Middle School to High School Transition

The middle school years are a time of transition for tweens in many ways. There are obvious social, physical, and emotional changes happening with 6th to 8th graders. However, middle school also serves the purpose of preparing students for more challenging academics  and greater personal responsibility in high school. For public school students (and their parents), the expectations in the first year of middle school can be an abrupt and demanding change. Instead of teachers communicating with parents about assignments and due dates, they communicate directly with students and expect them to be responsible for meeting deadlines and completing tasks. There is nothing wrong with that, and it’s part of preparing students for  the middle school to high school transition, but it can be stressful for students and parents alike. Tales abound  of late-night scrambling to complete a forgotten project that makes up a high percentage of a student’s grade. As homeschooling parents, we don’t have to institute such abrupt changes, but it is wise to use the middle school years to prepare our students for high school.   1. Transition from Guided Learning to Independent Learning One of the biggest transitions during middle school is preparing students to assume responsibility for their own educations. It’s during this time that parents should adjust their role from teacher to facilitator and allow homeschooled tweens and teens to take charge of their school day. While it is important that teens begin to transition to self-directed learners, it’s also vital to remember that they still need guidance. It’s important that parents remain active, involved facilitators during the middle school and high school years. Some ways you can do that include: Schedule regular meetings to hold your student accountable for completing assignments. During the middle school years, plan to schedule daily meetings with your tween or teen, transitioning to weekly meetings by 8th or 9th grade. During the meeting, help your student plan her schedule for the week. Help her break down weekly assignments into manageable daily tasks and plan for completion of long-term projects. A daily meeting also provides an opportunity to make sure that your student is completing and comprehending all of her assignments.  Tweens and teens are sometimes guilty of pushing challenging concepts aside instead of asking for help. This practice often results in stressed,  overwhelmed students who don’t know where to begin to catch up. Read ahead. Read (or skim) ahead of your student in his textbooks or assigned reading. (You may want to use audio books, abridged versions, or study guides.) Reading ahead helps you keep abreast of what your student is learning so that youre prepared if he needs you to explain difficult concepts. It also helps you to ask the right questions to be sure that he is reading and comprehending the material. Offer guidance. Your middle school student is learning to take responsibility for his work. That means he still needs your direction. He may need you to make suggestions about writing topics or research projects. It could be helpful for you to edit his writing or offer advice on how to set up his science experiment. You may need to write out the first few bibliography cards as examples or help him come up with a strong topic sentence. Model the behavior you expect from your student as you transition to expecting him to complete the projects independently. 2. Help Your Student Improve Study Skills Middle school is an excellent time to help your student develop or hone her independent study skills. Encourage her to start with a study skills self-assessment to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. Then, work on improving the weak areas. For many homeschooled students, one weak area will be note-taking skills. Your middle schooler can practice by taking notes during: Religious servicesCo-op classesRead-aloud timeDVD or computer-based lessonsDocumentariesIndependent reading Middle school students should also begin using a student planner to keep track of their own assignments. They can fill in their planner during your daily or weekly meetings. Help your students get in the habit of including a daily study time in their planners. Their minds need time to process all that they’ve learned each day. During their  study time, students should do things like: Read over their notes to ensure that what they wrote down makes senseLook over the headings and subheadings in their textbooks to recap the day’s lessonPractice spelling or vocabulary words  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ illustrating words or writing them in different colors can be helpfulMake their own flashcards to help them remember important facts and detailsRead over any highlighted textRead text, notes, or vocabulary words aloud 3. Involve Your Teen or Tween in Curriculum Choices As your student enters the teen years, begin engaging her in the curriculum selection process if you haven’t been doing so already. By the middle school years, students start to develop a sense of how they learn best. Some students prefer books with large text and colorful illustrations. Others learn better through audio books and video-based instruction. Even if you’re not willing to hand over the selection process to your middle school student entirely, take her input into consideration. Remember that one of the goals of homeschooling is to teach our children how to learn. Part of that process is helping them discover how they learn best. The middle school years also provide the perfect opportunity to test potential curriculum.  When you find yourself in the position of needing to modify or  change curriculum  in high school, its hard not to feel as though youve wasted an entire semester or longer. Instead, give potential high school curriculum a test-run in middle school. You can try the middle school version of the curriculum or use the high school version in 8th grade. If it is a good fit, you can put in on your childs high school transcript since high school level coursework completed in 8th grade counts toward high school credit hours. If it turns out that the curriculum isnt a good fit for, you can shop around and choose something more appropriate for high school without feeling as though youve lost ground. 4. Strengthen Weaknesses Because the middle school years are a time of transition, they naturally offer the opportunity to catch up on any areas in which a student is behind where you’d like him to be and strengthen areas of weakness. This could be the time to seek out treatment or learn the best modifications and accommodations for learning challenges such as dysgraphia or dyslexia. If your student still struggles with automatic recall of math facts, practice them until she can recall them effortlessly. If he struggles with getting his thoughts on paper, look for creative ways to encourage writing and ways to make writing relevant to your student. Focus on improving any areas of weakness that youve identified, but dont make that the total of your school day. Continue to provide plenty of opportunities for your student to shine in his areas of strength. 5. Begin Thinking Ahead Use 6th and 7th grades to observe your student. Start exploring his extracurricular interests, talents, and activities⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€like drama, debate, or yearbook⠁  Ã¢â‚¬â€so that you can tailor his high school years to his skills and natural aptitudes. If he’s interested in sports, check to see what is available in your homeschool community. Often middle school is when kids move begin playing on their school’s sports teams rather than recreation leagues. Consequently, it’s a prime time for the formation of homeschool teams. Middle school sports teams for homeschoolers  are often instructional and try-outs are not as stringent as high school teams, so it’s a good time for those new to the sport to get involved. Most colleges and umbrella schools will accept some high school level courses, such as algebra or biology,  taken in 8th grade for high school credit. If you have a student who is ready for a bit more challenging coursework, taking one or two high school credit courses in middle school is an excellent opportunity to get a head start on high school. Make the most of the middle school years by using them to create a smooth transition from the teacher-directed elementary school years and the self-directed high school years.

