The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia Essay

The Financing of Small Businesses in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Moreover, differences have been identified between the measures taken by governments in developed and developing countries regarding the limitation of inequalities in the support offered to entrepreneurs worldwide; the form and the level of governmental support to business activities have been also found to be related with the size of the firm involved – a fact that can offer the chance to foreign firms to enter the market – domestic firms that are already well developed are also likely to increase their power (Keren et al., 2002, 17). It seems that the financing of small firms can be a challenging effort in most markets internationally. Of course, the personal involvement of the entrepreneur – owner of a small firm – in the relevant effort could increase the chances for success – however, a positive outcome cannot be guaranteed. Various factors, like the local culture and ethics and the position/ strength of the national economy, seem to influence the effectiveness of the particular initiatives. The above issue is highlighted in the study of Busenitz et al (2001). The above study refers to the effectiveness of strategies of small firms in China; it has been proved that ‘younger business owners with a higher need for achievement, greater commitment, and perceived limitations in physical facilities were more likely to expand’ (Busenitz et al., 2001, 12). From a different point of view, it is supported that ‘differences in environmental conditions in different country markets, in terms, for example, of market size and growth, rate of technological change, or barriers to entry, may also lead to differences in strategy’ (Douglas et al., 1989, 440). The view of Douglas et al. (1989) highlights the potential involvement of a series of factors in the development of business activities – in accordance with this view, the local culture can affect business plans –almost at the same level with the size of the firm.  

Digestive System Essay Example for Free

Digestive System Essay The digestive system is a long tube inside the rat, with the mouth as the opening at the anterior end and the anus as the opening at the posterior end. The process of digestion, the enzymatic breakdown of complex food substances into their simpler components, occurs in the lumen (cavity) of the digestive tube. The small molecules resulting from digestion are then absorbed by the cells lining the gut and transferred to all the other cells of the body via the circulatory system. Within the cells, these molecules may be burned to release energy for cellular activity, built into the structural elements of the cell, or stored for later use. The undigested material passes along the gastrointestinal tract and out of the anus as feces. The mouth is the most anterior part of the digestive system. Within the mouth, the food is ground up by chewing and mixed with saliva, which contains carbohydrate-splitting enzymes and lubricating mucus. Incisors are the four front most long, sharp teeth in the mouth of a rat. The incisors are especially designed for gnawing. If you make an incision on one side of the body from the region of the shoulder to the angle of the jaw, and continue cutting along the lower jaw you will reveal the salivary glands. There are three pairs of salivary glands. The largest lies just behind the ear and extends to the ventrolateral surface of the neck. The other glands are more ventral and extend anteriorly under the lower jaw. The saliva, as previously mentioned, contains enzymes, which begin the digestion of carbohydrates, and mucus, which moistens food and sticks it together to facilitate swallowing. The tongue plays a big role in the swallowing response. The food moves from the mouth into a chamber shared by the respiratory system called the pharynx and on into the esophagus. The esophagus can be seen under the trachea which is a tube recognized by its cartilage rings in the neck region. The other organs of the digestive system are located within the body cavities. All the organs of the body cavity, particularly those of the digestive system, are called the viscera. These organs are supported from the dorsal body wall by mesenteries. The wall of the body cavities and the organs are lined with a thin, moist membrane, the peritoneum. The liver is a large, reddish brown mass that lies immediately posterior to the diaphragm, the muscle dividing the thoracic and abdominal cavities. The liver has a great number of functions. However, its role in digestion is to produce bile, a substance that emulsifies fats breaks them into minute droplets, making them easier to digest. In humans, the bile is stored in the gall bladder before being released into the small intestine. However, the rat lacks a gall bladder. Therefore, the bile is released through a duct directly into the small intestine, where it acts. The stomach is a muscular organ. It is located on the left side of the rat’s upper abdomen. Food enters through the mouth and travels to the stomach from the esophagus. The esophagus pierces the diaphragm and is next to the trachea. It is different from the trachea because it does not have cartridge rings. It looks like a tube and moves food from the mouth to the stomach. At the top, it receives food from the pharynx and at the bottom; it discharges it into the first portion of the stomach. As food reaches the end of the esophagus, it goes into the stomach through a valve called the lower esophageal sphincter. To digest food, the stomach secretes acids and enzymes that break the food down. The stomach is lined with layers of muscle tissue called rugae. The stomach muscles contract periodically, churning food to assist digestion. The pyloric sphincter is a muscular valve that opens to allow food to pass from the stomach to the small intestine. Most of the digestion and the absorption of the products of digestion take place in the small intestine. Glands in the wall of the small intestine secrete enzymes for the breakdown of both proteins and carbohydrates. Secretions of the pancreas enter the small intestine and contain enzymes for the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. The pancreas is an irregular mass of brownish glandular tissue in the mesentery dorsal to the stomach. It produces a hormone, insulin, which passes directly into the circulatory system and is not involved with digestion. The cecum is a large sac where the small and large intestine meet. This sac is often confused with the large intestine. It is the point at which the small intestine becomes the large intestine. Rats and rabbits, will produce a special feces formed from the cecum product. They will then ingest these feces again, to digest it a second time. This behavior is called coprophagy. Running from the cecum, the colon ascends, crosses the abdominal cavity, and descends again. The colon connects posteriorly with the poorly differentiated rectum of the rat. The rectum connects the colon and the anus. The primary function of the large intestine is to absorb most of the water of the digestive secretions, conserving it for use within the body. Cardiovascular system The rat heart is small so that the details of its structure are difficult to observe. The heart is located inside the rib cage of the rat. The heart is a very vital organ to the rat. The Pulmonary circulations carry blood through the lungs for oxygenation and then back to the heart. The blood enters the heart where it is pumped into the lungs for oxygenation. It is then distributed around the body only to return to the heart once again to start the process over. The rat circulatory system