Critical Article Review Essay

The author of â€Å"Be Sure You’re Right, Then Go Ahead†: The Davy Crockett Gun Craze is by Sarah Nilsen. The purpose of the article is to give detail of how Davy Crockett became the emblem that was known for guns and coon skin hats. The author does not specifically identify the purpose of the article. The purpose is well stated in the detail given about how the legend became a legend and what part Walt Disney played in it. The war, families, television shows, toy makers, and any other company that could profit from Davy Crockett and The Wild Frontier played a major role in making Davy such a legend. A key point from the article are how the NRA’s involvement played a role in making gunplay acceptable. NRA’s reliance on the media to support its political agenda. Disney became more than a wholesome child’s entertainment industry. Disney joined with NRA’s vision on linking the historical past on the role of a gun. The joining of NRA and Disney was a radical change happening that would not only change the way a culture and the public think about childhood gunplay, but the opinion of the media, parents, what is right or wrong, etc. Being that it was Disney, they aligned child’s play and gunplay by connecting it to an American Frontier Hero. Another key point from the article was The National Rifle Association. The National Rifle Association of America Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, where the National Firearms Museum recreates past history. By showing gun history in America and highlighting how the gun helped to form the United States and became the icon for American identity helped to make gunplay more acceptable. Wall paper, furnishings, toys, games, clothes, were all used to promote gunplay. Steer horns, coonskin hats, rifles, and gun holsters were in adult bedrooms. The article said specifically, â€Å"the 1950’s represented a period in which the immense popularity of the television western was instrumental in making the gun into an essential part of American childhood.† The author listed resource after resource to prove the influence that Davy Crockett had in gunplay becoming a normal and natural thing. Some of the resources that he listed was Life Magazine, Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier, Disneyland, ABC: Davy Crockett in Indian Fighter, Davy Crockett  Goes to Congress, Davy Crockett at the Alamo, The Ballad of Davy Crockett, Davy Crockett mambo, books, newspapers, comics, Davy Crockett says. In contradiction to anti-hunting and anti-gun films like Bambi, Disney was transformed by two main events. One being the strike at the studio in 1941, and the second being Disney’s enlistment of the entire studio for military use during World War II. Sarah Nilsen informs us that by 1943 Disney was producing most of the films for the Navy, Army and other Government agencies. She also says By 1945, Disney was proclaiming that â€Å"the generation that used the motion picture to help train its fighters and its workers into the mightiest nation in history, is not apt to ignore the motion picture as an essential tool in the labor of enlightenment, civilization and peace†. Sarah Nilsen reports from Bogart that a child of a police officer asked his father for real bullets because his sister didn’t die for real with the fake ones. That one statement to me was a real wake up to how we got to where we are today. My opinion of this article is that Sarah Nilsen hit it on the head that the Government as well as big names, that were probably influenced by the Government, had and still has a big impact on the way that history is recreated and told to the generation of today. The step that Disney made back in the 1950’s to start promoting gunplay may have very much so been the open door that the world needed to start wars not only in our own countries, but also in our own families and homes, just like the innocent small child that asked his father for real bullets. That Disney and other avenues led them to believe that they were supposed to not only pretend to shoot but that they could do it for real and no one would get hurt or that suppose that someone actually did get shot for real that it was alright for them to die for real. The image of they really never die had to be in their heads because what did they see on television. I liked the article by Sarah Nilsen about Davy Crockett and how he became such a legend and how popular not only an icon can become but the idea that the icon represents as well.

Oedipus Story the Illiad

Jennifer Francois Dr. Beitchman The story Oedipus the king was written by Sophocles. This play was one of the greatest tragedies of all time. Oedipus Kinds of Thebes once was praised by priest and the people of the city. The plague was struck by the people of Thebes grew sick. When the people of the Thebes, (described as the chorus) went to the priest for help, they all turned to Oedipus for their salvation. Oedipus sought for answers by sending his best man Creon to Apollo the Oracle of Adelphi. Once questioned what he was going to do about this plague, Oedipus replied to the people of the city with answers.When Creon returns, he tells Oedipus that the plague is cause by the person who killed Liaus. Creon also stated that the killer lived within the city walls. Stunned of what he heard, Oedipus pursued to take revenge on the late king. Angry on such tragedy Oedipus questions Creon real story. Scared and unsure of what fate has cast upon the city, the people searched for answers. Oed ipus called for a blind prophet named Tiresias. Tiresias knew who the murder is, but wish that he didn’t tell. Oedipus then questions Tiresias intentions for being in his presence. Was it an act of treachery?Oedipus thought. After Oedipus questions Creon and the Tiresias’s motive, Tiresias then slowly tells Oedipus about a future of blindness and wandering. Jocasta, Oedipus wife tries to advise him to disregard the prophet and his fate, Oedipus stressed sought out to find such man. Oedipus called upon the people of the city to report such man who killed the late king Laius. Determine to find the truth his cursed himself blind. (Line 265). Oedipus finds out that he is the antagonist and Jocasta the queen is his mother. Realizing he has unlocked his twisted fate he runs back to his palace.Then to find his mother, his wife hanging on a noose for she has committed suicide was a tragedy indeed. Knowing that her prophecy was true Oedipus tries to rescue he lifeless body (Lin e 1340) and then poke his eyes making him blind. Begging Creon to kill him, Oedipus leaves exile from the city of Thebes. To conclude, the story of Oedipus the King described Oedipus fate which was to kill his father and marry and have children with his mother. However, it was his freewill that led him to this fate. His arrogant, aggressive, and stubborn personality pushed him right down a path that complied directly with his pre-intended fate.I admire for Oedipus for as a strong character to protect the city he once fought for he had cursed himself. Even though he was hinted by the prophecy, he wanted to avenge the late King Laius. Although unraveling his fate cost him his Wife/mother and his own blindness, he found his answer. I feel sorry when Oedipus discovers his mother hanging herself in the palace. It was almost in shock for as she did not want his fate to come out. The story of the Iliad has been astonishing. Filled with aggression, Love and Drama, the author creates excitem ent by starting in the middle of an epic story.Agamemnon takes the daughter of Chrysies and then releases her once the priest prays to Apollo to send plague against the Achaeans. Starting off in the middle of the Trojan War, Agamemnon and Achilleus battle Greek against Trojan. Agamemnon a strong powerful Greek takes Achilleus prize Briseis. Even though Achilleus gives her up, he becomes so enraged that he refuses to fight any more. That and he prays to his mother, Thetis, who happens to be a Sea Nymph, to pull some strings with the other gods so that the Achaeans will start getting defeated in battle and realize how much they depend on him.When Achilleus cries out to his mother Thetis, she gives him a choice. Achilleus could either to live a long life shameless or a short with glory. Thetis she felt her son sorrow. With Thetis requesting her son’s wishes to win honor for him, she waits to Zeus god of gods to come back to olympos. The next day in the morning, the author vividl y describes Thetis form as she emerges from the sea waves to find to find Kronos as speak to him. (Line 496-500) Thetis requested the Trojans to win to create honor for Achilleus as she did a favor for Zeus before.As read in the book Iliad, a lot of body language was used vividly to express Zeus and Thetis communication. For instance (line 528-530), Zeus nodding his head as a secret code to Thetis saying yes because he was going against his wife who favored the Greeks. Also in book 22, the death of Hektor was theatrical. Within a few lines as the reader I understood hector’s thoughts. Using internal monologue I had a better understanding of what hector was thinking. Athena tricks Hektor into believing that he will have help against Achilles.Trying to fight Achilles the leader of the Greeks army Hektor mom pleads for him not to battle Achilles. She expresses her love for him by telling him how she used to lay his head upon her breast to comfort him. (Line 80-85) Although Zeus is tempted to save him his daughter Athena doesn’t allow it. Athena disguised as his ally Deiphobus convinces Hektor that he could beat Achilles. Hektor tries to make Achilles promise to treat his body with respect if he dies. With Achilles furious he refuses. Only to betray him, Achilles hits him with a spear through his throat.Hektor slows dies and begs Achilles to return his body to his family for a proper burial but Achilles refused his request. Achilles only returned his body to the Trojans and let the dog’s scavenger his remains. To conclude, in the book Iliad which included tragedy between the falls of the Trojans, there was much room for empathy from Achilles mother was expressed her sorrow from her loved son. I also felt sorry after Hektor died he left his wife Andromache and the King Priam to witness the devastation.

Matthew Harrison Brandy Essay

I am delighted to write to you this letter. I believe you are fine and ready to join me in celebrating the success of Matthew Harrison Brandy. Harrison with no doubt deserves kudos for this success. According to Genesis 1:1-3, God himself was and everything that became originated from Him. Thus God gives ability to all beings to be what He wants. Matthew argues that God did not give man mind to abandon his faith as Darwin did. Evidently in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve disobeyed God. In verses 5, the serpent lied to Adam that if they knew the truth, they would discover between good and evil (Milligan W. R, 1999). The individual mind of human should not be used as a tool to abandon the faith. Matthew gives an example of a sponge. He says, â€Å"Biblically a sponge would think if God allowed it to†. Yet still it ill not abandon its position unless it is displaced. This implies that all creatures made by God have the same privilege; they only differ on their purposes. Although Drummond uses Darwin’s theory of evaluation, it is clear that he does not cite the origin of creatures. His argument is biased since Darwin himself was a Christian believer became an atheist. This indicates that Darwin abandoned his orthodox Christian belief. It is true that revelations are given by God, and all living beings were created by the word of God as Brandy says in his argument. The created things multiplied there after as God commanded them. The argument of design cites back on a supreme intelligent being-God. He designed everything and they were good unto him (Milligan W. R, 1999). God had power to order creation of all things like water, heaven earth and other things. His intellect cannot be challenged. It is a great crime to make people believe in the law of evolution. sIt has flaws and confusions Darwin admit his guilt when he says that he lost direction after he abandoned his Christian faith. Fascinating observations from his thought became misleading. Darwin failed to give credit to God for creating all things. Matthew illustrates that man needed to have control in the garden Eden. In Darwinism he admits that man could not be trusted to make grand decisions. This implies he needed control which contradicts the theory of evolution. He further contradicts himself in explaining the origin of species. The wonderful universe could not be a result of blind chance. This is quite erroneous. Besides, how can man be a descendant of an ape? Man’s mind by no-means has no relation to a monkeys mind. After Adam and Eve had sinned, God gave them punishment. The same plague befell Darwin after he deviated from his orthodox faith. He therefore lost the voice of his conscience and reasoning. His spiritual and emotional aspects became weak. This made him have baseless philosophies. By having Henry support evolution, it is like he is insane. Only birds of the same feathers flock together. Matthew has no struggle to win the trial. In court, Henry looks sleepy and at one point he was told to wake up. Scientist offer sacrifice to their gods and this reveals a great deal of confusion and self destruction of life. Henry needs to believe in the supreme God. I am indeed happy that people will change and stand up to defend their belief that God is the creator of all things. Unthinkable conformity and censorship should be avoided for as a man thinks, so he is. Work cited Milligan W. R. The holy bible: new and old testaments. London: king James, 1999.

