Allegiant Travel Company is a leisure travel company Essay

Allegiant Travel Company is a relaxation travel organization concentrated on giving travel administrations and items to occupants of little, underserved urban areas in the United States. The Company works a traveler carrier showcased fundamentally to relaxation travelers in little urban communities, permitting it to offer air transportation both on a stand-alone foundation and packaged with the offer of air-related and outsider administrations and items. Furthermore, it provides air transportation under altered charge flying courses of action. The Company provides planned air transportation on restricted recurrence tenacious flights between little city markets and relaxation goals. Since Allegiant offers fares that are low, strict costs controls tend to be mandatory to achieve the desired profit margins. One of the cost control measure used by Allegiant is the use of MD-80 jets. The MD-80 jets incline to be preferable to the airline is that, at a price of four million Dollars, they are cheap to buy as well as maintaining (Yenee, 2004). These plans tend to be cheaper in comparison to the acquisition of the newer planes such as the Boeing 737. Allegiant withal prefers the utilization of MD-80 because they are facile as well as frugal to refurbish. The MD-80 agreeably is a dependable plane but with the emergence of the relatively better airplanes such as the Boeing 737, the MD-80 is becoming outdated day after day which why it makes much sense for Allegiant Air to acquire the better plane such as the Boeing 737. One of the key reasons as to why the Boeing 737 is superior to the MD-80 is that, the MD-80 carries with it the many nuisances in flights assessments of safety at times when there is increased concern regarding aircraft maintenance (Vasigh, 2012). Back in the day when the McDonnell Douglas-80 came to be first used, it was fuel-efficient compared to other planes. Today, however, the MD-80 is considered a fuel hog airplane with regards to the developments that have emerged in fuel efficiency in the year 1980 when it was first built. In addition to this, companies that use the MD-80 airplanes such as Allegiant Air have to have the airplanes retrofitted to comply with the more modern noise rules as compared to the Boeing 737, which does not (Yenne, 2004). One major reason the MD-80’s need a replacement by the Boeing 737 is the fuel efficiency. Airlines such as Allegiant, which tend to use the MD-80, suffer losses in fuel consumption of 25%-35% in comparison to the newer models of planes such as the Boeing 737. As crude oil prices play around $112 per barrel, it is clearer that the future for the MD-80’s is very limited. The latter also being based on the number of passengers that both MD-80 and the Boeing 737 take. The Boeing 737 can carry more passengers than the MD-80 by around 17 passengers. The 737 can take up to 189 passengers whereas the MD-80 can only take up to 172 passengers (Vasigh, 2012). Operating economics is one of the major determiners of what type of plan is best used to increase the profit margins, but relatively hard to evaluate as it is in the case of the two airplanes in comparison here- The MD-80 and the Boeing 737. Some of the variables to look at including the potential that the airplanes in discussion have to give financially. The potential that it has in terms of revenue as well as the contribution towards profitability that the two planes have to give should also consider. Flights’ crew expenses as well as the costs of fuel present a significant portion of total operating costs. The 737 with a better fuel economy and passenger comfort is the better option over the MD-80 to affect exogenous variables such as the customer preference so as to increase the profit margins. One of the aspects that the Allegiant should consider is the aspect of shifting from buying one plane for $5 million to buy $40 million to save about 30%-40% fuel costs. Looking at this from a short run perspective, it might not look akin to a very good conception but calculating these from a long run viewpoint (Vasigh, 2012). It is clear that the 737 is a better option. The latter is based on the fact the savings on fuel in the end outshine the $35 million of purchasing a 737 over the MD-80. Other monetary reasons as to why the MD-80 should be traded for the Boeing 737 is that the counts of cycle on the MD-80 frame in terms of depreciation. The MD-80 depreciates more than the 737 and it has to pay higher landing fees due to its noisy JT8D engine. References Vasigh, B., Taleghani, R., & Jenkins, D. (2012).  Aircraft finance: Strategies for managing capital costs in a turbulent industry. Ft. Lauderdale, FL: J. Ross Pub. Yenne, B. (2004).  Classic American airliners. Osceola, Wis: MBI. Source document

Cesare Lombroso

Cesare Lombroso was the founder of the Italian School of Positivist Criminology. He rejected the established Classical School, which held that crime was a characteristic trait of human nature and that rational choices were the foundation of behavior. Lombroso, using a scientific approach and concepts drawn from physiognomy, early eugenics, psychiatry, and Social Darwinism, argued that criminality was inherited, and that the â€Å"born criminal† could be identified by physical defects, which confirmed a criminal as â€Å"savage,† or â€Å"atavistic. While his particular identifying characteristics are no longer considered valid, the idea of factors that predispose certain individuals to commit crime continues to be foundational to work in criminology. Together with his emphasis on the scientific method, this revolutionary approach has earned Lombroso the title â€Å"father† of scientific criminology He was later forced to considerably alter his views after extens ive study of the phenomenon of Eusapia Palladino, a famous spiritualist. He later wrote, â€Å"I am ashamed and grieved at having opposed with so much tenacity the possibility of the so-called spiritistic facts.Cesare Lombroso was famous in the nineteenth century because he claimed to have discovered the cause of crime and wrote books. In these books, Lombroso claimed that anatomical investigations of the post mortem bodies of criminals revealed that they were physically different from normal people. He maintained that criminals have stigmata (signs), and that these stigmata consist of abnormal dimensions of the skull and jaw. Lombroso even claimed that different criminals have different physical characteristics which he could discern.In time, and under the influence of his son-in-law, Guglielmo Ferrero, Lombroso included the view that social factors were also involved in the causation of crime and that all criminality is not inborn. â€Å"Born criminals† were thus viewed by in his earliest writings as a form of human sub-species. In his later writings, however, he began to regard them less as evolutionary throwbacks and more in terms of arrested development and degeneracy. He popularized the notion of a â€Å"born criminal† through biological determinism criminals have particular physiognomic attributes or deformities.Physiognomy attempts to estimate character and personality traits from physical features of the face or the body. In Lombroso's view, whereas most individuals evolve, the violent criminal had devolved, and therefore constituted a societal or evolutionary regression. He concentrated on a purported scientific methodology in order to identify criminal behavior and isolate individuals capable of the most violent types of crime. He advocated the study of individuals using measurements and statistical methods in compiling anthropological, social, and economic data.With successive research and more thorough statistical analysis, he modif ied his theories. He continued to define atavistic stigmata, and in addition, he identified two other types of criminal: the insane criminal, and the â€Å"criminaloid. † Although insane criminals bore some stigmata, they were not born criminals; rather they became criminal as a result â€Å"of an alteration of the brain, which completely upsets their moral nature. † Among the ranks of insane criminals were kleptomaniacs and child molesters.Criminaloids had none of the physical peculiarities of the born or insane criminal and became involved in crime later in life, and tended to commit less serious crimes. Criminaloids were further categorized as habitual criminals, who became so by contact with other criminals, the abuse of alcohol, or other â€Å"distressing circumstances. † He was also an advocate for humane treatment of criminals, arguing for the removal of atavistic, born criminals from society for their own and society's protection, for rehabilitation for those not born criminal, and against capital punishment.His work was always hampered by his Social Darwinist assumptions. In particular, he held the pre-genetic conception of evolution as â€Å"progress† from â€Å"lower life forms† to â€Å"higher life forms† together with an assumption that the more â€Å"advanced† human traits would dispose their owners to living peacefully within a hierarchical, urbanized society far different from the conditions under which human beings evolved. In attempting to predict criminality by the shapes of the skulls and other physical features of criminals, he had in effect created a new pseudoscience of forensic phrenology.While he was a pioneer of scientific criminology, and his work was one of the bases of the eugenics movement in the early twentieth century, his work is no longer considered as providing an adequate foundation for contemporary criminology. However, psychiatry and abnormal psychology have retained his ide a of locating crime completely within the individual and utterly divorced from the surrounding social conditions and structures. Lombroso developed the concept of the â€Å"atavistic,† or born, criminal, based on anthropometric measurements.Although the scientific validity of the concept has been questioned by other criminologists, Lombroso is still credited with turning attention from the legalistic study of crime to the scientific study of the criminal. This new scientific criminology valued the experimental method based on empirically discovered facts and their examination. The knowledge gained was to be achieved carefully, over time, through systematic observation and scientific analysis. In his later work, He was noted for advocating humane treatment of criminals and limitations on the use of the death penalty.