is almost identical to humans. The right side of the heart circulates blood to the lungs. The powerful contraction of the muscles of the left ventricle drives the blood out of the heart through the aorta to the rest of the body. The effectiveness of these contractions is increased by the presence of valves that prevent the backflow of blood. These valves prevent blood from flowing back into the ventricles from the arteries. The circulatory system performs the essential duties of transporting oxygen and nutrients to metabolizing body tissue and carries off carbon dioxide and other metabolic waste that will eventually leave the body. The rat has a closed circulatory system, which means that the blood remains within a system of vessels through which it is pumped by the heart. A vessel that carries blood away from the heart to a capillary bed is an artery. A vein carries blood in the reverse direction, from the capillaries back to the heart. The aorta is the largest artery in the rat’s circulatory system. Its purpose is to carry the oxygenized blood that is being pumped out of the heart. The aorta arises from the left ventricle of the heart, forms an arch, and then goes down to the abdomen. Once in the abdomen, the aorta branches off into two smaller arteries. These arteries carry blood to all the veins and eventually back to the heart. The renal arteries stem off of the abdominal aorta. The purpose of the renal arteries is to supply the kidneys with blood. The heart pumps oxygenized blood into the aorta, which pushed the blood into the renal arteries to be taken to the kidneys. Before reaching the kidneys, the artery divides into 4 or 5 smaller branches. Because of the anatomy of the rat’s body, the right renal artery is usually longer than the left renal artery. The arteries can usually be distinguished from veins because they are stiffer and lighter in color than veins. The vena cava veins returns blood from the body to the right atrium. The Pulmonary vein enters the left atrium with blood from the lungs. ?The Internal and external jugular veins is located in the neck region. These carry blood from the head region back toward the heart. Muscular System There are three different muscle tissues: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth. They all have different organizations. Skeletal muscle tissue cells are long, cylindrical, and are striated. Cardiac muscle tissue cells are short and branched. Smooth muscle tissue is not striated, cells are short, and spindle- shaped. The biceps brachii lie on the upper arms between the shoulder and the elbow on both arms of the rat. These muscles are anterior to the shoulder and have two anchors in the shoulder region. The biceps brachii’s main function is to help the rat flex the forearm. These muscles allow the rat to walk as well as use their arms to perform any type of activity. The center of the biceps brachii is thick and wide, while the ends are thinner and narrow. The masseter muscle is the primary muscle involved in chewing. It also acts to clench the teeth and raise the jaw. The sternomastoid is responsible for turning the head to the opposite side; it also helps extend the head. Pectoralis superficialis or Pectoralis profundus adducts the forelimb, and moves the arm toward the midline of the chest. The rectus abdominis helps compress the abdomen. The spinodeltoid abducts the humerus and pulls the humerus forward. The spinodeltoid is the muscle right about the arm. The latissimus dorsi pulls the humerus backwards, and rotates the scapula backward. The large triangular muscle that lies caudal to the shoulder and arm and fans out over the back is the latissimus dorsi. The triceps are the largest muscle, which covers most of the caudal, lateral, and medial surface of the humerus. The triceps arises by three heads: a long head from the caudal, a lateral head from the proximal part of the humerus, and a small medium head (which is very difficult to see) from he proximal two-thirds of the humerus. This muscle is the primary extensor of the forearm. The brachialis arises from the proximal part of the humerus and inserts the ulna. It flexes the forelimb, and flexes the forearm at the elbow. The gluteus medius is the largest of the gluteal muscles in the rat. It is seen in the lateral surface of the ilium and from the sacrum. The bicep femoris expands to form a broad muscle that is inserted along most of the length of the tibia. A group of three trapezius muscles covers the face of the shoulder. Different parts of the complex are inserted on different parts of the shoulder, which is the cranial cleidocervicalis. The middle muscle of the shoulder is the cervical trapezius and the caudal is the thoracic trapezius, which is the upper part of the spine. These muscles help hold the shoulder in place. The deltoid complex is a triangular muscle mass lying ventra to the trapezius group. In rats, but not in humans, it consists of two parts: a spinodeltoid and cleidobrachialis.

Theorists Impact on Teaching and Learning

Theorists Impact on Teaching and Learning The government aims to support and develop childrens learning; these include the Plowden Report (1967), The National Curriculum (1999), a more recent review known as the Rose Review (2009) and The Primary Cambridge Review (2009). These reviews were heavily influenced by both Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky. This assignment will compare two learning theorists and the impact they have on teaching and learning. My main focus will be on Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky however Jerome Bruner will also be mentioned. Firstly, the assignment will describe and critically analyse Jean Piagets theory of cognitive development. Secondly, I will describe and critically analyse the strengths and weaknesses of Lev Vygotskys theory of socio cognitive development. Both learning theorists will be examined and compared along with the implications they have on effective teaching practice. I will then move on to evaluate the impact it has on an individual child in terms of teaching and learning, taking their development needs into account as well as talking about maturation of the child. The school will also be mentioned throughout this assignment. The name of both the child and the school will not be disclosed due to privacy. I will also discover the factors that influence teaching and learning in the four main subjects, these include: Literacy, Numeracy/Mathematics, Science and ICT. Jean Piaget (1896-1980) was a biologist who moved into studying developments of childrens understanding by the age of 21, this was done through observation, speaking and listening to the children on a task that he had set. Piagets work on childrens intellectual development owed much to his early studies of water snails (Satterly, 1987, p. 622) Piaget was a well known French speaking Swiss theorist who believed that children learn by active knowledge through hands on experience. To do this the adult should provide the right materials to allow the child to interact and construct effectively. His views on how a childs mind functions and develops had a great influence especially in education theory. He mainly focused on child maturation to increase the understanding of their world; children cannot carry out certain tasks until they are psychologically mature enough to do so (Child-Development-Guide, 2010). Piaget believed that childrens thinking does not develop smoothly throughout childhood as there are certain points in which it expands and progresses into new aims and capabilities. The transitions took place at about 18 months, 7 years and 11/12 years of age; this meant that before these ages, no matter how bright a child is he/she is not capable of