51 Ideas on How to Improve the US Education System

Last updated: April 2017Navigation:→ South Korea education performance [Infographic] → Expert roundup: how to improve the education system in the US? → From the students point of viewBack in 2014, Pearson released their Learning Curve. This education assessment service gathered the information of The Economist Intelligence Unit, did extensive desk research, and interviewed the world’s education leaders to report each nation’s ability to prepare students for the modern workforce.What did they evaluate?Including but not limited to, contributing factors were:the amount each nation spends on educationaverage school attendancethe salaries and earning potential of teacherstest scores in math, science, and literatureemployment ratesaverage salariesBased on the info, researchers had created a ranking system identifying the top 40 countries in the world.Interpreting the Report’s FindingsLooking beyond the numbers, there are several important conclusio ns we can draw from this report:Significant financial investment in a country’s education system does not necessarily produce academic returns.The countries with the best rankings make basic skill development (like numeracy and literacy) a high priority.Non-cognitive skills are equally important. Countries who excelled in the report also valued communication, leadership, teamwork, global citizenship, problem solving, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship.Effort is more valuable than inherited intelligence.Clear, measurable goals and outcomes are essential.It really does take a community to raise a child; the leading countries relied on the accountability and involvement of a well-utilized network of people to educate their students.So what?The Learning Curve 2014 concludes East Asian nations are best in education. With South Korea on top, followed by Japan (2nd) and Singapore (3rd), these countries have clear learning outcomes and a strong culture of accountability and engagement among a broad community.As for the leader, the education system of South Korea has transformed the country over the last 50 years, leading to an expanding economy.Is South Korea’s Education System One to Mimic? The Secret of SuccessSouth Korea does deserve some praise. After all, their students rank exceptionally high in reading, math and science. It’s also noteworthy that nearly 65% of young adults (ages 25-34) have a university degree. This graduation rate is significantly higher than the average 9% of other nations examined by The Learning Curve 2014.To many, the success of South Korea is enviable. But is that the right mindset to have?Let’s take a look at some of the factors contributing to South Korea’s â€Å"success:†All 12 years of elementary and high school education is about the need to prepare for the Suneung, known as the College Scholastic Ability Test. The result is the admission to the countrys top universities.South Koreans spend more than $17 billion on private tuition, accounting for nearly 15% of consumer spending.Four out of five students seek out private education.Students attend classes from 9am to 5pm. Then, from 5pm to 10pm, students attend a hagwon, or cram school.Of those who have graduated from university, only 75% are employed. Of those, 24% are overqualified for their current job (a percentage that is three times higher than the world average).Students report low interest and satisfaction rates in school.Stress associated with academic performance and career outlook is the leading reason teens contemplate suicide.The #1 reason for suicide among 15-24-year-old youngsters in South Korea is stress associated with academic performance.In 2015, South Korea was the 3rd in math and science after Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2016, the education system of this country stayed debatable: despite high ranks, South Korean kids seemed to be those paying for that success.Former students describe the Korean education as stressful and authoritarian, emphasizing high pressure and high performance:â€Å"To be a South Korean child ultimately is not about freedom, personal choice or happiness; it is about production, performance, and obedience.† (See-Wong Koo)â€Å"In my three years of high school, not once did any teacher ask me what I would like to do or what I would like to study in college. No one really cared about my interest or what I’d be better at.† (Dongyoung Shin)What About the US Education?Despite the above-mentioned human factor and stresses South Korean youths have to overcome for education success, statistics say it all. And many US educators and parents look at OECD and Pearson reports as a roadmap for enhancing the academic learning of their kids.Everyone wants to be among the world’s top nations in education, dont they? And while some name reasons why the US education system is failing and agree the US needs to reevaluate the current learning opportunities for students, the question remains: What are the best tactics for improving our education system, taking into account the fact we dont consider going to extremes, as is evident in South Korea?To find the answer, we went to several educators and education professionals with the only question: â€Å"If you could name three key ways on how to improve the US education system, what would they be?