Principle of Managment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Principle of Managment - Assignment Example Jose Jurdo executed his managerial expertise in the completion of the planned Food Eatery construction. The Food Eatery meant to offer both the staff plus the student quality balanced meals due to its location at the campus’ center. Additionally, the group scrutinized the project chart to ensure Jose Jurdo’s controlling function keenly kept the project’s deadline coupled with effective performance. In addition, there was task plan for each member coupled with time allocated for completion of the given tasks, so that the project’s results compilation is timely and of exceptional quality. Regarding the results of the undertaken project, there are attachments to this memo, where we are ready to expound further if the need arises. Feeney, Mary, and Leslie Sult. "Project Management In Practice: Implementing A Process To Ensure Accountability And Success." Journal Of Library Administration 51.7/8 (2011): 744-763. Web. 12 Feb.

Negative ECONOMIC impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil Research Paper

Negative ECONOMIC impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil - Research Paper Example Most available literature has also been limited to the positive aspects of hosting the FIFA World Cup. The argumentative question that this research paper poses however is whether there are no negative economic impacts of hosting the FIFA World Cup. In the opinion of the researcher, there could be some very crucial negative economic impacts that the hostage of the FIFA World Cup comes with, but most of these have been ignored by host countries. In this research paper, Brazil is used as a case study, where the hosting of the 2014 FIFA World Cup is brought under perspective. The research paper shall be delimited to only the negative economic impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and so will not look into other aspects like social effects. The approach to discussing the negative economic impact would be to look at different variables of economic parameters that may be of concern to the country’s economy, before, during and after the World Cup. At the end of the paper an argumentativ e debate shall be developed with the question given below: 1.1 Research Question Is the 2014 FIFA World Cup an economic imprudence for Brazil? 2.0 Pre-World Cup Effects 2.1 Government spending Government spending is a crucial aspect of the economic determinant of Brazil. This is because already, the government is under much pressure for its inability to live within its annual budget (Bukova, 2013 International Finance Corporation (2009) notes that within the past decade, the Brazilian government has used a supplementary budget in about 7 out of 10 national budgets. The simple reason is that the bid for the World Cup came several years ahead of 2014. For countries to be approved to host the World Cup there are strict requirements laid down by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) that must be adhered to. Greater part of these requirements looks at the availability of sports infrastructure, security, transportation, power supply, accommodation, sanitation, among others (Istomina, 2005). In effect, the very moment that the country announced its intention to host the World Cup in 2014, active preparations started going on. Meanwhile, even though there were some level of sports development in Brazil, it was not adequate to get the country the bid. To this end, government had to start spending, in most cases, beyond its budget to get some of the required requirements underway. As an economic effect however, whenever government is forced to spend beyond its budget, there are sectors of the economy that suffers massively. It is not surprising the number of labor unrest that has hit Brazil since the government started spending on the World Cup preparation (Ivanova, 2004). Already, the government has spent R$9.9 billion (USD1.1 billion) on infrastructure alone; made up of the construction and renovation of existing stadia (Karbalevich, 2011). The upgrading of international airports alone in Brazil ahead of the World Cup has cost the government US$2 .5 billion with some other budget spending that have come up to a total of S$14 billion (). 2.2 Taxation The effect of the World Cup hostage on taxation in Brazil has been analyzed in various peer reviewed literature and economic forums. It has for example been noted that one of the very first economic policies that the government undertook as a way of raising money to cater for the US$14billion budget it was faced with in hosting the World Cup was to raise taxes in several aspects of the

Abbott Hospital Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Abbott Hospital Case - Essay Example A closer analysis of the various facts and figures presented in the study suggests that all the stakeholders were either not informed about the change or their feedback was not incorporated effectively. The fact that Sister Mary Theresa controlled almost all aspects of the pre-acquisition period suggests that the communication was not readily disseminated at all levels. Besides, the communication was relatively one-way with others just following the suit rather than raising the voice against the proposed acquisition. A key strategic issue in this was the lack of the effective human capital i.e. the resistance from the medical community and the doctors/staff working at the hospitals. Since the overall size of medical community at local level was relatively small therefore this can be a significant issue provided a limited availability of trained and skilled medical staff at the local level. It is also critical to note that the Mt. Mercy there is a clear lack of systems requirements as most of the orders and the strategic vision flows from the single source. Having a decentralized organizational structure can actually help an organization to share the responsibility while at the same time have more feedback before any decision is made. A key strategic issue while dealing with the change was that of creating a cohesive culture for both the hospitals. Due to relatively different strategies being adapted at these two hospitals, significant employee motivation issues emerged causing a decline in the revenue and profitability for the firm. It is evident that after the acquisition, the employees of the Abbott hospital are not considering themselves as part of the new organization. In order to achieve the economies of scale and to improve the efficiencies, it is critical that the organization must focus on developing a certain degree of

Midterm- assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Midterm- - Assignment Example The promotions received are determined by various things, i.e. personal characteristics, appearance, job performance and intellectual capacity. Promotions to higher level need to maintain an impression on the superiors with intellectual capacity and this intellectual capacity can only be communicated through communication that is done through report writing. Reports exist because business needs information in order to function. Every member or employee who is enrolled into a business, for instance workers and staff employees, have some relevant information regarding his or her job that needs to be communicated. The nature and requirements at different levels in business is different. At lower organizational levels the need for information is relatively low. Work assignments at higher levels require more information. Information is required for business from different aspects. For example, the supervisor needs to keep a record of the data on the output and quality of the production. The supervisor also needs to record the information on the competition, new production techniques; new equipment etc. to be specific information is required by every person inany business. In order to find the relationship of this need in report writing, it can be said that the reports would provide systematic information that is needful for the business because a business must have information in order to function

Environmental Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Environmental Engineering - Essay Example Pesticides are used widely for domestic purposes such as rat killers, mosquito and ant repellents etc. In agricultural sector, pesticide became a main aspect for improving yields. They are used to control insects, weeds, fungal diseases in plants. Pesticides are also used to kill rats, flies which destroy crops and to prevent food from being contaminated. The pesticide era started before 2000 B.C. Around 4500 years ago, ancient Sumerians used elemental sulphur, Compounds of Arsenic, Lead, and Mercury was applied in 15th century. The tobacco product, nicotine sulphate was used in 17th century. Natural products such as pyrethrum and rotenone are obtained from chrysanthemums and vegetables respectively. In 1890s, Lead Arsenate and compounds of di-nitro phenol were used. The 20th century saw introduction of many pesticides such as Arsenic compounds, sulphur products, cyanides and nicotine compounds. In 1932, ethylene was first used as plant growth regulator to promote flowering in pineap ples. In 1939, DDT was discovered. DDT was a powerful insecticide. During 1960, herbicides based on lead and nitrogen, carboxylic acids such as di-chloro phenoxy acetic acid etc. were used. The 20th century saw the use of large amount of pesticides. The developing countries are still using increased amount of pesticides for pest control and crop yield. Every advantage has a disadvantage associated with it. Use of pesticides for crop yield and killing of pests in turn affected the environment, wild life and humans. The use of pesticide increased enormously in 20th century. It was discovered traces of DDT was found in many fish-eating birds and it hindered their reproduction. This was the finding which shocked the world because it hindered bio-diversity. Even though DDT was banned in some nations, it is still used in developing countries as an insecticide. The uses of pesticides cause problems

Management high performance ip5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management high performance ip5 - Essay Example This is the second point that will be discussed in the meeting, which will take the form of explaining to the employees the demoralizing and demeaning effects of workplace hostilities on the employees (Simlin, 2006). The supervisor will explain the impact of the employee hostilities as a contributing factor to poor departmental performance, since the employees are demoralized by the hostility and made to feel unappreciated. This in turn lowers their enthusiasm and energy, making them less productive (Harold & Kumar, 2012). This is the third point that will be discussed by the supervisor, aimed at helping the employee understand the desired organizational values of the factory in relation to workplace ethics and cultural diversity. Such values make the factory employ workers from different religious and cultural background without discriminating (Rodriguez, 2006). The supervisor will explain the value of diversity within a workplace in enhancing productivity and performance. The supervisor will also explain the duty and responsibility of the employees to embrace the organizational values, and as such cease the hostilities (Simlin, 2006). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). (2009). Understanding Workplace Harassment: Workplace Harassment is a Form of Discrimination. Retrieved March 15, 2014 from