understanding things in certain ways. Piaget used Socratic questioning to get the children to think more about what exactly they are asking or thinking about, the aim of this was to get children to see contradictions in their explanations. Piagets theory of cognitive development was the central structure to his theory. The acquisition of knowledge in childhood which included processes such as understanding, reasoning, thinking, problem solving, learning, conceptualising and remembering, as a whole understanding all the aspects of human intelligence that are used to make sense of the world. Cognitive development is purely concerned with intellectual functions that can be studied individually from socio-economical functions (Atherton, J. 2010) Cognitive structures are patterns of physical or mental action which correspond to the stages of child development. Both Piaget and Vygotsky believe that childrens cognitive development takes place in stages. However Piaget was the first to show that children go through different stages of cognitive development. According to Piaget there are four primary development stages, these include: sensorimotor, preoperations, concrete operations and formal operations. The sensorimotor stage ranges from 0 to 2 years; this is where intelligence takes the form of motor actions. By the actions they perform in their environment through sucking, watching, biting and a number of other responses they may perform. According to a test undertaken by Piaget the child will look for an object that s/he has seen being hidden, this occurs when a child is around 8 months old. Intelligence in the pre-operation period consists of 2 to 7 year olds. At this age the children are capable of using symbols such as words and images to make sense of the world, imaginative play is used and they can tell the difference between fantasy and reality. The child can see a situation from another persons point of view, this is known as egocentrism. According to Piaget, the egocentric child thinks that others see, hear and feel exactly the same as s/he does. REF! bbc article The cognitive structure during the concrete operational stage consists of 7 to 11 year olds. Children need a number of mental operations such as classification and conservation so they can mentally manipulate symbols in different ways. Conversion is when the child has to ability to understand that redistributing material does not affect its mass, number or volume. By the age of 7, the child should understand that when a liquid is poured into a glass of different shape or size the quantity of liquid remains the same, only the appearance changes REF. The final stage is the formal operations which consist of 11 to 15 year olds. At this age children are capable of mental operations including abstractions and logical reasoning (Schaffer 2004, p.168). The mind of a child who is 11 years or older can carry out mathematical calculations, be creative, have accurate reasoning and imagine the outcome of specific actions REF. After analysing Piagets theory, I believe that his four stages of development and the structure of teaching is closely linked. The sensorimotor stage fits in to the early years foundation stage (EYFS) where children mainly learn by playing and exploring the facilities around them. In the nursery and reception classes of the school, the children have a variety of continuous provisions areas within the classroom that relate to the real world such as shops, post office and kitchens. This allows the children to explore role play and discover real life situations. Tasks are set up to allow the children to explore freely whilst the teacher observes the childrens involvement in the activity (EYFS, 2010, online). This relates to the principle of enabling environments in the EYFS themes: The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending childrens development and learning (EYFS, 2010, online). The second stage links to children who are in key stage 1 (KS1). The children develop words that support play with ideas. The school has a shop corner which contains a till, plastic shopping basket with play foods and plastic money, this allows the children to play within the shop and explore the money. I believe this allows the children to learn as well as play as its leveled at their ability. It is important to give the children real life situations and problem solving as the skills can be applied throughout their learning and help them develop into mature adults. Providing the children with hands on experience in certain areas of the curriculum such as EYFS, mathematics and literacy has been taken from Piagets theory. The child is observed during a practical activity and his/her engagement and communication skills are recorded (Briggs et al, 2005, p.27). I feel it is important that EYFS, key stage one and key stage two should be closely linked and flexible so the child has the correct skills and knowledge throughout the stages to build their confidence and succeed in the future. As part of a Literacy topic the children had to act out Goldilocks and the three bears. They were put in groups and were given a script. The children had to read the script and act it out. This provided the teacher with information on each childs cognitive ability and allowed her to assess and set targets for each child. The concrete operational stage ties in with KS2. However, after observing a key stage two there is a change in terms of teaching style and the activities undertaken in EYFS and KS1 The aim of KS2 is to develop the logical process in the learning. Every week the children carry out guided reading, this differentiates from fiction to nonfiction depending on the ability of the child. The children have to read and make sense of the book in order to answer related questions. Finally, the formal operations stage links to KS3 and consists of children working independently and building on existing knowledge. Piagets theory allows the child to learn actively and gain knowledge from any mistakes that they make. However, I feel that Piagets methods are underestimated and may have a huge impact on learning. When learning the core subjects mainly Literacy and Mathematics, Piagets theory ignored the social aspects of the child which unvalued the importance knowledge and culture which led to underestimating the ability of the children. His is widely used in a number of schools, however I strongly feel that the teaching should cover a wider range including the external factors and the environment especially the social and emotional aspects of learning (Isaacs, 1929). On the other hand Vygotsky believed that a childs learning cannot be separated from its social context. An example of the importance social context has is Piagets three mountain experiment. Piaget concluded that children are unable to see things from another persons perspective (Schaffer, 2004, p.174). In the experiment he used 3 mountains of different sizes and children aged from four to twelve years old. The children sat on one side of the mountain and a doll was placed on the other side. The children were then shown photographs of the mountains from different positions and were asked to choose a photograph the doll can see from her position. Piaget found that children under seven years of age could not see things from another persons perspective therefore were egocentric (Wood, 1998, p. 66). However the appropriateness of the three mountain experiment was questioned. Borke states that children performed poorly due to unfamiliarity and not motivating enough for the children to complete successfully (Smith et al. 1998). When the experiment was repeated by Hughes (Donaldson, 1987, p.137) using a policeman and a doll. The children were asked where