Assessment Critique

Assessment Critique Sandra Whitney California State University, Northridge SPED 501 M/M Dr. Haney A. General Information The Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Second Edition (KTEA-II) is an individually administered measure of academic achievement for ages 4. 5 through 25. The test is available in 2 versions. The Brief Form assesses achievement in reading, math and written expression. The Comprehensive Form covers reading, math, written language, and oral language. It also provides an analysis of students’ errors.Examiners can obtain a Comprehensive Achievement Composite in about 30 minutes for younger children and 85 minutes for the oldest students. The Comprehensive Form has 2 independent, parallel forms (A and B). The KTEA-II was written by Alan and Nadeen Kaufman and is published by AGS Publishing. B. Brief Description of Test Scoring & Types of Scores Derived The KTEA-II was designed to measure student progress. Some of its applications include assessing achievemen t, identifying processes, analyzing errors, program planning, measuring academic progress, evaluating interventions/programs, and making placement decisions.After reviewing the Manual, I believe the KTEA-II would be a good measure of academic achievement and student progress. The KTEA-II’s authors examined literature reviews and recommendations from experts in different subject areas in order to define which skills should be measured in each achievement domain. Three national tryouts of the KTEAII Comprehensive Form Materials were conducted between 2000 and 2001. These trials illustrated whether each subtest had enough items to be reliable and provided adequate coverage of skills at each grade level.They also allowed for statistical analysis to identify and modify/remove items that had poor discrimination or were differentially difficult according to sex or ethnicity. Finally, the tryouts provided valuable information regarding item difficulties that was necessary for constru cting standardization forms that would be parallel in content and level of examinee performance. I believe the KTEA-II is well designed. I especially like the fact that it provides a Clinical Analysis of Errors and that the authors utilized input from experts when designing/selecting test items.The analysis of errors can help a teacher identify specific areas in which the student demonstrates weak, average, or strong skill development. I feel the KTEA-II’s design and norms make it suitable for most populations between the ages of 4. 5 and 25. As a special educator, a real positive feature is the inclusion of examinees with special classification or diagnosis. However, I do not feel the KTEA-II is suitable for English Language Learners. The manual specifically states that the test was normed to represent the US population of children and young adults who speak English.C: Validity, Normative Population Data, &Types of Scores Derived The norm sample consisted of 3,000 examinees aged 4? through 25. The grade norms are based on 2,400 of the examinees in Grades K-12. The standardization took place from September 2001 through May 2003. All age levels had between 100 and 200 participants, except age 19, which had 80. The KTEA-II sample was based on the 2001 Current population Survey and designed to match the US population with regards to sex, parent education, ethnicity, and educational status of examinees aged 18 to 25.The sample was representative in terms of geographic region, with a few exceptions at a couple of age levels. Examinees with special disability classification or diagnosis were also included in the standardization sample. These participants had a specific learning disability, speech/language impairment, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation, emotional/behavioral disturbance or were gifted and talented. One shortcoming in the norms is the failure to provide a breakdown of rural/urban participants.For internal consistency, t he overall Comprehensive Achievement composite coefficient was very reliable at (. 97). The core composites for Reading (. 96), Mathematics (. 96), and Written Language (. 93) are also highly reliable. However, the Oral Language composite (. 87) and Oral Fluency (. 85) fall below the desired (. 90) standard for reliability. The Sound-Symbol and Decoding composites are adequately reliable at all age levels. Because of the format for the subtests for the Reading Fluency composite, it is not possible to evaluate the internal consistency.The internal consistency coefficients are lower for subtests than composites. Most of the Reading and Mathematics subtests, and the Spelling subtest coefficients are sufficiently reliable. The majority of coefficients for the Oral Language subtests and the Written Expression subtest are less than (. 90). The coefficients for Nonsense Word Decoding are acceptable; but the majority of coefficients for the Phonological Awareness, Associational Fluency, and Naming Facility are below (. 90).To assess the stability of the KTEA-II scores over a period of weeks, the test was administered twice to 221 children from three grade ranges (Pre-K to Grade 1, Grades 2 through 6, and Grades 7 through 12). The retest interval ranged from 11 to 60 days and averaged 3? to 4 weeks. Alternate-form reliability was also examined in this analysis because about half the students took Form A first and Form B second; the other half took the test in the opposite order. The reliability correlations for the three grade ranges for the Comprehensive Achievement composite were (. 92), (. 94), and (. 5), respectively. For Pre-K to Grade 1, only the overall Reading and Decoding composites are sufficiently reliable. Coefficients for the Mathematics (. 87), Written Language (. 85), Oral Language (. 64), Sound-Symbol (. 84) and Oral Fluency (. 59) composites are all below (. 90). Letter & Word Recognition is the only subtest for Pre-K to Grade 1 with adequate reliabili ty (. 97). Coefficients for the rest of the subtests range from (. 47) to (. 