†Respondents:nameoccupationcontacts1Jeremy KunGraduate TA Mathematician Programmerweb G+2Frank FranzSocial Studies teacher James Madison High Schoolweb G+3Travis WardPhysics and Math tutorweb G+4Jason Jurotichwriter teacher (Philosophy and English)web T G+5Brandon D StillerBiology teacher at New Trier High Schoolweb G+6Laurie FloodNational Board Certified teacher and teacher trainerweb G+7Mitchell TiminPh.D. from UCSD Science Mathematics tutorweb8Jake LopataTeaches Economics at SUNY University at AlbanyT G+9Jim Cullenhistory department at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School NYweb F10Michael MazenkoAP English Teacher in suburban ColoradoT11Austin WaltersUniversity of Illinois student studying Computer Scienceweb T12Ken HallaEducation Technologist Teacher at Fairfax County VAweb G+13Evan WinogradAP and SAT II Physics Math TutorG+14Quincy Smithformer teacher and founder of ESLAuthority.comweb TBy combining their suggestions, we’ve come up with several ways to improve the US education system.[Back to top]  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respect and Encourage TeachersMore respect for teachers. Higher pay, fewer classes, and less classroom time, with this extra time being used for training and curriculum development. Discipline should come in the form of training with temporarily reduced class loads. / Jeremy KunTreat teachers differently. They are responsible for each new generation of learners and should be regarded as some of the most influential individuals in the country. Teaching should be considered a top level profession with higher salaries. Teachers would quickly teach to inspire and so students can learn versus just to retain their job by passing yearly tests. / Travis WardMore freedom for teachers.  Hire the best teachers, pay them well, a nd let them teach in the way they best see fit (trust and mild oversight). / Jeremy KunThe Importance of Teacher EducationPeople need to understand that we are a country of immigrants.   Part of this professional development that teachers in most all areas of the country also need is in the area of teaching students in their class who are English Language Learners.   Studies of teachers in America show that the majority do not feel they have the skill set in order to meet the demands of second language learners in their classrooms. / Laurie FloodRaise the standards for becoming an educator. Require more stringent training for teachers in their actual subject (c.f. the extremely low standards for degrees in math education). / Jeremy KunTeachers will need more training in order to adapt to the way of mathematics instruction that the Common Core Standards and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics suggest.   The old way of teaching formulas and procedures is only a porti on of the picture.   Students understand the use of these formulas and procedures (and remember them) when they can derive the formulas themselves in interesting activities done with manipulatives and visuals to make mathematics real and real life.   Then, students need to utilize these traditional formulas and procedures solving real life problems and have whole class discussions about their findings.   This makes mathematics a field of problem solving, which it truly is, rather than just a field of disparate numbers.   The legacy will be a generation of adults who can utilize mathematics seamlessly to solve real life problems, instead of generations of adults who state, I never really understood mathematics, as we have now.  Teachers need time to get the professional development to teach these new standards and to create lessons that are targeted and relevant for their students.  / Laurie FloodContinuous Education for Teachers. Provide annual seminars/workshops/classes for teachers. In order to stay competitive with the world, our teachers, the backbone of the education system, need to be continuously growing and learning new skills and ways to effectively teach our youth. / Jake LopataI take a page from Amanda Ripleys book (The Smartest Kids in the World) and say that we should make it harder to become a teacher, trying to make the profession more of a first than a last resort. Finland and South Korea, though opposites in many ways, agree on this. / Jim CullenEliminate the bachelor degree for certification and provide internship opportunities combined with a graduate program for teacher certification. / Michael MazenkoUpdate and improve teaching curriculums yearly. Use a forum setting among teachers that teach the same subjects across several school districts. Allow teacher to learn from each other. This could include summer retreats to learn from and network with each other. No single teacher following a set strict level of rules from a book wi ll ever become the best teacher. You need multiple teachers coming together iteratively to achieve the best level of teaching and improving upon it each year. / Travis WardProviding Personalized Learning OpportunitiesMore personalized learning for students. / Frank FranzMove away from standardization and uniformity of learning focused on a one-size-fits-all system that is excessively focused on bachelor degrees for all as a measure of success and achievement. In its place, the system should develop and promote career and technical education at grades 6-10, offering greater choice, including graduation at sixteen for students pursuing associate degrees and trade certificates. / Michael MazenkoTeachers need to work one-on-one with students to see if proficiency is achieved and re-teach if necessary. Reduce class size to make this a possibility. / Frank FranzLearning needs to be individualized both in pace and format. / Ken HallaThe Importance of Basic Skill DevelopmentFocus on reading analysis skills. / Frank FranzStay the course with the Common Core Standards.   Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions out there about the Common Core Standards.   These standards focus on critical thinking skills and learning all of the traditional curriculum (and more) in a manner that allows students to solve real life problems.   This is critical for US workers to stay competitive in a global workforce.   We have barely begun the process in this country, and a misinformation campaign is forcing some states to rethink whether they will use the Common Core Standards or not.   This is a mistake. Also, there is a view that the Common Core Standards and high stakes testing are intertwined.   The high stakes testing was a part of the previous standards and No Child Left Behind legislation.   This does not have to be the case if teachers and parents raise their voices against high stakes testing.  / Laurie FloodWe need to have everyone  using standards based le arning. / Ken HallaHow Schools are StructuredStudents in the States are not pushed to learn, nor do they have any motivation to. Kids in the US dream about playing football, but kids in Germany what to solve problems (for example). The culture plays an important role here. We have to make education interesting again or things will just get worse.  / Jason JurotichMake schools more progressive environments. Allow 4 day school weeks, increase or decrease the lengths of days, allow students to teach, allow students to rate teachers so that it enforces teachers to care and have to try. / Travis WardReduce the distorting role of sports in school life, which engenders misplaced priorities for too many people. / Jim CullenGo completely digital and let the students investigate a lot more. Most of the worlds info is online and we dont need professors simply repeating it.  / Jason JurotichAs teachers and schools have begun to retool to teach the Common Core Standards, there needs to be a moratorium on strong sanctions against schools that get poor scores in some areas in the next few years.   Teachers and students need time to adapt to the new standards.   In California in the 1990s, we adopted standards that were precursors to the Common Core Standards.   The state gave us a few years to retool in order to adapt to the new, more rigorous standards. / Laurie FloodClassrooms should be used for discussion of lectures that are on video.   Khan Academy video lectures are an example of lectures that should replace classroom lectures.   The classroom is best used for discussion of material previously seen on video.   Testing can also be done via computer and internet if there is a system to prevent cheating. / Mitchell TiminCareer Exposure. Students need access to the careers that are available in todays economy. It could be a class, a seminar, a work study, etc but the point would be to familiarize students with real world careers and jobs that could be avail able to them someday. This would help student be more focused on what career or field of work they would like to pursue when they reach college, saving them time and money. / Jake LopataRestructure a school finance system thats based on local property taxes. Its deeply regressive and, again, out of touch with the rest of the world. / Jim CullenTeaching StylesMore thinking/analyzing and less memorizing. Innovation and creativity are based on understanding things, not on something memorized. / Jason JurotichHave a practical skills program in addition to an academic program.   I understand that this approach is successful in Germany.   An academic education is not appropriate for everyone. / Mitchell TiminCritical Thinking and Problem Solving. Focus on teaching students how use and apply their minds to tasks or problems. These are skills that are usable in any career field. / Jake LopataTeachers then need to move from passive (in terms of the student learner) to facilitators for st udent learning. / Ken HallaMake math/science relevant. Example: for the football players, a wide receiver lines up 15 yards left and he catches the ball 20 yards down field.   How far did the quarterback throw the ball?   The Pythagorean theorem (and just about every bit of math) can be applied to common real life scenarios.   Not only does a real example make the topic more tangible, it also makes the topic more interesting. / Evan WinogradHow Students are EvaluatedMore demanding ways to show you know something. Exams based on memory dont cut it, but on the other hand, evaluation systems need to be a lot more demanding to find out what the student really knows. There has to be objective rubrics that allow for universal, international proof that a student really knows his stuff. / Jason JurotichReduce some or most of the high stakes testing that sucks time and creativity from students who need it most starting in 3rd grade. Weeks and weeks are lost to teaching to the tests and then taking the tests. The best performing countries (one example is Finland) do not spend time and money on such testing. / Brandon D StillerDecrease the emphasis on standardized testing as a measure of rigor and accountability, and replace that with support for a childs whole education, including social-emotional needs. Included in this