the doll should hide so the policeman does not find her; he found that nearly ninety nice percent of children aged five were correct. He concluded that if the child is given a familiar situation he/she will think objectively. Cognitive structures change through the following processes: adaptation, assimilation and accommodation. Adaptation is found in all biological organisms to adjust to the demands of the environment, assimilation involves the individual to incorporate new experiences into existing schemas and accommodation is where the individual modifies existing schemas to fit the new experiences (Schaffer, 2004, p.165). This relates to other learning theorists in terms of constructivist perspectives of learning including Jerome Bruner and Lev Vygotsky. However researchers have found it difficult to measure developmental processes: assimilation, accommodation and equilibration. They found it difficult to identify processes that are central to Piagets theory (Meadows 1993, p.19). Piaget claims that his stages are universal regardless of culture, this has also been questioned as a number of studies show that children are able to reach stages earlier that Piaget has stated (Bower, 1974). A three month old baby was shown a toy that was covered by a screen, when the screen was moved the toy had vanished and in another condition the toy was still there. The babies heart rate was measured both when the toy was there and when the toy disappeared. The results showed that there was greater change in heart rate when the toy disappeared. The toy was replaced with different objects and Bower (1971) found that babies show more surprise. Schaffer (2004, p. 184) felt that Piaget under estimated the abilities of children. Applying Piagets theory requires specific recommendations for a certain stage in the cognitive development. For children who are at the sensorimotor stage, adults should provide them with a rich and motivating environment and a number of objects to play with. However a child who is at the concrete operational stage should be provided with activities in which they can classify problems, order and location of concrete objects. This allows the adult to see the different explanations the children at different stages of cognitive development will come up with. The activities or situations given should engage the learners and requires adaptation such as assimilation and accommodation. The learning materials given to the children should be relevant and should involve the right level of motor or mental operations for a child depending on his/her age (McLeod, S.A. 2007). Another critic of Piaget is that he used his own three children for many of his experiments and observations not thinking about the culture they came from (Smith, et al 2003, p. 412). Due to this he failed to take children from different backgrounds into account. A larger sample with children from various backgrounds should have been used to get a more accurate and generalised result. Piagets theory received a number of critics however his work had a major influence in the education sector. He disliked the idea of children being taught sat at desks, listening and transmitting information the teacher gives. Piaget believed that children learn through discovery, the task should be set by the teacher and children should be left to discover, any mistakes the children make should provide useful information on the childs cognitive development. Also for the correct answers, the process of how the child worked out the correct answer should be investigated (Smith et al, 2003, p.388). The curriculum is set out in a sequence, particularly in the core subjects such as mathematics and science. This is influenced by Piagets theory. The choice of learning objectives, curriculum sequencing, grade placements of topics, the assessment of childrens intellectual functioning and teaching methodology (Murray, 1985, p.291) It is important that the class teacher knows at what stage of cognitive development each child is at as it is an important aspect in Piagets theory. This also has an impact on pedagogy as teachers have to change their teaching style to enhance the childs development. The second theorist i will be critically analysing is Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934). He was born in Russia in the same year as Piaget. He studied law and graduated at Moscow University. He then went on the study a Ph.D in Literature and Linguistics. Vygotskys began to work in psychology after the Russian revolution where the Marxism replaced the rule of the czar. The new Marxist philosophy emphasised socialism and collectivism. Individuals were expected to give up their personal goals and achievements to improve the society as a whole by sharing and co operation. The success of an individual was seen as reflecting the success of the culture. Heavy emphasis was placed on history, believing that any culture can only be understood through the ideas and events that have made it occur. (Vasta, R., Haith, M.M., Miller, S.A., 1995). Vygotsky used these elements in his model of human development; this is known as a sociocultural approach. The development of an individual is a result of culture. The theory primarily applies to mental development such as the thought and reasoning process which were believed to develop through social interaction with others mainly parents. He states: Every function in the childs cultural development appears twice: first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of ideas. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals (Vygotsky, 1978, p.57). Vygotsky looked at mental abilities and processes in historical terms using the events that led to them whereas Piaget believed that the childs development process follows a similar pattern of stages. Vygotsky saw intellectual abilities as being much more specific to the culture in which the child was reared (Vasta, R., Haith, M.M., Miller, S.A., 1995). Culture contributes to a childs intellectual development in two ways: firstly children obtain knowledge from it and secondly they obtain the tools of intellectual adaptation from the surrounding culture. Therefore culture provides children with the means to what they think and how they think it. Vygotsky viewed cognitive developments as a shared problem solving experience with another adult, such as the parent, teacher or sibling, this is also known as the dialectical process. Initially, the person working with the child takes the majority of responsibility for guiding the child through problem solving and steadily hands full responsibility over to the child. Every child is different and will react and learn in different ways however Vygotsky stresses language dialogue as adults will use it as a primary resource to transmit knowledge within their culture. The childs own language is of great help as it is a primary tool of intellectual transformation. Eventually children can use their own speech to direct behaviour usually in the same way as the parents speech once directed. This change relates to Vygotskys theme of development as a process of internalisation. Knowledge and thought exist outside the child at first in the culture of the environment. Development consists of gra dual internalization, primarily through language, to form cultural adaptation (Rogoff, 1990). The second aspect of Vygotskys theory is cognitive development which is limited to a time span that is known as zone of proximal development (ZPD). ZPD is the gap between what a child can solely achieve, their potential development which depends on the independent problem solving and what the child can achieve though problem solving with help and guidance of an adult or more capable peers. (Wood, D., Wood, H., 