Logistics in Practice

Executive Summary Foreign investors have embraced the open door policy and low cost labor, existing in China to expand their businesses. In China, most international companies have spread across major cities such as; Beijing, shanghai and Guangdong regions, which provide favorable business environment for growth. Conversely, since joining the World Trade Organization, WTO, in 2002, more opportunities for Chinese have taken root.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Logistics in Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, the country boosts of; increased trading area, protection regulations and negotiation power (Yu Xia and Li-Ping, 2011).Despite of major progress achieved in supply chain management by the government, there still a need for improvement, to effectively deal with pacing globalization, evolving technology and competition granted by similar firms globally. Challenges affecting Chinese firms have coile d around logistics management, legal environment and infrastructure. However, with legal reforms, embracing modern technology and globalization, it is definite that the logistical environment will tend to a new competitive advantage to logistics firms in the country. Western countries have, overtime in revamping their supply chain operations. Exploring opportunities beyond their borders, embracing cost effective strategies and government support has been a driving force for their success. However, issues such as; scalability of supply chain, data security threat and natural catastrophes have slowed down their strength. Introduction Globalization of trade and technological progression of businesses across the world have enriched trade between countries. Strategically, this has fixed an opportunity for countries to streamline their logistics management practices to create a competitive advantage (Sandelands, 1997). Countries have endlessly linked their supply chain to international ne tworks to benefit from the opportunities existing within their national scope. The global networks have provided an elaborate logistics infrastructure, which has result in augmenting operational efficiency, fast product delivery and achieving the business objectives. This paper researches on logistics and operations management in China and Western countries. The paper explores the best practices, challenges, trends and critical issues of supply chain operations and management processes existing between these two countries.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Information about China Despite recent global recession, financial disasters, and economic downturn, China has stood as one of the most active and emerging economies in the world. This has threatened economic powerhouses of the West. However, Sandelands (1997) argues that foreign firms or investors in China have encountered logistical challenges in in terms due to a considerable level of business shrewdness in the local Chinese market. They have cited reasons such as; un-streamlined logistics operations and management practices because of the increased or rapid economic growth, and demand in distribution ( Sandelands, 1997). Conversely, the Chinese government, in recent times, has recognized the challenge, and has earnestly begun revamping its logistics operations and management, as a tool for strategic economic growth. This has been achieved through financing logistics firms, refining logistics infrastructures, creating a nationwide multimodal transport network and building a large-scale logistic center (Lin and Ho, 2009). Literature Review Best Practices Technology is essential in streamlining supply chain activities. According to Jiang and Prater (2002), when selecting and implementing technology in supply chain operations, it is vital to define a mission critical element, and business processes. I t is a wise decision to assess the needs of the customer and evaluate the need for technology in solving the customers’ need. La Londe and Masters (1994) attests that, coming up with definite requirements may prove tough and many businesses fail to get it right. This is because most businesses dwell on identifying direct costs and savings rather than, quantifying critical elements such as; inventory and labor, and hidden costs. When selecting technology, it is good to embrace the return on investment, RIO, as the benchmark; this ensures tangible benefits are achieved in the process (Moncrieff et al, 2003). China has of late, incorporated technology in supply chain operations and management. The internet driven technology such as EDI is common across supply chain processing businesses in the country.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Logistics in Practice specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) has simplified sharing of business documents such as; bills, purchase orders and invoices (La Londe and Masters, 1994). Moreover, sharing information over the EDI has enabled quick response to market demands and prediction of market changes. The West supply chains have also efficiently utilized technology in supply chain operations. Most logistical firms have implemented technologies to simplify business processes and operations. One of the technologies creating competitive advantage for Western firms is the RFID. According to Lin and Ho (2009), RFID is a technology that improves tracking process of products, as they move from the manufacturers to the consumer. Drà ¶ge, and Germain (1991) illustrate that best practice in material’s handling lessen touch labor, supports value-add operations and helps in handling diverse manufacturing scenarios. However, to win this best practice, materials-handling systems should be