Islam An Monotheistic Faith, Monotheistic, And It

Project 2 Option B Cultural Geography 1113 Sec. TH 001 Oklahoma State University 13 March 2015 Abstract Islam just like Christianity and Judaism is an Abrahamic faith, monotheistic, and it is also a universalizing religion. Although they all have those in common Islam differs in many different ways. For instance, Islam has the five pillars of faith that they practice, and a man named Muhammad started the religion because he received revelations from God. Islam also effects lots of cultures, including mine. Islam effects my culture, for example, through their dialects and vocabulary that are now used in daily conversations. Globalization effects Islam in the way that people around the world view them. Mostly, this opinion of them comes from major events; like 9/11. Islam, which shares many similar qualities with other religions is also unique in its way of life and impact on the world. Islam, a big religion that almost everyone has heard about. Especially because it is the fastest growing religion in the world. From as small as dialect and as large as September eleventh the Islam religion is involved with a lot. Even though Islam is the second largest religion, right behind Christianity, it has impacted the world in many significant ways. More than one fifth of the people in the world call themselves Muslims. Islam is also the fastest growing religion in the world, which makes since considering it is a UniversalizingShow MoreRelatedSimilarities and Causes for Unfamilirity between Christianity and Islam1566 Words   |  7 Pagesgoing to address two of the most dominant faith traditions; Islam and Christianity. Regardless of my own religious beliefs, there is no denying that Islam and Christianity share many similar tenets that go unrecognized or ignored by followers of each monotheistic faith. The identification of these similarities and the causes for unfamiliar ity between the two religions is my paramount goal within the parameters of this paper. Analysis of Similarities Islam and Christianity share a fundamental connectionRead MoreIslam : The Greatest Role Model1243 Words   |  5 PagesIslam was a religion founded in the 7th century AD by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He was an Arabian merchant who was born in the city of Mecca. Prophet Muhammad was repelled by the cruelty around him. In the year 610 at the age of 40, he escaped to a desert cave where he experienced mystical visions (Islam.uga.edu). Angel Gabriel came to him with messages from Allah. Muhammad returned from the desert with spiritual mission to transform the society around him (knightscrusaders.com). Christianity hadRead MoreFlvs World History Essay675 Words   |  3 PagesPedraza 1. In what ways is the Holy Land an important site for all three monotheistic faiths? 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The followers of Islam, known as Muslims (from the active participle of Islam), accept or surrenderRead MoreThe Three Major Religions Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesThe Major Religions Judaism, Christianity and Islamic Humanities 101 August 28, 2010 Strayer University The major religions in the world are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic religions, namely they believe that there is only one God. All three religions believe that this God is the origin and source of all that exists. God cares about the entire creation and desires the well-being of all. God is just and has provided basicRead MoreJudaism, Christianity, And Islam992 Words   |  4 PagesJudaism, Christianity and Islam are three of the most recognized monotheistic religions worldwide. These religions are often referred to as the Abrahamic religions because of their history to the founding father, Abraham. 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Different mythsRead MoreBuddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism And Monotheistic Religions1108 Words   |  5 PagesIn life, one will undertake a spiritual journey in which you will uncover the meaning of the self. Many religions, including Hinduism, Confucianism and monotheistic religions, have developed philosophies placing importance of the â€Å"self.† Emphasis on morality, virtues, honest contribute to the development of the inner self. In religions such as, Islam and Judaism the importance of conducts and worship will lead you to paradise in the after as promised by Allah or Yahweh. The teachings of proper behaviorRead MoreA Brief Study of Sunni Islam1477 Words   |  6 PagesProfessor Name Course Number Date Sunni Islam Most of the major religions are, by definition, transcendental, and understanding that statement is easy. Transcendental means that something about the belief that is a major tenet of the religion is outside of the natural world. For example, Judaism, Islam and Christianity all hold the belief that there is a single all powerful God. They all may have different beliefs that coincide with this, but that faith is the central belief of these religionsRead MoreAbrahamic Faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam1302 Words   |  5 Pages Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are united as Abrahamic Faiths because they share many common beliefs and thoughts. Over two billion people practice Christianity. Judaism is the original Abrahamic faith and originated in the Middle East over three thousand five hundred years ago. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, revealed over one thousand four hundred years ago in Mecca, Arabia. These three faiths share many common characteristics wh en it comes to their outlook on god, women in