1966). What children can do independently is known as level of actual development and is a standard IQ test measure. However this measure is important but incomplete as two children may have the same level of actual development as it gets the same number of answers right on a test. With help of an adult, again one child may solve a number of problems whereas the other child may only solve two or three. What the child can do with help of an adult is referred to as level of potential development. (Vasta, R., Haith, M.M., Miller, S.A., 1995). Maximum development of ZPD depends on full social interaction of an adult with a child. The more the child takes advantage of the assistance the broader their knowledge of ZPD will be. Scaffolding was invented in 1976 to describe tutorial interaction between an adult and a child. It was used to explore the help and resources an adult provides so a child can carry out a complex task efficiently. This links to Burners ideas of the spiral curriculum. A parallel has been drawn between the notion of scaffolding and ZPD theories of Vygotsky (Hobsbaum, A., Peters, S., Sylva, K., 1996). Before an adult can provide learning opportunities they much evaluate the childs development level at present along with the length of the ZPD. It is important that the child values and makes use of the help that is offered. The child needs to be capable to benefit from the give-and-take conversations with others (Bruner, 1983). In Vygotskys theory language plays a major part in the learning and development process. A child is encouraged to think in new ways and gain a new cognitive tool to make sense of the world. Language is used to solve problems, overcome impulsive action and plan a solution before trying it to control behaviour (Jones, 1995). It is also used for a social purpose, so children can obtain help of peers and solve problems. In this process of development the child starts to practice the same forms of behaviour that other formerly practices with respect to the child however this behaviour is only understood in a social context. Vygotsky has had a great influence on Bruners theory with the introduction of scaffolding and spiral curriculum. Scaffolding is an effective strategy that accesses the ZPD. Scaffolding involved the teacher providing the children the opportunity to build on their current skills and knowledge. This involves the teacher engaging the children and simplifying instructions so they are easily understood. Scaffolding has been used in every subject to support learning especially when introducing new topics. In Literacy the children had to write a story ending. Work was set according to their ability, through the spiral curriculum. The child expressed his ideas and the teaching assistant wrote them on a dry white board ready for the child to copy onto paper. The child was assisted by questions directing her to revisit the story and think about the ending. However this can be a problem as the teacher may offer too much help which may lead to the child expecting help every time and not thinking on their own. Also when observing an ICT lesson, the teacher guided the child through the stages of what needs to be done. The children were then left to complete the task independently. The guidance given relates to Vygotskys approach and the creativity and constructivism is enhanced by Piaget. I observed a year two class in mathematics; they were starting a new topic on difference. The objective of the lesson was to work out the missing number in a sum. To explain this, cubes were used to visually represent numbers so they are easily understood. Both the addition and subtraction methods were shown. Many examples were given until the child fully understood and could work on their own initiative. The activity was then extended to using two digit numbers. The teacher adopted Vygotskys method of ZPD and found that most children had understood the word difference and how to work it out after a number of examples were shown. Unlike Piaget, who concentrated more on individual learning rather than providing adults with a role to help children learn, whereas Vygotsky believed that both other adults and culture play a major part in the development of a childs cognitive ability (Schaffer, 2004, p.90). However Vygotsky constantly mentions how children develop with guidance and help from other adults but does not state how they individually develop (Schaffer 2004, p.215). He failed to recognise how children are motivated to learn individually. Vygotsky focussed more on co-operative learning and little attention was given to individual learning. Vygotsky never took development changes of a child into account. He viewed the child in the same way at the age of two and at the age of twelve. Also the ZPD has been critically analysed by researchers. They have found that teachers have control over a childs thinking as they can ask questions that require certain answer which limits their learning. This kind of questioning is only suitable for children who are achieving below average. A teacher has to be extremely talented to successfully apply the ZPD and guide the children through a task instead of telling them what to do. However the ZPD cannot be applied to every child within a class as the teacher does not have sufficient amount of time to do so (Schaffer 2004, p.217). A final criticism is that Vygotsky failed to take the emotional aspects of a child into account. He did not recognise what happens when a child cannot complete a task or gets something wrong. If a child continuously gets something wrong, does the child lose motivation or continue with the task and hope to succeed? A child goes through many forms of emotion when they are unsuccessful in a task or get something wrong however this has not been mentioned anywhere within Vygotskys theory. Likewise Piaget also failed to take the emotions of a child into account (Schaffer, 2004, p.218). Vygotskys behaviour is particularly relevant to those who are concerned with the use of language as it can be crucial and interrelated with the action. Both Vygotsky and Piaget looked at preschool children in problem solving situations. Piaget believed that the self directed behaviour is egocentric and has a minimum relevance to a childs cognitive growth however Vygotsky referred to it as private speech. Vygotsky believed that private speech grows through interactions with adults; they begin to use parents instructions to direct their own behaviour (Sà ³lrà ºn B. Kristinsdà ³ttir, 2008). Both Piaget and Vygotsky had a conflict when explaining that development theories should not be taught until the children are at the right development stage. Piaget believed that the children are the most important aspect of cognitive development which conflicted with Vygotskys zone of proximal development. However Vygotsky argued that the social environment can be of great help when it comes to cognitive development of the child. The social environment can help children adapt to new situations with ease. Both theorists had the same aim of finding out children think of ideas and translate them into speech. Piaget discovered that children like to explore for themselves the way the world works and what it has to offer however Vygotsky wrote in Thought and Language that human mental activity is the result of learning. This led to Vygotsky believing that acquisition of language has the biggest influence on a childs life. Piaget had a huge emphasis on universal cognitive change and Vygotskys theory expected to have variable development depending on the cultural experiences a child has had. Piagets theory had an emphasis on the natural line whereas Vygotsky preferred the cultural line of development (Gallagher, 1999).