is devoting funding and resources to providing social supports to students and families in terms of nutrition, health care, child care, counseling, supervision, etc. / Michael MazenkoThe Role of Post-Secondary EducationMake post-secondary education more affordable so that student loan debt does not limit students and graduates. / Brandon D StillerMake scholarships for service to the country more lucrative. If 18 year olds spend a few years giving back (e.g., in the Armed Forces or AmeriCorps) while their minds mature and earn all or most of their tuition, room and board, they will be able to afford college and possibly be in much better position t o make the most of their educational opportunity. / Brandon D StillerTreat college like an option instead of the ultimate goal. Real world programs like internships, apprenticeships, and even gap years are effective in preparing students for life after school and don’t leave you with a mound of debt. / Quincy SmithCultureThe US has an attitude problem. There is a stigma that math (and school in general) is boring / uncool.   For example: http://mathfour.com/commentary/att-in-my-day-commercial-is-killing-math-students this commercial drove me crazy. It took me about 5 seconds on Google to find this article that shares my view. / Evan WinogradI believe education needs to start at an early age in the home. When I was younger, my family would do math problems at the table and turn it into a game. As a result, I was ahead of the curve in all of my math classes (Sure, there may be an argument made that I had a natural disposition to math, but I believe that nurturing a skill at a young age can help the brain develop to support that skill in the future). As a young student, despite my parents efforts, I did not read as much as I should have. As a result, my vocabulary, albeit not bad, is worse than I would like it to be. / Evan Winograd[Back to top]From the Student’s Point of View:Professors and teachers shouldn’t be the only ones allowed to sound off. Students have opinions too. After all, they’re the ones we are encouraging to do better — let’s learn what they need.Austin Walters:Do not discourage students. Do not assume incompetence or that they do not want to learn. It is important that every person is encouraged to learn. I wrote about my experiences here:  http://austingwalters.com/please-excuse-my-grammar/Give students some autonomy, which helps support longterm motivation. Perhaps have a suggestion box, which allows the students to ask questions anonymously related to any subject (obviously filter out inappropria te questions). Then every friday, or some other designated date, answer the questions in a fun way. Maybe bring in some snacks and make it a fun day.Engage students by telling stories and using metaphors. Its important that students stay engaged and doing so by providing them with funny/interesting stories helps maintain motivation.Heres great post on Reddit with several more suggestions from students to consider: Feed us. Seriously! You’d be amazed at how attentive we can be after a fun sized candy bar!For more opinions and thoughts on the topic, please check:7 Ways to Repair the Public Education System, by Anya Hollis for The Huffington PostHow To Fix Education In America, by Robert Reiss for ForbesWhat Happens Now?Education is still at the center of many debates. Experts conduct surveys and do research to find out what else we can do for a better education system in the US. Statistics are all well and fine, but some go further and let students share thoughts on the problem .After all, who see it better?One way of letting them speak is through essay writing. University World News published the article where shared the excerpts from the essays young people sent to take part in the international essay contest.The topic was The Ideal Higher Education Model for My Country, and thats what American students said.Anne Hentzen, University of Missouri-Kansas City:My vision of an ideal higher education model would almost require a complete overhaul of the current higher education model in the United States. Colleges could remain privatized in order to retain academic freedom. However, the government should fully fund students’ tuition and textbooks until the students achieve at least a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.Professors work even harder than some of those in administrative positions. So, the salaries of administrative staff, departmental heads and sports coaches would need to be lowered.Other problems of the US education, from the students point of view, include teachers looking for one type of student only and the reduced level of the teaching staff.Can the US learn from their mistakes?As one of the world’s leading developed countries, the US is constantly under scrutiny regarding areas in need of improvement. However, education should remain at the top of everyone’s priority list. As The Learning Curve 2014 points out, our children aren’t the only ones at stake here; our entire country depends on a sound and capable workforce.It’s time for US leaders to stop wasting money and start to seek out a solution. Let’s listen to educators and students who are in the trenches, and lets allow them to lead us to the brighter future.[Back to top]

How to Win a National Merit Scholarship