Did Women Have a Renaissance Free Essays

The Renaissance was the time period between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries that led to the beginning of many new ideas and developments. It was a time period of prosperity for many European countries especially Italy. Economic and intellectual changes occurred and it also gave the opportunity for many new doors to open to new directions in art, social, scientific, and political beliefs. We will write a custom essay sample on Did Women Have a Renaissance? or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although during this time of great reform women had minimal amounts of influence. It is argued, that because of this lack of power, the term Renaissance does not necessarily apply to omen, and it was a title that was given to them afterwards. Women were excluded from the opportunity to take part in the rebirth of classical ideas due to lack of education, stereotypical beliefs about women, and because many women married young making it very challenging to pursue further education. Women were denied opportunities to participate in the Renaissance due to the lack of education the majority of women during this time received. However, as in many cases there is an exception to this statement. An example of this very rare exception during this time erred is a letter from Angelo Boliviano to an upper class maiden Cassandra Fiddle. Angelo observes that she is one of the few educated women of her age. (DOC 1 One should approach this document with caution because the source is a humanist letter to a wealthy upper class woman. On the other hand John Knox once observed that it would be awful if women ever reigned supreme over men. (DOC . ) John Knox in some ways was correct and in some ways was incorrect. John Knox was correct if he was commenting on the overall intellectual ability of most women at the time. However, urine this time there were a few women who were well educated and some who even reigned over men. Women during the Renaissance carried around a large amount of stereotypes. Many of which were very critical about the way women should act, the way they should be nothing more than a house keeper, and how women were not able to become well educated enough to do anything worthwhile in their life’s. Francesco Barbara observed that women should never speak in public unless spoken to. (Doc. ) However, one should take count of the point of view of the source because Francesco was Presbyterian. Presbyterian at this time listened very closely to anything that the founder of their religion said. In which case Presbyterian did anything John Knox said or did. John Knox highly disliked the Queen of Scotland Mary because she was not a Presbyterian. John Nook’s teachings brought along many stereotypes women would have to burden during this time. The most major reason women of this time weren’t able to pursue further education is because of the age at which they would become married. When these women would become married many of them would not even be considered a legal adult by today’s standards. According to (Doc. The majority of women would get married at the age of 17 or 18. However, one should be able to see that this source doesn’t account for women that were forced to marry at a younger age then they would’ve preferred. This source does show that this would more than likely not allow women to pursue a higher education unless the family could afford a private tutor. Which were only possible if the woman was from a very wealthy upper class family. It is argued that many women during this time period wished not to be women. (Doc. ) Shows that Siesta Angola once wrote that she wondered why she was born a women when here were already some many in the world. Women were excluded from the chance to take part in the rebirth of classical ideas due to lack of education, stereotypical beliefs about women, and because many women married young making it very difficult to pursue further schooling. Women did not experience a renaissance because the view on women were very critical and primarily demanded women were only made to reproduce and house keep. During this time period many women around the world experienced this kind of treatment from men. With the exceptions off few places like Japan. How to cite Did Women Have a Renaissance?, Papers