88). For Grades 2 through 6 the Mathematics, Written Language, Reading Fluency, and Decoding Composites all had coefficients of at least (. 0). The Reading (. 87), Oral Language (. 68), Sound-Symbol (. 80), and Oral Fluency (. 67) composites are less than . 90. All subtest correlations are less than (. 90), except Spelling, Nonsense Word Decoding, and Decoding Fluency. Coefficients for the Reading (. 89), Oral Language (. 81), and Oral Fluency (. 76) composites are below . 90 for Grades 7 through 12. Correlations for the Mathematics, Written Language, Reading Fluency, and Decoding composites are all adequate. All subtest correlations, except Math Computation, are less than (. 90).Outside reviewers note that because stability and alternate-form reliability were not separated in this analysis, it is impossible to know whether results for some components are unstable, whether the forms differ, or both. The Ora l Language composite is problematic because of its internal consistency and stability correlations are consistently below (. 90). Interrater reliability was evaluated for Written Expression, Oral Expression, Reading Comprehension, Listening Comprehension, and Associational Fluency because they require judgment in scoring and are most susceptible to difference in scoring among examiners.The cases used 50 students at each of two grade levels. Students from Grade 2 or 3 completed Form A and students from Grade 8 completed Form B. Three or four examiners scored each level of each subtest. Correlations were all above (. 90), except Oral Expression at both grade levels (. 82 and . 88) and Associational Fluency at Grade 2 (. 82). The authors took many steps to ensure the validity of items on the KTEA-II. These efforts included literature reviews, consultation with experts in the field, and field testing.Intercorrelation of subtests and composites are provided at each age and grade level an d address construct validity. Moderate to high correlations were found between the majority of subtests and composites, except for the Oral Language domain. The average correlation between Oral Expression and Listening Comprehension was (. 46). Low correlations for these subtests and composite suggest they are measuring skills not closely related to other sections of the test. Factor analysis was used for the eight primary subtests of the KTEA-II Comprehensive Form, using the entire age-norm sample for Grade 1 through age 25.Confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence for a four-factor model (math, reading, written language, and oral language), as this model had good fit statistics and high loadings on the factors for all subtests. To evaluate concurrent validity, the KTEA-II Comprehensive Form was administered along with one or more achievement or cognitive abilities tests. Administration of the two tests occurred in counterbalanced order, with approximately half of the cases ta king the KTEA-II first and the other half taking it second.Administration of the two tests could occur on the same day or separated by as much as 60 days. When compared to the original Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (K-TEA), the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test–Second Edition (WIAT-II), the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement–Third Edition (WJIII ACH), and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test–Revised, Normative Update (PIAT-R/NU), high overall composite correlations were found (range . 84 to . 94). At the composite and subtest level, moderate to high correlations were generally found for the domains of reading, mathematics, and written language.However, the Oral Language composite correlations were mixed, with one as low as (. 08). When the KTEA-II was compared to the Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS), a (. 75) correlation was found between the written expression subtests. Correlations in the (. 40’s) were found between the oral ex pression and listening comprehension subtests for the two measures. The relationship between the KTEA-II and several intelligence tests was also examined. Composites from the KTEA-II correlate in the low to moderately high range (from. 13 to . 4) with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second Edition (KABC-II;), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition (WISC-III; Wechsler), the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities–Third Edition (WJ III COG). Students diagnosed with reading, mathematics, and writing learning disabilities; cognitive impairment; attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; and emotional or behavioral disturbance and those who were deaf or hard of hearing had mean scores below average on all subtests and composites. Children identified as high performing or talented received mean scores above average for all subtests and composites.In terms of validity, comprehensive evidence is provided in support of the testâ€℠¢s content validity. The addition of an Oral Language section to the KTEA-II seems beneficial, but is an area of particular concern in terms of both reliability and validity. I believe the Oral Language results should be interpreted cautiously. Outside reviewers caution that there is a danger of overestimating or underestimating a student’s performance due to steep item gradients on the KTEA-II. When tests have steep item gradients, a 1-point change in raw scores can result in a large change in standard scores when using the KTEA-II.In some cases, a 1-point change in a raw score results in a change of as much as 13 standard score points. Reviewers have also found that although the norms for the KTEA-II begin at 4 to 6, most subtests do not have adequate floors at this age. Instruments without adequate floors do not have enough easy items to discriminate between students with and without skill deficits. Several concerns exist in regard to the adequacy of some KTEA-II subtest f loors; thus, it is suggested that examiners check floor adequacy when assessing younger children. Using a subtest with an inadequate floor may overestimate performance at certain ages.