Ethics and Values and 2g Scam

Ethics and Value Management Project Report Table of Content 1. Abstract 1. 1 Introduction 2. Ethical Issues 3. Ethical Dilemma’s 3. 1. Dilemma faced by A. Raja 3. 1. 1. Role of A. Raja 3. 1. 2. Ethical Theories 3. 1. 3. Cost and Benefit analysis 3. 1. 4. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma 3. 2. Dilemma faced by Corporates 3. 2. 1. Role of Corporates 3. 2. 2 Ethical Theories 3. 2. 3. Cost and Benefit analysis 3. 2. 4. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma 3. 3. Dilemma faced by Government 3. 3. 1. Role of Government 3. 3. 2. Ethical Theories 3. 3. 3. Cost and Benefit analysis . 3. 4. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma 3. 4 Dilemma faced by Media 3. 4. 1. Role of Media 3. 4. 2. Ethical Theories 3. 4. 3. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma 4. Recommendations for avoiding recurrence of the issue 4. 1 Plan to avoid recurrence of such a scam 5. References 5. 1. Websites 5. 2. Books 1. Abstract 1. 1. Introduction: The  2G  spectrum  scam  involved politici ans and government officials in India illegally undercharging  mobile telephony  companies for  frequency allocation  licenses, which they would then use to create  2G  subscriptions for  cell phones.The shortfall between the money collected and the money that the law mandated to be collected is estimated to be  176,645  Crore  (US$32. 15 billion), as valued by the  Comptroller and Auditor General of India  based on  3G and BWA spectrum auction  prices in 2010. However, the exact loss is disputed. The Supreme Court declared allotment of spectrum as â€Å"unconstitutional and arbitrary† and quashed all the 122 licenses issued in 2008 during tenure of  A. Raja(then  minister for communications & IT) the main official accused in the 2G scam case.In 2011,  Time  magazine listed the scam at number two on their â€Å"Top 10 Abuses of Power† list. 2. Ethical Issues With the outbreak of the 2G spectrum scam, the following ethical issues on t he part of the Government, Regulatory bodies, media and industry came into the forefront. * Spirit of collective responsibility not conserved: An ethics of co-responsibility is required and can only be implemented through mechanisms well beyond the legal system. In the 2G scam, almost all of the entire media and nation has put the name of Mr A.Raja as the responsible person for the corruption but the actual decision of telecom policy was passed through the cabinet. * Too much power in hands of very few: This is what actually happened in case of 2G scam. The entire decision making power rested in the hands of selected bureaucrats. * Middle men used for access to those in power: Middlemen were used to by company officials and other illicit channels to reach the ministers. People in power were lured by money. Those who did not bend to the power of money were either transferred or were threatened. Neutrality of media questionable: In the  2G Spectrum Scam  Case, instead of providing valuable insights, the media is trying to become the judiciary. The media has targeted easy scapegoats, revolving their stories around a selected few because even they know that it is difficult for them to target certain big names like the Tatas, Ambanis and Ruias. * Personal greed puts business ethics at stake:  Raja was the mastermind of this whole scam and his personal greed made him do all the corrupt things. The 2 fundamentals of business i. e. air dealing and transparency was completely kept aside to enjoy the false fruits. * Wrong use of power leads to a great turmoil:  Raja being the Telecom minister, tried to influence the senior officials of DOT by all means. Those who didn’t get influenced were either transferred or removed from their posts. 3. Ethical Dilemma’s 3. 1. Dilemma Faced By A. Raja: Mr A. Raja was in a dilemma whether he should disclose the name of every main conspirator of the plot, or should he wait for his fellow mates having a reputed pos ition in the government and corporate world to help him get out . 1. 1. Role of A. Raja A Raja has received  3,000  crore  (US$546 million)  as bribe for bringing forward the cut-off date for applications for spectrum from the initial 1 October 2007 to 25 September 2007. At the time of taking decision he might have got influenced of the dilemma related to it but money made him blind and despite of knowing the risk associated and at the stake of his personal values, he took the decision of performing the 2G Scam. There was also a clear conflict of interest among promoters, shareholders and other stakeholders of company.The conflict of public shareholders and stakeholders put them in very interesting position. There was also a dilemma when the case uncovered which was more or less can be termed as the prisoners dilemma as should he tell the names of all the person associated or only few because it was a very high end case consisting of many renowned politicians and bureaucrats 3. 1. 2. Ethical Theories: Depending on the dilemma faced by different people in this case there are different ethical theories that can be applied.Mainly we can apply 2 theories: * Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism is a theory in normative ethics holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes utility, specifically defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering. In this theory person compares the benefits with its cost and take decision accordingly. * Hedonism: It is a school of thought that argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure (pleasure minus pain).Ethical hedonism is the idea that all people have the right to do everything in their power to achieve the greatest amount of pleasure possible to them. It is also the idea that every person's pleasure should far surpass their amount of pain. 3. 1. 3. Cost ; Benefit Analysis: Going by the theory of utility, A. Raja might have done the benefit cost analysis as follows: Benefits Loss | | A. Raja will be getting lots of money | A. Raja can be caught, but the chances are very less because in India politicians are never caught | With money there will be power.Moreover he will be a friend of big corporate personalities. | Shareholders will get affected with this decision| The huge benefit of under-pricing or unfair subsidiary was given to the mobile telephone services| The person who is not a shareholder or customer of any mobile telephony company has sold his share in spectrum on cheap prices and lost his money which would have been spent for the development of his nation| The subsidy was given to all industry majors, who regularly lobby against the subsidy to basic human need like food, water, education and shelter. When call rates were high, there would be an exclusion of masses from this information revolution. This is a simple math not a magic formula to fool all stakeholders| The huge benefit of under-pricing or unfair subsidiary was given to the mobile telephone services| | So, he might have found that he can easily escape by doing this scam and chosen to give away the licence at cheaper rate. Going by the Hedonism theory the pleasure that power and money will bring to him will be much more than that of pain so he thought of choosing the wrong path of earning money. . 1. 4. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma: The 2G Spectrum scam is at the final stage. Now as all the politicians, Bureaucrats, Major Telecom company officials have been exposed. But if would have followed the following simple tests or models they would have definitely selected the ethically right path and avoided the consequences that followed. * Peter Drucker’s Model: â€Å"Above all, do no harm†. Peter Drucker wanted to convey to any individual that if any of his/her decisions harms any other person then that decision is unethical. Raja had thought of this philosophy then he would have avoided his action s and maintained transparency in allocating 2G spectrum. * The government officials would have brought the issue in front of the judicial system if they followed this simple principle. Corporate executives would have refused help from A. Raja as profit making is ethical but profiteering is not * Warren Buffet’s first page of the4 Newspaper’s Test: If all the people imagined the newspaper headlines that were published all throughout 2010, 2011 and 2012, they probably would have not done what they did.Some examples are included below: 1. Court issues notice to CBI on A. Raja's 2G spectrum scam plea 2. Why did not PM act on A. Raja: SC 3. A. Raja informed Manmohan Singh about change in policy: Siddharth Behura 3. 2. Dilemma Faced By Corporates: The basic dilemma faced by the Corporates was whether to abide by the law of the country and obtain the licenses they were capable of obtaining in an ethical manner or whether to unethically obtain licenses in order to increase cus tomer base and earn instant profits.On account of Utilarianism, benefits they achieved were that they were able to attain the shares at much lower cost and thereby incurring huge profits and it also thus provided them with an competitive edge over their competitors as they were able to outrun them that too in such short duration. Also if they did not buy these licences some other companies will buy and attain profits so without considering the harmful repercussions they went on with buying with the licences. 3. 2. 1. Role of Corporates: India found itself in the centre of such protests in 2010-2011 over the scam in 2G spectrum allocation to telecom companies.The 2G scam went a long way to show how the Indian economy, one of the fastest growing in the world, is dominated by a small set of tightly connected power players. Industry observers felt that if not checked soon, the deep-rooted problem of crony capitalism in the country could adversely affect India’s growth and develop ment. They wondered how the accountability could be fixed and the unholy nexus broken. The distributive justice states that equal people should be treated equally. There is nothing wrong in, corporate making profits but it should not be at the cost of other people.When the corporates involve in a scam like this, the tax payers are burdened which is not fair. Ultimately it is the tax payer, who pays for each Scam. Corporate as a part, of the society has got some social responsibility which means, they have every right for making profit but not profiteering by harming the society. Their rights should not harm the interest of the common man. The corporates by involving in the scam are not only cheating the common man but its own people like its shareholders. Transparency in the long run pays of great results.Here being ethical should not only an instrumental value to the corporates, but should be an intrinsic value. Business ethics plays a very important role. th legal frame work may n ot be always be ethical but here observing the legal standards provides an important ethical dimension. The business values like transparency, fairness and justice are universal. Observing these values as an intrinsic value would benefit the business in the long run. When business is ethically strong, it will have the same impact on its employees. When employees are ethically strong, consumer satisfaction will be high and so the business has to sustain. Corporations involved were: Allianz Infra, Aircel, Dishnet wireless, loop mobile, Reliance communications, S Tel, Swan telecom, Tata Tele Services, Unitech Group, Videocon Telecommunications Limited, Vodafone Essar, Virgin Mobile India. * Corporate Personalities involved were: Anil Ambani (Reliance Group-ADAG), Ratan Tata, Shahid Balwa (DB Reality and Etisalat DB Telecom), Vinod Goenka (Dinamix Group), Venugopal Dhoot (Videocon Group), and Prashant Ruia (Essar Group). 3. 2. 2. Ethical Theories: * Utilitarianism: Going by this theory, the corporates involved Utilitarianism i. e. aximising their profits, specifically defined as maximizing happiness and reducing suffering. For them what is good is that which produces pleasure, happiness, contentment or welfare and what is right is that which maximizes one or more of these things. Utilitarian’s call the method for maximizing good the principle of utility and they use the term optimific to describe the achievement of this maximization. The Corporates on their part in order to maximise their profits instantly and in an easy manner went on 2G scandal, without considering the ramifications. 3. 2. 3. Cost and Benefit Analysis: Swan Telecom paid Rs. , 537 crore for 2G licences in 13 circles, they soon sold 45 per cent equity in this company to Etisalat for Rs. 4,200 crore. Unitech obtained licences in 22 circles for Rs. 1,658 crore and then sold 60 per cent equity in the company to Telenor for Rs. 6,100 crore. Thereby, providing them with instant benefits. 3. 2. 4 . Recommendation for Resolving the Dilemma: * Peter Drucker’s model: â€Å"Thou shalt not steal† and â€Å"Primum Non Nocere. † Which in English means, above all (or first) do no harm. According to Peter Drucker wanted to convey that an individual’s decision is unethical if it harms any other person’s.Thus, abiding by the Peter Drucker model to resolve this ethical dilemma involved the corporate personalities involved should have rejected the proposal offered by A. Raja as achieving profit is fairly ethical but what turned out in this case was ‘profiteering’ which is unethical. 3. 3 Dilemma faced by the Government: In this context ethical dilemma was on the part of the government after the case got uncovered as it involved many politicians, bureaucrats, & ministers so either to put charge on all of them showing the vulnerable state of the nation or to allege a single minister for the same. 3. 3. 1. Role of Government:The list had many well known ministers like Dayanidhi Maran(Union cabinet minister for textiles), P. Chidambaram(Union cabinet ministers for home affairs), Andimuthu Raja (Union cabinet minister for communication & information technology), Kanimozhi Aravindhan (Member of Rajya Sabha) and also many renowned bureaucrats like Siddharhta Behura, Pradip Baijal, R K Chandolia. 3. 3. 2. Ethical Theories: * Utilitarianism: Going by the this theory, it states that actions and policies should be evaluated on the basis of the benefits and costs they produce for everyone in society and also referred to as consequentialism.It holds that morally right course of action in any situation is the one that, when compared to all other possible actions will produce the greatest balance of benefits over costs for everyone affected. * Hedonism: A school of thought that argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure (pleasure minus pain). In this context goi ng by the above mentioned theory in order to maximize the net profits its better on the part of government not to disclose anything and spare from the pain that can incur f they do so. 3. 3. 3. Cost and Benefit Analysis: In the context of 2G scam the cost and benefit analysis can be done as follows: * Cost: The major threat was the impact on stock market and investment in India. The mobile phone market is the world’s fastest growing making it a must-invest market for any major global operator but after looking at the corruption level and the people involved they might not willing to come over and invest. Moreover it will also shatter the trust factor of the citizens and they will not have any faith in the government. Benefit: Disclosure of all the names involved in the scam will lead to a situation of distrust. In a globalized world such a situation will negatively affect the Indian corporate scenario and may even jeopardize the economy as a whole. Going by the above mentione d theory it was certainly better on their part to go for benefits and not to disclose any names. 3. 3. 4. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma: To resolve the dilemma’s 3 steps can be followed, they are: * Step 1: Analyze the consequences Assuming that the resolution to the ethical dilemma is to be found within the confines of law.Ethical dilemma that arise should be resolved at least within the bare minimum of law and legal framework as otherwise it will lead to a sort of mafia business. One has to look at the consequences that would follow one’s proposed actions. And when one has several options to choose from, there will be an array of consequences connected with each of such options, both positive and negative. Before one acts, answers to the following questions will help find the type of action that can be contemplated; 1. Who are the beneficiaries of your action? . Who are likely to be harmed by your action? 3. What is the nature of the ‘benefitsâ€℠¢ and ‘harms’? (the answer to this question is important because some benefits may be more valuable than others. Letting one enjoy good health is better than letting one enjoy something which gives trivial pleasure. Likewise, some ‘harms’ are less harmful than others. ) 4. How long or how fleetingly are these benefits and harms likely to exist? * Step 2: Analyze the actions Once option is identified, concentration should be on the actions.Find out how the proposed actions measure against moral principles such as ‘honesty, fairness, equality, respect for the dignity and rights of others, and recognition of the vulnerability of people who are weak, etc. ’ Then there are questions of basic decency and general ethical principles and conflicts between principles and the rights of different people involved in the process of choice of the options that have to be considered and answered in one’s mind. After considering all these possible factors in the various options, it is sensible to choose the one which is the least problematic.Step 3: Make a decision After considering all factors that lead to various options, choose an option and analyze it carefully and then take a rational decision. 3. 4. Dilemma faced by Media: It is media’s duty to show the truth to the public, moreover it also considered as a trustworthy source which helps in creating awareness regarding the actual happenings in the world. The Media persons accused faced the ethical dilemma of whether to diligently follow the duties of a journalist and uncover the real truth or be loyal to their friends. 3. 4. 1. Role of mediaThe 2G spectrum scam, which has snowballed into a major controversy involving Indian politicians and businessmen, became hotter for journalists to handle when it allegedly involved two of their senior members. Media sources such as OPEN and Outlook reported that two senior journalists Barkha Dutt (group editor of NDTV) and Vir Sanghvi (editorial director of Hindustan Times) knew that corporate lobbyist Nira Radia was influencing the decisions of appointment of telecom minister. Radia wanted A Raja to be made telecom minister. The two magazines made public the telephone conversations between Nira Radia, Barkha Dutt & Vir Sanghvi.Radia's phones were being tapped by the Income Tax Department. Critics allege that Barkha Dutt and Vir Sanghvi knew about nexus between government and the media industry but still they supported this corrupt activity and suppressed news reporting the discovery of the corrupt practice. In November 2010, OPEN magazine carried a story which reported transcripts of some of the telephone conversations of Nira Radia (a political lobbyist) with senior journalists, politicians, and corporate houses, many of whom have denied the allegations.The Central Bureau of Investigation has announced that they have 5,851 recordings of phone conversations by Radia, some of which outline Radia's attempts to br oker deals in relation to the 2G spectrum sale. The tapes appear to demonstrate how Radia attempted to use some media persons to influence the decision to appoint A. Raja as telecom minister. Vir Sanghvi, editorial director of Indian national daily Hindustan Times and India’s television news channel NDTV’s group editor Barkha Dutt are apparently featured in the transcripts.They are heard promising to fix things for Radia, who is known to be close to the sacked minister A Raja, and her clients besides her political cronies. While Sanghvi allegedly took notes from Radia on what he could point out in his weekly Sunday column of Hindustan Times even as Radia asked him to write against Reliance Group's Anil Ambani and the high court decision on the gas pricing issue. Barkha Dutt had allegedly assured Radia of getting ruling Congress party’s general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad to talk to the supremo of his party’s chief ally in the government M.Karunanidhi to fi x portfolios for the ally according to wishes of Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi. One thing to be noticed in this case was, initially the news gained prominence following sustained pressure on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook against an attempted blackout orchestrated by many prominent Indian TV channels and newspaper. Initially, only handful of newspaper like Deccan Herald and The Indian Express wrote about the tapes. Some newspaper like HT Media, mint and NDTV told that the authenticity of these transcripts cannot be ascertained.Not Touching Corporate Biggies: Now media is deliberately trying to highlight a few names like those of Shahid Balwa, A Raja, Kanimozhi, Sanjay Chandra, Karim Morani, and Vinod Goenka while not touching corporate biggies such as Tatas and Ambanis. It is quite clear that in this 2G spectrum case, only a few are conspired to be indicted in the case while others are clearly kept out. Instead of providing valuable insights, the media is try ing to become the judiciary.The media has targetted easy scapegoats, revolving their stories around a selected few because even they know that it is difficult for them to target certain big names like the Tatas, Ambanis and Ruias. It is a well-known fact that the trial for 2G Spectrum case is going on, and nobody can be proved guilty unless and until it is proved in court, but, without taking it into account, our media has started blaming people and highlighting a only few names without mentioning the rest of the suspects. 3. 4. 2. Ethical Theories: Utilitarianism: If we apply utility theory on media then cost in hiding the facts was that people will not trust the media if they come to know that facts were hidden from them but the benefits were that they will not spoil their relations with big politicians and corporate biggies. So benefits were more than the cost, as it is said that common man has very short memory and you can cheat them. But as pressure started building from opposi te party and moreover opposite party had their friends in the media, the names of big politicians came into picture.But then also media maintain its silence on corporate biggies. 3. 4. 3. Recommendation for resolving the Dilemma: Laura Nash’s model: Following the 12 questions that Laura Nash has raised in her model would have stopped media from taking the first step. Some of the 12 questions that would have helped the accused persons to clear their thought processes are: * How would you define the problem, if you stood on the other side of the fence? * To whom and with what are your loyalties? What are your intensions in making this decision? * How does these intentions compare with the likely results? * Whom could your actions injure? 4. Recommendations for avoiding Recurrence of the Issue Modern scams are victimless in that the victims are not obvious. The victims of these crimes are the taxpayers and citizens of the country to whom this money and assets belong. The only pe rmanent way for us to stop scams is to work on both prevention and deterrence. 4. 1. Plan to avoid recurrence of such a scam 1.Increase disclosure requirements by the government on all contracts and concessions involving public money or assets. 2. Improve the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight on government and executive by making parliamentary committees stronger as well as more transparent to the public. 3. It should be ensured that the Criminal Penal code has amendments to deal with and enable rapid prosecution of white collar crimes and scams. Judiciary should be independent and free of any external influence. It should be capable of taking strong action against the corrupt politicians.While severe punishment is given to a poor village officer when he takes a bribe of Rs10, politicians who cheat the public and earn crores are many a time let free by the court of law. 4. There is a requirement of complete overhaul and changes in our criminal justice system that is still des igned around petty crime and criminals. There is a need for new and stronger laws for dealing with sophisticated financial crimes of the day. One such example is removing the Section 311 that requires prior sanction from the government to prosecute its officers. 5.Media played a very important role in forming an opinion among the citizens therefore there should be effective parliamentary oversight of the government and such oversights be transparent and available to media and citizens. 6. The government must have outside legal and advisory help while negotiating contracts and not rely only on bureaucrats. There should be a creation of a new cadre of independent regulators, backed by parliamentary statutes that oversee most of these sectors. 7. For example, bureaucrats must be chosen as regulators only in exceptional cases of high integrity and capability.Such Independent Regulators must also have oversight on them to ensure that there is no regulatory capture. 8. Ensure that governm ent policy is always about the public and not about private and personal interests. 9. Legislation must be initiated to regulate lobbyists and business chambers, to prevent advocacy changing to corruption and to protect against policy capture instead of policy advocacy. 10. Ensure government policies are not always bombastic rhetoric and full of loopholes for exploitation. This will minimize administrative/political discretion. 1. Another way to stop corruption is to avoid the coalition form of governance. A single party must be allowed to rule the country independently without seeking the support of innumerous minor parties. In the 2G spectrum case, the accused, A. Raja is a representative of DMK which is supporting the congress. In such a situation, an able and efficient prime minister like Manmohan Singh could not take action but had to inadvertently support him as otherwise DMK would have withdrawn their support and thus follows an utter rout for the congress.Lastly and most imp ortantly both media and the general public must create awareness that the government is a trustee of public money and assets and the people are the real owners. If trustees violate the trust, people should not sleep, but must react. A permanent solution, thus, to such scams and corruption is alert citizen and conscientious media. 5. References 5. 1. WEBSITES * http://aishmghrana. wordpress. com/2012/09/01/conflict-of-interests-among-stakeholders-in-2g-allocations/ * http://www. icmrindia. org/casestudies/catalogue/Business%20Ethics/Indian%202G%20Spectrum%20ScamExce2. tm#Can%20Accountability * http://www. isidelhi. org. in/hrnews/HR_THEMATIC_ISSUES/Corruption/Corruption-2011. pdf * http://www. scribd. com/doc/71816181/2g-scam-project * http://www. processexcellencenetwork. com/process-improvement-case-studies/columns/drucker-on-business-ethics/ * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Radia_tapes_controversy * http://www. slideshare. net/amyberi/2g-spectrum-scam-casestudy * http://realityche ck. wordpress. com/2010/12/03/wheres-our-story-media-on-2g-spectrum-scam-shyness-or-something-more/ 5. 2. BOOKS * Business Ethics: An Indian Perspective by A. C. Fernando