Richard Wrights Black Boy free essay sample

Critical analysis of 1945 autobiography of early years of African-American. author. Richard Wrights book Black Boy is a non-fiction work which recounts the early life of the author, pointing out many of his formative influences as a young black man in the South at a time when racism was rampant. America at the time was a land of excess, with whites enjoying all the advantages while the blacks were relegated to poverty and were even then discriminated against as if they were taking something from white society. Wright absorbs this in an interesting way, beginning as a young man who did not see the difference between black and white and who had to be trained, as it were, to see the difference and to live it every day. He found that he had to behave in a certain way to survive, and yet in the long run he did not learn his lessons as well as did some others. We will write a custom essay sample on Richard Wrights Black Boy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A deep anger infuses his writing, and often it is directed as much at black society for

SERIAL KILLERS Essays (1333 words) - Crime, Death, Murder

SERIAL KILLERS A serial killer is a person who murders three or more people one at the time in a relatively short interval , usually in service of abnormal psychological gratification, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant break between them. Serial murder is neither a new phenomenon, nor is it uniquely American. Dating back to ancient times, serial murderers have been chronicled around the world. In 19th century Europe, Dr. Richard von Krafft-Ebing conducted some of the first documented research on violent, sexual offenders and the crimes they committed. Best known for his 1886 textbook Psychopathia Sexualis , Dr. Kraft- Ebing described numerous case studies of sexual homicide, serial murder, and other areas of sexual proclivity. Is a relatively rare event, estimated to comprise less than one percent of all murders committed in any given year. However, there is a macabre interest in the topic that far exceeds its scope and has generated countless articles, books, and movies. This broad-based public fascination began in the late 1880s, after a series of unsolved prostitute murders occurred in the Whitechapel area of London. These murders were committed by an unknown individual who named himself "Jack the Ripper" and sent letters to the police claiming to be the killer . These murders and "Jack the Ripper" have become synonymous with serial murder. In the 1970s and 1980s serial murder cases such as the Green River Killer, Ted Bundy, and BTK sparked a renewed public interest in serial murder, which blossomed in the 1990s after the release of films such as Silence of the Lambs. Much of the general public's knowledge concerning serial murder is a product of Hollywood productions. Story lines are created to heighten the interest of audiences, rather than to accurately portray serial murder. By focusing on the atrocities inflicted on victims by "deranged" offenders, the public is captivated by the criminals and their crimes. Serial killing is not the same as mass murdering, nor is it spree killing. However, cases of extended bouts of sequential killings over periods of weeks or months with no apparent "cooling off period" or "return to normalcy" have caused some experts to suggest a hybrid category of "spree-serial killer". Here we also have characteristics that makes them a serial killers like: Despite their intelligence, they do poorly in school, have spotty employment records, and generally end up as unskilled workers. There is a long history of psychiatric problems, criminal behavior, and alcoholism in their families. They have fantasies that are often about control and violation, hurting themselves. Growing up lonely and isolated. They display a precocious and abiding interest in deviant sexuality and are obsessed with fetishism, voyeurism, and violent pornography. Serial killers are some of the most violent criminals in existence today. Their methods are brutal and sadistic, their victims either a carefully formulated choice or a random selection, and their ability to evade capture can be great or little. Motivations involved in serial killings are fears of rejection, power, and perfection. Serial killers tend to be insecure, and irrationally scared of rejection. He will try to avoid developing a painful relationship with his object of desire and is terrified of being abandoned, humiliated, or exposed. Many killers often have sex - the ultimate form of intimacy - with their victims, and often with the corpse. That way, the possibility of rejection is null. Serial killers also enjoy prolonging the suffering of their victims as it gives them a sense of power over the victim. They get to decide whether, and how, the victim will live or die. Serial killers must continuously kill simply because they are addicted to the feelings they get when they do. They also rationalize every aspect and detail of their behavior so there is no reason in their head as to why they should stop. They know what they're doing, the consequences of their actions, and how to avoid getting caught. Most serial killers, and psychopaths in general, are "consummate chameleons" who are able to hide their rage and true intentions behind a charismatic, civilized facade called the "mask of sanity". Most serial killers are highly charming and persuasive, but it is only a