Computers and Sociology

In Liberal Arts Computers and Sociology Sociologists study societies and social behavioral patterns through an analysis of social, political, religious and economic groups. Sociologist study society combining both theoretical and practical methods. com/sociology-exam-3-chapters-6-8/">Sociology Is based around four major components: social, cultural, physical, and demographic. How Individuals form social groups and the means of how they develop Is an Intricate determinant for a sociologist's conclusions. Sociologists specialize in various areas including family dynamics, race and ethnicity, war and revolution, gender roles, socioeconomics and much more.Sociologists are geared to be curious and observant. Always concerned with observing, analyzing, defining, testing, and explaining human behavior. There is no area of modern life where a sociological perspective is of no value. From marketing to business to criminology to medlclne to government, the research provided by sociologist impr oves sales, increases production, shape social policies, resolve socials injustice and promotes political platforms. Statistics and computers are a key component to the work of a sociologist.Strong analytical skills, data gathering, survey methods and computer techniques are the foundation of ociology. In todays age of computer expansion Is neither person nor thing left unaffected by computers. Computers are using in almost every field of work and aspect of life. Since the 1980's after computers were mainly using for warfare assistance, computers are used on a daily basis. Whether it is at home, school, or the workplace computers and the technology, which it brought about, is commonly used all over the world.The affect computers have had on society has been immeasurable, with many advantages and few disadvantages. In the past the only way for long distance communication was through he letter system. Now we still use the letter system but the speed of the Internet Is nowhere near rea sonable comparison. Like society, communication has been much more efficient and resourceful. Information gathering is now a simple task. Whereas before a person would have to do strenuous searching through books and archives, now information about basically anything can be found at the click of a button.Business has also profited greatly by the innovation of computers. The technical efficiency of computers has structured a new business market that has benefited corporate leaders all the way down to consumers. The standard education and the standard of living have increased. Task such as shopping, booking tickets for shows or airlines, checking bank accounts, etc can all done online. Life is now structured around convince. Criminal records now are also found online, no information is left unavailable. Nowadays basic requirements for most Jobs are knowledge of computers and how use various types of software.Computers are apart of everyone's lives whether they desire It or not. Societ y Is made to De Torever evolving ana people, Duslness, polltlcs, even rellglon nave ana will ontinue to adapt to this convenient and efficient lifestyle. Computers and technology has become an indispensable part of our lives. The need for constant communication and information is evident. Technology comes in an abundant amount of forms from the desktop, laptop, tablet, smart phone and so much more. Society has made every person and thing is made accessible.This massive technological boom is affecting every culture. It is drastically changing the ways in which people live their lives. People are easily connected by state-to-state country-to-country and so on. Ideas and information are spread faster and further han ever before. In the end the advancements in communication technology has ultimately brought cultures closer all over the world. For many people in the workforce computers have had an overwhelming effect because of the drastic changes brought upon them; including changes to their work routine and structure.Employees today are in the middle of an information revolution. There is a complete change in the way work is done. Meaning past required skills are archaic and new evolved technological skills are required. For many these changes must bring about fear and resistance. The effect of the Internet on work has also had a great influence on society. Starling weighed in on the issues stating that, â€Å"They generally point to a redistribution of work (and the money that comes with it) out of established centers, such as Western cities, and into more remote areas.Teleworkers can operate in deep countryside, beyond the range of commuters. International data centers can be placed in any country with a passable education system. The ‘net' effect is probably a good one, redistributing wealth out of concentrated hotspots in cities of the west and into the world at large. (Starling) Starlings view is one that is very positive on the vast effects of comput ers and the world of globalization pushing marketing through ‘cyberspace' as a tool for creating world market opportunities in poorer countries.Gabey coincides with his idea of the boom of â€Å"e-commerce† and its worldwide popularity, â€Å"At the time of writing, every four seconds a further eleven organizations establish an Internet presence thereby linking the to the world's most successful, broadly spread communications network – the World Wide Web. BY 2023, worldwide more than 4 billion people will be surfing he Web, from ‘Teeny Techies' (aged 6-16) to ‘Silver Surfers' (aged 50+). (Gabey) Through the benefits of computers and bountiful there are still some negative side effects on society.Society is no longer interested in a common well-being but more of their lives and own problems. The ways of togetherness and the spirit of working together with one another are no longer visible. The ways in which our youth are growing up has drastically cha nged. No longer do kids spend their free time playing with one another or reading books or talking to their family members. The focus is on a screen or idealizing some new gadget. Face-to-face interactions between people have been considerably reduced. The importance of spreading cultural values has been reduced.Computers have drastically affected society to the point that the entire structure of society and some cultures have changed. Starling states that, â€Å"We access the Internet as individuals, rarely groups. We work alone and entertain ourselves alone. We write emails and talk less on the telephone – a different social interaction favoring different skills. The Internet is changing us as individuals, not Just soclety. † (Starllng) We have adapted and altered aspects of our language to accommodate new age erminology with a new vocabulary.Words like boot up, online, upload, download, ‘cloud, email, and various acronyms, such as MAC, PC, www, . com, @, etc. have worked its way into our language. Society has even created new etiquette in communication. Whether for the better or worse computers have had an influential effect on the main sociological institutions of education, economy, and family life. The effects of computer and the technology it had brought fourth are not going to be here for long. That is because the world is forever evolving and adapting and soon society will acclimatize to newer innovations.We cannot predict progress or what will be of our society and culture in the future but we must accept that, good or bad, because the world hold a million and one new possibilities.

Oppression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Oppression - Essay Example â€Å"The Broken Spears† refers to a book with a collection of many accounts of the destruction of Mexico Cortes and the conquerors in their invasion. The author argues that the Spanish were to solely take the blame for the destruction of the Aztec Empire. The author shows how the Spanish took advantage of their superiority over the Aztecs in order to oppress them (Leo?n-Portilla 87). They also took advantage of their cultural difference during the invasion. The book also gives details on how tropical diseases and poor political leadership contributed to the defeat of the Aztec Empire by the Spanish troop. â€Å"The house I live in† is a documentary based on the fight against drugs and drug abuse in the United States of America. The documentary was done by Andrew Jarecki in the year 2012. The documentary shows how much the government spends on this yet the results are hardly noticeable. The documentary shows how the police have over the years targeted the poor drug usin g minorities instead of focusing on the people who avail the drugs (Norrell 111). The documentary also shows the alarming rate in which the number of low income white Americans been jailed for drug related offenses in rising. The documentary suggests that the war against drugs in the USA should be staged across all social and economic classes instead of focusing on a single side. ... This is evident in the way the Spanish invades the Aztecs thus depriving them of all the resources they have. They manage to do this by taking advantage of their superiority over the Aztecs and the Aztecs’ ignorance. In â€Å"the house I live in† the police take advantage of the low class citizens in the war against drugs in the USA. As much as they know that arresting and sentencing the common drug peddlers have little effect on the success in the fight against drugs, they still do it ignoring the drug lords who happen to be of high influence to the society. The government knows well that had there been fair job opportunities for people of all social and economic classes, the drug peddlers and users of the minority communities would not be involved in these activities. However, the government in this case seems to have emphasized on the symptoms of the problem instead of the problem itself. This is a form of oppression mainly encouraged by capitalism in all the aspects of human lives. In both cases someone can agree that there is oppression of one group by another. One of the common characteristics of the people being oppressed is that they have an inferiority complex of some sort to those oppressing them. Given that the oppressors are superior to the people being oppressed, they take advantage of the weakness of their victims. For instance, in the invasion of the Aztecs, the Spanish take advantage of their superiority to invade and exploit the resources formerly belonging Aztec Empire. The police has also taken advantage of the defenselessness of the minority drug dealers and users to arrest them. The police have been able to do very little about the powerful and influential drug lords. This failure is a major hindrance to the success of their mission. This