Critical Review Paper Expansion Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Review Expansion - Term Paper Example Their views are important for international political thought, because they influenced present international political economy theories and helped paved the debate on political ideology, particularly shaping the discourse on the concept of â€Å"civil society† and the rise of nation-states vis-a-vis â€Å"civil society.† Kant, Rousseau, Locke and Hobbes have diverging views on the relationship between the government and civil society, as well as the notions of slavery, sovereignty, direction of international politics, and peace, but they share somewhat similar beliefs in the role of education and the state of nature of humanity. Locke and Hobbes have diverging views on the relationship between the government and civil society. Hobbes believes that Europe has changed as a civil society through the evolution of the social contract. The Commonwealth only exists because of the Covenant between the people and the government or the state. Hobbes says in the Leviathan: â€Å" Essence of the Common-wealth; which (to define it) is ‘One Person, of whose Acts a great Multitude, by mutual Covenants one with another, have made themselves every one the Author, to the end he may use the strength and means of them all, as he shall think expedient, for their Peace and Common Defense.’† This statement shows that the main goal of the government is to ensure peace and national defense. The covenant or social contract, however, for Hobbes is absolute, where the state incorporates the wills of the individuals; the state is the body and individuals are just parts of it: â€Å"The only way to erect such a Common Power† is â€Å"to confer all their power and strength upon one Man, or upon one Assembly of men, that may reduce all their Wills, by plurality of voices, unto one Will† (Hobbes). This statement underscores that the social contract binds all individuals. On the one hand, it enforces plurality of wills. On the other hand, it means the precedence of the state over civil society. Locke confirms the same views as Hobbes and argues that Europe also changed because of the need for the social contract. Unlike Hobbes, Locke believes that people take part of social contracts merely to help adjudicate disputes between individuals or groups. He says: â€Å"And this is done, where-ever any number of men, in the state of nature, enter into society to make one people, one body politic, under one supreme government†¦to make laws for him, as the public good of the society shall require†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Locke, Two Treatises on Government). From here, it is clear that Locke believes that it is the people or civil society that legitimizes the state; while for Hobbes, it is the government that legitimizes the existence of a peaceful civil society. My criticism of Hobbes is that he overlooks that the people make the government. The social contract binds the people, but the people can unbind some laws too in order to make the contract fit their changing needs and issues. I agree more with Locke, who reminds governments of their servitude to the civil society. It does not mean, however, that the civil society will also abuse its rights and fully void the social contract without due justifications. Moreover, Locke and Hobbes diverge on the notion of sovereignty. Locke argues that civil

The Marketing Role in a CSR Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Marketing Role in a CSR Company - Essay Example The marketing angles are also in line with what the different publics require from the aegis of Shell and how Shell as a global company has brought about these deliverables in a quantifiable capacity. Â  Shell has concerned itself with health, safety, and other significant issues on a worldwide basis. This has meant that quite a heavy spending has been focused towards the CSR ranks, which indeed is a very positive aspect that is brought forward by the top management at Shell. Shell believes in empowering small and medium business entrepreneurs through its different programs (Ralston 2002). It has also endeavored to provide the poor and needy the much-needed food and shelter through a series of programs, all of which are geared to uplift the image of Shell in the long run. What is more understandable is the fact that Shell has been able to give in its best for quite a while now and the same will continue to be the case in the times to come, since its measures and initiatives are very coherent and strong. Â  The role of marketing within the CSR domains is also very important for Shell since the global player within the oil company understands that if it does not involve its own self in a very reasonable way within the minds and hearts of the customers, then it would be very difficult for it to claim its place within the relevant industrial settings as well (Sims 2003). Hence Shell’s role is to come out as an honest player which it is trying its best to project in different walks of life (Bennett 2002). However, there are times when controversies do arise and more so within the aegis of whistleblowing patterns making the rounds of the top organizations in the present times. Shell’s responsibility does not end here at all. It has to keep moving forward and satisfy its publics in such a way that they feel privileged and has a very positive view of the oil company that has changed the CSR definition. Â  

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 126

Case Study Example focus on developing athletics activities and equipment that attract people below the age of 19 years and single women between the ages of 30-39 years. These two groups of the population constitute the highest number of non-peak period visitors. The management should provide a discount for the unmarried people, especially the women. Single ladies are likely to have fewer responsibilities compared to the married couples. In this regard, single ladies are likely to have sufficient time to visit the club regularly. Essentially, offering discounts would increase the frequency of attendance and attract new customers’ thereby increasing revenue for the club (Fields, 1999). The management should introduce awards and gifts for frequent and royal customers. This will encourage them to visit the club more frequently since they are assured of a gift. In addition, special gifts should be given to customers who bring new customers during the low seasons. This will encourage the existing customers to invite their friends to join the club. During the low seasons, the management should offer aerobic and yoga classes to both the silver and gold membership holders. Such strategies will aid in expanding the membership base and increasing revenues for the