affordable besides bridging free informat ion flow in the business, and the suppliers. Most West logistics firms such as the US have embraced E-commerce; this has reduced the issue of material handling by creating a competitive advantage (La Londe and Masters, 1994). In the US, businesses such as Wal-Mart, Amazon, e-bay has successfully minimized material handling through e-commerce (Lieb, 1992). According to Manuj and Sahin (2011) having a supply chain that provides a customer with product customization, and diversity through extra value services, is having the best practice that is efficient. That is, does precisely what a customer demand (Manuj and Sahin, 2011). In Spain for example, it is a compulsory for a business to examine its operations with an updated records of yesterday’s challenges as well as forecasting on future improvements (Drà ¶ge, and Germain, 1991). Challenges of supply chain management in China and the West China has experienced some challenges in supply chain management for some time. This, to a larger extend has affected supply chain businesses in the country. The challenges have waterlogged various aspects of supply chain management; warehousing, transport, purchasing, inventory control, order processing and import/export services.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Jiang and Prater (2002), these barriers have arisen because of the internal inefficiency. For example, Jiang and Prater (2002) draw that most manufacturing firms in China have been facing major challenges in transport and ownership of transport services. These challenges have affected the level of contentment in providing transport services. In his survey, Drà ¶ge and Germain (1991) explored challenges facing Joint Ventures in China; he noted that there was a challenge in upholding a simultaneous quality level, whereas decreasing costs by purchasing resources locally. Unique Features of Supply Chain The models of the logistics and supply chain are closely related. Supply chain underpins all the roles and activities tied in fulfilling a customer’s request. These activities include; manufacturing, transporting, warehousing and supply of raw materials and the (Yu Xia and Li-Ping, 2011). The role of a supply chain entails a seamless flow of information, transformati on and delivery of goods from raw materials stage through to the end user. The major reason that fixes the success of a supply chain is the process of integration among buyers and suppliers, the system that links partners and the market thoughtfulness on the base of information rather than inventory. Supply Chain has salient features, which makes it unique in succeeding its tasks. One of the features is inventory management. This feature enables a firm to track and manage supplies of raw materials and constituents needed for production, finished or completed goods to accomplish open sales orders and spare parts needed for field service and sustenance. This helps in minimizing waste, storage costs and frees up the firm for other vital purposes (Jiang, 2002). Order management is also another unique feature of a supply chain. Order management backs in speeding up the execution of the whole process of order to delivery cycle by making firms to productively produce and track sales orders (Ip et al, 2011). This facility also creates dynamism in scheduling supply delivery, to accomplish a demand and heighten a speedy generation of pricing and product alignment. Globalization has made companies to expand tremendously, taking up opportunities existing in foreign lands. Logistics, a management feature connected to supply chain simplifies coordination of copious warehouses and transport routes strengthening on-time delivery performance creating customer satisfaction (Yu Xia and Li-Ping, 2011). Besides, logistics management helps to achieve customer product visibility and shows how a completed product, stored and distributed, irrespective of the volume of facilities or associates engaging. Forecasting and planning is also a unique feature connected with supply chain. With this feature, firms can precisely forecast customer demand, and strategically plan procurement and production practices accordingly. This can reduce unplanned purchases of raw materials, minimize manufac turing overruns and decreases the need of storing excess completed goods. Trend of Supply Chain in China and the West The internet has transformed the way business is transactions are done. Virtually, all business processes are utilizing information technology to achieve a competitive advantage in business processes. The objective of supply chain management is to reduce the time in mitigating the customer requirement and reduce the cost of supply. The growth of internet and its usage in China has surged of late. According to Yu Xia and Li-Ping (2011), internet users in China increased by four million during the first half of 2001. A report by China Internet Network Information Centre, funded by the government confirmed that 26.5 million people uses internet in China (Goh and Ling, 2003). With internet access and emergence of e-commerce over the internet, customers can place Most supply chain businesses in the West embraces commercial transaction online. Thus, the E-commerce adopted aims at reducing the volume of goods between producers and retailers whereas increasing direct deliveries between manufactures and end users (Yu Xia and Li-Ping, 2011). The online technology has created a multifaceted system of the whole logistics system, which is able to manage small and medium-sized shipments to many customers (La Londe, and Masters, 1994). Critical Issues of Supply Chain The products of Chinese’s companies are widespread worldwide; their