Reading Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Reading Journal - Essay Example The ecological and social disaster did not fix itself to Punjab. In Wrangal, Andhra Pradesh, farmers are committing suicide. Traditionally, farmers in the region grew paddy, millets, and pulses. However, seed companies lured farmers to adopt cotton farming by portraying them as more profitable. Seed merchants referred to the hybrid cottonseeds as white gold supposed to turn farmers into millionaires. Instead, farmers became paupers (Shiva, 2000). The merchants are attempting to introduce genetically engineered seeds thought to be more productive than hybrid cottonseeds. However, genetically engineered cottonseeds increase ecological and costs risks. They need more water and thus have lead to deep tube wells drillings, which have consequently caused water famine in India. Unlike the previous crops, the new crops require a lot of water. Due to the difficulties caused by the introduction of new crops, Shiva thinks that a sustainable development is not achievable under globalization. Development ought to be regional based and not based on global demands. For her, globalization has led to unforgivable and brutal impact on the poor forced to feed the world. The rich variety and sustainable systems of food production were destroyed in an attempt to increase food production. Various and rich sources of nutrition were eliminated. In the industrial fisheries and industrial agriculture, nutrition per acre is low. Instead, the form of fisheries and agriculture encourage production of a single crop or product per area. Therefore, they lead to high yield of a single product or crop and consequently a low output of diverse products or crops. In her article, Shiva targets policy and decision makers. In her eighth paragraph, she points out the need to reevaluate the development founded on globalization because it has negatively affected the poor. According to

Explore the concept of accountability with regards to the registered Essay

Explore the concept of accountability with regards to the registered nurse having the responsibility of delegating care to suppo - Essay Example In this way, the burden of each and every activity in the hospital or any health care facility is not solely carried by few individuals but rather designated to many other individuals who have the appropriate knowledge and skill in performing hospital duties. Furthermore, errors committed in giving health care will be minimized if not avoided because of mastery of the skill to the tasks that has been designated to the assistants. In everything that has been done, it is the patient’s best interest that is taken into account. A patient has put the trust in our hands for us to deal and treat his disease, thus it is just necessary to return the trust and be their advocates in promoting their well-being. In this text, support workers are team members whom tasks are delegated to by the registered practitioners. Support workers may represent health care assistant, rehabilitation assistant or technician, therapy assistant, assistant practitioner or technical instructors. Registered pr actitioner on the other hand pertains to a registered professional who usually delegates the task i.e. the Health Professions Council (HPC) or the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (CSP, 2006). Discussion The health care practitioners are bound within the scope of both the criminal and civil courts so as to assure that what they are doing are within the limits of legal requirements especially since they are dealing with human life. Registered health care providers are responsible to their acts of health practice and patient care thus must conform to the conditions and terms set by the regulatory and professional bodies. Currently, heath support workers do not have professional registrations (Department of Health, 2004; Scottish Executive Health Department, 2004). When a registered health care provider has delegated tasks to a support worker, it is to note that the registered practitioner must understand the skill and knowledge needed to perform the delegated assignment. It is the registered health care provider’s responsibility to delegate a task and on the other hand, the support worker is responsible for taking the assigned job sand also for the actions he/she used for accomplishing the specific task. This principle applies when the support worker has sufficient knowledge, judgment, and skills in carrying out the delegated task given that the task is bounded within the standards and conduct set at the work place. Meanwhile, supervision and feedback regarding the task must be appropriately delivered by the registered professional (Mackey & Nancarrow, 2005). Delegation, Accountability and Responsibility Delegation is the process undertaken wherein a registered health practitioner distributes a task to a support worker who is believed to be capable in fulfilling the work. With delegation as basis, the support worker is trusted with the obligation for the task. In a stricter sense, delegation is different with assignment. In delegation of task, the supp ort worker is responsible for the task and the registered health practitioner is held accountable to the support worker. In assignment, both the responsibility and accountability for a specific task passes from one person