Buyer Behavior Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Buyer Behavior Proposal - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present the underlying reasons why the people are hooked to play video games. These reasons could be attributed by its ability to allow the players to perform real-life physical movements through using its unique, motion-sensing controllers.The game console is also purposely designed with compelling characters, different opponent as targets and incorporated with various challenges. To make the game more exciting, the players were required to make critical decisions at specific junctures and match a blend of action and strategies in order to win the game or to perceive their primary goals. The innovations of built-in voice technology in the video games such as voice chat and voice command also increased the fascination of the gamers to play even more console games because they could command and control the characters’ actions through dictation or voice-based their strategies. In addition, the voice technology also enables the player to interco nnect with other players and make it more easy and convenient to play as a team. The latter becomes the significant factor to consider video gaming as social and community –driven pastime. The evidence of this claim was proven by the research conducted by the International Digital Software Association in the recent year. The findings revealed that 60% of gamers were playing with friends, 33% were playing with siblings, and 25% were playing with spouses or parents. ... ideo games could be attributed by its ability to allow the players to perform real-life physical movements through using its unique, motion-sensing controllers (Limperos et al, 2011).The game console is also purposely designed with compelling characters, different opponent as targets and incorporated with various challenges. To make the game more exciting, the players were required to make critical decisions at specific junctures and match a blend of action and strategies in order to win the game or to perceive their primary goals (GamePro, 2011). The innovations of built-in voice technology in the video games such as voice chat and voice command also increased the fascination of the gamers to play even more console games because they could command and control the characters’ actions through dictation or voice-based their strategies. In addition, the voice technology also enables the player to interconnect with other players and make it more easy and convenient to play as a te am. The latter becomes the significant factor to consider video gaming as social and community –driven pastime. The evidence of this claim was proven by the research conducted by the International Digital Software Association in the recent year. The findings revealed that 60% of gamers were playing with friends, 33% were playing with siblings, and 25% were playing with spouses or parents (Mangis, 2003, p. 113). Due to the changing pastime or leisure of consumers, the market for digital playground has significantly increased. In 2002, the consumers’ expenditures for gaming had reached up to $ 6.9 billion, placing gaming as the number one industry (Mangis, 2003, p.113). Such in the case in the launching of the Nintendo 3DS in the UK market in 2011. The game console was abruptly sold out some

Why is Reality TV so Popular Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Why is Reality TV so Popular - Research Paper Example The appeal of reality TV has been evident to all people who have watched the shows. Several others have become tired of listening and watching recycled jokes and sitcoms and drama shows. Reality TV shows have been able to create new dimensions in the entertainment industry which have given life to the culture of TV watching. They have yielded a premise that plays out in unpredictable ways. They have been able to appeal to people because there has been an easy way to relate the audience to the one who is shown on the shows. The elements of real life and reality of the actions that are performed in the shows have been the main eye-catching events in the shows. Reality TV shows have been gaining popularity day by day and therefore many people have expressed their desire to have more and more shows. Many have been dreaming of going and participial in the shows and reap the benefit in monetary and fame that comes with actual participation in the shows. The benefit including money, home, and fame or new faces have been the main attraction for the desire by many people who wants to participate in the reality TV shows. Each day when you turn on the TV you are likely to see a reality TV shows on all the channels that you tune to. This shows that these shows have become the recent attractions in the entertainment world. But why have they become so much famous for a short period of time since the first reality TV show was aired in 2000? There are several reasons that can be attributed to the increased fame of the shows.

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis Essay

What is sub-prime lending and how has it affected the housing crisis - Essay Example nd the nature of subprime lending, this paper also provides a background of the subprime lending which gained popularity in the 1990’s, and also a comparison with other forms of mortgages like the prime lending. Subprime lending is a type of granting loans in which the client’s ability to pay is questionable. Kenneth Temkin et. al (2002) add that subprime lending mortgage originations are more inclined to risky borrowers. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, subprime loans are given to individuals with limited credit histories. One reason for this is the lack of background check on the borrower. In order to compensate for the higher credit risk, the loans that are given have higher interest rates.1 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presents three (3) truths about the subprime lenders: (1) the increased shares of subprime lenders’ overall origination as compared to the prime lenders’ originations are due to home refinance loans; (2) they occupy a bigger percentage in total originations in black-predominated communities than prime lenders; and (3) terms like â€Å"consumer, finance, and acceptance† are seen more in their lender names.2 Temkin et al. (2002) find out that subprime borrowers have lower incomes or belong to minority groups than their primary counterparts. They have less information financially on the bank mechanisms. They are also less sophisticated and less comfortable in dealing with banks. Danielle DiMartino and John Duca (2007) add that the prime or the traditional mortgages are offered to borrowers with good credit histories and can make down payments and document their income entirely. Whereas the subprime or the nontrad itional mortgages, are extended to borrower applicants who are less credit-worthy as reflected by their low credit scores and unsure income forecasts which â€Å"reflect the highest default risk and warrant the highest interest rates†. They also introduce the near-prime

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 4

Finance - Essay Example ralian dollar, as well as the interest rates as apparent in the situation of the housing market, and the unemployment situation in the mining industry. Lastly, this paper looks at the current efforts to regulate the financial markets. The sources of data include article from online versions of major newspapers such as the Australian, as well as articles from global financial institutions such as the World Bank and Overseas Development Institute. Other legitimate sources such as the website of the Australian government have been utilized. The bulk of the sources include academic journals such as Financial Management, McKinsey Quarterly, Cambridge Journal of Economics, etc., that tackle the issue of global financial crisis, from databases such as Business Source Premier, Oxford Journals and ABI Inform. The invisible hand view of the economy, as explored in the book â€Å"Economics† by Samuelson and Nordhaus, will fail to exist under two conditions: when there is imperfect competition and imperfect information, and when there are market externalities. The failure in major financial markets exists because of either of these conditions. Prior to the financial crisis, the financial markets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds markets are considered markets where the invisible hand operates. The stock market has always been referred to as an efficient market by economists. According to Brealey, Myers and Marcus, â€Å"the competition [in this market] to find misvalued stocks is intense. So when new information comes out, investors rush to take advantage of it and thereby eliminate any profit opportunities (2004, 165).† An efficient market, according to Samuelson and Nordhaus in their book â€Å"Economics† is defined as â€Å"one where all new information is quickly understood by market participants and becomes immediately incorporated into the market prices (2004, 534).† This characteristic of the stock market as an efficient market is attributed to the availability of

Vancouver Olympic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vancouver Olympic - Essay Example According to Participation Agreement, the city accepted to be the host city and proceeded with the bid (Larry, Para 1-2). In December 1998, the Canadian Olympic Committee approved the Vancouver bid and agreed upon its representation Canada in the international bidding competition to host the 2010 Olympic Games. The Bid City Agreement was signed by the City, the COA and the bid group. The Bid City Agreement allowed the City to present its bid before the International Olympic Committee and established some roles and the responsibilities for all the parties in presenting the Bid. It also included intellectual property matters like copyright and trademarks, expenses, marketing, community consultation, the signing of the IOC Host City Agreement and operation of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. The conditions of the Bid City Agreement need the City to work with the COC just to make sure that all features of the bid are covered and they are in compliance with the provisions of the Olympic Charter (Larry, Para 3). Initial Cost of Vancouver's Bid: The budget of the Bid Corporation for this bid was Can$34 million and of this total amount the Province of British Colu... Public corporation contributed 54 percent of the bid and private companies offered 46 percent of the funding. Contributing Factors: Hosting the Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler will affect the economy of the Province of British Columbia. Positive outcomes have been understood more important than the negatives for hosting the games. This point of view became very helpful for BC economy of the period around 2002 when the Canadian Dollar was weaker than the American Dollar. The time when Vancouver was selected as host city it was considered as capable as boosting the economy and increasing the tourism. Since then the Canadian Dollar has become stronger than American Dollar and tourism is expected to be lower as it will be very costly to come to Canada and spend in Canadian Dollars (Jay and Adam, Para 2). Motivation: The BC Government has created a favorable opinion of the games in the public eye. The government has guaranteed an economic boom following the games. It is expected that provincial growth will be approximately in between 0.9 and 1.2% per year from 2005 to 2011 (Derek, 2005, Para 1). Announcements have been made regarding the budget of the games and about its expected overall profit. It also has been claimed that there will be approximately 5600 new full time jobs, which will be created directly by the Games. The problem with the claims is that the government has speculated that Vancouver and Whistler areas would not be visited by the tourists if there were no Olympics and the jobs which are created by the Games would not be filled up by the workers and there would be unemployment, which seems to be wrong because there would certainly be large number of tourists and the unemployment rate in Vancouver area is one of the lowest in the

How Cooking Free

How Cooking Frees Men Article Essay This article explains how the discovery in cooking foods has dramatically changed the way we live, and the amount of time freed up by spending less time chewing. Raw food takes much longer to eat than soft cooked foods. The discovery of cooking changed our social division of labor between men and women. The Hadza tribes are foragers; hunters and gathers, and now that cooking food is possible, the men hunt for meat, while the women forage the land for anything edible. When the men come back to the village, the women hope they have meat or honey to provide, but if they come empty handed, the women have the food they have gathered already prepared for the hungry men. The men and women share their food with one another, their children, and extended family. Even though my family and I are not foragers, this sounds very similar to the same way I was brought up. My father would make the money that paid for the food, while my mother would stay home to raise us children and cook. She always had dinner ready for my father whether he was coming home from work or home after looking for a job. Either way, we always had food on our table. There were even summers that we had to pick fruit with my mother on farmers land so we can have canned fruit stock our pantry. We would forage in the fall walnuts that have fallen off a walnut tree on the side of some road, so she can make banana nut bread. As a child I was put to work on several occasions to help my mother, and that was not the same way my brothers were raised, they would be allowed to go hunting or fishing with my father. Even though my family and I are not foragers we have a lot of similarities with the Hadza tribe and how they divide their labor based upon gender and age. Foragers follow the method of hunter and gatherer, to collect their food. They form small communities of mainly family; immediate and extended family. The men hunt for food while the women and children forage for edible plants. The tribes join occasionally to celebrate things; and they share their food. The Hadza believed if a single man provided the meat for the day, he would divide the food with his family first, and then divide it amongst the rest of the tribesmen. Foraging may have been the way to gather food in the beginning of man (several small tribes still live as foragers, like the Hadza tribe). Today, America and many other countries use intensive agriculture; we use machinery to irrigate and fertilize to increase our surplus. This is necessary because of our population; we are not only a few like the foragers. We are primarily controlled through a government, as apposed to moving about with a village. My first impression of this article was not too great; I felt the writer discussed the difference of chew time within too much detail. I understand the concept of â€Å"less time chewing = more time†. What I found most interesting, and gained insight from, was the knowledge that cooking food to make it soft, freed up the time of man. Without that simple action of cooking our food, man would be very different today. Not just time wise, but that was the start of division of labor within a family. This is still practiced within many American families and tribes that still live off the land. I think a big difference between us and them (which there are a few tribal foragers still today), they live creating little impact on their environment, while we seem to not care so much about the harm we do to ours. I feel because of more time, we not only have the means to relax and socialize, but we also abuse it. We are not as active, and to some people their social part of life is their most important. So because of more time, people are becoming obese, lazy, and gossipy. That pretty much sums up over half of the American population.

