Standard-based Education Does It Have the Future

The United States of America’s education reforms since the 1980s were born out of the dire need to set academic standards of what students ought to be taught and be able to effectively perform in the job market.  The education standards outlined in the reform map the progress of the components of all other education systems. The standard education system does not comply with norm-based rankings; rather, the system institutes solid criteria for evaluating each student. This constitutes a formulated curriculum that features assessments for professional development harmonized by the reform goals. These standards evolved from the defunct outcomes-based education, which was thrown aside in the United States in the 1990s. And, the two reforms still share core goals. The goals are rooted in the curriculum frameworks, which define specifically what students must attain; there is an emphasis on criterion-referenced evaluation in tune with the frameworks and imposition of quality graduation examinations ensuring top performance to receive a diploma. The standard-based reforms enjoy a notable backing by the conservatives than the outcome-based education. They say it fosters a learning program that seeks to raise academic standards. But contrasting views from some conservatives deem it merely a rebranding of an unsuccessful and unrealistic vision. It is therefore viewed as an educational reorganization analogous of a premeditated economy which makes an attempt to coerce student to perform better by raising prospects then imposing sanctions and punishments on schools and students who fall short of the new standards. The vision therefore has to be brought under scrutiny in order to judge whether the standards-based education has a future. The first requirement is that every teenager will attain a meaningful high school diploma that ensures sufficient literacy at a level that can sustain employment. To eliminate possible surprising failure upon completing high school education, regular assessments through a variety of means are implemented to stump out any possible cause of attaining lower grades. Equality is stressed to ensure all students from all walks of life are not denied access to education. That implies that by virtue of cultural or ethnic background, poverty, gender, disabilities, age, race, or family situation, no student will be stopped from learning the required material. It is however acknowledged that individual students may learn with different means and at different rates, but the gap is still subject to narrowing. The standards-based education require job competitiveness rather than learning from a curriculum tailored by education professors, traditions or textbook publishers. The standards are published and distributed freely to professional educators, parents, taxpayers as well as to textbook writers. The main goal is to use the standards-based education to attain a literate and economically competitive workforce from all schools and all demographic components on the nation. While the core aspects remain pretty concrete and seemingly viable, the only debate about its future is that it is an offspring on an impractical and abandoned system. Much then has to be left for the time to tell since it remains clear that even great ideas need to be followed to bring anything to fruition.

Treating Trauma As The Root Of Addiction - 854 Words

treehouserehab.org - treating trauma as the root of addiction Everyone has suffered from incidents in their lives that may be considered traumatic. These incidents are a necessary part of life: they help teach us important emotional lessons that can make us stronger and more successful people. Unfortunately trauma often exists at the root of an alcohol or drug addiction. Thankfully it s possible to treat this problem and return you to a happy and successful life that is free of addiction. Understanding Trauma Trauma is easy to understand but it can feel hard to manage. According to the Substance Abuse And Mental Health Services Administration, trauma is a situation that â€Å"causes physical or emotional harm from which you cannot remove yourself.† Symptoms of trauma (include flashbacks to the event, being easily startled, new scary concepts, crying, mood swings, and more. These symptoms are often part of what is called â€Å"post-traumatic stress disorder.† This condition (formerly called shell shock) is the emotional aftermath of suffering through a traumatic situation. Problems Caused By Trauma And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder create a sense of physical and mental imbalance that can throw a person s life off-balance. Typical emotional and even physical problem of these conditions include: Depression Anxiety Paranoia Physical pain Difficulty sleeping Nightmares Self-harming impulses Neglect Addictive behaviors The causes ofShow MoreRelatedAddiction : The Canadian Aboriginal Community1690 Words   |  7 Pages Shivanna Sookoo 212-988-283 Monday, March 28th, 2016 SOWK 2020 M Addiction in Contemporary Society Professor Wayne Skinner The Canadian Aboriginal community consists of a strong support system founded on tradition, heritage, and spirituality. 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Cindy Sherman and Representation Free Essays