penetration has been because of cost-effective pricing. However, critics have alleged that, most of the products do not meet the international threshold demanded in the world market. The Chinese employs shortcuts in producing a product; hence, this compromises the product quality (La Londe and Masters, 1994). Scalability of supply chain management in China is also a major issue. The issue has made it difficult for the government to scale down the supply chain harmonizing local, national and global needs. Thus, the gap that prevails between the national and international standards and local implementers is a challenge in which firms in China and the â€Å"Made in China† trademark is falling. The issue of scalability as not only affected consumers, supply chain and policy makers, but also it has become an economic threat for China. Besides, global standards demand higher standards, enforcement, supply chain traceability, compliance monitoring and product testing. This has increased direct proportion to the daily reports of concerns of safety and health issues with Chinese’s products (Goh and Ling, 2003). Whereas, cohesive national and international regulation’s structure provides a solution for china’s supply chain, the Chinese government does not have the regulation system and the necessary financial muscles to fix such a system instantly. Many West firms have cited security breaches as a significant issue in providing supply chain services (Lieb, 1992). The apprehension to wards arguing an operational infrastructure and granting its security has been a major obstacle for supply chain firms. For example, in US, the data theft at Amazon poses a security threat for firms operating in the United States. Most Western firms, experiences logistical delays or interruptions, this is a result of equipment failures and delays. Disrupting factory’s distributions channels because of natural disasters such as natural catastrophes and geopolitical issues have been cited has the potential issues affecting the West. Other issues such as pricing and raw material availability are also notable in West supply Chain (Lieb, 1992). Conclusion Effective supply chain operations and management demands best practices in; planning, implementation and use. When a company lays a good foundation using the aforementioned elements, it is likely to empower its business activities and enhance its competitive advantage. Conversely, business can reduce costs, surge productivity and provide a boost to their business. China of late has emerged as the best destination for supply chain operations. This has been granted because of technology, availability of raw materials and increase in foreign investment. However, despite some challenges, such as; strict government regulations, global competition and infrastructures, its services have been improving day by day. On the other hand, the West has aimed at reducing pressure on its supply chains practices by making use of technology, outsourcing some of its supply chain activities. This has positively helped in reducing costs whereas increasing productivity and accruing return on investment. References Drà ¶ge, C., and Germain, R., 1991. â€Å"Evaluating Logistics Management Information Systems†, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 21, (7), pp.22 – 27 Goh, M., and Ling, C., 2003. â€Å"Logistics development in China†, International Journal of Ip, W.H., Chan, S.L. , and Lam, C.Y., 2011. â€Å"Modeling supply chain performance and stability†, Industrial Management Data Systems, 111 (8), pp.1332 – 1354 Jiang, B., 2002. â€Å"How International Firms Are Coping with Supply Chain Issues in China†, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 7, (4) pp. 184- 188. Jiang, B., and Prater, E., 2002. †Distribution and logistics development in China†, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 32, (9) pp. 783-798. La Londe, B. J., Masters, J. M., 1994. â€Å"Emerging Logistics Strategies: Blueprints for the Next Century†, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 24, (7), pp.35 – 47 Lieb, R., 1992. â€Å"The use of third party logistics services by large American manufacturers†, Journal of Business Logistics, 13 (2) pp. 29-42. Lin, C-Y., and Ho, Y-H., 2009. â€Å"RFID technology adoption and supply chain performance: an empirical study in China’s logistics industry†, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 14, (5), pp. 369-378. Manuj, I., Sahin, F., 2011. â€Å"A model of supply chain and supply chain decision-making complexity†, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 41, (5), pp.511 – 549 Moncrieff, R., Gailius, S., and Ibarra P., 2003. â€Å"A Snapshot of Best Practices in Supply Chain Management†, Handbook of Business Strategy, 4, (1), pp.261 – 267 Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, 33, (3), pp. 866-917 Sandelands, E., 1997. â€Å"Strategic logistics management†, International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, 27, (2), pp.73 – 142 Willersdorf, R. G., 1990. â€Å"Adding Value through Logistics Management†, Logistics Information Management, 3 (4), pp.6 – 8 Yu Xia, T., and Li-Ping, T., 2011. â€Å"Sustainability in supply chain management: suggestions for the auto industry †, Management Decision, 49, (4), pp.495 – 512 This report on Logistics in Practice was written and submitted by user Kaylynn C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Compound Prepositional Phrases in Spanish