Brookshire Grocery Company :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brookshire Grocery Company, known for its commitment to excellent customer service, was established in 1938. The company began with one store in downtown Tyler, Texas under the name Brookshire Brothers. Soon after, the company changed its name to Brookshire Grocery Company and expanded to four stores in Tyler and Longview, Texas, which included the first air-conditioned store in East Texas (brookshires.com). Over the years, the Brookshire Grocery Company chain has grown to more than 150 stores throughout Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and, most recently, Mississippi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The firm began to open â€Å"warehouse-style stores under the trade name Super 1 Foods and 1 ’superstore’ under the trade name Brookshire’s Supercenter† in the 1980’s offering people other ways to save money (tsha.utexas.edu). Brookshire Grocery Company is also currently operating grocery store in Plano, Texas under the name Ole Foods to try to appeal to the Hispanic population in the community. The company’s manufacturing facilities include a bakery plant, dairy plant, ice cream plant, ice plant and water plant near Tyler, Texas (Brookshire Briefs).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brookshire’s offers a variety of specialty departments in many of its stores. Among these are bakeries, pharmacies delicatessens, floral departments, in-store film processing departments, and video rentals (tsha.utexas.edu). â€Å"In 1977, Brookshire’s established the World of Wildlife and Country Store Museum in the corporate complex† featuring activities for children (tsha.utexas.edu).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due to recent acquisitions, employment in the company has exceeded 12,000 employees (Brookshire Briefs). Brookshire’s has placed a heavy emphasis on replacing, expanding, and modernizing stores where needed in order to meet customer demands and better serve them. The firm has recently â€Å"purchased and opened 17 former Winn-Dixie stores in North-central, Texas and four former Albertsons stores in the Jackson, Mississippi area† (Tribune Business News).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brookshire Grocery Company also introduced a low-carbohydrate, low-sugar frozen dessert called LeCarb in 2001 proving the firm to contribute to creativity and innovation as well as providing options to health-conscious consumers. By May of 2002, the product was distributed nationwide as the first product available of its kind (Tribune Business News).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The grocery market is highly competitive. Brookshire’s has found that superior customer service is the key to success. Consumers who are familiar with the Brookshire’s personnel know that they will be greeted with a friendly smile and helpful attitude. Employee meetings and up-beat newsletters from the corporate office are excellent ways of reminding the employees of the significance of making customer satisfaction the most important part of their jobs.

Klemens Von Metternich

KLEMENS VON METTERNICH Statesman; born at Coblenz, 15 May, 1773; died at Vienna, 11 June, 1859; son of Count Georg, Austrian envoy of the Court of Vienna at Coblenz, and Maria Beatrix, nee Countess von Kageneck. He studied philosophy at the University of Strasburg, and law and diplomacy at Mainz. A journey to England completed his education. Metternich began his public career in 1801 as Austrian ambassador to the Court of Dresden. Though he had for several years prepared himself for a diplomatic career, he was especially fortunate in being immediately appointed to so prominent a position.Only two years later he was made ambassador to Berlin. The emperor considered it very important to have a minister at Berlin who could gain the favour of the Court and the principal Prussian statesmen, and who knew how to combine â€Å"great powers of observation with a moderate and agreeable manner†. Metternich had already proved that he possessed these qualities. Napoleon was then emperor wi th the new empire at the zenith of its power. The Emperor Francis needed his ablest ambassador at Napoleon's Court, and in May, 1806, he sent Metternich to Paris.Metternich found himself in the difficult position of representing Austria in the face of the overweening threats and ambitious plans of Napoleon at the height of his power. He did so with dignity and firmness, as his report of his important audience with Napoleon on 15 August, 1808, shows. The year 1809 is marked by the great war between Austria and France. The German States were called upon to join her, but only the Tyrol responded. On 13 May Vienna was besieged by the French, but eight days later Napoleon was defeated by the Archduke Charles at Aspern.Metternich, treated as a prisoner of state by Napoleon, was finally released in July in exchange for members of the French embassy. After the battle of Wagram Austria's position was hopeless. Its army was cut off from Hungary and compelled to retreat to Moravia and Bohemia. A great statesman was needed to save the situation. On 4 August the Emperor Francis appointed Metternich as minister of state to confer with Napoleon, and on 8 October, minister of the imperial house and of foreign affairs.By the treaty of Schonbrunn (14 October), Austria was greatly reduced in size, and reached the greatest depths of its humiliation. But the moment of its degradation saw the beginning of its rise. The two-headed eagle soared to the loftiest heights, and it was Metternich who gave it the strength for its flight. For nearly forty years he directed Austria's policy. His first concern was to establish tolerable relations with the French Emperor. Napoleon desired by means of a new marriage to ally himself with one of the old European dynasties in the hope to raise himself and to provide an heir for the imperial throne.He obtained a divorce from Josephine Beauharnais, and through the mediation of Metternich married Maria Louise, daughter of the Emperor Frances of Austri a. Though at present it seems to become more and more probable that Napoleon's union with Josephine was a valid marriage, nevertheless it is certain that when Napoleon wedded Maria Louise (11 March, 1810) the Court of Vienna and the Papal Curia were absolutely convinced of the unlawfulness of Napoleon's first alliance. Napoleon's connexion with the imperial family of Austria had no influence on politics.Fate led the French Emperor, after ruining so many others, to ruin himself. At Schonbrunn he pronounced the temporal sovereignty of the Roman See to be at an end, and in reply to the pope's excommunication he remarked: â€Å"This will not cause the arms to drop from the hands of my grenadiers. † Although he imprisoned the pope, in the Russian campaign on the Beresina the arms did drop from the frozen hands of his grenadiers. As the crisis approached the decision lay with Austria. From a quarter past eleven in the morning until half past eight in the evening Metternich was clos eted with Napoleon (Dresden, 26 June, 1813). Our conference consisted of the strangest farrago of heterogeneous subjects, characterized now by extreme friendliness, now by the most violent outbursts of fury†. Napoleon raged, threatened, and leaped up like a chafed lion. Metternich remained calm. Napoleon let his hat, which he was holding under his arm, drop to the floor. Metternich did not stoop to pick it up. The emperor also tried persuasion. â€Å"Your