Untitled Film Stills by cindy Sherman presents the ideas about the female identity Sherman is after. On each of the images, Sherman photographs herself as a cliche of this identity as if she were an actress in a B-movie ,as the product of domesticity, the object of sexual desire exc. Critic Arthur Danto points out that none of Sherman’s images is of herself. We will write a custom essay sample on Cindy Sherman and Representation or any similar topic only for you Order Now They are of The Girl, for whom Cindy Sherman posed. The Girl appears in every photograph, and though she is familiar in each (because the model is Sherman), she is never expressing the same idea as The Girl. She is being-there and she is not there at the same time, like a performer, and all the while she is able to convey these figurative portraits of femininity. Modeling in several roles, she reveals gender as an unstable and constructed position, which suggests that there is no innate biological female identity. On the contrary, women adopt several roles and identities depending on their circumstances. Perhaps sherman is making a gender statement through critiquing women in representation. This is however questionable as she is willingly engaging in the subject she is critiquing. According to Mulvey the women is made into an object of male gaze. Thus making the man the spectator and the woman the spectacle. The man looks at the woman, and the woman is being looked at. This contributes and supports the stereotypical idea that men are to activity as woman are to passivity. Her work also encourages self-reflection in the spectator. As Sherman argues. Sherman encourages viewers to create their own narratives when looking at her work. Perhaps by doing so, we become conscious participators in the story, or in the society that created these stereotypes in the first place. Depending on the narrative we create, her photographs could possibly help us to question our own ideas about gender and how it is represented in photography. How to cite Cindy Sherman and Representation, Essay examples

Cigarette Smoking Essay Example For Students

Cigarette Smoking Essay For a long time now many people have different views about smoking inpublic places. Smokers feel it is their right to smoke where and when theywant. On the other hand non-smokers feel smokers violate their rights andendanger there life. Smoking causes heart disease, lung cancer and otherserious illnesses. Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lungcancer. A substantial number of lung cancers that occur in non-smokers canbe attributed to involuntary smoking. There are some parts in the UnitedStates where you can smoke in public places, on the other hand in New Yorkthere are designated areas. While some people feel that smoking in publicplaces should remain since it is their right, smoking in public placesshould be banned because second-hand smoke will endanger non-smokers health Smokers feel they have had the right to smoke in a public place for solong that it should not be taken away. Resturants and businesses should beallowed to set their own smoking rules, based on demands of the customers. Also business may decrease if they do not allow smokers the right to smoke,ecspecially bars and restaurants. The work place is another problem forsmokers, now they have to go outside even in the winter to have acigarette, even though they used to be able to smoke inside.A strongsupporter on smokers rights is Democratic Assemblyman Dick Floyd, whowanted to vote for a controversial smokers right bill. He feels it is not asmoking bill, it merely protects the people who use legal substances suchas tobacco and alcohol in their homes from job discrimination. However, smoking in public places is a danger to non-smokers healthfor the reason of passive or second-hand smoke. The public does not realizethe significant hazards of passive smoking. A U.S enviromental protectionagency stated second-hand smoke is the third major cause of lung cancer inthe United States. The simple separation of smokers within the same airspace may reduce, but does not eliminate exposure to passive smoke. InArizona five thousand and six hundred Americans died in 1989 due to passivesmoke. A recent federal Environmental protection agency reported on thedangers of second hand smoke. They found this kills fifty-three thousandnon smokers a year. By putting a smoke free policy into effect, it willsend a strong message about protecting health. Even though designated areasare set aside for smokers this does not really protect a non-smoker. Theheating and air conditions does not filter out carcinogens well enough andthe smoke drifts onto non-designated areas. Finally, if public smoking is kept legalized we will have majorproblems facing the environment. One problem is alot of people areirritated by tobacco smoke. A man named General C.Everett Knoop released areport saying that passive smoking, when a non-smokers breathe smoke in anenclosed area, it causes as many as five deaths a year. Smoking in a publicplace is an air pollutant and it can damage health in a number of ways. Thefour major health hazards fall into air, water, and noise pollution. Airpollution can lead to various forms of respiratory disease. The mainproblem of smoking in a public place is indoor air pollution. Some of theseproblems that result indoor air pollution is building ventilation that hasbeen reduced to conserve energy, with the result that ventiliation issimply inadequate. Combustion by products from smoking tobacco haveproduced substances, smoke included, that contaminate indoor air. Theproblem effecting a person who is in a contaminated enviroment may resultin c oughing, wheezing, chest tightness, muscular aches, chills, headaches,fever and fatigue. To solve this we have to have extra ventilation and keepdesignated areas in the public places if there are any. .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .postImageUrl , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:hover , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:visited , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:active { border:0!important; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:active , .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u29d636bf966de471cca6dcdb2da1242b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analysis on the Poem Sweethearts by Allen Branden Essay Although some claim that smoking in a public place is their right andshould be kept that, smoking in public places should not be legalizedbecause it will endanger non-smokers from passive smoke and it pollutes ourenviroment. The state of New York will remain restricting smoking todesignated areas. Cigarettes are the most deadly habit, affecting thegreatest number of people in the world today. A ban on public smoking wouldBibliography:

Analysis of Eu Yan Shang Essay Example

Analysis of Eu Yan Shang Essay Example Analysis of Eu Yan Shang Paper Analysis of Eu Yan Shang Paper Analysis of Eu Yan Sang (EYS) The strength of EYS from internal environment: Market Leader Eu Yan Sang is a market leader in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Their product quality and professional ethics have been regarded highly by its customers. They enable to charge premium price to customer because of their high quality products. EYS lay in its high brand equity that earned over a century and its renowned brand name and image. Core Competencies There are over 300 products under Eu Yan Sang brand name, but their core products to pump profits are Bak Fong Pills for women and Bo Ying Compound for infants. These two products are continuously to pump profits to EYS’s bottom line and have remained household names since the company opened its doors in 1909 in Hong Kong. Chinese believe that women need to regulate the menstrual function before and after menstruation period thus most of the Chinese women will consume Bak Fong Pills. Where else they also believe infants need to consume Bo Ying Compound before the age of one to prevent any disease. Supply Chain EYS able to control the total supply chain gives them an excellent competitive edge in the industry. To complement the new standard, EYS also developing a world first integrated online portal to keep track of traditional Chinese medicine herbs throughout the value chain. The weaknesses arise from Eu Yan Sang: Management Problem EYS’s management problems arise with different views over the operations of the business that resulted in disgruntled shareholders. They faced lack of vision for future growth strategies that may threaten its survival. Employees Performance According the respondent s’ feelings in the survey, salesperson were not particularly informative about certain products benefits and were unhelpful in recommending suitable products. They were perceived as being sloppily dressed in drab uniforms and displaying a rather indifferent attitude towards customers except when the latter were interested in the more expensive TCM products. The opportunities arise from external environment: Government The Hong Kong government had just unveiled a ten-year strategic plan in building Hong Kong into an international center for Chinese Medicine. They were ready to invest in and help local Chinese medicinal companies realizes their mission. Besides that, government also introduces a new degree program in TCM. Expand Market Besides the few countries, EYS also can expand to others Asia countries such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam. These three countries still adapt Chinese medicine today. There is an opportunity for EYS to expand their markets and booms their profits. The threats of EYS: Prohibition The precious animal parts had to be taken off the shelf since the law was amended to prohibit the sales of parts of endangered species came into force in 1995. Competitors EYS face international and domestic competitors that had slackening their sales due to the environment changes. There was a huge influx of western vitamins and health supplementary. The domestic competitors are Tung Fung Hung and Wai Yuen Tong that launched similar convenience products lines. Issues and the Key Issue of EYS Issues: Health Authorities How if the employees dispense wrong medicine to customers? This is one of the issue problems that arise from EYS. Their training in dispensing medicine usually came from informal because there have been no regulation or registration required so far for practicing Chinese medicine. If the employees dispense wrong medicine to the customers, EYS will face a lot of problem such as responsible and penalty to the customers. Labeling Legislation The reason EYS delay stemed mainly from the reluctance to comply fully with the labeling legislation. They need to full disclosure of all ingredients that required by the stringent labeling law. This may cause EYS to disclose their secret family formulate. If the ingredients disclosure to public, there must be a lot of competitors launched the same products. There is a threat to EYS. Competitors Exists The main competitors Tung Fong Hung expand rapidly in the recent years. They adopted a penetrative pricing strategy and was about 8% to 10% below that of EYS. TFH is the only traditional Chinese medicine listed on the stock exchange with a healthy daily turnover. Key Issue: Extensive Reach We can easily purchased EYS products in Malaysia because of their extensive distribution network, comprising over 150 EYS branded retail outlets in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Macau and China. EYS also provides a holistic approach in healthcare practices. EYS also can expand to others countries in Asia such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam to achieve higher performance.