How to Win a National Merit Scholarship SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Being named a Finalist is the highest academic recognition you can achieve from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It is a national distinction that places you at the pinnacle of academic achievement. Not all Finalists are chosen to receive scholarships, however. Only about 8,000 of 15,000 students gain this award. In this article we’ll talk about what scholarships are available through NMSC and what you need to do to get one. The Path to This Point First, 1.5 million high school juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT. Only 16,000 students are named Finalists, and, after an extensive application process, only 15,000 of these students achieve Finalist status. If you haven’t read our detailed articles yet on the steps to take to become a Semifinalist and Finalist, check them out here: National Merit Semifinalist and National Merit Finalist. Now that you know what it takes to get to this point, read on to learn about the three scholarships available, how much money they give, and how Finalists qualify for scholarship awards. 1. National Merit Scholarships Every Finalist is given consideration for a National Merit Scholarship. Finalists are named Scholars (in other words, receive the scholarship) based on the strength of their applications. Scholars have outstanding applications that demonstrate academic commitment, extracurricular and community involvement, passion, and drive. Your first choice college is not a factor under consideration for National Merit Scholarships. In fact, the NMSC committee members do not even see this information. These scholarships are awarded to only 2,500 Finalists, or about 1 in 6 Finalists. They are a one-time award of $2,500 and are not renewable throughout your years of college. To sum up: Every Finalist is given consideration for the National Merit Scholarship based on their applications. 2. Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships The second type of scholarship offered by NMSC is a corporate-sponsored scholarship. Finalists are also automatically given consideration for these scholarships based on their applications and the information they provide about parental employment, intended majors, and career plans. Most corporate sponsors give awards to students whose parents or guardians work for them. A small number award non-employee children if they indicate an interest in a major or career choice that the corporation wants to support. As this changes year to year, you should check with your corporation of interest to learn about their award criteria. Sponsor corporations include UPS, Boeing, Macy’s, BP, Southwest Airlines, and the General Mills Foundation (see the full list here). About 1,000 students receive corporate-sponsored awards, and they range greatly in amount. They are usual renewable, or awarded annually, and tend to be transferable to any four-year accredited college. To sum up: Finalists are automatically given consideration for corporate-sponsored awards based on their applications and the parent employment information they indicate therein (or occasionally, major and career interest). 3. College-Sponsored Scholarships Finalists who do not receive either the National Merit Scholarships or a Corporate-Sponsored Scholarships are considered for College-Sponsored scholarships. Check thelist of college sponsorsto see which schools are eligible. Some popular sponsor colleges include Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, Bowdoin, Colby, University of Chicago, University of Southern California, and Pomona. Some colleges who do NOT sponsor include Harvard and the other Ivy Leagues, MIT, Williams, and Middlebury. Students must indicate one of the sponsor colleges as their First Choice college on their applications. Students who put â€Å"Undecided† will not be considered. So, even if you’re not sure, you should still put one of the sponsoring colleges as your first choice or add one to your application ASAP. Students can log into their NMSC applications and change their first choice college up until May 31st, UNLESS they have already received an award offer from the college they indicated. NMSC sends rosters of Finalists to sponsoring colleges in March. Scholarship offers start in early May and continue for the next few months. Page 3 of the application goes over the College-Sponsored Scholarships process in detail. If you have any questions about it, definitely clarify by calling NMSC Scholarship administration at 1-847-866-5100. About 4,100 students receive college-sponsored scholarships in an amount between $500 and $2,000. Colleges may award even more merit-based awardsif that’s the case, NMSC will cover up to $2,000, and the rest of the award will come from the college or other sources. Since every school differs, students should contact the school directly to discuss their merit-based financial awards. College-sponsored scholarships are renewable annually and non-transferable. To sum up: You must put a sponsor college as your first choice in your NMSC application to be considered for a college-sponsored scholarship. Since college awards and policies differ, you should contact the school of interest itself to learn how much merit-based scholarship money you might be eligible to receive. Want to build the best possible college application and financial aid package? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What Do You Need to Do to Maximize Your Chances? Put together an outstanding application. Review instructions for Semifinalists here: http://nationalmerit.org/Merit_RI_Leaflet.pdf. What story do your extracurricular activities and community service tell? Do they show a progression to a position of leadership? Do they show â€Å"depth over breadth†? Besides having flawless grammar and spelling, does your personal essay show that you are thoughtful, reflective, and draw meaning from your experiences? How strong is your recommendation? Give your teacher a â€Å"brag sheet† of the qualities, accomplishments, and even adjectives you would like them to include to make your recommendation stand out as one of the best. If you were on the committee choosing which Finalists become Scholars, what criteria would you use? What would impress you about a candidate and make you want to award him/her a scholarship? Research sponsor corporations and be aware of your parents’ employment. Make sure to include any relevant information on your application so you will be considered for a corporate-sponsored scholarship. Indicate a sponsor college as your first choice on your application. Make any changes by May 31st. Page 3 of your application explains this process in greater detail. Put Your Best Foot Forward - A Timeline Maximize your chances of getting a scholarship by following these steps and meeting all the deadlines. Prep for the PSAT in sophomore year. Make sure you're scoring above the score cutoff for your state, or else you won't qualify as a Semifinalist. Take the PSAT in the fall of your junior year and qualify for Semifinalist by scoring in the top 1%. Study for the SATs in the spring and summer and take them in the fall of your senior year. Get a high score that shows NMSC that your PSAT scores weren’t just a fluke. Submit your NMSC application in early October of senior year. If for some reason your school received late notification of Semifinalists, just let NMSC know. In this instance, they won’t penalize you for having a late application. Receive word that you made Finalist in early February of senior year. Receive word that you won a scholarship starting in early May of senior year. Preparation Is Everything Start preparing as early as possible to become a National Merit Finalist and Scholar. This doesn’t just mean studying for the PSATs and SATs. It also means joining clubs, gaining a leadership position, and cultivating good relationships with your teachers. All of this preparation will not only help you succeed on the PSAT and SAT, but will set you up for success in your future academic and professional careers. What's Next? Make sure you read about our National Merit Semifinalist and Finalist articles to have the best chance of qualifying for each stage of the competition. The National Merit Scholarship uses the PSAT, but the SAT is far more important for college admissions. What's a good SAT score? Learn what a good target score is, based on your college goals. Aiming for a perfect score on the SAT? Read our guide to getting a perfect SAT score, written by one of our perfect scorers. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points?We have the industry's leading SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Sign up for our free 5-day trial today:

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 5

Case study - Essay Example The study takes into account the implications of social media from the context of customer as well as employees. It also analyzes social media as a tool for Customer Relationship Management. The study also highlights ways to implement social media in organizations. It suggests certain guidelines that must be followed by organizations while implementing social media in organizations. Finally an effort is also taken to include the measurement of success of social media with the balanced scorecard approach. The term â€Å"Social Media† generally refers to media dedicated for social interactions. Social media makes use of various online and web technologies to transform the media monologues into their sociable forms. In the contemporary context social media can be appropriately defined as a collection of web based applications which build the foundations of the internet. Social media has come a long way from being an exclusive element of IT domain to everyday social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and blogs etc which command a huge reach and can drastically affect a firm’s business prospects. Social media has been effectively used by organizations as a tool for reaching out to their prospective customers. The growth of social media has been largely used by many organizations as a promotional tool. Moreover, with the advent of social networking and blogging sites, social media has become an important means of getting customer feedbacks about their products and services. These days many organizations have a dedicated department that handles social media related issues. Organizations need to frame their social media policies so that it provides them with the ways and means to deal with possible opportunities and threats. The spread and easy accessibility of the internet has taken away the luxury that used to exist when non web based sources were used as a social media tool (Kane, et al., n.d.). The use of social media enables organizations to get

Strategic analysis of Whole Food market Coursework