sovereigns†, he said, â€Å"who were born to their thrones cannot comprehend the feelings that move me.To them it is nothing to return to their capitals defeated. But I am a soldier. I need honour and glory. I cannot reappear among my people devoid of prestige. I must remain great, admired, covered with glory. † For that reason, he said, he could not accept the proposed conditions of peace. Metternich replied, â€Å"But when will this condition of things cease, in which defeat and victory are alike reasons for continuing these dismal wars? If victorious, you insist upon the fruits of your victory; if defeated, you are determined to rise again. Napoleon made various offers for Austria's neutrality, but Metternich declined all bargaining, and Napoleon's oft-repeated threat, â€Å"We shall meet in Vienna†, was his farewell to Metternich. Metternich gave the signal for war, and Schwarzenberg led the decisive battle of Leipzig. The Emperor Francis raised his â€Å"beloved Count Metternich† to the rank of Austrian prince. â€Å"Your able efforts in conducting the department with which I entrusted you in difficult times are now, at a moment highly decisive in the world's destiny, happily crowned with success. Metternich reached the height of his power and renown at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815). No idea can be had of the difficulty of the problems that were to be solved. The very first conference of the representatives of the powers previously allied against France (Austria, Prussia, Russia, and England), held on 19 September, 1814, at Metternich's villa on the Rennweg, ended in a discord over the Polish question. It constantly required all of Metternich's most brilliant qualities to preserve harmony. One of his favourite means was to provide festivities of all sorts.They have often been criticized as if they had been the object of the congress, and not a means to attain its ends. Metternich succeeded finally in bridging over every difficulty. The Emperor Francis expressed his satisfaction with Metternich's services in securing peace and order in Europe, and especially in restoring to Austria its ancient pre-eminence. The rearrangement of German and Italian affairs gave but little satisfaction to either side, but henceforth Metternich was the leading statesman of Europe.For the settlement of questions still pending and other difficulties that arose, the following congresses were held: Aix-la-Chapelle, 1818; Karlsbad (a conference of ministers), 1819; Vi enna, 1820; Troppau, 1820; Laibach, 1821; and Verona, 1822. The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, at which the monarchs of Austria, Prussia, and Russia were personally present, devoted its attention to the adjustment of the relations of the powers to France, though Metternich also emphasized the dangers arising from demagogic agitation, and expressed his suspicions that its focus was in Germany.When, not long after, the Russian councillor, Kotzebue, was assassinated by the student, Sand, Metternich in twenty-four conferences of German ministers at Karlsbad took measures to put an end to the political troubles in Germany. All publications of less than twenty folios were to be subject to censorship; government officers were to be placed at the universities to supervise them; in the several states the constitutions providing for diets in accordance with ancient usage were to be retained; representative constitutions were to be suppressed.Despite England's and Russia's resistance, Metternich at the two succeeding congresses successfully carried his proposition to intervene in behalf of the Italian states, which were threatened and hard pressed by the revolution. This measure brought upon Austria the hatred of the Italian people. Finally Austria and Russia split on the question of freeing Greece from the Turkish yoke, Austria showing herself to be a decided friend of the Turks. The result was a blow to Metternich's policy. He had dropped from the high-water mark of his influence.Thereafter Russia's influence increased. Since the death of Prince Kaunitz (1794) the position of house, court, and state chancellor had been vacant, but in 1821 Metternich was invested with that office. â€Å"Your deserts have been increased by the uninterrupted zeal, the ability and fearlessness with which, especially in the last two years, you devoted yourself to the preservation of general order and the triumph of law over the disorderly doings of disturbers of the peace in the states at ho me and abroad. Under the Emperor Ferdinand I after 1835, the direction of affairs, after the emperor himself, was in the hands of a council consisting of the Archduke Ludwig (uncle of the emperor), the state chancellor Metternich, and the court chancellor Kolowrat. Metternich's influence over Austria's internal affairs was less than is generally supposed. Count Hartig, who was well informed, declares (Geschichte der Revolution, p. 19): â€Å"In matters of internal administration the prince was seldom heard, and was purposely kept away from them. † In this department after 1826, it was the minister Count Kolowrat whose influence was decisive.Many envied Metternich his pre-eminence. The aristocracy always saw the foreigner in him, and others looked with resentment upon the preference shown foreigners in the state chancery (Friedrich Gentz, Adam Muller, Friedrich Schlegel, Jarke). Grillparzer, director of archives in the Hofkammer, expressed himself very harshly on that point in 1839, though it must be noted that Grillparzer had been highly incensed. In all these matters Kolowrat had the advantage of Metternich. He was even considered capable of granting, or, at least, of preparing a constitution, and was thought to be inclined to do so.As time passed â€Å"the Metternich system† came to be held more and more responsible for everything unpleasant, and its author to be hated and attacked. His own acts show the injustice done the prince in this regard. To quote from his â€Å"Political Testament†: â€Å"To me the word freedom has not the value of a starting-point, but of an actual goal to be striven for. The word order designates the starting-point. It is only on order that freedom can be based. Without order as a foundation the cry for freedom is nothing more than the endeavour of some party or other for an end it has in view.When actually carried out in practice, that cry for freedom will inevitably express itself in tyranny. At all times an d in all situations I was a man of order, yet my endeavour was always for true and not for pretended liberty. † These words are the key to the understanding and appreciation of Metternich's actions. Two more passages characteristic of the great statesman's temper of mind may be cited: â€Å"Admirers of the press honour it with the title, ‘representative of public opinion', though everything written in the papers is nothing but the expression of those who write.Will the value of being the expression of public opinion ever be attributed to the publications of a Government, even of a Republican Government? Surely not! Yet every obscure journalist claims this value for his own products. What a confusion of ideas! † No less just and important a remark is the following on state religion: â€Å"The downfall of empires always directly depends upon the spread of unbelief. For this very reason religious belief, the first of virtues, is the strongest power.It alone curbs at tack and makes resistance irresistible. Religion cannot decline in a nation without causing that nation's strength also to decline, and the fall