Compound Prepositional Phrases in Spanish Prepositions are handy words for showing the relationship among the various words in a sentence. But with something like only two dozen prepositions available, youre limited if you stick to simple prepositions to indicate the connection that a noun or pronoun might have with another word. Fortunately, both Spanish and English have a wide range of prepositional phrases, also known as compound prepositions, that function in much the same way as simple prepositions Using Compound Prepositions An example of compound preposition can be seen in a sentence such as Roberto fue al mercado en lugar de Pablo (Robert went to the market instead of Paul). Although en lugar de is made up of three words, it functions much the same as one word and has a distinct prepositional meaning as a phrase. In other words, like single-word prepositions, prepositional phrases show the connection between the noun (or pronoun) that follows and other words in the sentence. (Although you could probably figure out what en lugar de means by translating the individual words, that isnt true of all prepositional phrases.) The list below shows some of the most common phrases that function as prepositions. Prepositions can also be used in phrases that are used as adverbs, as explained in our lesson on adverbial phrases. As you can see in the examples following this section, not all Spanish prepositional phrases are best translated as prepositional phrases in English. abajo de - underneatha bordo de - aboarda cambio de - in exchange or trade fora cargo de - in charge ofa causa de - because ofacerca de - about, concerningadems de - besides, in addition to, as well asadentro de - insidea disposicià ³n de - at the disposal ofa excepcià ³n de - with the exception of, except fora falta de - due to the lack of, in the absence ofa fin de - with the goal or intent of, in order toafuera de - outsidea fuerza de - by means ofal contrario de - contrary toal estilo de - in the style of, in the manner ofal frente de - at the forefront ofal lado de - next toalrededor de - aroundantes de - before (in time, not location)a pesar de - in spite ofa prueba de - roughly equivalent to the English suffix -proofa punto de - on the verge ofa travà ©s de - through, acrossbajo condicià ³n de que - on the condition thatcerca de - nearcon rumbo a - in the direction ofde acuerdo con - in agreement withdebajo de - underneath, underdelante de - i n front ofdentro de - withindespuà ©s de - after detrs de - behind, afteren caso de - in case ofencima de - on top ofen contra de - againsten forma de - in the shape ofenfrente de - oppositeen lugar de - instead of, in the place ofen medio de - in the middle ofen vez de - instead ofen và ­as de - on the way tofuera de - except forfrente a - opposite, towardslejos de - far frompor causa de - because ofpor razà ³n de - because of Samples Sentences Using Compound Prepositions Las complicaciones despuà ©s de la cirugà ­a de cataratas pueden incluir visià ³n opaca o borrosa. (Complications after cataract surgery can include dull or blurry vision.) A pesar de todo, digo sà ­ a la vida. (Despite everything, I am saying yes to life.) Vea nuestra coleccià ³n de cmaras compactas a prueba de agua. (See our collection of compact waterproof cameras.) La ciudad grande est a punto de un desastre ambiental. (The large city is on the verge of an environmental disaster.) No busques ms hoteles cerca de este. (Dont look for more hotels near this one.)  ¿Por quà © los gatos duermen encima de sus humanos? (Why do cats sleep on top of their humans?) Muchas cosas cambiaron por causa de mi error. (Many things changed because of my mistake.) Key Takeaways Compound prepositions in both English and Spanish are phrases that function in the same way as single-word prepositions.Meanings of compound prepositions cant always be determined by the meanings of the individual words.

The effects of overfishing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The effects of overfishing - Essay Example The earth has various different natural resources, which are utilized by persons living in different geographical region. The number of people consuming fish is high as consumers are spread all over the world. As a means of getting resources for carrying on with their daily lives, many people residing around various water bodies indulge in fishing. In a bid to increase their income, fishermen usually strive to fish more; more fish implies more returns on investment. This practice is also practiced by commercial industries in a bid to maximize the profits realized. This leads to overfishing, which have adverse effects on the marine life, as some species of fish may become extinct (Ebbbin, Hoel & Sydes, 2005). The world’s population has been on the increase, which has necessitated the increase of the amount of food, and other resources required in order to support human life. Due to the increase in population, which translates to higher demand, there has been the need to increase the supply of fish. Therefore, the increased fish demand is satisfied through natural fishing or fish farming (Hilborn, 2012). In the case of fish farming, overfishing is not common with the farmers using certified nets while fishing; thus, ensuring that the fingerings are left in the ponds or dams. On the other hand, overfishing is rampant in wildlife fishing, where personal displine in adhering to the guidelines set to avoid overfishing is low. Wildlife overfishing has led to decline in the number of fish in the wildlife; thus having a negative effect on the diversity and richness of our environment. Overfishing has economic consequences to various stakeholders in the fishing and aquaculture industry. When overfishing is carried out, authorities in charge usually impose ban to fishing for certain periods to ensure that the fish breeds to the normal population. These bans make fishermen jobless; thus, affecting their living standards and of those who depend on them.