Constitutional Rights before and after Arrest Research Paper

Constitutional Rights before and after Arrest - Research Paper Example The sixth Amendment done to the Constitution of United States is the part of the Bill of Rights which put forward privileges associated to the prosecutions of the criminals. An arrest causes the withdrawal of an individual’s freedom by a police man or any individual with an officially authorized permission. Usually an arrest takes place when a person is alleged of carrying out a crime and therefore should be taken into custody. â€Å"Because an arrest is in effect a â€Å"seizure† it must conform to the probable cause and warrant requirements of the Fourth Amendment†(Otis.H.Stephens). According to the author arrests are frequently made in accordance to warrants build on initial inquiries so it is given out by a judge on apparent grounds. A court permits the investigation of a criminal activity by issuing a court order also known as writ. Therefore any investigation or arrest without a legal warrant is unfair and unconstitutional. A person has the right to demand as to why he is being arrested and the kind of allegation against him. An individual must see the warrant to be certain that his name exists on it and to confirm the charges. Moreover the person has the right to be informed of his constitutional rights also known as â€Å"Miranda rights† before he is interrogated after the arrest. These include the right to remain silent and refuse to cooperate without the consultation of your attorney as the police can utilize those answers against the person seized in the court. If an individual doesn’t meet the expense of a lawyer, he has the privilege to get a public defender without any cost and discuss his case with the attorney before further proceeding with the investigation. A person can also say no to every physical or medical test such as breathalyzer, lie detector etc. he also has the permission to contact any relative or important person to inform them about his arrest and so is allowed to make telephone calls. A person ar rested with no warrant is required to be carried quickly before a court official for a credible hearing of the case. Most of the times suspects defend against arrest therefore the police might use physical force or violence to take them in custody. â€Å"The courts have generally recognized that the fourth amendment permits police to use only such force as is â€Å"reasonable† and â€Å"necessary† in effectuating an arrest† (Otis H.Stephens). Therefore the person being suspected should give in without much resistance and has the right to take legal action against the police if they violate this amendment. The fourth amendment has forbidden unfair investigations and seizures of individuals and their possessions without a legal warrant specifying the place to be explored or the person to be arrested. Now as discussed earlier the Fifth Amendment permits an individual to refuse giving a testimony that might convict himself both in judiciary and in answer to interrog ation by the police. It also contains the clause of â€Å"Double Jeopardy’ in which it is not allowed to condemn a person twice for the same allegation. The sixth amendment however points out rights that are relevant in every criminal trial such as the right to an immediate and open hearing by an neutral panel

Hospitality Industry Questionnaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hospitality Industry Questionnaire - Essay Example Major role is to develop new ideas for creative events and recreational activities that would keep the customers interested and tempt him to experience events and go in for innovative recreational activities. Ensure safety and security for various stakeholders in the hospitality industry. Ensure that events and recreational activities are environment friendly and conducted within the parameter of defined government guidelines and ethics. They oversee the smooth front desk operation of hospitality industry and therefore, they should be of pleasant demeanor, well mannered and extrovert persons who can be trusted to act with discretion at all time. They should be highly motivated with good interpersonal and communication skills. They should exhibit exemplary leadership qualities and must possess innate sense of responsibility and accountability. F&B Manager must be knowledgeable, witty, enthusiastic, fun loving and creative. He or she should have leadership traits and ensure state of the art services in the field of F&B. They should also have strong organizational and communication skills. Degree in Hospitality Management with specialization in food and beverages is essential. Computer skills are also necessary. He should have minimum 2 years of experience in the F&B department of hospitality industry. He should have strong communication skills and managerial leadership qualities. He should also be tactful, patient and optimistic. His extrovert nature and persuasion skills should be extraordinary so that he is able to sell the various product and services of the hospitality industry. He should be used to working under stressful conditions and long

The Microsoft Case Essay Example for Free

The Microsoft Case Essay Why was Microsoft investigated for antitrust behavior? Microsoft is a huge, established, well known computer software manufacturer. They were investigated for antitrust behavior after allegedly abusing their powerful position as the leading suppliers of computer operating systems. Microsoft developed a monopoly market structure because the software which they created was only compatible with Microsoft Windows operating systems. Back when the internet was introduced to the public, Microsoft provided Internet Explorer for free, bundled with Windows operating systems. This was a strategy to eliminate any competitors so they were obviously not perfectly competitive, therefore their case involved imperfect competition. Microsoft’s monopoly was protected by the applications barrier to entry so many competitors feared to try to enter the market. Microsoft also had the ability to increase their prices above marginal costs without losing many customers so they were the price makers, and they also had market power. With that being said, some people may say that Microsoft was a pure monopoly because they were the sole producers of the computer software market and there were no close substitutes. On the other hand, some may say that Microsoft was a natural monopoly because they earned their powerful position by over driving their free market competitors. Before Microsoft grew so big, there were some economic observers that claimed that economies of scale would give Microsoft an unassailable lead that would result in monopoly. (Economides, 2003) I agree that Microsoft was trying to gain monopoly power in the computer software industry due to all of the evidence. Microsoft totally dominated the computer software industry for which they had great strategies to do so. Monopolies can cause many negative effects on our economy such as higher prices, less jobs, it can put other companies out of business, and it can cause producers to be intimidated to enter the same industry. Monopolies can also cause productive inefficiency, allocated inefficiency, diseconomies of scale, and x inefficiency. However, a monopoly can be a good thing, especially for a business. Being the leader or the giant of a particular industry can make owners, managers, and employees feel  very secure with their company. Although a monopoly can cause overpricing, it can also cause price reduction for which would cause other companies to not be able to compete. A monopoly can also be a good thing because the high profit can be used to fund research capital investment spending. Lastly, economies of scale, international competition, and they have the power to be the price makers.

