I have recognized that I bring the valuable knowledge to very experience. It helps; therefore to recognize and clarify the important connections between what I have already known and what I have leant. It is a way of helping to become active, aware and critical. Recommendations Accredited Partner (IMIT) and NCC should commit to the intentional review and strengthening of every Accredited Partner structure and resource that can support transformative learning. NCC should establish routine ways to hear students voices, consult with them, explore their opinions, and document the nature and quality of their experience as a student TASK THREE (Please refer to Power point slide)

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Democracy And Non Democracy Politics Essay

The Democracy And Non Democracy Politics Essay This paper gives brief ideas about democratic and non-democratic systems in modern world. The definitions of democracies and non-democracies vary from person to person. Furthermore, there are variety of explanations and democratic models, such as direct democracy and representative democracy (Heywood, 2007). Just the term of democracy can change into diverse ideas. For the term of non-democracy, it may be easier for people to understand, but in fact it has indistinct divisions between some non-democratic regimes. Besides the definitions of these two terms, this paper will explores the dissimilitude between democracies and non-democracies. And it includes necessary examples for the comparison. Introduction Nowadays, democratic system is popular around the world. No matter Western or Asian countries, people praise democratic systems highly and believe this is nearly the perfect political system in the world. But there still have non-democratic systems in the world. What is non-democracy? And what are differences between democracies and non-democracies? Different political scientists have different explanations for the meanings of democracies and non-democracies. Moreover, non-democracies are different from democracies in theories and practices. This paper aims at introducing the ideas about the definition of non-democratic systems and focuses on three dissimilarities between democracies and non-democracies. Definition of democracies and non-democracies Before comparing democratic and non-democratic systems, we first need to define the terms democracy and non-democracy. Democracy has a wide range of meanings and applications. Heywood (2007) defined democracy as rule by people; democracy implies both popular participation and government in the public interest, and can take a wide variety of forms (p.448). According to McLean and McMillan (2012), democracy as a descriptive term is synonymous with majority rule (democracy). In the democratic systems, election or voting is the way to apply the principle of majority. Simply speaking, democracy is a political system that enables ordinary citizens to participate and influence in the politics. In this paper, democracy is referred to the liberal democracy which is the broadest accepted form of democracy (Heywood, 2007). Liberal democracy is a form of indirect, representative democracy and is based on competitive election. It also divides the state and social community clearly (Heywood, 2007) . The term of non-democracy is rarely seen in political dictionaries, but it can be easily understood by just reversing its meaning with democracy. Non-democracy is a system of rule by individual or a small group of people, not all people. Contrary to democracy, people are ruled by minority in non-democracies. Totalitarianism, dictatorship, authoritarianism, Fascism and other political systems are all included in non-democratic systems. Modern people view non-democracies as autocracy, savageness and cruelty (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). Some non-democratic countries, like Singapore and Malaysia, seem like democracy (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). So, a well-defined definition is important. In this paper, non-democracy is defined as the system of rule by a person, a party or a small group of people which means non-democracies imply that little mass mobilization and limited pluralism (Ezrow and Frantz, 2011). And Sliwinski (2012a) suggested that there are three types of non-democratic regimes: dic tatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism. In order to simplify the situation, this paper mainly focuses on these three kinds of non-democratic systems. Robertson (2004) gave a clear definition to dictatorship is a form of government in which one person has sole and complete political power (p.145). McLean and McMillan pointed out totalitarianism (2012) regulates every aspect of state and private behavior (totalitarianism) and Robertson said that how to decide totalitarianism is the way to use the powers. Robertson shared the same idea with McLean and McMillan in the concept of authoritarianism, he pointed out that authoritarian ignores public opinion and uses forceful ways to rule over the country. McLean and McMillan even pointed out that the existence of dictators is one of the main elements for totalitarian regimes in the twentieth century (dictatorship), like Stalins Russia and Hitlers Germany. However, Robertsons view (2004) is differed from that of McLean and McMillan. He stated that dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism do not have required relationship, Authoritarianism needs not, strictly speaking, be a dictatorship and well not be totalitarian (p.33). Although Robertson disagreed with the idea that dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism have some kind of connections, we cannot deny that these three political systems are, in some extent, similar to each other. Authoritarianism and totalitarianism also limit peoples political rights, but the latter one even control the private lives of its people. Moreover, as these three kinds of political regimes restrict peoples political rights, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish them. But anyhow the comparison in this paper is: the comparison between liberal democracy and dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism. Comparison between democracies and non-democracies Separation of powers V.S. Domination of powers One of the main differences between democracy and non-democracy is the control of power. The democratic regimes separate the government powers; divide it into legislation, execution and adjudication. However, for the non-democratic regimes, the powers are only held by the ruler which means the ruler is the legislator, the executive and the judge of the state. The democratic system needs checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power, so it makes use of the separation of powers. The legislature controls the legislative power, the administrative holds the executive power and the judiciary controls the jurisdiction. These three powers are to make and change laws, to put laws into action and to make judgments on laws respectively (Sliwinski, 2012b, slide 22). These three political institutions can then mutually supervise and contain each other which can efficiently limit the power of the government. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, if one holds all the powers in his own hands, he will use the power to maximize his interests and ignore others interests and rights. The modern political thinkers John Locke and Montesquieu then believed that the power of the government should be restricted in order to avoid the appearance of tyranny and the corruption of powers. Locke suggested in order to protect peoples rights, there should be checks and balances. And Montesquieu was the first political thinker suggesting the idea of separation of powers. He believed that every government should divide its powers into three and this is largely influenced the American constitution and the Western political systems (Gingell, Little Winch, 2000). For the non-democratic regimes, they centralize the powers in their own hands. Non-democracies dominate the powers and through the monopolistic power, they fully exercise their authorities without limitations. Even though some of the regimes establish some resembling institutions to create an illusion of the separation of powers, the powers are actually combined in the regimes hands. The most efficient way to fulfill their aim -stabilizing the regimes status and power is to monopolize the powers. In The Prince, Machiavelli suggested the rulers should hold the absolute power with any way to preserve his power and regime (Gingell, Little Winch; Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2009). Thus, non-democracies can be seen as the embodiment of Machiavellis idea the use of absolute power. However, we should be aware that the maximization of powers is for the safe of the state, not for the ruler. And the non-democratic systems are contorting this point: they abuse the power just for the ir own interests, but not for their states and people. Here are some examples. The best model for the separation of powers in modern democracies is the system in United States. The separation of powers is clearly stated in the United States Constitution. The Congress only has the legislative power; the President of the United States holds the executive power and the Supreme Court enforces the judicial power. They are divisible and their powers do not overlap the power of one another. This practices the idea of mutual restraint on power. Therefore, the American political system embodies the idea of the checks and balances (Heywood, 2007). For the non-democracies, Soviet Union is a good instance. It was established in 1922 and ended in 1991. Soviet Union did not separate the powers, so that there were no limitations of powers for the party and the state. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union centralized three powers together and controlled the society and state tightly. Political equality V.S. Political inequality In the democratic countries, people have the chance to participate in the politics, this mainly presents by votes and elections. But for the non-democracies, they have lots of limitations in political participation which their people cannot actually involve in the political activities. The elections represent the political equality between people. From the view of liberal democracy, this means that the value of everyones vote is equal; no one will have a higher value of vote then the others (Heywood, 2007). Through the elections, it embodies the idea of political equality because the citizens do have the chance to express their views to the government by their own votes. It has no doubt that elections are important. According to Heywood, elections give the public the opportunity to affect the political process and decisions. In liberal democratic system, there is regular election within several years. People can take this chance to show their satisfaction towards the governments administration in past few years and also influence the political scene in the next several years. The most significant thing is that all the citizens do have the vote in their hands; no