Strategic analysis of Whole Food market - Coursework Example The stores are located in 38,000 square foot in size which conform to the locality and community that they serve and which have observed 5% year on year growth. The company’s stock was boosted by nearly 38% which has seen 17% growth in EBITDA to $835 million and 20 year compounded annual growth rate of nearly 26% (ar, 2011). 1.1 Vision and mission Company’s vision is to become a global brand for best quality natural and organic food and best food retailer of organic food in every community that it serves. The mission statements of the company are designed to meet the food requirements of the people by providing them with healthy and nutritious food so that they can lead a healthier life and live longer. The core values of the company focus on sustainable business practice and ensure complete customer satisfaction through quality food that is organically produced. They also empower people with knowledge and information that promote their general well-being. The core valu es are aligned to their strategic vision and mission that fundamentally cater to the interests of all its stakeholders including workforce, customers and supply chain. 1.2 Current strategy The current strategy is designed to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyle through food that is organically produced. It ensures customer satisfaction by facilitating high quality of naturally and organically produced wide variety of food products. The Whole Food stores are strategically designed to meet the needs of its customers. They have cafeteria facility which ensured that customers could also taste and test the quality food that they would be buying. The brochures and information about food products and sustainable business practice empower customers with information which they use in their buying experience. 1.2.1 Goals and objectives The organizational culture greatly helps to achieve its broader goals and objectives of meeting the changing demands of its various stakeholders includi ng customer satisfaction. The company promotes more than 2600 SKU with its 365 Everyday Value, primary in-house brand (ar, 2011). The company’s goals are focused opening around 24 to 27 new stores and improving its sales growth to around 15%. Its major objective is to promote sustainable business practices. To achieve it, WEM emphasizes diversity in workplace and creates barrier free and encouraging environment to meet the needs of diverse community. The team leaders within the stores are empowered to make independent decisions that ensures improved performance outcome. The broader goals and objectives of WFM are achieved through measures like employees’ welfare schemes, environmental concerns, health and well-being and charitable works in the area of education, training and development of entrepreneurial skills etc. Its suppliers of food products from low waged countries were supported financially to ensure quality produce which also helped them to raise their living standard. It has introduced innovative processes to promote sustainable business practices within its in-house staff and business partners (ar, 2011). It has encouraged greater interaction with various focus groups and fostered alliances for proactive participation of the public and workforce in its drive for environmental conservations and community welfare. 1.2.2 Major strength The double digit growth rate, exemplary customer service and broad range of quality product lines are its major strengths. With approximately $11.7 billion revenue in 2011, the strong cash flow and stock position greatly favor the company in achieving its goals and objectives (yahoo, 2013). The growth plans of companies are primarily through opening

Interest Rates Affects on the Is-Lm Model Essay Example for Free

Interest Rates Affects on the Is-Lm Model Essay Assignment 4 5. According to the IS-LM model, what happens to the interest rate, income, consumption and invest under the following circumstances. a. The central bank increases money supply. An increase in the money supple shifts the LM curve downward. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income rises from Y1 to Y2 and the interest rate falls from r1 to r2. Therefore this increase in money supply causes a decrease in interest rate, an increase in income, an increase in consumption and an increase in investment. LM Income, output, Y b. Government increases government purchases An increase in government purchases result in a shift in the IS curve to the right. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income rises from Y1 to Y2 and interest rate rises from r1 to r2. This increase in government purchases therefore causes interest rate to rise and income also rises. Consumption will also increase but the increase in government purchases will cause investment to decrease. interest rate, r LM IS2 IS1 Income, output, Y c. The government increases taxes. An increase in taxes shifts the IS curve to the left. The equilibrium moves from point A to point B. Income falls from Y1 to Y2 and the interest rate from r ¬1 to r 2. Therefore increase in taxes will bring about a decrease in interest rate, cause income to also decrease which will decrease consumption also but will result in an increase in investment. interest rate, r LM IS1 IS2 Income, output, Y d. The government increase government purchases and taxes equally 6. Consider the following economy of Hicksonia. a. The consumption function is given by C= 200 + 0. 75 (Y T) The investment function is I= 200-25r Government purchases and taxes are both 100.