of states does not proceed in arithmetical progression according to the law of falling bodies, but rapidly leads to destruction. † When on 13 March, 1848, the storm of the revolution raged in Vienna, the state chancellor, who preferred to sacrifice himself rather than others, immediately resigned his position. He went to England, Brussels, and Schloss Johannisberg.From the last place he returned to Vienna in 1851, and eight years later died in his palace on the Rennweg at the age of eighty-six. In Europe Napoleon, Metternich, and Bismarck set their stamp upon the nineteenth century. All three of them lived to see their own fall. Metternich remained the longest in the leading position of â€Å"coachman of Europe†. Nothing better characterizes the great statesman than what he repeatedly said, proud and aristocratic as always, to Baron A. von Hubner a few weeks before his death: â€Å"I was a rock of order† (un rocher d'ordre).Metternich married three times: in 1795 Maria Eleonora, granddaughter of Princess Kaunitz, by whom he had seven children; in 1827 Maria Antonia, Baroness von Leykam, by whom he had a son, Richard Klemens; and in 1831 Countess Melanie Zichy, by whom he had three children. What was the Metternich system? The Metternich system depended upon political and religious censorship, espionage, and the suppression of revolutionary and nationalist movements. His name became anathema to liberals, and the revolutions of 1848 (which forced him to seek refuge in England) were in part directed at his repressive system.Metternich returned to Austria in 1851. Prince metternich set out many different small fires of liberalising revolutions. The system depended upon political and religious censorship, and the suppression of revolutionary and nationalist movements.. This became held for everything un pleasant. Concert of Europe 1815: In the aftermath of Napoleon's defeat, the great powers of Europe came together to define the new political order. For fifteen years, the plans devised at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) succeeded in reinstating and maintaining Europe's monarchies, while suppressing the ambitions of liberals, nationalists, and workers.However, in 1830 and again in 1848 the aspirations of these groups exploded in revolutionary action. All of these would-be revolutions were eventually put down, but the message that an expansion of the political sphere was coming could not be denied. In fact, nationalism drove much of the political change in the two decades following the revolts of 1848. Austria-Hungary was reorganized to give special status to large minority groups. The states of Italy were brought together in a unified country in 1861.And finally, the German states were unifed under Prussian leadership in 1871. The unification of Italy and Germany were part of a l arger pattern. Throughout Europe, the power of the state increased at the same time as more and more people were brought into the political process. Between 1848 and 1914, France became a republic again, Britain moved closer to democracy, serfdom was abolished in Russia, and Spain and Portugal moved towards modernization of their governments. By 1914, almost all European men had the right to vote.

Verb Agreement

7 Classes of Noun/Verb Agreement 7 Classes of Noun/Verb Agreement 7 Classes of Noun/Verb Agreement By Mark Nichol Below youll find seven classes of noun/verb agreement you need to understand. 1. Indefinite Pronouns Most indefinite pronouns correspond to singular verbs: â€Å"Someone has left her plate on the table.† â€Å"Everybody is entitled to his or her opinion.† â€Å"Each boy is responsible for his actions.† To confirm, test for the proper verb form by writing a simple sentence in which is follows the pertinent pronoun: â€Å"Someone is missing† (not â€Å"Someone are missing†). The proper verb form for some indefinite pronouns depends on the reference: â€Å"All of the soup is gone. (Soup is a single entity.) â€Å"Some of the comments are favorable. (The comments are counted as separate entities.) The indefinite pronoun none can be singular or plural depending on the context: â€Å"None of the jewels are missing.† (None of the components of the whole entity in question are missing.) â€Å"None of the jewelry is missing.† (Not one part of the whole entity is missing.) 2. Conjunctive Phrases The simple conjunction and cannot necessarily be replaced by such phrases as â€Å"along with,† â€Å"as well as,† and â€Å"together with†: â€Å"The doe along with its fawns is resting in the meadow.† (This sentence is correct, however, if â€Å"along with its fawns† is inserted into the sentence â€Å"The doe is resting in the meadow,† which requires bracketing commas. The same is true of the other phrases.) 3. â€Å"Either/Or† and â€Å"Neither/Nor† Neither and either refer to two compared or associated objects as individual entities and are therefore usually employed with singular verbs: â€Å"Neither she nor I are ready for that.† â€Å"Either option will work for me.† Informally, however, an exception is made in such constructions as â€Å"Are either of you ready?† In â€Å"either/or† and â€Å"neither/nor† constructions with a mixture of singular and plural nouns, the verb form is determined by whether the closest noun is singular or plural: â€Å"Either the captain or one of the lieutenants are leading the patrol.† â€Å"Neither the students nor the teacher remembers hearing anything.† However, because the plural noun and the singular verb still clash in the second sentence despite their lack of proximity, it is advisable to construct the sentence so that the singular pronoun precedes the plural one: â€Å"Neither the teacher nor the students remember hearing anything.† 4. Positive and Negative Subjects in Combination A subject consisting of positive and negative sentiments that differ in singular and plural form should be followed by a verb that corresponds with the positive element: â€Å"The delivery of the speech, not its contents, is the issue.† As with â€Å"either/or† and â€Å"neither/nor† constructions, perhaps it is best to rearrange the sentence so that the singular noun is in proximity with the verb: â€Å"It is not the contents of the speech, but its delivery, that is at issue.† 5. Expletives In sentences beginning with such expletives as here and there, the actual subject, which follows the verb, determines the verb form: â€Å"There is a word for that.† â€Å"Here are several choices.† 6. Plural Nouns for Single Objects Plural nouns that name single objects, such as scissors and pants, are matched with plural verbs unless the phrase â€Å"pair of† precedes the noun; in that case, pair is the subject: â€Å"Scissors are dangerous.† â€Å"A pair of scissors is required for this activity.† Some other nouns ending in s are also singular in meaning: â€Å"The mumps is a disease you don’t hear much about anymore.† Meanwhile, others stand for a single thing but call for a plural verb: â€Å"Thanks are in order.† 7. Fractional Phrases Phrases referring to a mathematical portion may, depending on the context, be singular or plural: â€Å"A small percentage of the employees are opposed.† â€Å"A large percentage of the cargo was damaged.† â€Å"Three-fourths of the land is forested.† â€Å"One-third of the trees are oaks.† Numbers expressed as part of a mathematical operation are linked with a plural verb, but the outcome of a computation is expressed as a single entity: â€Å"Ten and six are added together to equal sixteen.† â€Å"Ten minus six is four.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetWhen Is a Question Not a Question?