Simulacra essays

Simulacra essays The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth it is the truth that conceals that there is none. The simulacrum is true. Ecclesiastes. How does the above statement apply to representation of the real in art? In direct translation, simulacrum of any form threatens the difference between true and false. Simulation is to feign to have what one do not have, thus implies to an absence. Religion is seen as a simulacrum. The idea of it is not tangible nor comprehends physical truth. It is something that is made real by its believers, not something that is believed in because it is physically real although it can be real. The simulacrum is seen as the represented truth. According to Jean Baudrillard, simulation is the substitution of signs of the real for the real. Simulacra convey signs that no longer represent or refer to an external factor. They stand for nothing but themselves, and refer only to other signs. Baudrillard points out very clearly how our modern culture is being affected by images and other similar encouragement from media sources and simulations rather than what is considered real and how it becomes what is real to us by perception. Baudrillard clearly defines how various things like Disney, multi-media advertising and many other sources have replaced the provocation of the real for us and how our media culture has become our reality. The above statement which state, The simulacrum is never that which conceals the truth, which means its not an agent to hide the reality and its not feigning any truth. It however does confuse the relation between the real and imaginary. The simulacrum becomes our reality as how it is being presented to us. We got absorbed by the simulacrum that we tend to believe it is the reality and weve accepted it. It is the truth that conceals there is none, since we took the simulacrum as the truth...

Oral Film History Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Oral Film History Report - Essay Example 8. Did you read any film magazines (which ones?) or write fan letters? 9. Is there anything special that they think you should know about the movies before 1990? 10. How did film-going differ then compared to now? Oral History Essay Few days ago I interviewed my friend’s mother Ms. Emma, who was born in 1967, and she has just celebrated her 46th birthday on May 30th 2013. Ms Emma is a very fun loving person. She was born in Chicago and had a fun filled childhood with her family and friends in her growing age. Now she stays in Manhattan with her husband and children. Ms. Emma tells about how she spent her teenage phase when going to movie was really fun and full of enjoyment. It was a pleasure to hear her become nostalgic about her teens and talk about how movies played a significant role during her young years. When I asked about her favorite film or actor that marked her adolescence, Ms. Emma replied that she loved this movie called â€Å"The Breakfast Club†. It has ma de a great impact during her adolescence period because this movie was all about five high school students from different origin and about their evolving friendship. The movie depicted friends who met in Chicago; all the occasions in it were just like the real incidents happening in Chicago at that time. She said that as on a growing up teenager this type of movies related to school and friends made a realistic effect on her life. Another movie she loved to watch that time was â€Å"High School† though it was little old one but she liked it a lot. She explained that this was documentary film by director Fredrick Wiseman that showed some cases from the usual days in Northeast High School, their teachers and students relationship. While growing up she watched this movie several times as it used to come on television and during that tender age it manifested her thoughts deeply. Ms. Emma while explaining all these seemed very happy and was thoroughly enjoying the conversation. Yo ung girls often have infatuation or an attraction towards, so I was eager to know if she had any such experience regarding any of the teen actors or actor of her age at that time. When I asked about her crush on any teen actor, she said actually she liked most of the movie actors which she watched and did not have crush on any particular teen actor. The main movie theaters were on the Division Street Road. Ms. Emma said when she was in her teens, she and her friends used to watch the movies in the morning shows because the ticket price cost less than evening and night shows at that time. Division Street Road where the theaters were located was in the downtown which was around 2hrs journey from Ms. Emma’s house. So if Ms. Emma and her friends wanted to watch a movie they need to make prior arrangements for that. They have things to eat and drink. Ms. Emma said sometimes they had group of friends and families who went for movies together. Going for movie was like a day outing f or them and they had lots of fun. I was curious to know if she watched movies just for fun or did she have a choice for any specific genre. I was interested to know whether she was interested more in thriller or horror or romantic comedies as the choice of genre sometimes determines a person’s nature and overall interests. So when I asked about her favorite genre, director or stars she was very excited and without any second thought she replied that she had a huge crush on Tom Hanks. Ms. Emma said Tom Hanks is among the highest paid all time box office star. I