Spearfisherman :: Fishing Sports Papers

Spearfisherman As a student in the scuba certification class here at State, I have been taught that if you would like to keep all of your limbs, it is best to keep your hands to yourself under the water. This means that if I saw a 52 pound fish, I probably would not try to stab it with a spear, or play a game of cat and mouse. So what makes a spearfisherman? How does one go about spending their recreational time chasing after fish as big as them? Since the 1940’s, spearfishing, the art of hunting prey without a line, in its own environment, has been a popular sporting activity. How do you learn to spearfish? You must first decide what type of a fisherperson you would like to be. Would you want to hunt with scuba equipment making it easier to dive to greater depths? Or would you like to stay close to the surface without the heavy gear? There are two types of spear fishermen, the people that are freedivers, who dive without the gear, and people that require an air supply, otherwise known as scuba method. The freedive has very little equipment; a mask, optional snorkel, fins, and the speargun of your choice. It is the simplest form of spearfishing, and yet it is said to be the most challenging (Allen Patrick 6). A diver must hold his breath on the surface, â€Å"pike dive† and descend, while trying to clear his ears and equalize pressure(6). The ears must also be cleared with the scuba method, so this is no t only for freedivers. The scuba method, much more gear intensive, first and foremost requires that you have a recreational diving license. Diving by in itself requires skill and education, so it is advisable for a aspiring spearfisherman to obtain a diving license before heading down to the local speargun shop. You must have a mask that properly fits their face, fins, an air cylinder with a regulator that makes it possible to breath, the appropriate weight belt to decrease and increase buoyancy, along with the buoyancy compensator, that holds you cylinder in place (Patrick 11-13). Now that you are in the water and have your gear, you need a weapon.

Comparing and Contrasting “The Necklace” and “The Gift of the Magi” Essay

The main character in The Necklace’s, and the main character in The Gift of the Magi’s, personalities differ from one another vastly. In The Necklace, the main character Mathilde Loisel is an ungrateful middle class woman who seeks riches and admiration. Alternatively, the main character in The Gift of the Magi, Della Young, is compassionate and works very hard to buy her husband a present, and ultimately, selling the one thing that was more precious to her than anything else, her hair. Mathilde is selfish, and when her friend, Madame Foreister is sympathetic enough to let her borrow her jewelry, Mathilde asks rudely, â€Å"Haven’t you anything else?† (Maupassant,  ¶39). In contrast, Della is very appreciative when she receives a hairpin, and is very unselfish when giving away her hair to buy a present for her husband. Mathilde and Della are also both remotely poor. In the beginning of The Necklace, Mathilde and her husband were pretty well off, not too rich, and very simple. But at the end of the story, they are dirt poor, having spent 10 years paying debts. On the other hand, Della started out fairly poor, only being able to gather $1.87 for a Christmas present, but enjoyed life all the same. These two women are also unlike one another because of how they treat their husbands. When thinking about what to get her husband Jim, Della thought, â€Å"Something fine and rare and sterling–something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.† (Henry,  ¶6) This quote shows how much Della loves her husband, and how she thinks it is the best thing in the world to be his, and to be married to him. Meanwhile, instead of feeling like her husband â€Å"won† her heart, Mathilde feels like she settled for him. She shows these feelings for her husband when O. Henry writes â€Å"†¦and she let herself be married off to a little clerk in the Ministry of Education.† (Maupassant,  ¶1). Madame Loisel also does not show gratitude towards her husband when he acquired the tickets to the party, and when he spent all that money buying her a dress when he really could have bought something for himself. On the other hand, Mrs. Young is very flattered when her husband buys her a present, even one that she has no use for. Both The Necklace’s, and The Gift of the Magi’s, endings are ironic. In The Necklace, Mathilde and her husband spend most of their young life paying off a huge debt because of a diamond necklace that she had lost. 10 years later, she ran into the friend from whom she borrowed the necklace from, and found out that the necklace they thought was thirty-six thousand francs was only five hundred. The Gift of the Magi ended in a more comical irony than The Necklace’s cynical irony. Della had cut her long, lushes hair to buy Jim a chain for his pocket watch, and Jim sold his prized pocket watch to buy Della a lavish pin for her hair. The Young couple didn’t mind that they both bought something the other one no longer needed, they were just happy to have each other. People are confronted with choices every day, and in The Necklace by Guy De Maupassant and The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry, the main characters make subconscious choices to act selfish, or to act grateful.