Relationship Between Tectonic Architecture And Materials Cultural Studies Essay

Relationship Between Tectonic Architecture And Materials Cultural Studies Essay The following thesis seeks to identify and examine the relationship between tectonic architecture and materials. Although materials are all around us; we often do not take the time to examine them; to truly reflect on their inclusion, and so there very presence is often taken for granted. In order to emphasise the importance of materials in architecture; this research question focused on discussing How do materials play a key design role in tectonic architecture? The thesis used two main methodologies. The first was a literature review, which includes a comprehensive review of the literature that was instrumental in addressing the main topics, materials and tectonic architecture. The second was a model based study which focused on a particular building. It examines how a change in materials could affect the design of a building; and thus emphasises the key role materials play in tectonic architecture. The findings of the research highlighted the fact that materials do indeed play a key role in the design of tectonic buildings; and in some cases they can be the main driver for the initial design. However it was also established that there are many other contributory factors which also affect the overall design. Factors such as the structure, the crafting of construction, innovation, the use of cutting edge technology, the collaboration of the design team as they work in synergy with the architect, and finally the methodologies of learning by doing or facilitating education through the teaching of others. Definitions / Glossary Tectonic Architecture A non-monolithic structure, assembled using different materials, techniques and resources in the act of construction making and revealing  [1]  . Stereotomic Architecture A self-supporting monolithic structure composed from articulated solid elements. Atectonic A combination of tectonic and sterotomic building techniques. The crafting of construction This is not just a joint or a construction detail; it is the crafting together of materials and surface through bespoke means. Green design Philosophy that treats environmental attributes as design objectives and not as constraints. High-tech Refers to technology that is at the cutting edge or the most advanced technology currently available. Honesty The notion that a structure shall display its true purpose and not be decorative Materials The matter from which a thing is or can be made  [2]   Constructivist teaching methodologies Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction rather than passively receiving information  [3]  . All works of architecture involve a creative interplay between ideas and materials to which both makers and critics have repeatedly been willing to assign ethical value  [4]   Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction Materials are not trendy; they are a necessity for the realization of creativity  [5]   Looking around the built environment, one can see materials are everywhere; yet they are not often questioned; when were they invented? How are they picked? How are they used? Why were they put together in a particular way? Were the correct materials selected? In addition to these questions architects must also address issues around purpose and design; can materials be the driving force behind their designs or are they insignificant, merely an aesthetical feature of the building. Attempting to delve into and address some of these questions has led to the research of this thesis; namely How do materials play a key design role in tectonic architecture? This thesis aims to understand tectonic architecture and the role of materials in the design of a building. One has a basic understanding of what these words mean from the glossary however there is a need to explore where they have come from and how they have and will affect architecture. In exploring this idea there is a need to acknowledge, where tectonic architecture and materials began, how they have evolved over time, and going forward what direction are they headed in? The thesis shall discuss a number of these issues in order to address the research question. The paper shall examine the following main chapters; Joint / The crafting of construction, the tectonic innovation of large span, 20th century modern tectonic architects, 21st century tectonic environmental architecture and a model based study. Research methods This thesis is jointly done through two research methods. The first consists of the literature review, and was under taken to gain an in depth understanding of tectonic architecture and the complexity of materials. The second involves a model based research which was conducted through the analysis of drawings in order to understand the effect of a material change on a tectonic building. The first five chapters will analyse the key role materials play on tectonic architecture. It will look at both the theory and the practical side of this subject; with analytical drawings to further develop this principle. This study will be carried out via secondary research, comprising of books, journals, newspaper articles, electrical journals, published conferences and websites. Research will be carried out on both subjects, starting with the design and building of the mere hut to the development of the contemporary tectonic architecture. Chapters six will be an in-depth study in to a model based research, where the question will be asked if materials do play a key role in tectonic architecture and if there was variations in materials would the building design and space changed. The analysis will aim to show how important materials are to the building design with 3 dimensional drawings. 2.0 Joint / The crafting of construction Often it is the expressiveness of the jointing which humanizes structures and gives them their friendly feel.  [6]   In Greek, the term tectonic comes from the work tekton, which suggests carpenter or builder. In the fifth century, the meaning evolved into the role of the tekton. This led to the emergence of the master builder or architekton. Kenneth Frampton observed that Adolf Heinrich Borbein claimed this meaning would eventually change to an aesthetic rather than a technological category. Frampton noted in his book Studies in Tectonic Culture that Karl Otfied Muller, in his third edition of Handbuch der Archaologie der Kunst, that tektones was specialized, in reference to people in construction or cabinet makers which used a specifically functional or dry joint, though this did not include clay and metal working in the meaning. This gave the definition of tectonic as the joint or the joining through the construction process. In 1851 Gottfried Semper, published his book, The Four Elements of Architecture (Die vier Elemente der Baukunst). He based some of his elements on a Caribbean hut (see figure 1) that he saw at the great exhibition of 1851 and he divided the dwelling into four elements, 1 the earthwork, 2 the hearth, 3 the framework (including the roof) and 4 the lightweight skin or membrane  [7]  . On the base of these four elements, Semper classed the building crafts into two fundamental different procedures: the tectonics of the lightweight frame work and the stereotomic of the base. Semper illustrated the use of the stereotomic base where mud-brick and stone were placed on the ground, on to which the lightweight framed structure sat. Frampton considered the stereotomic base to be load bearing masonry, weather stone and mud brick. He noted the importance of the lightweight framed structure, where he saw the creation of the knot as a fundamental element in enabling the tying together of the lightweight components. The knot led to the securing of the frame and was perceived by Semper as a complex jointing of construction. Around the world, this technique can be visibly seen, where rope is used to knot lightweight structures together; highlighting how locally available materials were utilized to build huts. African tribal cultures used a wide range of vertical screen walls where the rope knot was the key construction element. The Gogo house in Tanzania was built from tree branches where a rope knot was employed to hold the structure together while mud was built arou nd the structure. In comparison to this, the Kuba hut found in the southeast of the Congo was erected using woven mats, again with all joints being knotted together with rope. Semper highlighted the development of knots into a weaving process, which subsequently led to the creation of buildings fabric. Buildings such as the Bedouin tribal huts were assembled using locally sourced materials in a weaving manner in order to build strong huts; as oppose to those which were built with knots. Woven walls were a form of wattle construction  [8]  , which was described by Allen Noble as vertical stakes, each fitted into a hole or slot in one horizontal and sponge into a groove or another hole in the other member of the framework. Materials such as osiers, reeds or thin strips of oak were most common  [9]  . This style of wattle construction is still in use today in the building of fences; however it did lead to the advancement in wattle and daub construction, which can be seen in many vernacular buildings around the world today. Cherie Wendelken in his article on The Tectonics of Japanese Style: Architect and Carpenter in the Late Meiji Period noted that Japanese architecture had great symbolical structures which were primarily tectonic, whereby locally sourced material such as grasses and bamboo pillars were being knotted together. The 15th century Japanese house was constructed with a woven faà §ade. These houses were built in a post and beam framed manner with woven infilling walls which allowed for flexible sliding screens. Sempers, The Four Elements of Architecture, can be seen clearly in these houses as the stereotomic base which was built of boulder footings, a lightweight timber structure sat on these foundations and finally a lightweight skin was applied. Some of these structures would be built every 20 years as there time cycle only lasted this length. The most celebrated of these structures being the monumental Naiku and Geku. Pre 1800 tectonic architecture illustrates that the joint or the crafting of construction was the most important and innovative aspect of tectonic architecture with materials playing a key role in the design of the building. This can be seen from the reed-built houses of the Marsh Arabs in Iraq (Materials, Form and Architecture for images p13). These materials were normally locally sourced and the construction methods were tried and tested over long periods of time, as was the case with most vernacular architecture of that era. 3.0 The tectonic innovation of large spans Gothic churches and cathedrals were noted by Frampton as having the idea that with the combining vaulted and trabeated structural forms in a new spatial unity; on the other, it stretched the art of reinforced masonry construction to its technological limits  [10]  . This led to the innovation of large non-load bearing faà §ades in gothic architecture. This innovation in structure went on to influence many architects of the 19th century, including Augustus, Welby, Northmore, Pugin and Viollet Le Duc. Voorthuis highlights how Pugin claimed You can decorate constructionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but you cannot construct decoration  [11]  and thereby hides the true construction of a building. Pugin had a great understanding of materials and craftsmanship. He himself used innovative and experimental techniques when it came to craftsmanship and designing building such as the Church of St. Augustine, Ramsgate or St. Aidans Cathedral in Enniscorthy. However Voorthuis emphasised how Pugin would insist that if mouldings were to appear on a building, they need to do so for a reason, such as to stop weathering of an area rather than for aesthetic reasons; and this was his use of tectonic architecture. Frampton pointed this out in the fabric build-up of St. Pauls in London (167-1710). Where he commented on Pugins proposed drawings of the church a section through a pointed church compared to the hidden buttresses built into the fabric  [12]  (fig ) or ornamented mediaeval truss roof compared to t hat of the concealed truss hidden by a suspended ceiling (fig ). While Pugin worked on the innovation in craft and his idea, that mouldings were to appear for reasoning, Eugene Emmanuel Viollet le Duc worked on the advancement in materials. Viollet Le Duc was a French architect and theorist famous for his interpretive restorations of medieval buildings and also for his writing advocating that materials should be used honestly. He began his career with twelve commissions for the restoration of medieval monuments. He encouraged the use of different materials with new techniques and resources, in contrast to the work of William Morris and his art and crafts movement, which promoted traditional crafts. Henry Van Brunt in his book Discourse on architecture noted that Viollet Le Duc was more concerned with the economy of structure than the theorists of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Viollet-le-Duc pursues lightweight hollow or reticulated metal construction as an agent for transforming every conceivable tectonic element, from window shutters to metal roofs  [13]  . This interest in metal construction led to Viollet le Duc using wrought and cast iron which promoted lightweight tectonic framed structures and was a unique resourc e from which 19th century architecture would developed from. His experimentation with metal led to the development of an iron network of vaulting and can be seen in his octagonal hall design. Frampton stated that the octagonal hall is organized with its polygonal roof structure and statically determinate iron members displayed