US and Australian Employment Laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US and Australian Employment Laws - Essay Example Today, the employment-at-will doctrine in the US is subject to the following exceptions: the public policy exception; the implied contract exception, and; the covenant-of-good faith exception. Table 1 shows that of the 50 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.), 43 recognise the public policy exception, 38 allow the implied contract exception, but only 11 states honor the covenant-of-good-faith exception. The public policy exception makes the termination of an employee wrongful despite the employment-at-will doctrine if such termination violates an express and well-established public policy. It is commonly held that public policy can be found on a state constitution, statute or administrative rule. In Petermann v International Brotherhood of Teamsters 174 Cal App.2d 184 (1959), an employee was summarily discharged after working for ten years with the Teamsters Union the day after he defied his superior’s order to make false statements in a legislative hearing investigating corruption in his workplace. (Muhl 2001) The Court declared the termination a wrongful discharge because it breached public policy, which covered acts that had a â€Å"tendency to be injurious to the public or against the public good† (Muhl 2001).On the other hand, the implied contract exception is attended by three elements: a promise of employment security by the employer; consideration or acceptance by the employee, and; the employer violated the promise (Peritt 2006).

Cyrus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cyrus - Essay Example One of King Cyrus’ servants, after being given one of the singing girls, says that, â€Å"I would far rather be serving on this campaign than sitting at home† (Xenophon, 2010). This quote reveals the servant’s loyalty to King Cyrus. He offers loyalty as an appreciation for being given a singing girl. Loyalty is also seen through trust. People trust unquestionably other individuals who are loyal to them. Cyrus sends for his trusted servant, Araspas, whom they have been friends since childhood. King Cyrus entrusts Araspas with guarding the captive Susian woman, Pantheia the wife of Abradatas his rival. Araspas loyalty is earlier doubted when he says, â€Å"have you seen the lady whom you bid me guard† (Xenophon, 2010). This is because he is not sure to fulfill his master’s will fully as he stumbles by falling prey to the captive’s beauty. Love is voluntary to human will. Therefore, beauty should not be compromised to love, but it should only enhance the process of loving someone. The use of metaphor is observed and is majorly used to expound on beauty. Beauty has been equated to â€Å"fire† while love to flowers. This is because â€Å"fire burns all men equally, it is its nature to do so, but these flowers of beauty, one man loves them and another loves them not, nor does every man love the same† (Xenophon, 2010). In contradiction to this statement, Cyrus reiterates the aspect of slavery in relation to love. He gives an instance of men who vowed to stand against every form of life circumstances to remain strong willed and never falls. However, when love knocks their doors to their souls, they fall and even refuse to let go and acknowledge. Love is eternal to human nature since we are bound forever to whoever we choose to love. Our souls are imprisoned by love the moment we allow it to. Xenophon shows th is through rhetoric where Cyrus asks, â€Å"If love be voluntary, why cannot a man cease to love when they forget, the bigger problems they were able to overcome?†

Learning Is A Continuous Process Education Essay

Learning Is A Continuous Process Education Essay It is said that Ignorance is Bliss. If that be the case, one may wonder why people seek knowledge. This is because Knowledge is Power. That is why everyone is in pursuit of knowledge. Acquiring / up gradation of knowledge is known as learning. Learning is a continuous cyclic process. It starts from what one knows. It goes towards what one wants to know. The cycle is as shown below [1] In the process of learning, one picks up from what others know and some times one learns from ones own experience. Many times the success in life comes through learning new skills, knowledge, capabilities and attitudes. If we narrow our concern to the success of learning process in educational institutions, the success cannot be measured as a simple parameter. The success may be seen immediately or it may be felt at a later date. Success may be felt by an individual or it may be felt by the society. In many societies, education is seen as cost center and not as profit center. Governments in the world spend huge sums of money to educate their population. Generally these investments are made currently with an eye on future generations of the society. All along lifetime of mankind, education and continuous up- gradation of knowledge have been contributing to development of society. In a broad sense the following parameters can form the basis of measuring the success of learning: Knowledge gained Skills up-gradation Decision making capability Attitudinal change Ability to shoulder responsibility Problem solving capability Judgmental capability II LEARNING PROCESS Many principles are used to accelerate learning process [2]. Learning style depends on students preferences, students