The Multi Store Model And The Reconstructive Model Psychology Essay

The Multi Store Model And The Reconstructive Model Psychology Essay In this essay there are two memory models what are compared. The memory models are the Multi Store Model and the Reconstructive Model. It shows how the models work, some studies which have been done experimenting the model, advantages and disadvantages to the models. The multi store model is a theory by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968). They say that memory uses a number of different processes and that there is actually more than one kind of memory store. There is three parts to the multi store model: sensory memory, short term memory and long term memory. The process starts at sensory memory where you use your senses: Sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste to receive and store information. The information here doesnt last very long from milliseconds to two seconds, just long enough for it to transfer to short term memory. To get to short term memory you use the process, encoding. Encoding means taking the information and making a memory trace. There are three types of encoding: Acoustic, visual and semantic. Acoustic is repeating the topic; you would say or sing the words in your head. Visual is where you would try to see the topic in your head and try to picture it. Semantic encoding is what it means to you e.g. a favourite birthday present, someth ing that has a personal meaning. If the information is not attended to from sensory memory to short term memory this can be lost. The information that has been attended to then rehearsed will go to store in long term memory. (AS Level Psychology) Peterson and Peterson (1959) did a study that supported the multi store model for the duration of short term memory; they named the study Trigram Retention Experiment also known as TRE. The study was highly controlled and the people all started on the same base level. Their aim of the study was to see what the duration of short term memory would be if you did no rehearsal. When they tested this, the people who partook in the trigram, were read three letters. These three constanants were randomly picked and had no meaning e.g. CWT. immediately after been given this the people had to count backwards in threes starting with a very large three digit number. This was called the distractor task they had to do it for a specified time and it was designed so that you could not rehearse the TRE. The time period was called The retention interval and this varied from 3 seconds to 18 seconds. Then when told, the people had to recall the trigram. The letters had to be said exactly the same. They f ound that nearly all the people who recalled after a three second retention interval were successful. Then when they did it at 18 seconds, only very few people could recall the TRE. Doing this study found out that without rehearsing things the duration of short term memory is very short. So this shows that without rehearsal memory is very limited. There were criticisms to this theory though, it was said that the distractor task did prevent rehearsal, but it also meant that the people were doing an additional processing task so this may have affected their recall scores. (Essential AS Psychology for AQA, Richard Gross and Geoff Rolls) Shallice and Warrington (1970) also did a study which supported the multi store model they reported a case where someone had, had a motorbike accident. This resulted in him now having extremely poor short term memory. However his short term memory what he couldnt remember was only for verbal information. His visual and acoustic was normal. This suggests there is more than one type of short term memory, not incorporated in the multi store model. He could only remember one or two digits. Yet his long term memory after the accident was normal. This is in support with the multi store model, because it provides evidence to show that short term memory and long term memory stores are separate. The reconstructive model of memory was a theory by Bartlett (1932). He said that memory is unlike a camera, that its not accurate and the interpretations are based on each persons memories and previous experiences. (Essential Psychology). People tend to be selective about what bit of event they remember. This can be a problem though when needing an accurate recall. Schemas are a major part in reconstructive memory. Schemas are our own ready made expectation of a scenario. They fill the gaps in our own knowledge. Schemas can lead to memory distortions when information doesnt already fit in to the existing schemas we have. There is also a lot of influence to memory from stereo-typing and cultural expectations. (Essential AS Psychology). The eye witness testimony also known as EWT is for criminal incidents that people have seen. Eye witness testimony may not always be accurate; it can be influences by a lot of different things like anxiety, age and even leading questions. If you were to witness a crime it would make you anxious. There are advantages to knowing that the eye witness testimony is not always accurate, this warns us and helps us to know we do have to treat with care. Bartlett (1932) did a study on the reconstructive memory called War of the Ghosts. He did this study to investigate the effect of previous experiences and expectations have on memory recall. A group of people were shown a drawing or a short story, which was the war of the ghosts, to look and read through. The group of people then had to reproduce the story or drawing after different time periods. The time periods ranged from fifteen minutes to years later, this was called a repeated reproduction technique. Over time they found that the group of people produced shorter more clear and carefully thought out versions, more ordinary. They had made the story sound more normal e.g. instead of using the word canoes they used the word boats. They only recalled the basic storyline. In conclusion to this study they found that an explanation or opinion plays a major role in remembering. An active process of reconstruction is remembering, Bartlett called this the effort after meaning, that is mak ing the past more ordinary and normal so that it fits in to our existing knowledge or schemas. This study in psychology is regarded as a classic. Although there are criticisms to this study, It was said that it was a poorly controlled study that Bartlett may have been biased in the interpretations of the different stories. There was also another argument saying the story was very different and unusual. There have been other studies which have done real life everyday memories, which over time were successful. The study was by Wynn and Logie (1998). There is also the study of the unreliability of the eye witness testimony which was done by Loftus and Palmer (1974). They studied smash/ contacted car speed study. The aim of this study was to investigate an immediate recall from the effect of language the group of people use after being asked leading questions. The group of people were shown some slides of an accident which involved two cars. The group were split into two groups, by asking some about how fast were the cars going when they smashed in to each other? for the other set of people they were asked the same but instead of using the word smashed they said hit, bumped and contacted. From doing this study they found that from using different words peoples opinions of the speed were very different. The difference of using the word smashed was higher than the ones who were asked bumped, hit and contacted. So this proves there is an effect when using leading questions. The reconstructive model does provide us with a good explanation of everyday memory. But that we dont have perfect memories. There are disadvantages to the reconstructive memory model there is no information on how we can improve our memory. Also it is more opinion based, because this model of memory assumes that memories are so complicated. Some predictions cannot be made, so we cannot predict what information will be and wont be remembered, as we dont know what a persons schemas are. In conclusion to this, Atkinson and Schiffrins model of the multi store model is one of the best known models of memory, but this doesnt necessarily mean its the best theory. Its a very simple and straight forward theory, but in some ways its too simplistic. It shows that rehearsal doesnt always work, and that you cannot rehearse smells and sights. The reconstructive model is more reliable as its based more on everyday life. It explains that the eye witness testimony is not always accurate and not to fully trust it as much. It also states that we dont have perfect memories. The reconstructive model also helps us to understand how our previous knowledge effects our interpretations of memory.

Can Experts Disagree on the Same Facts?

Can Experts Disagree on the Same Facts? Prescribed Title 5: Given access to the same facts, how is it possible that there can be disagreement between experts in a discipline? Develop your answer with reference to two areas of knowledge. For centuries scientists and historians alike have debated topics within their field of study. Whether it be the structure of an atom or the cause of the fall of the Roman Empire, experts in these fields often disagree despite having access to the same exact facts and information. These separate interpretations of data leads to the question of how it is possible that the same facts do not always point to the same general truths. Although experts in the fields of science and history have access to the same facts, the experts who analyze and interpret these facts are human beings, whose thoughts are impacted by the different cultures, experiences, and perspectives in which they were raised. One important question that needs to be raised is what makes someone an expert? Better yet, what is a fact? An expert is someone who has an extensive background in a certain subject and is recognized by others as having a comprehensive understanding of a specific topic. This means that they have a great understanding of the subject matter of which they are an expert, and others can attest to this proficiency. Facts are known truths that are commonly accepted and verifiable. A fact must be verifiable in order to be legitimate. Understanding these terms allows us to truly understand the nature of historians and scientists and their interpretations of information. One of the most important, yet most debatable, tasks that a historian must complete is weighing evidence after reviewing historical facts. Historians make decisions based on many different pieces of evidence. They decide how important each piece of evidence is to the way that history played out. This brings up the question of the extent to which the weighing of evidence by historians in relation to events in history is subjective or objective. The weighing of evidence tends to be subjective simply because of the often multiple different causes of certain events in history. This can be seen in the analysis of almost every historical event in recorded history, but especially in the analysis of the cause of World War II. Many different factors played into the cause of World War II. Between the economic sanctions imposed by countries such as the United States and Great Britain, political tension between the major powers, or expansionist foreign policies of Italy, Germany, and Japan, no single cause can be seen as the only one to start to war (History.com staff). However, deciding which cause had the greatest impact on war is what historians debate over and weigh evidence over, yet they often come to separate conclusions. The different cultures, experiences, and perspectives of the historians leads to their different interpretations and evaluations of evidence in history. Although these experts analyze the same data, the lenses through which they view the evidence are different. Historians do their best to analyze facts and their impact on history with total objectivity, yet the nature of the weighing of evidence is very subjective. Historians have to use their own personal values and emotions, based on their own personal culture and experiences, in order to evaluate evidence and make decisions based on these evaluations. This also brings up the question of the extent to which the upbringings of a historian has an impact on their analysis of historical facts. All historians grow up in unique situations and so their view on the world and the way humans interact with each other is slightly different. Furthermore, their opinions on the interactions of foreign powers can often be impacted by their nationalities and the education they received. This personal opinion is most prominently seen with debate over differing political ideologies and their impact on foreign nations. I saw this debate first hand in my history class. The topic of the discussion was Cuba and the rise of Castro as a communist dictator. As the child of a Cuban exile, I have heard anecdotes from people who lived and suffered under the dictatorship of Fidel Castro. My family has seen the thousands of people who were killed under his command and the conditions of the Cuban people because of his policies. Undoubtedly, because of my personal upbringings, I am biased against Castro and communism in general. This extremely negative experience with communism has swayed my opinion about the political ideology to a great extent. However, in class, my history teacher argued that Fidel Castro had a great, positive impact on Cuba and the Cuban people. My teacher claimed that Castro reduced the unemployment rate and generally improved the average living conditions of the Cuban people. Just like historians, both my teacher and I were analyzing the same facts about the same country, yet were drawing drastically different conclusions. We were weighing evidence based on our own personal cultures and beliefs and drawing conclusions about the general nature of the regime. This personal example gives insight to the debates that historians go through in order to come to conclusions about events or topics in history. Historians attempt to decipher data in an objective way, yet the weighing of evidence is subjective and easily influenced by the culture of the historian. In this way, historians rarely come to the same conclusions based on the same facts simply because each individual historian is weighing evidence based on their own unique personal experiences. These experiences and aspects of their culture give each historian a predisposed idea about topics in history that causes them to evaluate events in history in different ways. In the field of science, the different types of data often leads to disagreement and separate conclusions based on this data. In science, the two main types of data are quantitative and qualitative; quantitative data being data that can be measured in numbers while qualitative data being data that can be observed and described. Quantitative data tends to not only be more precise, but also easier to reproduce. On the other hand, qualitative data is measured based on the scientists interpretations of a certain quality within an experiment. For example, when performing titrations, scientists often use color indicators to show when the titration is complete. However, they must decide for their own when the color has changed sufficiently for the titration to be considered complete. This leads to a large amount of room for error. This same experiment can be performed around the world several times by experts in the field of science yet they may all come to different conclusions about the d ata. This imprecision of this data leads to the question of the extent to which the preconceived ideas of scientists affects the way they interpret data. Often times in science, data is either difficult to describe, as in the exact color of a solution when a titration is complete, or in instances where an experiment cannot be conducted in order to test a theory. For example, String Theory was proposed by scientists years ago and many scientists continue to support it today. In the words of Richard Dawid, On one side of the divide stand most of those physicists who work on string physics and in fields like inflationary cosmology or high energy particle physics model building, which are strongly influenced by string physics. Yet, many other experts disagree and refuse to support the theory. They, consider string theory a vastly overrated speculation, and without being able to conduct an experiment to prove the theory, it is not valid. They refuse to consider the evidence proposed by scienti sts who support the theory simply based on this single idea. The nature of a scientists research can help explain why many scientists can come to different conclusions when analyzing the same data. When a scientist sets out to conduct an experiment, they often have a goal in mind. Whether they are trying to prove a theory correct or make a new discovery, scientists often have preconceived ideas about the topic of which their experiment is concerned. In other cases, scientists are being supported financially by investors who are looking for the scientists to come to certain conclusions, especially in relation to medicines where investors are looking to create a new drug in order to make a profit. Because of this, scientists often have biases when conducting experiments. This leads to them analyzing data in a way that will support their goals. They will often disregard or assign insignificant value data that contradicts the claim they are trying to support. This is generally the source of disagreement between scientists when analyzing the same d ata. Every day, historians and scientists alike are analyzing undisputable facts. They look at these facts and come to completely separate conclusions. As human beings, we all are subject to interpreting facts through the subjective lenses of our cultures and personal experiences. Although experts in both the fields of history and science may try to be objective as possible, certain elements of research in these fields require subjective analysis that can vary from expert to expert. This gives way to differing conclusions among experts in the fields of science and history and, in general, disagreements between experts in a certain field despite having access to the same facts. Works Cited Dawid, Richard. String Theory and the Scientific Method. Cambridge: Cambridge U, 2015. Print. History.com Staff. World War II History. History.com. AE Television Networks, 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2017. .