Reflections on commodity fetishism

Reflections on commodity fetishism In the world of commodities, fetishism arises because of the unusual social traits of labor that generate or produce such commodities. For instance, at first sight, any commodity emerges as an obvious and unimportant object. However, commodities are just theological refinements.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reflections on commodity fetishism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is nothing strange about any given commodity as far as its uses and values are concerned. Whether the commodities are considered from the point of view that human needs are satisfied by the properties of such a product, or the commodity assumes the properties which human labor produces, everything clearly explains itself. In fact, it is apparent that, man through his activities, is capable of changing the form in which natural materials exist to any state that he sees them to be very valuable or useful to all creatures, including him. For example, when chairs are made of wood, the state of wood can be said to have been altered. Nonetheless, chairs continue to be in an ordinary state of wood, but it is now seen as an opulent or anesthetic object. Thus, immediately timber or wood is turned into a commodity, the product transcends richness. It cannot just position itself on the floor with its legs. If linked to several other wares, chairs come from men carpentry schemes. Commodities only seem to be wonderful because of the brain men use to transform natural materials into finished products, and they do not just emerge from their own free will. Commodities, therefore, have mystical characters that do not result from their uses and values. While they proceed from the values of natural determinants, whatever might be considered their forms and nature, come from the use of sense organs, muscles, nerves, and brain. The value of productive activities and labor may be varied, but they stem from the functioning of human organi sms, and all individual operations lead to the generation of commodities. Concerning the basis of quantitative value determination, such as labor quantity or expenditure duration, it still emanates that this is obviously diverse from the observed quality. In every situation, the costs of labor and time needed to produce commodities or modes of life must unavoidably concern human beings. However, the incurred cost associated with the involvement of people is dissimilar from different commodities’ developmental stages. Finally, immediately human beings instigate working for one another, their labors equally assume the social status and form.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This leaves us with a question that needs to be answered; when then does the enigmatic labor product character arise immediately it presumes the commodity form? An answer to this question is qui te direct. The traits of labor product results from the product form itself. In fact, the natural states of human efforts that are equal tend to assume the material status in comparable impartial values of work supplies. Moreover, the association is made apparent by the fact that, the measure of human labor expenditure by its duration, assumes the degree of labor products value. Furthermore, the associations existing among different producers where the manifestation of their social labor characteristics occurs, presumes the kind of social relationships that exist between labor products. Conversely, the objects that human beings use only become commodities since they are private individuals’ labor products. Such individuals appear to work separately from one another. Nevertheless, the communal work efforts stem from the overall personal labor. The specific social labor characteristics are observed during product exchange because this is the only time when producers come into s ocial contacts. This implies that, personal individual labor is manifested as a component of the total societal labor through the associations established by the exchange actions that exist between the created products and amid the producers’ mediation. Hence, to the commodity producers, private social labor relationships just emerge as what they seem to be. That is, commodity producers appear not to have any direct social affiliations between people who work for them, but instead they have social relationships between things and material associations amid people. Through exchange, the labor products attain their values and socially uniform detachment that is very different from being seen as utility objects. The division of labor product into value processing things and useful things only appear in practice when commodity exchanges have already attained sufficient importance and extension. This permits valuable commodities to be produced for exchange purposes so that their u seful characters are considered during the production process. In essence, from this time henceforth, the individual producers’ labor tends to acquire a dual social trait. The brains of private producers in this case reflect the dual social characters of their labor, which is depicted during products’ exchange.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Reflections on commodity fetishism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the producers’ socially useful character is depicted in labor product form that also seems helpful to others. However, the social traits for different types of labor are portrayed in common form character called the values. Materially different things known as labor product are holding these values. In conclusion, therefore, men hardly bring their respective labor products into relationships with one another like values. This is because they observe these objects as standardized human labor material integuments. This not true since when the exchange values are equated to different products, it is like equating different types of labor to human work. Product value is part of a social commodity, which men use to express themselves as an outcome of their labor.