James Nachtwey Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

James Nachtwey - Research Paper Example I have chosen to research about James Nachtwey because he is a war photographer, which is also my career path after successfully accomplishing my studies (Fussman 206). In addition, this will equip me with the necessary and adequate information concerning his work besides knowing what makes him appear unique compared to other global photographers. Figure 2: Kosovo 1999; Picture showing a mans imprint after Serbs exterminated him. Accessed on 29Th Otcober 2012 from Figure 3: The picture reveals the utter reality of a new weapon of "mass extermination" - Famine experienced by South Sudans citizens and other people residing in wore torn states. Accessed on 29Th October 2012 from All the above images exemplify the same thing and none alters their readings. Mainly, the overriding theme entails the reality of human injustices, which characterize war torn states globally despite their location. There are certain similarities found between my images and those of James Nachtwey’s, since I am taking after him. The significant similarity is the preference of utilizing black and white colors meant to mild the images’ horrific effects as a war photographer (Webb 64). Since, viewing images especially to some audiences it may be uncomfortable besides influencing others opting not to view them. Photographer by utilizing this image intended to convey to his viewers the downright reality of famine experienced by the southern Sudanese. This is evident from the victim’s emancipated body where he is unable to walk but crawl from the tent behind him. Hence, this creates a mood of despair, which is evident from the person’s condition, temporary worn out tent and the absence of any vegetation in the

Achilles and Odysseuses' Self-sufficiency Essay

Achilles and Odysseuses' Self-sufficiency - Essay Example A community is necessary to fulfill moral needs of a man (Gerson 73). The self sufficiency is fulfilled by (1) one has the abilities to procure needed resources; (2) one does not need resource so large as to require help from others; and (3) one does not need any amount whatsoever of those resources, like political power or friendship, which naturally require others. Because Aristotle associates the sufficiency of 2& 3 with the state or community, the self sufficiency through state may be called as 'political self-sufficiency' and that is the focus of Aristotle's discourse (Brown 5-6). The virtues and ultimate good are promoted by the state when man lives in the polis, the city. Human is a political animal and the man who lives away from polis or does not need the city is either the worst sort of animal or a super- human, the god. The power of speech indicates that human are not self sufficient since they can express pleasure or pain and concept of justice and injustice clearly shows that human are political animals (Marietta, 127). The present article intends to compare personalities of Achilles and Odysseus in the light of Aristotle's concept of self- sufficiency. The portrayal of Achilles and Odysseus is a presentation of bie ( wild force) and metis (tact or cleverness). Homer, though pays honor to Achilles which is deserved by his greatness yet in the end the intelligence and endurance of Odysseus triumphs (Clay 96). When we first meet Odysseus, he is sitting on the seashore, desolately lamenting for his island home Ithaca and his wife Penelope. His longing is for society, his city and domesticity. However, after rejecting the public assembly and throwing the scepter on the floor, Achilles also sits by himself on the seashore with tears in his eyes and waiting for his mother Thetis. The goddess comes and promises to intervene with Zeus for him against Agamemnon. This scene shows Achilles' obsessive and lonely nature, self-imposed isolation from his society instead he seeks godly intervention through his mother. Such a contrast in the warriors' character is evident throughout the Homer's epics (Abad 3). After the death of Patroclus, his dear friend, Achilles admits that despite his supremacy in war others are better than him. These 'others' certainly included Odysseus. He is less elegant and hungry for glory but at the same time more practical and less impetuous. In Iliad, Odysseus is entrusted with the task to return chrysies to her father; he saves the day when Agamemnon's catastrophic test of morals misfires. Besides, his good qualities, he also possesses great rhetoric skills (Homer and Rutherford 16). Just before the war the assembled Greeks were having a feast on Tenedos. But Achilles was invited last. An argument took place between Agamemnon and Achilles. Odysseus tried to shift his attention from quarrel but Achilles announced returning back to home (Clay 99). It shows ability of Odysseus to resolve issues through dialogue while Achilles was reluctant to make use of that exclusive gift to man, the speech. At this Odysseus accused him of cowardice and harsh words were exchanged between them. Achilles did not need either the society or the reason as a social human would do. Achilles obsession with war and revenge is his most destructive side which is prominently depicted in Iliad. Odysseus urges Achilles to have breakfast and let the army eat too before seeking vengeance on