the principles of structural rationalism for the first time in construction  [14]  . The octagonal hall was to be a 3000 seat hall spanning 140 feet, illustrating iron works and innovative techniques, which tended to pushed the boundaries of architecture and materials to their limits. His idea of cast iron framed structures was to be firstly realized by the English landscape architect Joseph Paxton and Anatole de Baudot. Paxton won the design competition for the Great Exhibition of 1851 (fig ) designing a building measuring over 92,000m2 . He was assisted in his work by two engineers, Fox and Herderson, who came up with a system of structural elements. The building was completed in nine months due to its innovative modular design and construction techniques which used the largest glass panels available and the most up to date technology in order to forge and connect elements. Another major factor that contributed to the fast building time was the collaboration of each person involved, from the architect down to the craftsman. De Baudot was seen as Viollet Le Ducs predecessor. Frampton noted that he worked in a similar style to that of Viollet le Duc, using cast iron columns to equally express his tectonic architecture in the world exhibitions held in Paris in 1878 and 1889. These two significant projects, one circular, the other rectangular, were attempts to realize Viollet-le-Ducs iron network vaulting on a grand scale  [15]  . However they never lived up to the grand scale of Galerie des Machines 1889 designed by Ferdinand Dute which had a 180 foot span. The building was a controversial design for steel construction however iron was used as Robert Thorne notes that John W. Stamper emphasised The principal material of the buildings structure was to have been steel, but the decision was made at the last minute to use iron instead. Steel was abandoned on the two-fold ground of expense and the necessity of hastening the execution of work  [16]  . Georg Heuser, and Otto Wagner were both great writers in the promotion of architectural realism as a matter of principle in the late 1800s. Heuser saw the development of architecture innovation rather than decorative style. Frampton indicated that Heuser seems to have been among the first to acclaim the riveted steel frame as the new industrial vernacular of the machine age  [17]  . To the contrary Richard Weston wrights For Ruskin, industrial production was the work of the Devil, and cast or machine work that imitated craft (hand) production what he called operative deceit  [18]  . 4.0 Tectonic reinforced concrete Bring out the nature of the materials; let their nature intimately into your scheme  [19]   The latter half of the 19th century, also saw the development in structural framing concrete. In 1890, engineer Paul Cottancin came up with his reinforced masonry system known as ciment arme. This system was noted to be labour intensive and became obsolete 17 years later due to Francois Hennebiques patent and his reinforced concrete design known as beton arme. This outcome reversed tectonic principles allowing the transgression of a stereotomic material to a tectonic frame. Frampton stated that after Louis Vicats perfection of hydraulic cement around 1800, concrete began to be used in a new way  [20]  . However he mentions how Joseph Moniers began building prefabricated flower pots and sewer pipes from reinforced wire and cement. It was not until Francois Hennebique, a French engineer and self-educated builder, began using perfected reinforced concrete in his construction that it became popular. Douglas McBeth, in his book Francois Hennebique-Reinforced concrete pioneer, emphasised that Hennebiques system started out as fireproofing to protect iron beams. However he soon realised that the floor system would be more economical if the iron was used only where the slab was in tension, while it could rely on the concrete in compression. The Hennebique system was a simple erection of timber formwork around steel, after which concrete could be poured. While Hennebique was perfecting his methods, De Baudot whom was Viollet Le Ducs predecessor was working on St. Jean de Montmartre. Frampton observed that De Baudot wanted to exploit a method that could combine light construction with bonded brickwork, as he pointed out, the result was a somewhat oriental, diagonally ordered system of vaults rising from thin brick walls and piers enclosing narrow channels of interior spaces  [21]  . This would bring Viollet Le Ducs idea of cast iron vaulting to a new innovative method of brick vaulting. However Hennebique system began to be widely used and was further developed by architects such as Auguste Perret. Auguste Perrets architectural career was bound around the principle of reinforced concrete and Karla Britton, in her book Auguste Perret noted that Perret claimed reinforced concrete frame construction is the ultimate structural material  [22]  . Perrets went to the Ecole des Beaux arts school where he argued between practical and theory in architectural education. However as Frampton highlighted, he chose the practical as he left abruptly before submitting a final project. He started to design and build one of the first apartment blocks from reinforced concrete construction. Nonetheless, Perret was concerned for a building to be structurally honest and with this, used a visible framework as can be seen in his Garage Marboeuf. His work was noted for establishing concrete as an acceptable architectural material in the 20th century. It was noted by Britton that Perret and Frank Lloyd Wright attempted fair faced reinforced concrete at virtually the same time and both had similar res ults. 5.0 20th Century Modern Tectonic Architects Construction is the means; architecture is the result  [23]   Frank Lloyd Wright left school in 1887 without finishing his degree, and moved soon afterwards to Chicago where he found work with Adler and Sullivan. Wright was impressed with Sullivans ornamental design. Louis Sullivan was influenced by the idea from and function. However his statement was form ever follows function  [24]  . Sullivan took Wright under his wing and acted as a mentor to him in his early career. Frampton stated; Wrights early domestic architecture, executed in wood, is invariably conceived and machined according to a repetitive modular order and framed  [25]  . Sullivan also introduced Wright to Celtic iconography and Celtic textiles. Following on from this induction, Wright became heavily influenced by textiles. He visited the Columbian exhibition of 1893, the Ho-o-den, and began turning his attentions to Japanese architecture. He visited Japan in 1917 and worked there until 1922. While working in Japan, Frampton noted that Wright studied tea houses, religiou s Japanese architecture, and the Horyu-ji shrine. Upon his return in 1922, Wright brought back many ideas, such as heated floors and modular part construction. However it was woven faà §ade and concrete that mostly inspired him as he stated Aesthetically, concrete has neither song nor any story  [26]  . In 1921 Wright finally looked at the idea of wire-reinforced concrete blocks that were pre-cast with a pattern on the outer face. He would later call this the textile block. He first used this system in the Aliace Millard house in Passadena California. Terry Patterson in his book Frank Lloyd Wright noted that he would make a double coursed wall, one internally and one externally for the cooling and heating of the house. After the accomplishment of both system and house, Wright refers to himself as a weaver  [27]  stating his textile blocks were a woven skin/faà §ade. Wright follows this up with a statement in his book Frank Lloyd Wright Writings and Buildings I finally had found simple mechanical means to produce a complete building that looks the way the machine made it, as much at least as any fabric need lookà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Standardisation as the soul of the machine, here for the first time may be seen in the hand of the architecture  [28]  . Semper, in The Four Elements of Architecture, spoke about the textile and its comparison to the art of enclosures or the woven faà §ade. This can be seen from the wattle construction, or Japanese vernacular houses, but now can also be seen in the development and the influence in Frank Lloyd Wrights architecture. There was also the development in the joint or crafting of construction. This came from the pre 1800s work and the great iron works of the 19th century which was advanced by architects such as Mies van der Rohe and Carlo Scarpa. Mies van der Rohe saw details and joints as one of the foremost important elements in his architecture, as his famously states, God is in the details. Mies started his career by using brick on such projects as his Brick Country house Project going to great lengths in this endeavor. Philip Johnson in his book Mies van der Rohe noted this as he states; he calculated all dimensions in brick lengths and occasionally went so far as to separate the under-fired long bricks from the over-fired short ones, using the long in one direction and the short in the other  [29]  . Mies gradually started to use other materials, such as steel, marble and large sheets of glass. The qualities of different materials became a leading idea in how Mies designed his buildings, from a stereotomic mass to a skeleton tectonic frame. When one looks carefully at the detail in Miess buildings, he had a great understanding and respect for the qualities of materials. As while he was looking for stone for the Barc elona Pavilion, he knew that one could not move marble from a quarry in winter because it is wet inside and freezing conditions could cause it to break. With this in mind, he had to find a dry material and eventually found onyx blocks of a certain size and proportion, and from this he designed the pavilion to be twice the height as it was originally considered and developed the plan from there. Frampton acknowledged that from 1926 to 1933, Mies had three main considerations; firstly, in the underlying aesthetic intention, secondly, in the essence of materials to hand, and thirdly, in the institutional status of the work  [30]  . A change in Mies work can be seen when he shifted the column from circular to I or H. He began to express the joint in the column and beams more often. This transformation brought him back to a shift to more traditional tectonics. This expression can be clearly seen in the Farnsworth House and the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin. Frampton states, Within thes e parameters, the art of building for Mies meant the embodiment of the spirit in the banality of the real; the spiritualization of technique through tectonic form  [31]  . 6.0 21st century Tectonic Environmental Architecture Materials are not trendy; they are a necessity for the realization of creativity  [32]   Materials loom largely as one of the most discussed ideas of contemporary architecture. Victoria Ballard Bell, in her book Materials for Design explains that Materials should inspire designers to think of materials as a palette from which to imagine an idea or concept that can be realised with the use of materials  [33]  . This idea can be seen in such building as the Laminata Glass house in Leerdam, The Netherlands, the horse stable (Ghost 9) in Nova Scotia Canada or Frank Gehry Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. However how are these materials chosen? Bell outlines that material selection is one of the utmost important decisions an architect must undertake. She notes more often than not, materials are not addressed till the end of the design process or even during the creation of a construction document for a building design as if there are sometimes mere afterthoughts in various projects. Lisa Wastiels has the view that every material selection should aim to fulfil a simple need, to identify the best material for a particular application. However in order to identify the best materials, it is important to first understand the criteria used to select those materials in the first instance. Wastiels research broke material selection consideration into four identified categories, context, manufacturing process, material aspect and experience (see figure). However from interviews in Wastiels research, some interesting information appeared. It was highlighted that building codes, regulations and standards are major factors in the choos ing of materials today. Further to this Richard Weston in his book Materials, Form, and Architecture states, in addition to their traditional interest in the structural/constructional and aesthetic qualities of materials, designers must now also consider their embodied energy (in production, transportation, and on site), potential for recycling, and renewability as a resource  [34]  . Bell remarks that materials are now being chosen for their green credentials to be sustainable and sensitive to our environment. This idea has been used by many tectonic architects such as Glenn Murcutt and Renzo Piano. Australian architect Murcutt is world renowned for his energy efficient architecture; although he does not work outside the country, using his motto touch the earth lightly  [35]  . Murcutt is an advocate of using locally sourced manufactured materials such as glass, timber and steel where he developed an appreciation for simple vernacular architecture which pays attention to the environment. Murcutt takes into account the origins of the material, the energy consumed to process them and reusing them to avoid the loss of energy. The Marika-Alderton House in Yirrkala Community is a prime example of Murcutts energy efficient ideas where he adapts his materials to the hot tropical climate where a skeleton skin like building emphasises ventilation. Nevertheless he also uses agricultural tin sheets to cover the building in an innovative way. Murcutt uses Simpers principle id