matter they are males or females, wealth or poverty or they are blacks or whites. From this perspective, people are equal politically and even socially (Heywood, 2007). Democratic countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom and France, have regular election system for their citizens to involve in politics and to express their political aspects. Therefore, the political equality also implies the widespread political participation. However, in the non-democratic regimes, it is usual to apply political inequalities. Not all the people in the regime can get the right to vote and only a small group of people control the political powers. This means some people are more influential in politics than the others. Even the non-democracies introduce elections to their citizens, the regimes secretly manipulate the elections in order to repress the opposition parties. For example, in Egypt, the economic elites are more political influential after 1984. Egypt is a single-party regime which is ruled under the National Democratic Party (NDP). In 1984, the businessmen supported the NDP and the ruler Mubarak; since then, they gain more political power by joining the party (King, 2009). The poverty, who is mainly the Egyptian workers and peasants, lost the opportunity to participate in the political activities (King, 2009). Even though Egypt has the electoral system, it still regards as non-democracy because the electoral syste m is dominated by the NDP (King, 2009; Ezrow Frantz, 2011). According to King, the NDP do not let the opposition parties to grow in strength and most important is that the party is able to allot the votes of labors and peasants. Not only in Egypt, other non-democracies, like China, Burma and Iran, do not have political equality and wide political participation. Freedom V.S. Constraint Another main difference between the democracies and non-democracies is the freedom of the citizens. In a democratic society, people enjoy the freedoms under the laws which mean their freedoms are protected by laws. Nevertheless, the non-democratic regimes usually restrict the freedoms of the people. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) regulates all people in the world have the rights to enjoy their freedoms. Freedom House, which is non-governmental organization, conducts researches on the countries degree of freedom and its annual report can be deemed as democratic report. Many political scientists use the report as the ratings of democracy. This implies that freedom is one of the fundamental elements in modern democracy. Most of the democratic countries have high rates of freedom, according to the Freedom in the World in 2012, like the countries in the Western Europe, which adopt the electoral democracies, all enjoy the rating of Free in the report. People in democratic countries enjoy their freedoms and rights because democracy is to protect all peoples interests both majority and minority. However, it is wrong to say that there is freedom, then there is democracy. Undoubtedly, it needs a certain degree of freedoms to form democracy. As the participation in polit ics do implies the freedoms of opinion and expression, speech and assembly, it is impossible for a democratic country works without the enjoyment of freedoms (Hovde, 1949). On the contrary, people under the non-democratic regimes normally do not enjoy most of the freedoms because the regimes disregard peoples rights and freedoms. Most of the regimes repress the freedom of speech, assembly and freedom of the press. Why do non-democracies constrain these freedoms? It is because they need to unite their peoples thought and ideology together with the regimes in order to prevent rebellion. North Korea, the totalitarian regime nowadays, is the best-suited example. The mass media in North Korea is fully controlled by the government and the media compliment blindly on the regime and the Kim family. The thought and daily lives of North Koreans are strictly controlled by the government. The North Koreans cannot leave the country; otherwise they will be regarded as traitors. Therefore, they do not enjoy any freedoms at all. Another Asian country Singapore also restrains citizens freedoms (Burton, 2010). The Singaporean government repressed the freedom of the pres s in the country by enforcing the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act (the Press Act) in 1974 (Rajah, 2012). And in the recent Press Freedom Index, Singapore was ranked a very low score 135 out of 179 countries. According to Rajah, the Singaporean government also carried out the Religious Harmony Act and the Public Order Act in order to restrict the freedom of religion and freedom of assembly of its citizens. Conclusion The definitions of democracies and non-democracies are wide and diversified, by narrowing their definitions, we can explore some main differences with them. There are three main differences between democratic and non-democratic regimes include: the control of power, the degree of participation in politics and the rate of freedom. The democracies separate its power into three (legislation, execution and adjudication), achieve political equality and carry out broad political participation, and let their citizens enjoy freedoms. On the contrary, the non-democracies monopolize the powers, limit the political participation within their supporters and imply political inequality, and repress the freedoms of their people. The studies about democratic and non-democratic regimes need to continue from time to time, in order to explore more possibility and rationality about them.