information processing capability, personality, social interaction tendencies, cultural diversity in the learning place and instructional methods. It may be difficult to model learning process precisely. There is a lot of disagreement between the educators and psychologists in the understanding of learning process. However, they agree that learning can be explained by the combination of two approaches namely, behaviorism and cognitive theory. Some of the principles that affect learning are readiness, exercise, effect, primacy, intensity, recency and perception. The factors that affect perception are physical organism, basic need, goals and values, self concept, time and opportunity and element of threat. There are four levels of learning namely, Rote learning, understanding, application and correlation. Higher levels of learning take place in cognitive domain, affecti ve domain and psychomotor domain. However, any knowledge / skill learnt are liable to be forgotten if not used regularly. There are methods for retention of what is learnt. The methods are praise, recall by association, favorable attitudes, meaningful repetition and leaning with all senses. Learning or acquiring of knowledge, skill etc are aimed at enhancing a persons decision making capability, problem solving ability, judgmental capabilities, ability to shoulder responsibilities and above all confidence of that person. Since learning is an important aspect of students lives, it becomes all the more important for us (teachers) to concentrate on different learning processes and various teaching methods that can bring about the required change in the students for maximum benefits. From the understanding of learning process, we understand that teaching involves transfer of knowledge, belief, skill, understanding, experience, values and preferences from the teacher to the taught. While undertaking any teaching assignment, the teacher is interested in knowing he sure methods of success in achieving the required goal of transfer of knowledge etc. There is no specific fool-proof method for available for the same. The success depends on the subject taught and methods employed. If one method has failed, the teacher must find another that can facilitate transfer of maximum information. In short, teaching is not considered to be a science and it is recognized as an Art. III PEDAGOGIES Different pedagogies are used for teaching different subjects. The well known, time tested standard and traditional pedagogies are chalk and talk, demonstration, tutorials, experiments and questions. But it has been found that these pedagogies fall short of expectations. So, there have been efforts to identify more effective novel strategies for teaching. We shall discuss some of the novel pedagogies and some of e-learning methods. Recent pedagogies include Role play, learn while you play, Learn through games, promoting Lateral thinking, Discovery learning, Cooperative learning, Case studies and Peer teaching. More recent methods are e-learning and m-learning pedagogies. We shall discuss each of these in detail. 3.1 Role Play Role play as a pedagogy has been in use for some time now [3]. It has been recognized as an effective learning tool especially for development of attitudinal skills. It exposes the participants to different views / perspectives for the same situation. All the participants may have gone through the theory of situations and how to react to such situations. However, in practice, one may find himself / herself wanting. Role play lets the participants go through the experience and to understand what different people may think / do at the same situation. In a role play a scenario is explained through a brief given to set of players. Each player may have been given different responsibilities and with different goals / objectives. There may be roles with conflicting interests as in the real life scenario. As the players play out the scenario, the possible obstacles in any ones plan are unfolded. Each one learns about the others ideas and each player gains more insight in to real life situati on. The result is the rich experience gained by all. 3.2 Learn while you play This pedagogy is use in use since kindergarten scheme of education is in vogue. This pedagogy is used mainly to help children get out of their homesickness in to a system of education. The system is use from 19 Century [4]. The pedagogy is useful in making even the reluctant child to join his / her friends in learning the basics of language / numbers. It has been found to be very effective across large societies. One of the reasons for this pedagogy to be successful is that it makes learning an interesting activity. It can possibly be beneficial if the same pedagogy is extended o higher learning also, specifically for learning skills. 3.3 Learn through games This pedagogy is very much useful for learning management skills. This is practiced in many International Schools of management [5,6]. It was started in 1958. It seeks to initiate reactions (management decisions) from students in a simulated environment. The game(s) can be played by a group of students across the table or it can be played over the Internet. Assisted learning is possible with the teacher providing necessary inputs so the student makes correct decisions. A good example is TOC V6 that can be played over the Internet [7]. The game lets the students to create a company, operate railway lines, plan routes and tariffs, plan advertisement and management strategies based on simulated results. In this game, the player is expected to make management decisions in the spheres of personnel, business planning, marketing and financial management. 