The functional conflicts in an Organisation

The functional conflicts in an Organisation The term conflict has grown to become a very imperative word in Organisations and in everyday human life. Thomas (1976) proclaimed that conflict has become a popular management topic. This statement is further strengthened with the amount of research carried out on the subject matter as well as books, articles and journals published on conflict. Conflict refers to events ranging from inner turmoil produced by competing needs or desires to open violence between entire societies (Greenberg Baron 1995). Conflict is that process that begins when one party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about (Buchanan Huczynski 2007). Conflict in the organisation is defined as the overt struggle between 2 or more people or groups in an organisation. It is usually centered on a state or condition that favours an individual over the other or a group over the other (Hatch 1997). Oceanic Bank Intl (OBI) stands out amongst our banks in Nigeria because of its excellent service delivery culture and that, has earned the bank a top 5 overall ranking in the Nigerian Banking industry. Conflict between Marketing and Operations Service departments is a common phenomenon in the Nigerian banking industry. This analysis will look at the view of various theorists on conflict and relate the Functional Theory to the OBI experience. In describing the OBI experience, we will analyse the HAND of management and demonstrate how functional conflict in OBI resulted in creative problem solving following proper management and increased innovation to seek solution to problems. Furthermore, the analysis actually will show that conflict in the organisation is positive and can be used to improve on service delivery, relationship management and ultimately organisational goals (Feldman Arnold 1983). Conclusively, emphasis on implementation and monitoring of Functional conflict will be suggested. CONFLICT Views and Theories Theorists all over, have different views on conflict. There is a school of thought that views it as Dysfunctional; saying that it is negative in the Organisation and a sign of incomplete social structure. They propose that taskforces, committees and liaison roles are ways to manage and respond to conflict in the organization (Hatch 1997). Another group of theorist view conflict as neutral, saying that it is negative to organizational goals but it is however inevitable and that it is a part of the organization. Pondy (1967), says that conflict as neutral may be regarded as negative and dysfunctional but as a neutral condition, its unavoidable and should be accepted. A more recent set of theorists view conflict as Functional and that it supports organisational goals and objectives. This view was promoted by the realisation that conflict can stimulate innovation and adaptability in the Organization. This view of conflict challenged the assumption that organisations are or should be co-operative systems (Hatch 1997). This theory of Functional conflict can be traced to Chester Barnard. Merits and Demerit Conflict in the Organization could degenerate and affect how the conflicting groups or individuals relate, perceive and behave towards each other. It can induce a win-lose orientation (Filley 1997; Mac Callun et all 1985). This Win-Lose orientation can de-motivate employees and of course affect performance. Rifts between employees or departments within an organisation if not promptly or properly managed could also lead to loss of quality employees. The negative effects may translate to poor performance of the organization. Though conflict has several demerits including de-motivation and employee turnover, if properly managed, can help create arousal among employees, energize and mobilize them to become more aware of their job functions and expectations from management. It can also help increase and develop innovative solution. Hall (1971) suggests that when properly managed, conflict may not only increase the innovation to seek solution to problems, it can often result in more creative solutions to problem solving. It is in such situations that conflict will be viewed as Functional. The growing complexity in Organisations has provided increased empirical support for a positive relationship between conflict and group performance (Bourgeois 1980), organisational learning (Fiol 1994) and high quality decision making in the Organization (Schwenk and Valacich 1994). The competitive orientation that comes with Functional conflict can institute an employee audit system, increase in productivity and quality of output and customer satisfaction as can be seen in my experience working with OBI in Lagos, Nigeria. THE OCEANIC BANK INTL (OBI) EXPERIENCE. Service Quality Gaps OBI is one of top 5 banks in Nigeria with a strong brand name that is based on its excellent service delivery culture and prompt response to customer request. Over the years, the very factors that built the strong brand name were on the decline. Service and Operations department with the back-end responsibility of delivering prompt service and delighting the customer and Marketing department with the responsibility of managing the relationship between customers and the bank as well as responding to customer requests promptly, both lost focus and developing a nonchalant attitude towards their job functions. They believed that the strong brand name of the Organisation would continually attract the customers irrespective of the quality of service and the sort of relationship that existed between the organisation and the customers. There were numerous complaints from customers bordering on basic service issues and relationship gaps; the prompt cheque confirmation process had been ignored, and relationship officers had become too lazy to upload customers confirmation online for cash officers to view bank-wide, a requisite for cheque payment. This resulted in customers having to waiting up to 30 minutes or more to get their third party cheques paid, even when the account holder had called in advance to confirm such cheques to the relationship officers. There were also cases in which the relationship officers had uploaded the customers cheque confirmation online as is required but rather than the service officer check the online mandate, but decided to call the relationship officer who could not be reached because he was in a meeting; this again resulted in delayed payment to the customer. A third scenario also experienced were customers inability to operate their accounts because they had not been issued cheque b ooks 4 weeks after account opening and fulfillment of all requirements. The service and relationship issues were countless and the result, dissatisfied customers. Resultant Conflict While relationship officers took the flak for the lapses of the operations department for failure to provide back-end support, the cash officers also took the flak for the laxity of relationship officers. This resulted in rifts between both departments; an illustration of (Buchanan Huczynski 2007) definition of conflict in (1) above. Effect on Corporate Performance Organizational goals were not being met, the profit had significantly declined following a decline in business volume as frustrated customers had moved to competition. The HAND of Management Following the stimulation of conflict and its resultant dwindling financial results, management came up with several policies to realign the focus of employees toward excellent customer service and dependable relationship management. The polices included improving the service time allocated to a transaction; completion of service excellence forms by customers after each transaction in the banking hall; daily relationship reports used to track marketing staff and their relationship with customers. The most significant and most effective strategy was the use of employees to appraise employees in their various units as well as outside their units. Employees were made to escalate to the highest level, service and relationship gaps noticed in the course of service to the customer. If an employee had to deliver quality service to a customer, and encountered challenges due to the negligence or irresponsibility of another employee, irrespective of the department of the employee involved, the erring employee was instantly reported to the task force and immediate action was taken against that employee. This policy was very effectively managed, monitored and the integrity of this reports and escalations were very well verified. The policy was priority to management and this was emphasised when an executive director was drafted to head the task force. He got a day-by-day heads up on the activities of the taskforce and he reported directly and made recommendations as regards disciplinary measures to the CEO. The effect and indeed benefits of this stimulated Functional conflict led to an astronomical increase in the volume of business; the feedback from customers on relationship management was indeed very satisfying and the profit margin grew immensely. The organization began to achieve its general goals once again, and management was happy with the positive results CONCLUSION. This review tried to capture how existing conflict can become Functional forcing organisations to innovatively seek solutions to problems leading to a boost in performance through improved customer service, profit and achievement of organizational goals using Oceanic Bank Intl Plc as reference. It also showed that Functional conflict required proper and effective implementation and monitoring to achieve desired result. The use of a taskforce, intra and inter-departmental appraisals and customer feedback mechanism worked well for OBI. Though conflict may exist with negative effects as opined by Hatch (1997) and Pondy (1967), management can make it favourable by initiating competition. Service level agreements should be agreed between departments with KPIs to which rewards and penalties are attached. SLAs should also cover escalations and to what levels. Beyond reports from customers, intra and inter-departmental appraisals and mystery shoppers can also be introduced as part of the feedback mechanism.

Learn About PC Virus :: Computer Virus

Learn About PC Virus A computer virus is a potentially damaging computer program designed to affect, or infect, your computer negatively by altering the way it works without your knowledge or permission. More specifically, a computer virus is a segment of program code that implants itself in a computer file and spreads systematically from one file to another. Viruses can spread to your computer if an infected floppy disk is in the disk drive when you boot the computer, if you run an infected program, or if you open an infected data file in a program. Computer viruses, however, do not generate by chance. Creators, or programmers, of computer virus programs write them for a specific purpose – usually to cause a certain type of symptom or damage. Some viruses are harmless pranks that simply freeze a computer temporarily or display sounds or messages. When the Music Bug virus is triggered, for example, it instructs the computer to play a few chords of music. Other viruses, by contrast, are designed to destroy or corrupt data stored on the infected computer. Thus, the symptom or damage caused by a virus can be harmless or cause significant damage, as planned by its creator. Viruses have become a serious problem in recent years. Currently, more than 45,000 known virus programs exist and an estimated six new virus programs are discovered each day. The increased use of networks, the Internet, and e-mail has accelerated the spread of computer viruses, by allowing individuals to share files – and any related viruses – more easily than ever. Types of Viruses Although numerous variations are known, four main types of viruses exist: boot sector viruses, file viruses, Trojan horse viruses, and macro viruses. A boot sector virus replaces the boot program used to start a computer with a modified, infected version of the boot program. When the computer runs the infected boot program, the computer loads the virus into its memory. Once the virus is in memory, it spreads to any disk inserted into the computer. A file virus attaches itself to or replaces program files; the virus then spreads to any file that accesses the infected program. A Trojan horse virus (named after the Greek myth) is a virus that hides within or is designed to look like a legitimate program. A macro virus uses the macro language of an application, such as word processing or spreadsheet, to hide virus code. When you open a document that contains an infected macro, the macro virus loads into memory. Certain actions, such as opening the document, activate the virus.

Leprosy Essay -- Hansens Disease Health Medical Essays

Leprosy Leprosy (Hansen's Disease), sometimes called "Hanseniasis" or "H.D.," is a chronic my cobacterial disease of man, caused by Mycobacterium leprae (infectious in some cases), primarily affecting the peripheral nerves and secondarily involving skin and certain other tissues/organs, in particular the eye, mucosa of the nasal and upper respiratory tract and also the testes. In most cultures, HD still carries a strong stigma that sometimes makes more trouble for the patient that the actual leprosy itself. One of the main characteristics of Leprosy is its ability to affect the various nervous systems of the body, particularly the peripheral nerves. The key targets of M.leprae (Mycobacterium leprae) are the nerves' Schwann Cells. Leprosy does not affect the Central Nervous System. Where the sensory nerves are damaged, in varying degrees, they cannot register pain. Where those nerves supply the extremities of hands and feet, the latter are vulnerable to burns and other injuries that can often result in the loss of fingers and toes and sometimes hands and feet. Where the eye is affected, corneal anesthesia. Cranial Nerve involvement, can often lead to blindness, where the lack of health education makes the sufferer unaware of the means to prevent injury due to dust or other irritants. Where the motor nerves are involved, various forms of paralysis such as "Dropped Foot", "Dropped Wrist", "Clawed Hand", "Lagophthalmos" (eye cannot close due to nerve paralysis) can result. Where the autonom ic nerves are damaged, the hair follicle, particularly in the cooler areas such as the eye-brows, can often result in the loss of hair in the affected parts. Damage to the autonomic nerves also can result in poor or no function of the sweat and sebaceous glands. This causes a drying of the skin and consequent cracking, exposing the sufferer to secondary infection. Leprosy is not a curse from the gods or divine punishment for some sins committed in the past. Leprosy is a disease like any other disease and it is TOTALLY CURABLE. Another myth that still prevails, even in "educated" societies, is that the disease causes flesh to rot and fingers and toes to "drop off". Nothing could be further from the truth. Tragically, limbs that are damaged, because the victim cannot feel pain, sometimes have to be amputated but, we can now detect the disease before the patient is conscio... ... dissolves the germ by certain chemicals or enzymes. The second type of protective mechanism is specific and the body's defense system can only "recognize" a foreign invader if it has experience in this identification of certain antigens. In Lepromatous patients, their macrophages can ingest the M.leprae but cannot digest (kill) because there are no "T-Type" ("T" for Thymus, the gland that programs these cells) lymphocytes to assist the macrophages to produce the needful digestive juices or enzymes. So, in the case of Lepromatous leprosy, the very cells that are meant to kill off the bacilli, are actually transporting them around the body and providing an environment in which they may even be able to multiply. At the present time though, leprosy cannot be prevented. Research on a preventive vaccine, however, is slowly progressing. This vaccine will be used the same way we use vaccines of Smallpox, Typhoid, Cholera, Plaque, and etc. A vaccine of killed or weakened leprosy bacilli will be used to immunize everyone from the disease. Already, a vaccine of killed leprosy bacilli has been used to immunize mice and armadillos against leprosy. Millions people will need to receive MDT.