Managing in the service environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managing in the service environment - Essay Example Nowadays exporting of services is an expanding business. India is currently recognized as the largest services exporter in the world. Services sector comprises 70% proportion of the total output in the world but only 20percentage proportion of the same is incorporated in world’s international trade. Thus exporting of services is an under developed industry. India’s experience reveals that development of economies is not necessarily lead by the industrialization. Services sector driven economic development is also possible. India moved from being an agriculture based economy to services based economy without involving industrialization (The Nation). Therefore identifying the issues relating the companies in the services sector has become rather important to the development of countries. It has been revealed that the service quality in British banks is substantially low. Customers are increasingly dissatisfied by the banking experiences in England (Johnston, 1997). Such i ssues and increasingly identifying economic significance has called for challenging research studies relating the service quality. 1. Introduction of Customer Service Customer service plays an important role in building the brand loyalty. â€Å"Loyal and an involved customer† is an asset to a company. Developing such a customer base is recognized as the aim of â€Å"customer service† by most of the modern day businesses. ... Part of the contemporary businesses’ everyday mission is to cultivate consumer relationships by strengthening emotional connection with the customer. Listening to customers through rigorous consumer research and strong consumer orientation by keeping the products relevant and appealing are important elements in customer service. 2. Introduction of Service Quality Service quality is defined as "the extent of discrepancy between customers' expectations or desires and their perception of what is delivered" (Zeithaml et. al., 1990). According to the SERVQUAL approach the spheres of service quality can be described in terms of (1) Tangibles: â€Å"Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials"(2) Reliability: "Ability of the organization to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. (3) Responsiveness: "Willingness of organization’s staff to help customers and provide them with prompt service"(4) Assurance: "Knowledge, comp etence and courtesy of employees and their ability to convey trust and confidence in the customer towards the service firm" and (5) Empathy: "Caring, individualized attention the firm provided its customers" (Manjunatha and Shivalingaiah, 2004). Thus it can be seen that customers’ expectations from a services based company includes attributes of physical environment as well as the human resources. Physical capital of the company has to be appealing and convenient to the consumer. Contemporary businesses use this concept as a marketing strategy and invest substantial amounts of resources to build the physical environment of their companies. Example: modern stores are carefully designed to reflect the image of the company brand. The showcases and environment of these stores are specifically

RHB Credit Card Marketing Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9750 words

RHB Credit Card Marketing - Dissertation Example Drugan, my project supervisor from The University for guiding me on the project proposal and widen my knowledge to compile the project. Many thanks to Mr. Vellan at RHB Bank Sales and Marketing, Bangsar ,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for sharing vital information and helping me to solve many problems in the process of this project. I would like to convey my special thanks to my family who has always been behind me and without them, I would not be where I am today. Thank You very much. Contents Page 1. Introduction 1.1. Objective of the Study. 6 1.2. General Objective 6 1.3. Project Objective. 6 2. Literature Review 2.1 Significance of Study.. 6 2.2 Scope of Study.. 7 3. Methodology 3.1 Research Design 8 3.2 Type of Research 8 3.3 Research Approach. 9 3.3 Research Strategy 9 3.4 Identification of the Sample Population. 10 3.5 Sample Technique and Sample Size.. 10 4. Findings and Analysis 4.1 Classification of Data.. 10 4.2 Data Collection Method10 4.3 Data Analysis.11 4.4 Limitation of Study.. 11 5. RHB Bank and Credit Card Services 5.1 An Overview of Banking Sector in Malaysia 12 5.2 Company Description - RHB14 - 20 5.3 Strategic Plan and Focus.. 21 5.4 Core Competitiveness. 22-25 5.5 Product Market Focus 26 - 31 5.6 Marketing and Product Objectives 5.7 Marketing Program..31 5.7.1 Product Strategy 31 5.7.2 Pricing Strategy.. 33" 5.7.3 Promotion Strategy..34-36 5.7.4 Distribution Strategy. 37& 5.8 Financial Data and Projection 5.8.1 Past Projection 39-41... 2.1 Significance of the Study: I have referred to several journals and books to retrieve information about the international banking system. The performance and financial standing of RHB Bank has been borrowed from different banking reports, and the annual reports of the financial institute itself. The credit card banking system has been thoroughly reviewed and explained, and opinion of several Asian economists have been consolidated to develop firm understanding of the importance and advantages of banking through credit card. The article has hinted at evolution of modernized banking system, and it is hoped that RHB Bank shall be among leading institutes to take an initiative to modernize the banking system. At present, RHB Bank is operating in the country with huge number of credit cards holders. But the current trend of the credit card indicates a rising rivalry among the different competitor in the industry. Hence, a good number of RHB Bank card holders are not continuing with the bank but switching to its competitors mainly because of better facilities such as more credit limit, less fees and charges etc. This might not cause a great deal of losing profit of the RHB Bank however it is a matter of bank reputation. To have an insight from the practical credit cardholders of RHB Bank. At the same time, emphasize on the different existing product and services offered by the bank for their valuable cardholders. Therefore, this study tries to give some suggestion of new product introduction.