Conferencing Software or Social Media Research Paper - 1

Conferencing Software or Social Media - Research Paper Example The web conferencing enables training and webinars are also held during the web conferences. Audio accessories enhance the conferencing experience. The VoIP is used in the process of communication between the members attending the web conference. Two main technologies enable web conferencing. The technologies employed in the process include VoIP and HD. VoIP technology helps in the conversion of human voices from analog to digital mode. The converted voice data are transmitted over the internet. The web conferences also rely on the phone lines, which enhance communication among the participants in a web conference. The router used in the process of transmission of voice data helps in the relaying of the data to the internet service provider modem (Spielman and Winfeld, 2008). The voice data are also converted at the point of internet service provider. After the data is received by all the web conference members, the information is assembled by the computer and converted into usable form. The audio data flow smoothly through a cheaper way. Social media refers to the medium through which people chat on an online platform such as Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. These forms of social media help in the exchange of ideas. The forum helps in the meeting of many people on internet forums. Social media is more reliable than the web conferencing because it enhances many applications including online marketing. Social media is commonly used for business purposes. Different people advertise different commodities on the social media under different web links. According to Spielman and   Winfeld (2008), social media serves as a meeting point for potential buyers and sellers. The chatting engagement with social media is live and reliable because an individual is able to extract sufficient from his partner on the social media platform. Different forms of software are applied in social media. These include the IM software and

Great Pyramid of Khufu Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Great Pyramid of Khufu - Personal Statement Example I hope to be an architect one day, and seeing these marvelous wonders first hand would be an experience like no other. I would be able to marvel at the complexity and genius that went into building them, and actually get to be there, an experience that could not be attained simply by reading a book or looking at a picture. I have estimated that the air fare for the trip will be around $2800.00 for round trip tickets; the hotel would cost around $500 dollars a night, for a total of 5 nights. I would also allow myself 100 dollars. The only other small cost would be the cost of admission to the pyramid. The Great Pyramid at Giza is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is also the only of the seven that has survived the test of time and remains today ( http://ce.eng.usf.edu/pharos/wonders/pyramid.html). This not only shows the monument's unique look back into an ancient time, but also its uncanny ability to resist time, and to withstand each and every century as if it were nothing. This is a tribute to the hard work and time that went into building this great marvel of the world. The pyramid is "756 feet long on each side, 450 high and is composed of 2,300,000 blocks of stone, each averaging 2 1/2 tons in weight. Despite the makers' limited surveying tools no side is more than 8 inches different in length than another, and the whole structure is perfectly oriented to the points of the compass."( http://www.unmuseum.org/kpyramid.htm). These figures show how much work and care must have gone into the completion of this great work of art, and how advanced the methods of this structure must have been. It is because of how intricate and advanced this structure is, as well as its height and history, that I feel it is important to get to see as part of growing as an artist, architect, and person. Despite the enormous size and history of the project, how exactly that Great Pyramid was completed is a riddle that time may never answer for us. "Herodotus said that it would have taken "30 years and 100,000 slaves to have built it."(http://interoz.com/egypt/cheops.htm). However, exactly how long it took, and how many people it took is a question still debated by scholars and historians. However, many historians believe that Herodotus got many of his numbers wrong, and that it took less workers and less time that Herodotus recorded for us. It is not far fetched to think this, as by the time Herodotus visited the Great Pyramid, it was already 20 centuries old, and many of the information may have been lost of mixed up already (http://www.unmuseum.org/kpyramid.htm). The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest pyramid ever built, and, "it incorporates about 2.3 million stone blocks, weighing an average of 2.5 to 15 tons each. It is estimated that the workers would have had to set a block every two and a half minutes."( http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pyramids/khufu.html). The immensity and hard work that went into this monument are just two of the factors that make it resistant to time, and also make it an invaluable work of art to visit on my trip to Egypt. The precision and care that went into this work of art was also great. Perhaps to combat problems that had happened with other pyramids being built around this time, great care was given to the detail and measurements of the pyramid, which is an achievement in itself with the primitive tools the Egyptians would have had to

Healthcare Administration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Healthcare Administration - Research Paper Example In fact, large amount of medical research breakthroughs take place in Academic Health Centers. These consequently result in clinical benefits and philanthropy towards the patients. Let us look at some of the famous Academic Health Centers in the World. 1. The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) is one of the foremost associations of Academic Health Centers. It is a nonprofit organization, and consists of allopathic and osteopathic medical school. The AAHC contributes variously to the education system of the different countries. AAHC is vital for generation of newer ideas, concepts and therapies. It is responsible for original centers of innovation and benefit mankind on a large scale. 2. The Biomedical Research Centre at Bethlem Hospital, London, has majorly paced the research facilities at the institute. They’ve sought some ‘personalized medicine’ that has been a medical breakthrough in psychological medical history. 3. Centre for Rural Health, South Africa, undertakes research activities that are pertaining to the regional ailments; it was started off way back in 1980’s. However, today it has spread to a large number of countries, due to the efforts of its academic health centre. Ans 2. Telemedicine is a largely popular form of clinical medicine; to make the process of medicine audio-visual and also convenient for many to use. Telemedicine is a process of two professionals discussing the possibilities of a case over a telephonic conference. Telemedicine is of great benefit to remote communities who have scarce resources of finding adequate medical help at the right time. In fact, telemedicine is now rapidly replacing many technologies like Doctor-on-Wheels, due to its immensely beneficial results that it has cropped up with. Telemedicine can provide for accurate diagnosis as well as accurate examinations of the various techniques of medicine on a patient in a very efficient manner. In many of the