The Effect of Illiteracy

EFFECTS OF ILLITERACY ON SOCIETY illiteracy is one of the major problems facing society and the educational system. Recent studies show that there is an increasing rate of illiteracy all over the world. A study conducted by Recent studies show that there is an increasing rate of illiteracy all over the world. A study conducted by WSI (World Statistics Institute) shows that over 27% of people are illiterate globally. Another study by the same institute shows that the speed at which the illiteracy rate ascends is 32% [32% of what? . These rates are quite important, as illiteracy has terrible effects on society. The most important effect of illiteracy on society is that it works as an inhibitor. That is to say, the more illiterate people there are in a country, the harder it will be for the country to develop. This fact could be clarified with an example: America (whose illiteracy rate is below 5%) and Canada (illiteracy rate: around 8%) are developed countries, whereas countries like T urkey and Iran (illiteracy rates: 61% and 43% in order [respectively]) are undeveloped countries. Illiteracy has got a kind of   â€Å"genetic† effect.The children of illiterate people are more likely to be illiterate than those who aren't [aren't what? – rewrite this sentence to make it clear]. Even if the parents don't want their children to be illiterate, their children, observing the parents, see that they somehow manage to live and adopt the idea that illiteracy isn't actually a bad thing [not very clearly expressed – try a rewrite]. And since people develop most of their character during childhood, they choose to go with illiteracy. Another major effect of illiteracy is that illiterate people believe in the said things easily.They do not investigate what was said or told to them. When looked [looking] at the pages of history, it can be seen that while most uneducated people are [were] slaves, guardians and assistants; people who are [were] educated are [ were] mostly kings, queens and sultans. They [Who? ] are not slaves because they wanted, but because people superior to them – in terms of education – made them so. All these significant results of illiteracy affect society in a bad way. So, illiteracy rates must be tried to cut down. Try and imagine our society without a common language. This could be quite a hard idea to fathom. Allow me to assist you.If this hypothetical idea were in fact true, a typical conversation between two individuals would be as follows: one of the two would begin the conversation by making noises representing their language, the other person would not understand these noises and respond with unrecognizable noises to the first individual. As you can well imagine, this would get quite frustrating. Rita Mae Brown describes literacy as, â€Å"a social contract, an agreed upon representation of certain symbols† (420). If the symbol's (letters) meanings are not agreed upon by those attempti ng to communicate, then interpreting one another becomes difficult.Simply stated, literacy is very important. Society has proven time and time again, it will reward those individuals who are competent and impede those who are not, whether expressed in terms of employment opportunities (job success) or just on a social level. One need look no further than their everyday activities in order to realize how important literary skills are. Without adequate literary skills one may not be able to identify on a label the correct amount of medicine to give a child, or read and interpret a sign giving instructions on what to do in case of a fire.These two examples bring perspective to literacy's importance. Nevertheless, recent surveys have indicated that, â€Å"4. 5 million Canadians, representing 24 percent of the eighteen-and-over group, can be considered illiterate† (â€Å"Adult Illiteracy† 5). Illiteracy is truly a problem within Canada. Although many groups are working to r ender the problem of illiteracy, much work still lies ahead. As our society moves on into the next century literacy is proving vital to economic performance. Without basic literary skills in one's possession they will become lost in our rapidly changing society.The modern worker must be able to adapt to the changing job-scene. This often means gathering new skills and knowledge from printed material, whether instruction manuals, computer programs, or classroom training (text books). It is quite commonly the case that highly skilled jobs require a high level of literacy. Therefore, literary skill level is an important factor in predicting an individual's economic success. It will affect an individual's income, their employment stability and whether they even receive employment opportunities. Presently, our world revolves around literacy.Simply being literate allows one to continuously upgrade one's literary skills to a higher level. It allows one to stay informed of happenings in and around the world through mediums such as newspapers and magazines. Knowing current news about what is going on in this ever changing world of ours is the key to staying ahead. Another thought to ponder is this, we rely on those with high literacy levels to record and document findings and happenings for future generations to reflect on. These writings would most likely be dull and inaccurate or would not exist at all without our current levels of literacy.When viewed from a social standpoint, literacy remains just as important as when viewed from the economic standpoint. Linda Macleod of the National Associations Active in Criminal Justice, points out that, â€Å"65 percent of people entering Canadian prisons for the first time have trouble reading and writing, low literacy is part of a constellation of problems that can limit choices in life and thus lead people to criminal activity† (20). Somebody in possession of a high level of literacy will most likely be well informed and tend to make wiser decisions.By obtaining this level of literacy they have also gathered a large vocabulary giving them many words to choose from to express their ideas and feelings. Conversely, many would agree that a conversation with one who has a good grasp of the English language is always more delightful than with one who is less educated. Literacy can act as a window, opening one's view to the world. Presently, we are being bombarded with information, news, trivia and gossip (not that this is always a positive feature in our lives). Without sufficient literary skills one cannot even absorb any of this information.These people will miss out on many of life's benefits, socially as well as economically. Without sufficient literary skills one would have a tremendously difficult time functioning in our current world. Think about your average day, consider how many times you refer to your literary skills to aid you, could you function without those skills? Finding an address, r eading a map, reading a menu, performing a bank transaction, these are just a few common tasks that require your literary skills. Also, when looking at the importance of literacy to our nation, its value is evident. High levels of iteracy throughout all sectors of Canada's workforce are necessary, â€Å"low literacy levels of workers' affect Canada's ability to perform in the increasingly competitive international marketplace† (â€Å"Literacy† 7). Literary skills become building blocks. First creating a well-educated society, then a highly skilled labour force which can compete and adapt to the changing market. These factors lead to an increase in economic growth within the nation which in turn, results in a higher standard of living for its people. As our society moves forward into the future, a higher level of literacy will become more important to one's level of success.Where would our society be without our ability to exchange knowledge and information? How many ti mes have you made a purchase that read on the outside – instructions inside? You and I think nothing of this, and in a sense take our gift for granted. For many, deciphering written instructions is a near impossible task, asking for assistance does little more than to further lower their self esteem. Literacy is important. To truly seize the benefits possible in one's life it has to be accepted that literacy is the key. Society will continue to reward skilled individuals and disadvantage those who are not.

Accepting Personal Responsibility – Essay

Chapter 2 Accepting Personal Responsibility There is great value in perceiving ourselves as the primary creators of the outcomes and experiences of our lives. At the very least, we are responsible for how we respond to any event, whether the event is of our creation or not. When academic outcomes and experiences are negative, many students blame others, often teachers. When academic outcomes and experiences are positive, many students credit others. Since the cause of their results is seen as existing outside of themselves, these students have no reason to evaluate and possibly change their own behaviors.Students like this typically wait for the world to change while they complain, blame, make excuses, and repeat ineffective behaviors. They may even blame themselves, all the while thinking there is nothing they can do to change their fate. By offering students the opportunity to see how their own choices contribute to their past, present, and future outcomes, we empower them to appro ach life with the beliefs and behaviors of a Creator, thus giving up the passivity and bitterness of a Victim.Empowers Students to . . . 1. Accept a Creator role, taking responsibility for creating the outcome and experiences of their lives (including their education), and reject the Victim role, giving up complaining, blaming, excusing, and paralyzing self-judgment. 2. Master Creator language, understanding that Creators and Victims choose different ways of thinking and speaking about their experiences, consequently changing both their perceptions of reality and the outcomes that they create. . Live more consciously, becoming more aware of their inner aspects—Inner Critic, Inner Defender, and Inner Guide, among others—and the corresponding inner dialogue that dictates students’ subsequent actions. 4. Make wise choices by consciously recognizing important decision points in their lives, identifying all possible options at this point, and making decisions with aw areness of their future consequences. 5.Make mature decisions, choosing to make long-term gain more important than immediate pleasure or immediate escape from discomfort. 6. Replace outer authority with inner authority, and resistance with cooperation. 7. Gain greater control over the outcomes of their lives. Engaging students in the exploration of JOURNAL ENTRIES, CASE STUDIES, ONE STUDENT’S STORY, EMBRACING CHANGE, ON COURSE AT WORK, QUOTATIONS, CARTOONS, FOCUS QUESTIONS, CHAPTER-OPENING CHARTS and STUDY SKILLS.