Wembley Stadium pricing study Essay -- essays research papers

Ticket Pricing Strategy for the new Wembley Stadium 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Introduction OBJECTIVE  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To maximise profits from ticket sales at Wembley Stadium KEY ASSUMPTIONS  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1. Wembley has a monopoly on certain types of match 2. Wembley is run by profit maximising managers selling tickets to utility maximising buyers STRATEGY  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Set prices for seats as close to the willingness to pay as possible using price discrimination KEY CHOICES  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What type of seating to sell and at what price? 2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Scope This strategy is limited to the following football matches: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  England home matches – competitive and friendly †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major cup semi-finals and final †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lower league play-off finals Wembley has a monopoly on these matches due to Football Association (FA) policy2. Theory states that Wembley should charge as close to the willingness to pay of its customers as possible to maximise its profits1. The ability to do this depends on demand and the ability to price discriminate between market segments. 3  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Absolute Demand Absolute demand for tickets will be high due to several factors: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Football is England’s national sport †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Watching live matches is popular †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wembley Stadium is the ‘home of football’ with a long and distinguished history There is good evidence for assuming high demand: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last three competitive England home games were sold-out2 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Attendance figures for club matches are consistently high3 †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Recent cup finals at Cardiff Millennium Stadium were sold-out4 Actual demand varies between market segments but can be found from market research, e.g. membership schemes and studying events at similar grounds. 4  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Market Segmentation The table below shows the range of customers that buy tickets for football matches. Elasticity of demand is shown for each category and explained below: Market Segments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elasticity of Demand  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reason for Elasticity 1  Ã‚  &nbs... ...y for rugby union and league †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pop concerts – outdoor arenas are alternatives with similar capacity There are a wide range of substitutes available for these that affect willingness to pay. 11  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other Event-Related Income Stadiums contain much more than just an arena to watch sport including: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Refreshments and merchandise †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Broadcasting rights †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Advertising †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Car parking †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other events, e.g. conferences Income for the above would be approximately proportional to the number of people in the stadium. 12  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  References 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cabral, Luis. â€Å"Introduction to Industrial Organization†, MIT Press, 2000. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.thefa.com 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://stats.football.co.uk/dom/ENG/PR/attend.html 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://stats.football.co.uk/dom/ENG/trn/ENGFAC_F.html#F 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.wembleystadium.com 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.millenniumstadium.com

Colonialists vs primitive political organizations :: essays research papers

Native people who occupied what is now â€Å"North America† had different political practices and it was the so called primitive government. The thought that they had a non political organization made the Europeans misunderstand the social structure of the natives. They thought that there is a lack of leadership and inhabitants were at a state of anarchy and underdevelopment. This misapprehension was a result of the political authority measurements Europeans considered; natives did not have any while westerners had too much. When first arrived to south Central America, newcomers were staggered with the society they came upon; this society is so different than the western legitimization of authority. The thinking of no law, no religion, and no king did not make any sense to westerners and that gave them an image of an infant stage of humanity that did not progress as a human binge should. In Europe, the social hierarchy had a Monarch who have a supremacy over people’s lives and can make a decision on behalf of the whole community in matters that concern them all. With that they accepted the definition of power in terms of violence and subordination. The state held the restricted rights and privileges to violence and justice and it can use these rights in any way it sees fit. Westerns in new America did not see that in the â€Å"primitive† society. They failed to see that it was a society functioning on its own but in a way alien to their ways even the early liberals in North America had these thoughts. In such societies power did exist but as a part of a hierarchy and domination. Even the early liberals in North America had these thoughts. It is unattainable to divide societies among the lines of the existence of political power and the lack of it and this is a mistake that Europeans did fall in to when arrived to the new land. Political power is innate to social power in any given society which makes it questionable to think that the original occupants of the land did not have any. Like any other society the primitive society will face a conflict between â€Å"norms† and â€Å"reality† and they will try to â€Å"reconcile† the old norm with the new reality with their own political interpretations of symbols and actions. Although Seventeenth century America had a somewhat liberal democratic agenda, it botched to acknowledge the democratic measures of native tribes. Colonialists vs primitive political organizations :: essays research papers Native people who occupied what is now â€Å"North America† had different political practices and it was the so called primitive government. The thought that they had a non political organization made the Europeans misunderstand the social structure of the natives. They thought that there is a lack of leadership and inhabitants were at a state of anarchy and underdevelopment. This misapprehension was a result of the political authority measurements Europeans considered; natives did not have any while westerners had too much. When first arrived to south Central America, newcomers were staggered with the society they came upon; this society is so different than the western legitimization of authority. The thinking of no law, no religion, and no king did not make any sense to westerners and that gave them an image of an infant stage of humanity that did not progress as a human binge should. In Europe, the social hierarchy had a Monarch who have a supremacy over people’s lives and can make a decision on behalf of the whole community in matters that concern them all. With that they accepted the definition of power in terms of violence and subordination. The state held the restricted rights and privileges to violence and justice and it can use these rights in any way it sees fit. Westerns in new America did not see that in the â€Å"primitive† society. They failed to see that it was a society functioning on its own but in a way alien to their ways even the early liberals in North America had these thoughts. In such societies power did exist but as a part of a hierarchy and domination. Even the early liberals in North America had these thoughts. It is unattainable to divide societies among the lines of the existence of political power and the lack of it and this is a mistake that Europeans did fall in to when arrived to the new land. Political power is innate to social power in any given society which makes it questionable to think that the original occupants of the land did not have any. Like any other society the primitive society will face a conflict between â€Å"norms† and â€Å"reality† and they will try to â€Å"reconcile† the old norm with the new reality with their own political interpretations of symbols and actions. Although Seventeenth century America had a somewhat liberal democratic agenda, it botched to acknowledge the democratic measures of native tribes.

Recruitment Policy Essay

This policy defines how an organisation intents to do or act when recruiting its employees. It guides management on issues to do with recruitment and ensures that there is consistency in recruitment decisions and procedures. It defines when the recruitment is going to be done and also the source of the candidates for recruitment. The policy also outlines the methods of recruitment and the contents of the job advert. The recruitment policy states the composition of a team of people responsible for the selection of the ideal candidates as well as the selection techniques to be used. This company recruits employees when need arises, that is when there is a job vacancy as a result of resignation, death or growth of the organisation where new positions emerge. The company uses external sources of recruitment such as vocational training centres, the open labour market as well as its competitors. The company uses advertising in the newspaper and employee referrals as its methods of recruitment. The job advert in the newspaper contains the company identification, job summary, key duties, date of assumption of duty, the closing date for applications, the application procedure and the contact details of the organisation. The selection team will consist of the General Manager and the supervisor of the department in which the candidate will be working in as well as senior management. The company will mainly use personality tests and assessment centres as selection tests. The company is an equal opportunity employer and intents to accord equal opportunities to all applicants irrespective of sex, race, creed, or marital status in issues relating to recruitment in accordance with the equal opportunity policy. On issues relating to recruitment, management should use this policy as a guideline so as to ensure consistency and equity in their decisions. Any recruitment decisions which are made without following this policy will be deemed as invalid. This policy applies to all employees and the General Manager is the responsible authority for making sure that it is followed.