Analysis of the film <Requiem for a Dream (2000) > Research Paper

Analysis of the film - Research Paper Example It speaks of several forms of drug addictions and their consequences. The importance of the film also lies in its ability to understand the ways in which family ties and bonds are severed irreparably through the use of drugs. The ability of the movie to manoeuver through the technical aspects of filmmaking is also brilliant. The movie is noteworthy not only for its deft handling of the theme but also for the team’s ability to use sound and lighting to weave itself into the story. The movie is not a long one and its runtime is just one hundred and one minutes. This means that the story is told without any additional frills. It stands on its own and this is thanks to the excellent editing that was performed on it. The scenes that are shown in the edited version of the movie reveals how details are squeezed into every frame in order to keep the runtime short and the pace quick. The pace of the movie varies according to the mood that its protagonists are in. Given that this is a movie that speaks of the metal states and social positions of drug addicts, there are several changes of pace that the movie undergoes. This is significant as it makes it possible for the viewer to understand better exactly what the mental conditions of the protagonists are. They are also able to understand better the situations that drug addicts put themselves through once they are deprived of what comes to become their lifeblood. This irony is what the changes of pace are able to conve y in the movie without taking the viewer on an unnecessary roller-coaster ride that may have degenerated into melodrama. The movie’s slick editing makes it possible for the viewer to retain the message of the movie without the movie having to be preachy in its tone. This, according to many was one of the major victories of the movie. The lighting of any movie is something that complements its

Penalties and Offences in Tax Essay Example for Free

Penalties and Offences in Tax Essay In understanding the context of penalties and offences in Self-Assessment System, we first need to understand the overall meaning of Self-Assessment System. Self-Assessment System is based on the concept Pay, Self Assess and File. Whereby, Pay stands for monthly salary deductions are made for the individuals who are having an employment income or also for the individuals who are having business income through installments. The Self assess stands whereby the taxpayers are responsible in computing their own taxes. And the file stands for the Income Tax Revenue Form (ITRF) where it will be submitted to the Inland Revenue Board Malaysia together with the payment for the balance of the income tax payable where it is to meet any shortfall in the monthly payments or maybe a claim for a repayment, in case if there is an overpayment. Self-Assessment System (SAS) is being practiced in some developed countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Countries as a group. There are some other developing countries also practicing Self-Assessment System such as Cambodia, Sri Lanka and also Malaysia. As we realize that the central motivations of the Self-Assessment System is being introduced is to increase the efficiency of tax collection for the tax authority. But yet there are some broad groups whereby they offences against the Act, filling inaccurate returns and providing incorrect information, fraud and willful evasion. This leads to the introduction of penalty and offences provision under Income Tax Act. There are few penalties for each offence under Income Tax Act. All the provision of penalties does helps to ensure the proper compliance by the taxpayers with the tax laws. But how does it ensure the proper compliance. First of all, all the taxpayers are responsible in submitting their income tax for every year assessment. In a way, by submitting their income tax for every year, influence directly where it helps the country to increase its revenue. Income tax is a major source of revenue to a country which it is required to pay for schools buildings and maintenance of schools and hospitals, rural development and other multifarious services which directly and indirectly benefits the publics. Therefore, a development of a country is depends on the residents. If a taxpayer fail to furnish return or give notice of chargeability will be liable under Section 112 (1) of the Income Tax Act which explains that any person who fail to furnish the return without any reasonable excuse, be guilty of an offence and shall be liable to a fine of not less than RM 200 and not more than RM 2,000 or to imprisonment for a term which not exceeding six months or to both. As this offence will slow down the countries tax administration cycle. The provision for penalties and offences ensures the taxpayer to avoid submitting the incorrect return. In Section 113(1) under Income Tax Act explains that any person who makes an incorrect return by omitting, understating any income or gives any incorrect information where in relation to any matter affects his own chargeability to tax or any other person. As stated in the law, the taxpayers who have submitted an incorrect return will be liable to a fine of not less than RM 1,000 and not more than RM 10,000 and also shall pay a special penalty of double the amount of tax that has been undercharged in the consequence of the incorrect return or for incorrect information and no imprisonment. Those penalties will be a courage for the taxpayers for not to submit an incorrect return or incorrect information. This is because those penalties are an extra burden for the taxpayers. Providing an incorrect return and incorrect information will also burden the IRB, for them to come with a report for the year. Therefore as a resident of Malaysia, we should avoid ourselves from submitting an incorrect return and incorrect information to the IRB. Thus, we also have to play a part in developing our country. The higher is the penalty rate the greater the discouragement for potential tax evasion. There was a few studies has been carried out, and they summarized that penalty rates impact upon tax compliance behavior. When the taxpayers are aware of the offences that they are committing when evading tax and the consequences of being a non-compliant taxpayers, therefore they might reduce their tendency to evade tax. As stated in Section 114 (1) Malaysian Income Tax Act, which explains that any person who willfully and with intent to evade or assist any other person to evade tax, will be liable to a fine of not less than RM 1,000 and not more than RM 20,000 or to imprisonment for a term which is not exceeding 3 years or to both, and also shall pay a special penalty of treble the amount of tax uncharged. This section in the act, seems to be a big burden for those who willful the evasion. The awareness of the penalties for the offences, will help the taxpayers to not against the laws and always ensures the proper compliances. In conclusion, the provision for penalties and offences under the Malaysian Income Tax Act 1965 help to ensures proper compliance by taxpayers with tax laws. Imposing the penalties is the most effective way to ensure the proper compliance. The taxpayers must be co-operative, well-mannered, fair, and honest with high integrity. They should also provide all reasonable facilities and assistance to enable the audit office to carry out his duties as it has outlined in Public Ruling No. 7/2000.