Irish Banking in a Digital Age: NTUC Income

Irish Banking in a Digital Age: NTUC Income Index Introduction Case Study Information Systems used by NTUC Income before Migrating Business Processes used by NTUC Income before Migrating Problems Associated with the Old Systems New Digital System capabilities How did the new system resolve the problems How did the new digital system provide a basis for the orange strategy Could Orange have been available with the Old systems Three Important Lessons for Irish Retail Banking Conclusion Introduction Banking in a digital age is a huge subject and I have gone into some detail to analyse the case study and to answer the questions outlined. However I want to initially highlight the diagrams below, the first diagram shows the percentage of customers that consult the internet and is self-explanatory, however it does highlight how important the internet is to banks to create revenue and to ensure their viability on into the future. The second diagram however is somewhat of a parallel to this in that it shows that younger customers are inclined to bank with larger well known banks regardless. An interesting argument could be given for both sides. Case Study Information systems used by NTUC Income before migrating were: Old fashioned HP 3000 mainframe system Decades old Cobol programs Batch processing systems, Agents tried to submit the documents using notebooks Business Processes Used by NTUC Income before migrating to new digital systems were: Entirely paper based Customers met with broker/agent to complete proposal form Form is submitted by courier to Office service department Form is logged and sorted Form is then sent to underwriters. Accepted proposals then sent to computer Services Department be printed and distributed. All original documents then sent to storage unit for logging and filing In a lot of cases departments had to pass physical documents among each other Problems Associated with the Old Systems Very cumbersome and time consuming process After proposal form completed by customer it could take 2 to 3 days for the form to be couriered to underwriters Form then sent to computer services department to be printed and distributed. Sent to storage unit to be logged and stored which could take over two to three days Document retrieval slow and cumbersome taking up to two days to locate, then the form had to be shipped by courier. Refiling would take 2 days. Documents had to be physically passed to each other High volume of staff involved in clerical roles, from start to finish the policy will have been handled by up to 13 staff Entirely paper based system Existing computer system very unreliable with regular breakdowns Breakdowns meant loss of man hours re-inputting lost data Existing system had to be backed up daily however if system crashed during the day staff had to choose whether to save daily reconciliation or whether to do a full back up If daily back up not completed previous days data would be lost No Real time data, systems did not allow data inputter to see if customer is existing or new. Loss in revenue and sales due to lack of real time data. Existing system had 3 major hardware failures which mean loss of 6 days. Regular breakdowns No up to date information for departments or internal digital mailing system. 2.1 New digital system capabilities New Java based EBao Lifesystem All branches equipped with scanners and new monitors New PC RAM of 128MB New hardware and software for application servers Disk storage systems Data transmitted immediately All Documents scanned and stored on digital devices Data stored on two or more servers all connected by two or more connection lines. Faster cable Wireless capability Fiber-optic Backbone 2.2 How did the new system resolve the problems? Reduced timeframe for induction of policy Efficient scanning and processing systems. Real time data, enabling cross sales and cross referencing for existing customers Reduction in time to react to market trends and changes. Easier to design and launch new products to keep ahead of market trends Good backup systems, data saved on two or more servers ensuring no loss of data New disaster recovery site that no longer required restoration of the previous day’s data Improved customer service as new system gave a single view of each customer showing all real time data allowing cross selling and reduced turnaround times Up to 50 percent saving on time and costs 3.1 How did the new digital system provide a basis for the orange strategy? Orange was stuck in a paper based timewarp. This meant that all time and energy was put into manual applications which did not leave time for them to focus on a more customer friendly and customer focused organization. The new system meant that there was a huge reduction in the need for large volumes of clerical staff and these staff could be utilized to provide a better customer service and also provide a better profit for the business by utilizing the customer information to enable cross sales. It also enabled time for the marketing strategy to be overhauled as up to date data was now at hand. This data provided a customer profile facilitating the sale of more relevant products by providing some Golden Nuggets of information. As the systems could provide some analytical and operational CRM data. It also enabled the business to be able to react quickly to any new market trends as the new digital systems were able to take on and launch new products quickly and in fact enabled them to set up a brand new concept in the insurance business, the launch of the Orange motorcycles fleet. This fleet was very distinctive and easily spotted on the high street which in itself was a major marketing tool but they not only serviced their own customers who had accidents but also non customers which in turn meant that these people would go to Orange the next time they needed a quote for insurance and also created a Feel Good moment. It enabled them to launch Orange Eye which was a smartphone application. This provided an in car camera which helped combat motor insurance fraud which ensured that costs for the company would be kept down and in turn allowed for reduced insurance policies. 