Paper on Critically Examining the Educational Policy of Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the world's fastest growing economic regions, a rapidly growing nation in the heart of South East Asia. Within a span of two decades, it has succeeded in bringing about socioeconomic transformation of the society; from its architecture to its lifestyle, the Malaysian character speaks of a comfortable coexistence of its ethnic, cultural as well as religious diversity that continues to be a part of this country's charm and practical reality. Malaysia's Vision 2020 steers the nation towards becoming a fully developed and industrialized country, a democratic society that is strong in religious and spiritual values, a society that is liberal and tolerant, scientific and progressive, innovative and forward looking. This goal is reflected in the mission of the Ministry of Education, that is: â€Å"To develop a world class quality education system which will realize the full potential of the individual and fulfill the aspiration of the Malaysian nation.† Education has provided a solid platform for country's political as well as economic stability with a view to establishing Malaysia as a regional center for academic excellence and turning education into a top quality export commodity. The Malaysian education system has equipped its young people with a level of competence and skills which has put them on par with the top students in some of the world's best universities, and at 93%, Malaysia's literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. The paper aims at critically examining the educational policy of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, with description of social, governmental and economic environments in which the policy was developed. Effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated and problems related to it will be further highlighted, with comparison to the one of the models from class lecture, i.e. the incremental model of public policy. The foundation for the development of the national education system rests on the National Philosophy of Education, which states that: Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Malaysia being a multi-relligious country, spiritual, religious and moral characteristics of the individuals are highly emphasized and encouraged, which is clear from the national philosophy as well. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. One of the most significant reforms initiated in recent years is the formulation of new legislation on education, which will affect the process of educational reforms from pre-school to higher education. The Education Act 1996 replacing the old one of 1961 aims at consolidating the national system of education and widen the scope of education in the country. All categories of schools, with the exception of international ones will be incorporated under the national system of education, which is characterized by the use of a common medium of instruction, a nationally excepted curriculum and common public exams. It will also cover such areas as upgrading and enhancing of pre-school education, teacher education, special education, private and technical education. It gives the education greater prominence, ensuring relevance and quality in the system of education. The Ministry of Education is directly responsible for the organization, management and development of the education in the country and has a centralized system of educational administration headed by the Minister of Education. Hi is assisted by two Deputy Ministers of Education. The secretary-general of Education is responsible for the administrative matters, and the Director-General of Education is concerned with professional matters, and both are directly responsible to the Minister of Education. â€Å"The Ministry was restructured in 1995† and under this new structure there are six principal Departments, such as Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Department, Department of Higher Education which coordinates governance and policy formulation of public universities and higher education institutions in the country; Technical Education Department which is responsible for conducting research, planning and implementing technical and vocational programs; Department of Private Education which monitors and regulates the development of private education in the country; Department of Special Education; and Department of Islamic Education which supervises the Islamic and Moral Education at all public primary and secondary schools. Besides these six Departments, there are several Divisions, agencies and statutory bodies within the Ministry of Education that are responsible for professional and administrative matters that are not handled by the six Departments. They can be classified under two broad categories, namely Professional and Administrative Divisions. Under Professional Divisions are: Educational Planning and Research Division, which undertakes macro educational planning, and monitors the implementation of educational policies and programs; Educational Technology Division, which upgrades the quality of the teaching-learning process by providing educational media and technological services to support educational programs; Examinations Syndicate responsible for organizing, administrating and conducting all public examinations for schools; and Federal Inspectorate of Schools, providing professional supervision on the teaching-learning process of teachers and supervisory management to school principals. Under Administrative Divisions, there are Organizational Development and Services Division, which oversees the implementation of the terms and conditions of the education service; Scholarship Division; Management Services Division responsible for handling general administrative matters for the Ministry of Education; Financial Division; Information Systems Division and International Relations Division. The administrative structure is organized at four hierarchical levels, namely, national, state, district and school. A system of committees is established in the Ministry of Education to facilitate inter-division and intra-division decision-making. The Minister chairs the Education Planning Committee, which is the highest decision-making body at the federal level concerned with educational policy adoption, adjustment and implementation. Policy matters in education with wider ramifications are referred to Cabinet before final decisions are made. b) State Education Department (SED) Those educational policies and plans made at the federal level are implemented at the state level through the State Education Department. It supervises the implementation of education policies, monitor national education programs, project and activities, as well as providing feedback to the central agencies for general planning. District Education Offices are set up in almost all states, except Perlis, Malacca and the Federal Territories, in order to support the state level administrative system. It basically provides the linkage between schools and the SED. At the level of school, the Headmasters/Principals, assisted by two or three Senior Assistants are responsible for providing professional as well as administrative leadership in schools. The Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) foster better cooperation between the school and the community. Malaysia provides 11 years of free schooling. Education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, and 20,4% of the annual National Budget is allocated for education. The national education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to higher education. Primary and secondary education is free but not compulsory. Excellence has been achieved through a carefully designed system that allows flexibility and room for individual approaches. This is really apparent at the pre-school and again at tertiary level. However primary and secondary education is highly structured, with a curriculum which enables the sound acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills. The admission age to the first year of primary education is six. Most schools in the country are government or government-aided schools. The school year starts in January and ends in November. Students sit for common exams at the end off primary, lower secondary, upper secondary and sixth form levels. The primary level covers a period of between five to seven years, the lower secondary three years, followed by two years at the upper secondary and another two years at the post secondary level. Tertiary education in both the academic and professional fields id provided by universities colleges and other public and private institutions of higher education as shown in Chart 1. Pre-school education id part of the national education system under the Education Act, 1996. The aim of pre-school education is to provide a firm foundation for formal education at the later stage. They are run by government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's) as well as private institutions. Children generally begin their pre-school level between four and five years of age. Within the broad guidelines set by the Ministry of Education, a high degree of flexibility prevails in terms of teaching approaches and medium of instruction. The curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education enables pre-school children to acquire sufficient basic communication, social and other positive skills in preparation for primary schooling. Primary school begins at six years of age, and may be completed within five to seven years. Education at this level aims to provide the child with a firm foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as emphasizing thinking skills and values across the curriculum. Eventhough education at this level is not compulsory, more than 99 percent of this age group are enrolled in primary schools nationwide. Taking into consideration the multi-ethnic nature of its population, Malaysia has set up two categories of schools: the National and National-type schools. In the national schools the medium of instruction is the Malay language, whereas the medium of instruction in the national type schools is either Chinese or Tamil languages. In both types of schools the Malay language is compulsory, and English is also taught as second language in addition to Chinese, Tamil and other indigenous languages. The curriculum used at this level id the Integrated Curriculum for Primary Schools (ICPS) which consists of three main areas, namely, Communication, Man and his Environment, and Self Development. Two assessment examinations at year three and six are used to evaluate student performance. Outstanding students at year three can opt to go straight into year five. Secondary school offers a comprehensive education program. It aims to promote the general development of students by helping them to acquire knowledge, insight and skills from wide range of arts and sciences as well as vocational and technical subjects that provide a practical bias and hands-on approach to learning. Basically, the ultimate goal is to develop a strong foundation for life-long education as students are introduced to the beginnings of specialization. The medium of instruction is the Malay language, English, Tamil and Chinese are also widely taught as second language. Following the Lower Secondary Assessment examination (PMR) at year three, students move into more specialized fields of study at the upper secondary level, based on choice and aptitude of the students, and are reevaluated at year five through the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) assessment examination. Some secondary schools offer the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) program which qualifies students for entry into the national universities, colleges and teacher training institutions. Co-curricular programs are regarded as integral part of the school curriculum, and there are basically three types of co-curricular activities, namely, uniformed bodies, clubs and sports. Some co-curricular programs and activities are partly financed by government agencies and the private sector, and implemented at school, district, state and national levels. Various co-curricular programs are organized to develop character, discipline and leadership qualities of the students. Some of these programs are: School Youth Cadet Corp., School Fire Brigade Corp., and other leadership courses. The Youth is highly encouraged to indulge in various Entrepreneurial Programs, writing, speaking and debating competitions as well as cultural activities to create cultural awareness and literary appreciation among the students. Cultural exchange programs are held to promote closer ties and foster better relationship between students of different countries regionally and internationally. Special education provides educational opportunities for pupils with special needs, such as the spastic, handicapped, visually impaired, hearing impaired as well as those with learning disabilities. Currently there are 2883 schools in the country which are equipped with both teaching staff and facilities to help integrate these children within the general school system. However, those needing more intensive care and attention attend 31 special schools. The Education Act 1996 provides for special provision of special education in special schools or in regular primary and secondary schools. As a policy, the duration of schooling for children with special needs in a formal system should not be less than that accorded to pupils in regular primary and secondary schools. To ensure effective implementation of special education programs, the Special Teacher's Training College conducts courses for teachers of the visually and hearing impaired students. By the way of shedding light on the policies adopted by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, it would be expedient to evaluate their effectiveness, and give some solutions for future improvements. During the Sixth Plan period, i.e. 1991-95, the overall thrust of education was on expanding capacity and increasing access to all levels of education, strengthening the delivery system and improving the quality of education. Consequently, it resulted in increases in enrollment at all levels of education. Recognizing the importance of pre-school education efforts were taken by the Ministry to increase facilities and improve quality of pre-school education. Efforts by both the public and private sectors including non-governmental organizations, resulted in an increase in pre-school centers from about 6,960 in 1990 to 10,350 in 1995. Correspondingly, the number of children in the 5-6 age category enrolled increased from 328,800 in 1990 to 420,600 in 1995, representing an increase of 27,9 per cent.10 Establishment of pre-school centers in the rural areas was very much emphasized, â€Å"of the total pre-school centers established by the Government, 80% were in rural areas, which benefited about 204,100 rural children.11 In primary education the main focus was on expanding capacity, improving existing facilities, and the quality of teaching and learning materials. In order to instill interest in science from an early age, the old existing syllabus were revised and some new ones were introduced. In order to accommodate increases in enrollment, reduce overcrowding, a total of 9,530 additional classrooms were constructed. With hostel facilities provided in rural and remote areas, students were able to gain access to a more conducive learning environment. In order to attract qualified and experienced teachers to serve in the rural and remote areas, an incentives were introduced for those those willing to teach in rural areas. Efforts were also undertaken to provide greater access to education for disabled children and those with learning difficulties. Despite efforts to improve the overall academic performance of primary school students, gaps in student's achievements between rural and urban schools still remained. Enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government aided schools increased by 23.1 per cent from about 1.3 million in 1990 to about 1.6 million in 199512 as shown in Table 1. With the gradual implementation of the policy in the Sixth Plan, the transition rate from lower to upper secondary level improved from 68 per cent in 1990 to 83 per cent in 1995, while the participation rate at the upper secondary level increased from 50. Per cent in 1990 to 63.7 per cent in 1995.13 Due to increasing enrollment in urban schools and to reduce overcrowding, a total of 5,20 additional classrooms was planned for construction. However, only 75% or 3,960 classrooms were completed. Despite improvement measures bring undertaken, there were still concerns regarding student achievement and the proportion of students who chose science subjects at the upper secondary level. In order to meet the manpower requirements of a rapidly growing economy, tertiary education was directed at increasing enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels, particularly in science, medicine, engineering and other technical related courses.. Efforts were undertaken to increase intake into local public institutions of higher learning by expanding physical facilities of existing campuses and establishing new universities. Opportunities for Bumiputera to pursue studies at the tertiary level were expanded at the Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) where enrollment increased from 27.500 in 1990 to 35.480 in 1995. Enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels increased by 52.7 per cent from 100.590 in 1990 to 153.610 in 1995. In 1995 an estimated 50.600 Malaysian students or 20 per cent of students in tertiary education were enrolled in various institutions overseas.14 In order to meet the objective of education and skill training programs, which is to produce an adequate number of skilled and quality workforce to meet the manpower requirements of the country as well as produce citizens who are disciplined and possess high moral values and good work ethics, the following measures were suggested:  · to increase the capacity of existing institutions and establishing new ones, particularly in science, engineering and other technical fields;  · strengthen the delivery system through the provision of qualified and experienced teachers and instructors, as well as greater utilization of up to date technologies and computers so as to improve the overall quality;  · improve the management and implementation of education and training programs through enhancing managerial capability as well as strengthening the monitoring and evaluating system;  · strengthen research and development (R&D) within the existing institutions of higher learning as well s collaborating with local and foreign R&D institutions;  · increase science and technical manpower, particularly in R&D;  · provide appropriate incentives to increase enrollment in the science stream.  · improve educational facilities in rural areas so as to reduce dropouts from the schools, while at the same time helping the children to perform better;  · inculcate positive values and right attitudes as well as innovativeness, communication and analytical skills among students and trainees;  · encourage reemployment of retired teachers to overcome the problems with shortages in critical subjects;  · encourage more private sector investment in education and training to complement public sector efforts.15 As far as the future development of pre-school education is concerned, the Government targets at participation of at least 65 per cent of children in the age of 5-6. A comprehensive policy will be formulated for the development of pre-school education, covering major aspects such as curriculum, physical facilities and teacher training, in addition to further improvements of coordination and quality of pre-school education in the public and private sectors. In this respect the latter will be encouraged to provide more pre-school facilities. Furthermore, greater parental involvement in their children's education will be encouraged to increase awareness of parents on the importance of pre-school education in their children's development. New syllabus and teaching methods with emphasis to practical experience will be further developed. As far as secondary education is concerned, the enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government-aided schools is expected to increase by 25 per cent from about 1.6 million in 1995 to 2.0 million in the year 2000. The increase will be more significant at the upper secondary level with the extension of basic education from nine to 11 years. A total of 9,770 new classrooms will be built in order to accommodate the increase in enrollment and reduce overcrowding.16 Teaching method which are simple, practical and interesting will continue to be used in order to increase student's interest as well as improve their performance. Appropriate incentives will be provided to science students so as to increase enrollment in the science stream. Taking into account the latest technological development, the use of computers in secondary schools will be extensively promoted to build a strong foundation for a computer literate society. Extensive monitoring and evaluation of student's performance at all levels will be undertaken, in addition to development of new teaching and learning approaches so as to enhance student's academic performance. Paper on Critically Examining the Educational Policy of Malaysia Malaysia is one of the world's fastest growing economic regions, a rapidly growing nation in the heart of South East Asia. Within a span of two decades, it has succeeded in bringing about socioeconomic transformation of the society; from its architecture to its lifestyle, the Malaysian character speaks of a comfortable coexistence of its ethnic, cultural as well as religious diversity that continues to be a part of this country's charm and practical reality. Malaysia's Vision 2020 steers the nation towards becoming a fully developed and industrialized country, a democratic society that is strong in religious and spiritual values, a society that is liberal and tolerant, scientific and progressive, innovative and forward looking. This goal is reflected in the mission of the Ministry of Education, that is: â€Å"To develop a world class quality education system which will realize the full potential of the individual and fulfill the aspiration of the Malaysian nation.