Human Resource Management In Multinational Banks

Human Resource Management In Multinational Banks The case study, Human Resource Management in Multinational Banks in Tanzania, refers to the east located African country Tanzania, which is a developing region and has a high rate of unemployment, poverty and consists of a poor national institutional system. The country ranked poorly on the Corruption Perception Index. The country has also low influence of foreign banks. In the history the country went through different regimes including European partition and the scramble for African colonies. A strong influence on the country has the first elected leader, President Julius Nyerere, of Tanzania. The local Swahili language is known as Ujamaa, which became an official language. The Ujamaa philosophy rely its principles of government on three tenets of traditional African family system which are: mutual respect of each member of the family and society sharing of property and income obligation of all to work The African country wanted to attract foreign direct investment and other MNCs by implementing private policies to improve the socio-economic and institutional conditions and increase the inhabitants living conditions. 1. Is the role of the head offices a prerequisite for business strategy success for MNCs in cross-market integration? Explain your answer in detail. In my opinion and based on various literature the role of head offices is prerequisite for business strategy success for MNCs in cross-market integration. The head offices of MNCs represent the position where most or nearly all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The head office is the entity at the top of a corporation by taking full responsibility to manage all business activities. The service initiated by corporate head offices refers to corporate functional policies that are uniformly applied to both domestic and international operations. They are established specific to meet the needs of international units on an ongoing basis. One major role of the head offices which influences the business strategy success is characterized by coordination and controlling the host nation. These factors are highly visible particularly in the finance and accounting areas. For example, 70 percent of investment decisions are typically made by corporate head offices. So the head offices can keep in mind the general view of the organization. It seems to be best performed when public relations and dealings with host country governments are totally delegated to the local management. Corporate head offices of MNCs in cross-market integration are necessary to determine overall objectives and to specify organization wide strategies. The head offices are responsible for the policy guidelines and make their decision on the allocation of corporate resources to the various operating divisions. Relating to the case both bank centralized organizational system similar by controlling strategic management and business activities, including HR functions in the host nation. The Citibank head office was responsible for major corporate decisions at its country head office. The head office control was intended to achieve business integration globally and transparency in managing work and HRM policies.The head office of the Citibank was also in charge of the recruitment of expatriates for core business activities. The Standard Banks head office had full operational control over the country head office. To conclude, for MNCs in general and multinational banks particularly in this case study, the role of the head offices can be seen as prerequisite for business strategy success in cross-market integration. 2. Does the transfer of corporate business culture have a significant impact on MNCÂ ´s global business competitiveness? Be specific (you may provide examples from other companies). To understand the fallowing question I think it is necessary to define the term corporate business culture which can be used as a synonym for organizational culture. Corporate business culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that characterize members of an organization and define its nature. Corporate culture is rooted in an organizations goals, strategies, structure, and approaches to labor. It is an essential component in any businesss ultimate success or failure. It is an unwritten value-set that management communicates directly or indirectly that all employees know and work under. It is the underlying soul and guiding force within an organization that creates attitude alliance, or employee loyalty. A winning corporate culture is the environmental keystone for maintaining the highest levels of employee satisfaction, customer loyalty, and profitability, stated John OMalley in Birmingham Business Journal. Figure 1: Artefacts of organizational culture (Reference: Organizational Behavior, Steven L. McShan, 2010 ) Positive corporate culture is a prerequisite for success and offer significant competitive advantages over rivals. Corporate business culture includes three important functions. The first function represents the control system. Corporate business culture is a deeply embedded form of social control that influences employee decisions and behaviour. Secondly the organizational culture is the social glue which bonds people together and makes them feel as a part of the organizational experience. Employees are motivated and want to internalize the organizations culture because it fulfils their needs for social identity. The third function represents the sense-making process. This is defined by the understanding of the employees of what goes on and why things happen in the organization. Successful MNCs have strong corporate business culture which means that employees understand and embrace the dominant values. This can influence the organizational performance and results as the employees well-being. For example The Standard Bank LTD promotes a family working environment which is part of their corporate culture. They also value their employees work expectations and treat them fairly which results in a willingness and motivation of the employees work. These make a balanced working environment and outstand on the global business competitiveness. Another example is Wal-Mart, which is a multinational retailer, benefited from the positive effects of corporate business culture. The MNC creates an environment of trust and respect their staff which persists to this day. Employees are called by their first name and the founder of Wal-Mart encouraged change to maintain the competitive edge. A further example which is related to our lecture is the Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airline has a very strong corporate business culture. HR policy doesnt provide layoff when the business is not going well. One main point which includes the corporate culture is the relaxed atmosphere, where people can be more flexible, loyal and productive. Job security promotes a willingness and motivation of Southwest Airlines employees. This results that employees convince relatives, friends or family members to work for this MNC. The productivity and effort of the employees helps the Southwest Airlines to keep labor costs low and savings are transmitted to travellers in form of lower prices. These factors of corporate culture might help the MNC to outstand from their rivals. Related to our lecture we learned that work behaviour is culturally determined and a lot of debates can make whenever corporate culture supersedes or supplants other cultures. What is understood and meant by corporate culture translates into universal work behaviors and standardisation of work practices An organization with a strong corporate culture can standardize more and the local culture has less influence but still local adaption should be taken into account. Figure 1: The linkage between culture and behaviour (Reference: slides from the lecture) This figure demonstrates the connection between the corporate business culture and the home and host culture and the behaviours. Standardization of work behaviour should take into account the choice of mode of operation in determining standardization of work practices. Other important points are the ownership and control. For instance wholly owned subsidiaries provide greater opportunities for transferring work practices than in International Joint Ventures. The standardization of work practices depends on different aspects: receptivity of local workforce to keep corporate norms of behavior. effectiveness of expatriates in the role of agents of socialization time of localization appropriateness to the local environment To conclude, related to the theory and the mentioned examples it is visible that the transfer of corporate business culture have a significant impact on MNCs global business competitiveness. 