3.2 Could Orange have been available with the Old Systems? Orange would most definitely not have been possible with the old system. They were not able to provide an efficient, straightforward, transparent system or product due to the major constraints of the old systems. 4. Three important Lessons for Irish Retail Banking 1. Banks have to embrace the Digital Age to Increase profit. Banks have to embrace and utilize all systems available and even create new systems in order to increase revenue and in turn increase profit. According the statistics provided by The Second UPC Report on Irelands Digital future the projected value of the Irish internet economy in 2020 will be E21.1 BN, Projected on line Consumer Spending will be E12.7 BN as opposed to figures provided for 2014 when online consumer spending was E5.9 BN. Therefore this market has to be tapped to ensure the viability of the bank into the future. While initially consumers were reluctant to take on some of these new online systems such as online banking one would wonder what their reaction would be if it were to be taken away from them overnight. As can be seen from table below sourced from PWC the percentage of users of online services has increased tenfold and banks have to embrace this change and utilize it to their advantage. Gen Y = born 1980, Gen X = born 1965 – 1979, Baby boomers = 1946 – 1964, Matures born prior to 1946 2. Digital systems improve services. The new orange system allowed for funds and also staff to be freed up to create a much better customer experience. One way of doing this was to send out the Orange Fleet which proved a huge success. This model has been in some way reproduced with banks now beginning to think outside the box, by providing some time/space shifting services such as Mobile Mortgage Managers who will visit you out of bank hours and in turn the new systems that allow you to bank on line 24 hours a day online in the comfort of your own home. Bank of Ireland are currently trying to promote an internal scoring card system that they call NPS to ensure that we continue to provide an excellent customer service and allowing all opportunities to be utilized and all cross sales achieved to ensure a good profit and also a good service to the customer. As outlined in our lectures 50 percent of time and effort is invested in trying to get new customers in the first place and 50 percent to hold onto them. It costs six times more to get a new customer therefore a high retention of existing customers ensures an increased profit. Accenture created a Consumer research of over 13000 in 33 countries and they found that 61% if customers globally switched providers due to a bad experience and 85% switch providers because they feel that companies don’t make it easy to do business with. It is no secret that the general public’s perception of the Banks in light of the recent recession and bailout by the government has not been advantageous and therefore it is in our best interest to improve our systems and also do things a bit differently and this NPS scorecard is in some way helping this. Also the public would not have great trust in the Banks and again the â€Å"simple honest and different approach† adapted by Orange could be adapted in a more robust platform by the Banks. 3. Correct systems have to be in place in order for customers to adapt and embrace the change. Bank of Irelands digital systems were sometimes seen as cumbersome by both staff and by customers alike. There were some major issues with Banking on line for business customers as it was difficult to get set up and in a lot of cases it wasn’t compatible with certain computer systems. There is also the public’s perception of the risk concerned with digital technology and some customers do not trust the systems and still prefer to go in to the Bank and make their transactions or apply for their loans with a human. I showed a family member how to pay a bill on line. This was their first attempt at using this system and they were very impressed with how easy the process was, however as the payee was an Ulster Bank customer the transaction took a couple of days to go through. This caused my relation a huge worry (they are in their 60’s) as she would have preferred to have had physical evidence such as a receipt for the transaction and they could not relax until the funds were acknowledged as received. This however is not such a worry for younger generations as they have more trust in the digital systems. The security issues need to be addressed and maintained and also the banks need to keep ahead of the fraudsters. As long as this continues to happen I c an see a continued rise in the use of digital banking systems. Conclusion As outlined on the Bain Brief article â€Å"Many banks have been too quick to capitalize on digital technologies as a way to strip costs out of their operations. Steering their technology-enable customers to websites, mobile apps and ATMs, they are shuttering full-service branches and replacing them with automated kiosks. But while the savings from taking a self-service approach can be enticing, the longer term costs of abandoning customers to their own high-tech devices are unacceptably high.† The Digital Challenge to Retail banks Oct 17,2012 by Dirk Vater, Youngsuh Cho and Peter Sidebottom. This article was written in 2012 and since then Bank of Ireland has come to realize this and are trying to keep their physical branch footprint in place in as much as possible in order to have a face behind the bank. Other major banks in Ireland have been reducing their branch footprint in order to reduce costs. We will have to wait and see in the future what the best approach to this will have been and as always hindsight is sometimes a great thing. Referencing Accenture Study, Global Consumer Pulse Research (2014) Bain Banking Study (2012) FIS Primary Consumer Research (Aug 2011) Laudon, Laudon,(2014) Management Information Systems Second UPC Report on Irelands Digital Future (2014) Stapleton, (2015) Banking in a Digital Age Webinars Putnam, (2011) Attracting and Retaining Gen Y and Gen X Vater, Youngsuh and Sidebottom (2012) Bain Brief The Digital Challenge to Retail Banks Villers, (2015) PWC Banking will mean digital banking in 2015