† Education has provided a solid platform for country's political as well as economic stability with a view to establishing Malaysia as a regional center for academic excellence and turning education into a top quality export commodity. The Malaysian education system has equipped its young people with a level of competence and skills which has put them on par with the top students in some of the world's best universities, and at 93%, Malaysia's literacy rate is one of the highest in the world. The paper aims at critically examining the educational policy of the Ministry of Education Malaysia, with description of social, governmental and economic environments in which the policy was developed. Effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated and problems related to it will be further highlighted, with comparison to the one of the models from class lecture, i.e. the incremental model of public policy. The foundation for the development of the national education system rests on the National Philosophy of Education, which states that: Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Malaysia being a multi-relligious country, spiritual, religious and moral characteristics of the individuals are highly emphasized and encouraged, which is clear from the national philosophy as well. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards, and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large. One of the most significant reforms initiated in recent years is the formulation of new legislation on education, which will affect the process of educational reforms from pre-school to higher education. The Education Act 1996 replacing the old one of 1961 aims at consolidating the national system of education and widen the scope of education in the country. All categories of schools, with the exception of international ones will be incorporated under the national system of education, which is characterized by the use of a common medium of instruction, a nationally excepted curriculum and common public exams. It will also cover such areas as upgrading and enhancing of pre-school education, teacher education, special education, private and technical education. It gives the education greater prominence, ensuring relevance and quality in the system of education. The Ministry of Education is directly responsible for the organization, management and development of the education in the country and has a centralized system of educational administration headed by the Minister of Education. Hi is assisted by two Deputy Ministers of Education. The secretary-general of Education is responsible for the administrative matters, and the Director-General of Education is concerned with professional matters, and both are directly responsible to the Minister of Education. â€Å"The Ministry was restructured in 1995† and under this new structure there are six principal Departments, such as Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education Department, Department of Higher Education which coordinates governance and policy formulation of public universities and higher education institutions in the country; Technical Education Department which is responsible for conducting research, planning and implementing technical and vocational programs; Department of Private Education which monitors and regulates the development of private education in the country; Department of Special Education; and Department of Islamic Education which supervises the Islamic and Moral Education at all public primary and secondary schools. Besides these six Departments, there are several Divisions, agencies and statutory bodies within the Ministry of Education that are responsible for professional and administrative matters that are not handled by the six Departments. They can be classified under two broad categories, namely Professional and Administrative Divisions. Under Professional Divisions are: Educational Planning and Research Division, which undertakes macro educational planning, and monitors the implementation of educational policies and programs; Educational Technology Division, which upgrades the quality of the teaching-learning process by providing educational media and technological services to support educational programs; Examinations Syndicate responsible for organizing, administrating and conducting all public examinations for schools; and Federal Inspectorate of Schools, providing professional supervision on the teaching-learning process of teachers and supervisory management to school principals. Under Administrative Divisions, there are Organizational Development and Services Division, which oversees the implementation of the terms and conditions of the education service; Scholarship Division; Management Services Division responsible for handling general administrative matters for the Ministry of Education; Financial Division; Information Systems Division and International Relations Division. The administrative structure is organized at four hierarchical levels, namely, national, state, district and school. A system of committees is established in the Ministry of Education to facilitate inter-division and intra-division decision-making. The Minister chairs the Education Planning Committee, which is the highest decision-making body at the federal level concerned with educational policy adoption, adjustment and implementation. Policy matters in education with wider ramifications are referred to Cabinet before final decisions are made. b) State Education Department (SED) Those educational policies and plans made at the federal level are implemented at the state level through the State Education Department. It supervises the implementation of education policies, monitor national education programs, project and activities, as well as providing feedback to the central agencies for general planning. District Education Offices are set up in almost all states, except Perlis, Malacca and the Federal Territories, in order to support the state level administrative system. It basically provides the linkage between schools and the SED. At the level of school, the Headmasters/Principals, assisted by two or three Senior Assistants are responsible for providing professional as well as administrative leadership in schools. The Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) foster better cooperation between the school and the community. Malaysia provides 11 years of free schooling. Education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, and 20,4% of the annual National Budget is allocated for education. The national education system encompasses education beginning from pre-school to higher education. Primary and secondary education is free but not compulsory. Excellence has been achieved through a carefully designed system that allows flexibility and room for individual approaches. This is really apparent at the pre-school and again at tertiary level. However primary and secondary education is highly structured, with a curriculum which enables the sound acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills. The admission age to the first year of primary education is six. Most schools in the country are government or government-aided schools. The school year starts in January and ends in November. Students sit for common exams at the end off primary, lower secondary, upper secondary and sixth form levels. The primary level covers a period of between five to seven years, the lower secondary three years, followed by two years at the upper secondary and another two years at the post secondary level. Tertiary education in both the academic and professional fields id provided by universities colleges and other public and private institutions of higher education as shown in Chart 1. Pre-school education id part of the national education system under the Education Act, 1996. The aim of pre-school education is to provide a firm foundation for formal education at the later stage. They are run by government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO's) as well as private institutions. Children generally begin their pre-school level between four and five years of age. Within the broad guidelines set by the Ministry of Education, a high degree of flexibility prevails in terms of teaching approaches and medium of instruction. The curriculum guidelines set by the Ministry of Education enables pre-school children to acquire sufficient basic communication, social and other positive skills in preparation for primary schooling. Primary school begins at six years of age, and may be completed within five to seven years. Education at this level aims to provide the child with a firm foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as emphasizing thinking skills and values across the curriculum. Eventhough education at this level is not compulsory, more than 99 percent of this age group are enrolled in primary schools nationwide. Taking into consideration the multi-ethnic nature of its population, Malaysia has set up two categories of schools: the National and National-type schools. In the national schools the medium of instruction is the Malay language, whereas the medium of instruction in the national type schools is either Chinese or Tamil languages. In both types of schools the Malay language is compulsory, and English is also taught as second language in addition to Chinese, Tamil and other indigenous languages. The curriculum used at this level id the Integrated Curriculum for Primary Schools (ICPS) which consists of three main areas, namely, Communication, Man and his Environment, and Self Development. Two assessment examinations at year three and six are used to evaluate student performance. Outstanding students at year three can opt to go straight into year five. Secondary school offers a comprehensive education program. It aims to promote the general development of students by helping them to acquire knowledge, insight and skills from wide range of arts and sciences as well as vocational and technical subjects that provide a practical bias and hands-on approach to learning. Basically, the ultimate goal is to develop a strong foundation for life-long education as students are introduced to the beginnings of specialization. The medium of instruction is the Malay language, English, Tamil and Chinese are also widely taught as second language. Following the Lower Secondary Assessment examination (PMR) at year three, students move into more specialized fields of study at the upper secondary level, based on choice and aptitude of the students, and are reevaluated at year five through the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) assessment examination. Some secondary schools offer the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM) program which qualifies students for entry into the national universities, colleges and teacher training institutions. Co-curricular programs are regarded as integral part of the school curriculum, and there are basically three types of co-curricular activities, namely, uniformed bodies, clubs and sports. Some co-curricular programs and activities are partly financed by government agencies and the private sector, and implemented at school, district, state and national levels. Various co-curricular programs are organized to develop character, discipline and leadership qualities of the students. Some of these programs are: School Youth Cadet Corp., School Fire Brigade Corp., and other leadership courses. The Youth is highly encouraged to indulge in various Entrepreneurial Programs, writing, speaking and debating competitions as well as cultural activities to create cultural awareness and literary appreciation among the students. Cultural exchange programs are held to promote closer ties and foster better relationship between students of different countries regionally and internationally. Special education provides educational opportunities for pupils with special needs, such as the spastic, handicapped, visually impaired, hearing impaired as well as those with learning disabilities. Currently there are 2883 schools in the country which are equipped with both teaching staff and facilities to help integrate these children within the general school system. However, those needing more intensive care and attention attend 31 special schools. The Education Act 1996 provides for special provision of special education in special schools or in regular primary and secondary schools. As a policy, the duration of schooling for children with special needs in a formal system should not be less than that accorded to pupils in regular primary and secondary schools. To ensure effective implementation of special education programs, the Special Teacher's Training College conducts courses for teachers of the visually and hearing impaired students. By the way of shedding light on the policies adopted by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia, it would be expedient to evaluate their effectiveness, and give some solutions for future improvements. During the Sixth Plan period, i.e. 1991-95, the overall thrust of education was on expanding capacity and increasing access to all levels of education, strengthening the delivery system and improving the quality of education. Consequently, it resulted in increases in enrollment at all levels of education. Recognizing the importance of pre-school education efforts were taken by the Ministry to increase facilities and improve quality of pre-school education. Efforts by both the public and private sectors including non-governmental organizations, resulted in an increase in pre-school centers from about 6,960 in 1990 to 10,350 in 1995. Correspondingly, the number of children in the 5-6 age category enrolled increased from 328,800 in 1990 to 420,600 in 1995, representing an increase of 27,9 per cent.10 Establishment of pre-school centers in the rural areas was very much emphasized, â€Å"of the total pre-school centers established by the Government, 80% were in rural areas, which benefited about 204,100 rural children.11 In primary education the main focus was on expanding capacity, improving existing facilities, and the quality of teaching and learning materials. In order to instill interest in science from an early age, the old existing syllabus were revised and some new ones were introduced. In order to accommodate increases in enrollment, reduce overcrowding, a total of 9,530 additional classrooms were constructed. With hostel facilities provided in rural and remote areas, students were able to gain access to a more conducive learning environment. In order to attract qualified and experienced teachers to serve in the rural and remote areas, an incentives were introduced for those those willing to teach in rural areas. Efforts were also undertaken to provide greater access to education for disabled children and those with learning difficulties. Despite efforts to improve the overall academic performance of primary school students, gaps in student's achievements between rural and urban schools still remained. Enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government aided schools increased by 23.1 per cent from about 1.3 million in 1990 to about 1.6 million in 199512 as shown in Table 1. With the gradual implementation of the policy in the Sixth Plan, the transition rate from lower to upper secondary level improved from 68 per cent in 1990 to 83 per cent in 1995, while the participation rate at the upper secondary level increased from 50. Per cent in 1990 to 63.7 per cent in 1995.13 Due to increasing enrollment in urban schools and to reduce overcrowding, a total of 5,20 additional classrooms was planned for construction. However, only 75% or 3,960 classrooms were completed. Despite improvement measures bring undertaken, there were still concerns regarding student achievement and the proportion of students who chose science subjects at the upper secondary level. In order to meet the manpower requirements of a rapidly growing economy, tertiary education was directed at increasing enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels, particularly in science, medicine, engineering and other technical related courses.. Efforts were undertaken to increase intake into local public institutions of higher learning by expanding physical facilities of existing campuses and establishing new universities. Opportunities for Bumiputera to pursue studies at the tertiary level were expanded at the Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) where enrollment increased from 27.500 in 1990 to 35.480 in 1995. Enrollment at the degree, diploma and certificate levels increased by 52.7 per cent from 100.590 in 1990 to 153.610 in 1995. In 1995 an estimated 50.600 Malaysian students or 20 per cent of students in tertiary education were enrolled in various institutions overseas.14 In order to meet the objective of education and skill training programs, which is to produce an adequate number of skilled and quality workforce to meet the manpower requirements of the country as well as produce citizens who are disciplined and possess high moral values and good work ethics, the following measures were suggested:  · to increase the capacity of existing institutions and establishing new ones, particularly in science, engineering and other technical fields;  · strengthen the delivery system through the provision of qualified and experienced teachers and instructors, as well as greater utilization of up to date technologies and computers so as to improve the overall quality;  · improve the management and implementation of education and training programs through enhancing managerial capability as well as strengthening the monitoring and evaluating system;  · strengthen research and development (R&D) within the existing institutions of higher learning as well s collaborating with local and foreign R&D institutions;  · increase science and technical manpower, particularly in R&D;  · provide appropriate incentives to increase enrollment in the science stream.  · improve educational facilities in rural areas so as to reduce dropouts from the schools, while at the same time helping the children to perform better;  · inculcate positive values and right attitudes as well as innovativeness, communication and analytical skills among students and trainees;  · encourage reemployment of retired teachers to overcome the problems with shortages in critical subjects;  · encourage more private sector investment in education and training to complement public sector efforts.15 As far as the future development of pre-school education is concerned, the Government targets at participation of at least 65 per cent of children in the age of 5-6. A comprehensive policy will be formulated for the development of pre-school education, covering major aspects such as curriculum, physical facilities and teacher training, in addition to further improvements of coordination and quality of pre-school education in the public and private sectors. In this respect the latter will be encouraged to provide more pre-school facilities. Furthermore, greater parental involvement in their children's education will be encouraged to increase awareness of parents on the importance of pre-school education in their children's development. New syllabus and teaching methods with emphasis to practical experience will be further developed. As far as secondary education is concerned, the enrollment at the secondary level in Government and Government-aided schools is expected to increase by 25 per cent from about 1.6 million in 1995 to 2.0 million in the year 2000. The increase will be more significant at the upper secondary level with the extension of basic education from nine to 11 years. A total of 9,770 new classrooms will be built in order to accommodate the increase in enrollment and reduce overcrowding.16 Teaching method which are simple, practical and interesting will continue to be used in order to increase student's interest as well as improve their performance. Appropriate incentives will be provided to science students so as to increase enrollment in the science stream. Taking into account the latest technological development, the use of computers in secondary schools will be extensively promoted to build a strong foundation for a computer literate society. Extensive monitoring and evaluation of student's performance at all levels will be undertaken, in addition to development of new teaching and learning approaches so as to enhance student's academic performance.