Intergovernmental Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Intergovernmental Management - Research Paper Example Collaboration is a deliberative process, which involves the participation and debating of issues by everyone, including the public, who have a stake in the outcomes too. However, collaboration needs consensus to be reached between the stakeholders and the public. Networks are also vital in collaborations. Reaching a consensus is easy, but translating the consensus into results is the hard part. The networks are responsible for guiding and supporting implementation, as well as supporting the management responses. Margerum integrates the seven Cs into the collaboration process. First communication, which is sharing of information, is essential. This could be one-way or two-way. However, a two-way communication is most appropriate for collaboration, as it is more interactive. Consultation between government or non-governmental organizations and the people offers a significant exchange of information and gives an opportunity for feedback from the public. In addition, conflict resolution in collaboration begins with communication, which must be effective. Conflict resolution may be formal or informal. Consensus building involves stages that lead to a mutual agreement between the involved parties. Cooperation makes the parties work independently toward one goal. Finally, coordination makes the parties work collectively toward one common goal (Margerum, 2011). On the other hand, Norris-Tirrell and Clay in their collaboration model, define collaboration as a way of addressing problems affecting the public through the sharing of information and knowledge among different parties to result in positive change. Before getting into collaboration, it is important for the parties to be prepared to work outside the boundaries of their organizations or departments. In addition, Norris-Tirrell and Clay present collaboration as a continuum and argue that collaboration

The Competitive Environment Of British Petroleum Management Essay

The Competitive Environment Of British Petroleum Management Essay This paper is basically about the analysis of British Petroleum PLC (Bp). The analysis covers the competitive environment of the company in terms of its stance in the midst of its various competitors and also how attractive is the industry in which the British Petroleum company belongs to. Apart from the competitive environment, this report also identifies the key business strategies of the company and also the various resources and capabilities of the company that has given the company an edge over it other competitors. In analyzing the competitive environment, business strategy and identification of the various resources and capabilities of British Petroleum, the following frame works will be used; sporter five force, strategic groups, Bowmans strategy clock, value chain analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. OVERVIEW OF BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP) The British petroleum is one of the worlds largest energy companies and also one of the largest vertically integrated oil and gas companies in the world, which provides its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and lighting, and also retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday use. The BP Plc operates across six continents which include: Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America and their products and services are available in more than 100 countries in the world. British petroleums operations involve exploration, production of gas and crude oil, marketing and also trading of power, and natural gas liquids. British Petroleums headquartered is situated in London United Kingdom, and it has employs about 80,300 people as part of its labor force. Bp has various brands which include the Ampm, Arco, Castrol, Aral, Wild bean cafà © and Bp itself and the energy mix of the British Petroleum is a mixture of oil, gas, solar, wind and biofuels. BP is a company which focuses mainly on petroleum, but has some interest in alternative energy which shows that the company does not only specialize on oil and gas only like some of its competitors does. THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT OF BRITISH PETROLEUM (BP) . In analyzing the competitive environment of the British petroleum, as earlier stated, a very useful tool to consider is the five forces model of competition which was developed by Professor Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School in 1980, this model identifies factors that affect the organizations competitiveness in the industry and also help the firm to adopted the appropriate strategy in order to enhance its competitive advantage and also protect itself from threat as well. The five forces identified by porter include: Threat of entrants from organisations currently outside the industry Power of suppliers i.e. providers of inputs e.g. staff, IT, accommodation Power of buyers i.e. recipients of products/services Threat of substitutes i.e. things customers might buy instead Competitors/rivalry competition within the industry THREAT OF NEW ENTRANCE: The threat of entrance into the oil and gas industry is Low due to the fact that there is high barrier of entrance into the industry. Some of the companies that constitutes the oil and gas industry like British Petroleum uses heavy and very expensive equipments at well sites For example, pumping trucks and other huge equipments, huge capital investment expenses is involved, such as High infrastructure cost i.e. pipeline, road access in fields, land acquisition etc.  Availability of human resources in terms of scarcity of subsurface reservoir engineer and geologist all this contribute to the high barrier of entrance into the industry. POWER OF THE SUPPLIER: The bargaining power of suppliers is relatively high and this is driven by the presence of high cost of switching from one supplier to another and also the presence of relatively small number of energy and alternative energy suppliers (concentrated suppliers), also some of the buyers such as Bp and some other companies that constitute the industry are vertical integration companies so they might not even have the need to want to require the services of this suppliers so the power of the suppliers is Medium. POWER OF BUYERS:  The balance of power shifts toward buyers. Oil is a commodity and one companys oil or oil drilling services is not that much different from another companys and this  leads buyers to  go in favor of lower prices and or better contract terms.  The power of the buyer will be regarded has being Medium because buyers are powerful and can switch from the consumption of Bp products to another oil and gas companys product and at the same time an individual buyers decision does not necessarily have an impact on the company. THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES: Threat of substitutes is Low and the  Substitutes for the oil and gas industry includes alternative fuels such as coal, gas, solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity and nuclear energy which is still in the developing phase and also involves high cost of production. Oil is of great importance; it is not only used in fuelling cars alone, it is also used in the production of plastics and other materials. Majority of the means of transportation still relies heavily on oil and Oil is needed in order to generate electricity which implies that oil and gas would be depended on rather than the alternative due to its level of development and high cost of production. COMPETITIVE RIVALRY:   The level of competitive rivalry is high; the industry is characterized by big companies which produce low differentiated products and there is low threat of substitute and also low threat of new entrance into the oil and gas industry. Another tool that can also be used in the analysis of the competitive environment of the British Petroleum is the strategy group framework by Porter in 1979. According to porter, a strategic group is defined as a set of companies within an industry pursuing strategies that are similar to each other and different from firms outside the group on one or more key dimensions of their strategy. In terms of the oil and gas industry which BP belongs to, the level of competition is very high because major players in the industry such as Royal Dutch shell, Bp, Exxon Mobil, Total, chevron, and Conoco Phillips all adopt similar strategy and competing on similar bases which is adaptation of a vertical integration to an extent and they also produces similar range of products. BUSINESS STRATEGY OF BRITISH PETROLEUM OVER PAST 5YEARS In analyzing the business strategy being adopted by Bp over the past 5 years, the Bowmans strategic clock would be a useful tool. The strategy clock considers both the price and the perceived added value of goods and services produced by a company and compares it to that of its other competitors. Placing the Bp group under the strategic clock show that the company uses Hybrid strategy which means that they operate at a low cost based, reinvest in low price and differentiated in operation. BP is one of the largest operators and also one of the most well established globally, the company operates both in the upstream and downstream operation and its operations is also increasingly diversified or differentiated in production offering various oil products to the market. At the same time British Petroleum (BP) has a cost base that permits low prices and which is sufficient for reinvestment to maintain bases for differentiation. BP has been adopting the Hybrid strategy for a long period of time now and the sole aim of the strategy is to achieve differentiation and a price lower than that of BPs other competitors.