A Study Of The Predictive Effect Of Pre-Service Teacher Essay

ABSTRACT: This paper aims to examine the relationship between the personal knowledge management (PKM) competency of pre-service teachers and their instructional design skills. Supporting the sustainable development of teachers as professionals in the knowledge society is a critical issue in teacher education. This study attempts to identify an empirical model and a curriculum framework for nurturing pre-service teachers’ PKM competency. Dorsey (2000) PKM skills were adopted for constructing the theoretical framework and the survey instrument. A quasi-experimental research design was used to collect data from pre-service teachers from Hong Kong’s largest teacher education institution. A structural equation model was applied to explore the predictive power of PKM competency on their instructional design. Results show that a four-factor PKM competency model, which consists of retrieving, analyzing, organizing and collaborative skills, was identified as a predictor of instructional d esign. Use of PKM tools, e-learning activities and collaborative action research for developing pre-service teacher PKM competency are recommended to teaching education institute. Keywords: Personal knowledge management, Pre-service teacher, Teacher education Introduction Rapid advances in technology and communications have greatly accelerated the emergence of information. The increases in the amounts and formats of information available do not automatically make learners more informed or knowledgeable, if a learner cannot manage and meld the accumulation of  information through their daily experience and study to construct knowledge in a systematic fashion. This competency is referred by most literatures (Frand & Hixon, 1999; Dorsey, 2000; Wright, 2005) as personal knowledge management (PKM) competency. Developing learners with PKM competency is not simply a lifelong education issue, it is also an important teacher education issue in terms of sustaining a competitive human capital in the knowledge economy. Teacher development is viewed as an ongoing lifelong learning process as teachers strive to learn how to teach learner to learn how to learn (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999). The recent education reforms in Hong Kong (Education Commission, 2000) addressed this lifelong education issue by proposing a learning to learn slogan in the policy document. The policy suggests that teachers should develop student learning competence for acquiring knowledge through various methods. To develop students with knowledge acquisition skills, teachers should also be equipped with the competency for knowledge acquisition. However, since publication of the policy paper entitled Information Technology for Learning in a New Era Five-year Strategy that launched IT in education in Hong Kong (EMB, 1998), the Education Bureau has not addressed this issue in any teacher professional development policy documents. Recent calls for consultation on e-learning from the Education Bureau likewise generated additional demand for developing teacher information literacy capable of supporting student learning (EMB, 2004). If the government and teacher education institutions really want to develop competent teachers for the knowledge society, they may consider injecting the elements of personal knowledge management (PKM) into the teacher education curriculum for developing pre-service teachers’ teaching competency. However, little studies on teacher education were attempted to examine the effect of PKM on teacher learning and discussed the possibilities of injecting the element of PKM model into teacher education curriculum. This study aims to construct an empirical model for examining the predictive effect of pre-service teachers’ PKM competency on their instructional design skills and to discuss a personal knowledge management curriculum framework for teacher education institutions. Literature Review A review of the literature related to knowledge management suggests that the development of personal knowledge management (PKM) could be a means of enhancing pre-service teacher professional competency in managing personal knowledge for coping with the acceleration of emerging information. Frand & Hixon (1999) define PKM as a conceptual framework to organize and integrate important information such that it becomes part of an individual’s personal knowledge base. Dorsey (2000) emphasizes the importance of injecting PKM into an educational framework for undergraduate education in order to bridge the gap between general education and other subject disciplines. PKM could serve as a framework for integrating general education and majors and as an approach to technology integration initiatives throughout the curriculum. PKM provides learners with both a common language and a common understanding of the intellectual and practical processes necessary for the acquisition of information and its subsequent transformation into knowledge. The significance of exploring PKM may contribute to human cognitive capabilities (Sheridan, 2008). Scholars tend to conceptualize PKM as a set of information skills (Frand & Hixon, 1999; Avery et al, 2001), though there is no standard definition or model for PKM. After Frand & Hixon (1999) outlined five PKM techniques as searching, classifying, storing distributing, evaluating and integrating skills, Dorsey and colleagues (Avery et al, 2001) broadened the Frand & Hixon PKM framework well beyond its formulation. Central to PKM, as clarified by Dorsey, are seven information skills which when exercised together are integral to effective knowledge work. These seven PKM skills are retrieving, evaluating, organizing, analyzing, presenting and securing information and collaboration for creating knowledge. Recently, Pettenati and Cigognini (2009) grouped PKM skills under three intertwined macro-competence categories: creation, organization and sharing. PKM can also be conceptualized as an intertwined macro-competency. Wright (2005) proposes a PKM model that links distinctive types of problem-solving  activities with specific cognitive andmetacognitive, information, social and learning competencies. As a learning competency, PKM enables learners to apply a set of learning skills that are essential to lifelong learning for information processing, knowledge application and decision-making. As a cognitive and metacognitve competency, it enables learners to apply complex thinking skills to solve problems. It is knowledge concerning the learner’s own cognitive processes or anything related to them (Flavell, 1976, p232). As an information competency, it enables learners to link technology tools with a set of information skills, thus providing an intentionality that moves the focus from the technology more directly to the information. As a social competency, its underlying principles include enabling learners to understand others’ ideas, develop and follow through on shared practices, build win-win relationships, and resolve conflicts. PKM integrates human cognitive and metacognitive competency (Sheridan, 2008), social competency (Wright, 2005; Pettenati & Cigognini, 2009) and informational competency (Tsui, 2002). Wright (2007) has developed a PKM Planning Guide for developing knowledge worker PKM competency. The guide is based on his research findings that the four interrelated competencies are activated in order to plan PKM training. The training process encourages participants to reflect on their knowledge activities and focus on areas for improvement. If learners know how to control this process, they can internalize information into personal knowledge, creating a foundation for effective learning. Utilizing PKM for acquiring knowledge refers to a collection of information management processes that an individual learner needs to carry out in order to gather, classify, store, search, and retrieve information in his daily activities (Tsui, 2002; Grundspenkis, 2007). In teacher education, knowledge acquisition focuses on the process how teacher apply PKM to support their day-to-day teaching and learning activities: instructional design. Instructional design is closely related to PKM which is also one of the major learning tasks for pre-service teachers. Instructional design is a process that involves determining the current status and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating instructional  and learning strategies to facilitate teaching and learning. There are a wide range of instructional design models, many of them based on the ADDIE model (Seels & Glasgow, 1998; Molenda, M., 2003; Strickland, A.W. 2006) which includes the following phases: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. This acronym stands for the 5 phases contained in the model. Knowledge acquisition for instructional design is conceptualized as identifying learner entry skills, formulating instructional objectives, test and design specifications, creating instructional or training materials, making recommendations and preparing a project report for lesson implementation. As instructional design is one of the key components of teacher professional competence, and helps to implement a new curriculum in the information age of the 21st century, exploring the predictive relationships of PKM competency on knowledge acquisition for instructional design becomes key to the development of teacher education. Research Methodology It appears that PKM competency can expand individuals’ knowledge and enhance their learning competency (Davenport, 1997, p146 ; Frand & Hixon, 1999). It provides learners with a targeted, reflective and adaptable cognitive framework for inquiry and problem solving. In this study, knowledge acquisition will be conceptualized as the knowledge required for carrying out instructional design. This study attempts to answer the following research questions: 1. What is the empirical factor structure of PKM competency for pre-service teachers? 2. Is there any relationship between the PKM competency of pre-service teachers and their knowledge acquisition for instructional design? This study adopted Dorsey (2000) PKM skills to conceptualize PKM as a competency for acquiring knowledge (see figure 1). A quasi-experimental research design was used in this study to determine the relationship between PKM skills and knowledge acquisition for instructional design. The exogenous variables were pre-service teachers’ perceptions of their PKM skills. The endogenous variable is knowledge acquisition for instructional design. A  self-response quantitative questionnaire was devised to collect data from the pre-service teachers of Hong Kong’s largest teacher education institution. Figure 1: Theoretical Framework Of The Study The operationalized definitions of Dorsey (2000) PKM skills are as follows: 1. Retrieving skill is the ability of learners to retrieve information from relational databases, electronic library databases, websites, threaded discussion groups, recorded chats, and moderated andunmoderated lists. 2. Evaluating skill is the ability to make judgments on both the quality and relevance of information to be retrieved, organized, and analyzed. 3. Organizing skill is the ability to make the information one’s own by applying ordering and connecting principles that relate new information to old information. 4. Collaborating skill is the ability  to understand others’ ideas, develop and follow through on shared practices, build win-win relationships, and resolve conflicts between these underlying principles. 5. Analyzing skill is the ability to extract meaning from data and convert information into knowledge. 6. Presenting skill is the ability to familiarize with the work of communications specialists, graphic designers, and editors. 7. Securing skill is the ability to develop and implement practices that help to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and actual existence of information. This study adopted ADDIE instructional design model to conceptualize instructional design as a multiple competencies that involves analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of a lesson (Molenda, 2003; Strickland, 2006). The acronym ADDIE stands for the 5 phases contained in the model. Pre-service teachers’ learning on instructional design is conceptualized by the knowledge and experiences they come across in the 5 phases of ADDIE model including analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The learning outcomes include know how to analyse learner characteristics and task to be learned and identify learner entry skills; to design learning objectives and choose an instructional approach; to develop instructional or training materials; implement the lesson and deliver the instructional materials; and to evaluate the lesson plan and recommend the materials achieved the desired goals. The teaching experience that they had gained include determining the current state and needs of the learner, defining the end goal of instruction, and creating some instructional and learning strategies to facilitate teaching and learning. Instructional design is operationalized to the knowledge for: identifying learner entry skills; formulating instructional obJectives, test and designs specifications; creating instructional or training materials; and making recommendations and preparing a project report for lesson implementation (Seels & Glasgow, 1998; Molenda, M., 2003; Strickland, A.W. 2006). The questionnaire was based on a number of scales constructed to measure the variables of PKM skills and instructional design. In order to develop valid items for these scales, the researcher conducted a content analysis on the PKM literature of Dorsey (2000), Skyrme (1999). Hyams (2000), and on the instruction design literature of Seels & Glasgow (1998), Molenda, M. (2003); and Strickland, A.W. (2006). The questionnaire consists of two sections. Section 1 was used to measure the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition for instructional design based on 4 items. Section 2 contains 21 items designed to measure the teachers’ perceptions of their seven PKM skills. Likert 6 point scales were used in both sections to measure the variables. Likert scales are commonly used in attitudinal research. The Likert scale assumes that the difference between answering ‘agree strongly, and ‘agree’ is the same as between answering ‘agree’ and ‘neither agree n or disagree’ (Likert 1932, quoted in Gay, 1992). The data was collected directly from target subjects using the questionnaire. 225 pre-service teachers responded to the survey. Data was collected directly from them by means of the questionnaire. The subjects in the study were pre-service teachers from Hong Kong’s largest teacher education institution. Random sampling was used to collect data from the population. Exploratory factor analysis was carried out on variables using principal factor axis analysis to confirm the constructed validity of the tools (see table 1). The study is interested in a theoretical solution uncontaminated by unique and error variability and is designed with a framework on the basis of underlying constructs that are expected to produce sources on the observed variables. Principal axis factor (PAF) analysis, which aims to reveal the underlying factors that produce the correlation or correlations among a set of indicators with the assumption of an implicit underlying factor model, was applied separately to the items from the learning processes and learning outcomes. Promax rotation, a method of oblique rotation which assumes that the resulting factors are correlated with one other, was applied to extract the factors. An eigenvalue greater than one was used to determine the appropriate number of factors for the factor solutions. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was then applied to  examine the factor structures and the paths among the variables, using Lisrel 8.3 (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1999). SEM is a collection of statistical techniques that allows the examination of a set of relationships between exogenous variables and endogenous variables. Findings The results of exploratory factor analysis, presented in Table 1, clearly suggest a four- factor structure for exogenous variables that are both empirically feasible and theoretically acceptable. An eigenvaluegreater than one was used to determine the appropriate number of factors for the factor analysis solution. Items were extracted with factor loadings greater than 0.6 across and within factors. The numbers of factor solutions extracted from a Promax rotation theoretically afforded the most meaningful interpretation. The process used to identify and label the factors that emerged was based on examining the derivation of the highest loading items on each of the factors. The reliability coefficients of the scales ranged from 0.792-0.821, which was judged adequate for this study. The results of descriptive statistics show that the scale means of all the variables are higher than 4.27 within the 6 point-scale, reflecting the participants’ tendency to slightly agree with all the items. The reliability coefficient (Alphas) of the scale for instructional design is 0.854, its scale mean is 4.33 (sd = 0.691).