3. How and why did the MNC banks implement global HR best practices in their cross-market integration? Do their actions in fact reflect best practices? A precise definition of the term best practice is necessary to discuss in detail the mentioned question. A best practice is a technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to a desired result. A commitment to using the best practices in any field is a commitment to using all the knowledge and technology at ones disposal to ensure success. Citibank LTD is an American bank and is one of the most global companies by providing financial services and products. The MNC bank offers different kinds of specialized financial services and products. The bank implemented best practice by applying modern sophisticated technology in its business operation in Tanzania. These services were used to standardize services, to monitor work performance and forms of financial transactions, to inform its customers of global financial market trends, currency fluctuations and price changes in commodities. The main corporate decisions of the Citibank were made by the head office in New York which had a systematic control of operations in the host nation. The bank used an e-check system which was used on a daily basis to monitor incoming and outgoing phone messages and record messages and telephone numbers. Employees werent given high flexibility. For instance every employee had to eat at the companys canteen. They were not allowed to bring their lunch meals from outside. Security checks made sure that employees didnt bring their own food to the workplace. The company gave bonuses to those people who attended the recreational scheme regularly, which is an organized process for socializing between employees and bank representatives. Expatriates role in the Citibank was to provide training to the local employees. One lack in the banks best practice was that the back-up function of the corporate culture which was directed from the head office, let the branch representatives and expatriates only a small space to change their policies or make local adaptations. The best practice included training program but this was also provided from the head office in New York. The purpose of training local employees was to ensure that head office policies were systematically followed. The first bank used Western-style HRM practices and didnt take local practices into account. The second bank, Standard Bank LTD was based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The mission of the bank was to offer guidance and expertise in the financial industry for its customers needs. Similar to the Citibank also the Standard bank was controlled from the head office in South Africa. In my opinion the second bank fallowed the best practice better in a way to take into account local adaptation and responds. They provided local and foreign magazines, videos and textbooks. The Bank tries to come closer to local institutional policies by focusing on a collective working environment, HR functions started to address more openly. The bank used the collective management and leadership terms to characterize its HRM practices in Tanzania. The Standard Bank implemented best practice by integrating the employees in the organizational process and culture. For both MNC banks it seems that they performed best practices. In my opinion Citibank and also Standard Bank didnt reflect totally on it. The Citibank used different modern sophisticated technology and offered various benefits but didnt take into account local circumstances. This bank didnt refer to the local culture, because the main power was in the head office in New York. This is one main lack in their performance. The Standard Bank was more successful by performing best practice because they tried to adapt locally in different ways. One lack of their best practice regarding to the Citibank was that they didnt use modern technical systems and didnt offered as many benefits as Citibank did. In my mind best practice might be achieved when both performances of the two MNC banks are combined. A mix between both banks policy can result in a balance of their performance and they could approach better the best practice in their cross-market integration. 4. How can the MNCs best reconcile the need for global integration and local responsiveness in their HRM policies? Human resource management policies are important and vital for organizations that are serious about resolving personnel issues and finding HR solutions. HRM policies are intended to help maximize the effectiveness of the Human Resource function. Types of HRM Policies: policy recruitment attendance policy leave of absence policy performance planning and evaluation performance probationary period compensation Different studies have established the need for MNCs to gain a balance between the global integration and local responsiveness in their HRM policies. It is important for the MNCs to implement HRM policies to complement the existing culture in the country where the subsidiary exists. A study of European MNCs illustrates the global integration and local responsiveness in MNCs HRM practices. This study is based on 600 UK and Ireland MNCs. They found that MNCs differ in their HR policies by noting that localization is more influenced in career traditions and labor market. MNCs sustain more similar to training frameworks. The implemented study found that host country regulation increase, when home country influence was reduced. The MNC must be aware of the local responsiveness by developing local staff through recruitment, training and development and retention. Cultural awareness training should be provide, because it has various applications domestically which can increase the effectiveness of MNCs One key factor to harmonize global integration and local responsiveness is to create and develop a consistent corporate business culture across multiple locations and maintain the critical balance between a strong corporate business culture and local cultural differences. Related to these points, communication plays an important role in all locations of the common corporate business culture. The Identity of local culture should maintain in the context of the corporate business culture. Another main reason for MNCs to best reconciles the need for global integration and local responsiveness is to integrate and adapt strategic human resources management. MNCs must become more differentiated, integrated and coordinated. Various successful MNCs implemented options like cross-national management training, cross-national assignments and cross-national project teams, to develop different values and culture to pursue global responsiveness of corporate vision and objectives. A very appropriate example of MNCs illustrates McDonalds. The organization operates globally but responds with their products and also regarding to the HR policies locally. For instance McDonalds adapt local taste to their products to satisfy their customer needs and employ local citizens in very subsidiary. The MNC build a standardize products line to succeed globally but they also take into account the local responsiveness to reach a high level of effectiveness and efficiency. However, MNCs should standardize as much as possible to save money, efforts and work but the local culture and cultural differences should be taken into account in their HRM policies.