black lung disease :: essays research papers

Black Lung Disease   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Every year, almost 1,500 people who have worked in the nation’s coalmines die from black lung disease. That’s equivalent to the Titanic sinking every year, with no ships coming to the rescue. While that disaster which took place so long ago continues to fascinate the nation, black lung victims die an agonizing death in isolated rural communities, away from the spotlight of publicity.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Black lung is the legal term for a man-made, occupational lung disease that is contracted by prolonged breathing of coalmine dust. Some call it miner’s asthma, silicosis, pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, or black lung. However, they are all dust diseases with the same symptoms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Only the smallest particles of the coal dust make it past the nose, mouth, and throat into the alveoli found deep in the lungs. The alveoli, or air sacs, are responsible for exchanging gases with the blood, and are located at the end of each bronchiole. Microphages, a type of blood cell, gather foreign particles and carry them to where they can either be swallowed or coughed out. If too much dust is inhaled over a long period of time, some dust-laden microphages and particles collect permanently in the lungs causing black lung disease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main symptom of the disease is shortness of breath, which gets worse as the disease progresses. In severe cases, the patient may develop cor pulmonale, which is an enlargement and strain on the right side of the heart caused by chronic lung disease. Eventually, this may cause right-sided heart failure. Some patients develop emphysema as a complication of black lung disease. Others develop a severe type of black lung disease in which damage continues to the upper part of the lungs even after exposure to the dust has ended called progressive massive fibrosis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black lung disease can be diagnosed by checking a patient’s history for exposure to the coal dust, followed by a chest x-ray to see if the characteristic spots on the lungs are present. A pulmonary function test may help in the diagnosis. However, all coalminer’s should have chest x-rays every four years so the disease can be detected early.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Congress placed strict limits on airborne dust and ordered operators to take periodic air tests inside coalmines in 1969.