Imperialistic Attitude Conveyed in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

One must sometimes wonder what an ideal utopian world would be like. The first things to come to mind would probably rather trivial, such as golden roads, chocolate fountains, etc. However, the underlying core of what a utopian society would be like is one that would have an abundance of two seemingly unknown words, morality and humanity. Morality and humanity would be the greatest grace for any society to have, for any government to be driven by. Sadly, this is usually not, nor has it really ever been, the case. Instead, government is run by a largely imperialistic attitude. That is, whatever can satisfy the greed and hunger of a nation is what matters, not the inhumane suffering that follows afterwards. This imperialistic and dehumanized attitude is both explicitly and implicitly shown in two great novels, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and Voltaire’s Candide, along with some lesser known but no less important stories. Not only is this corrupt imperialism expressed as a whole in these writings, but also in its more detailed aspects, such as globalization of empire, racism, and slavery in a literal and metaphorical sense. The first aspect, empirical globalization, is one that has been rampant for all of the past to the present. By globalization, I do not merely mean exploring another country in a peaceful, knowledge-seeking manner- I wish that were the case. In speaking of this, I am speaking of that which is exemplified so well in the Spanish conquistadors in America, the â€Å"noble† conqueror and king Alexander the Great, and so many more nations and figureheads to mention. These people were and seemingly still are venerated as heroes for finding knew lands, â€Å"taking them†, and becoming incredibly wealthy off those lands res... ...m going on about such things as dehumanization and apathy in speaking of mass imperialism and globalization, but all of these are tied together. The very simple reason for the â€Å"exploitation of man by man for economic gain† is that many people do not care for the lives of anyone but themselves. Others are simply seen as insects that can be used and thrown out. Just property gone bad! All throughout history, humans have sought to create their own utopias. Doing this, most times, ends up creating mass globalizations, imperialism, and xenophobic ideals. Mark Twain said it best, â€Å"I am quite sure that I have no race prejudices, and I think I have no color prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. Indeed, I know it. I can stand any society. All that I care to know is that a man is a human being- that is enough for me; he can’t be any worse† (229).