3.4 Lateral Thinking The term Lateral Thinking was invented in the year 1967 by Edward De Bono [8]. It lets the students to think out of the box. The practice has been found to be useful in many situations. The website by the author is very useful in understanding the full capabilities of the practice of lateral thinking. In any situation, one can find the way out by simply thinking differently. As an approach, it is beneficial for all students to be encouraged in the art of lateral thinking as they are likely to face different problems than the ones for which they are prepared now. Good example of lateral thinking is the game of crossword. It tries to find an answer to a seemingly difficult statement. 3.5 Discovery Learning It is a good tool to let the students learn new concepts simply by discovering them. It is originally proposed by Jerome Bruner [9]. Discovery Learning is a method of inquiry-based instruction, discovery learning believes that it is best for learners to discover facts and relationships for themselves. This pedagogy allows knowledge to be constructed by the students themselves. In this method, the learner discovers the facts from their past experience and existing knowledge [10]. David Kolb has suggested an experimental learning model in 1984 [11] as shown below. Seymour Papert, a Professor from MIT has said You cant teach people everything they need to know. The best you can do is position them where they can find what they need to know when they need to know it [12]. Learning orientations are found to happen in four different domains, namely, Behavior, cognitive, humanist and social domains. Out of these, cognition and recognition are mental processes that get sharpened by learning. Cognition is a complicated process that extends beyond what one sees or hears or smells. It provides understanding and association. For example, when we hear background music, we are able to identify the song and also any event / memory associated with it. 3.6 Case studies In this pedagogy, a single person or a group of persons study a situation or case in the real world. That is, they study a real time problem. It is expected that the person or group is involved in extensive research about the problem. Case studies are very helpful in the fields of Business or medicine. Case studies are useful in bringing out the correlations between events. Many times, case studies are also useful in suggesting suitable ways out of any situation. It helps the participants to weigh the pros and cons of different approaches towards the solution to any problem on hand. The benefits of this pedagogy and the approaches are many [13]. Free samples of case studies are also available [14, 15, 16, 17, and 18]. 3.7 Peer Teaching This has been found to be very effective in teaching students with mixed capabilities. This strategy exploits the advent of ICT (Information Communication Technology) in the field of education. In an UNESCO study conducted at Malaysia, it has been found that this pedagogy is very helpful for students in learning [19]. This strategy has been identified as hands On, Heads On, Hearts On strategy. There are many benefits of this strategy as this makes it possible for the learning to continue beyond the classroom and the examinations. It encourages collaboration among the students. But it must be borne in mind that a good student may not always be a good teacher. Main reason for this strategy to be effective is that we tend to remember [20]: 10% of what we hear 15% of what we see 20% of what we hear and see 60% of what we do 80% of what is done actively with reflection; 90% of what we teach others IV RECENT TRENDS Recent pedagogies are e-learning and m-learning using more of ICT. These strategies are more suited for teaching knowledge or concepts. However, for teaching skills, ones personal experience is the best teacher. For example, one cannot learn to swim from any amount of conceptual teaching from any one. One can learn swimming simply by jumping in to a water body and picking up the nuances of swimming. An analysis of e-learning initiatives of Colleges of Technology shows that majority of the staff members here use prepared study material and starting and maintaining discussion forum in websites. Some of the staff also uses power point presentations for transferring knowledge. However, there are some more e-learning pedagogies that can be made use of. We shall discuss them in detail. 4.1 Animation Animation uses the language of pictures. It is easy to convey a concept through an image than through verbose statements. Image captures the attention of viewers better than the ability of a lecturer to capture the attention of the listener. There are many 2D or 3D animation pictures available for teaching different subjects. It is possible to make the students understand certain time-related concepts better with animation than by regular classroom lecture. Many organizations are involved in development of animation pictures for teaching different subjects. 4.2 Simulation Software Many times, especially in design, it may not be possible to build a particular product and then test it. It may be costly and there may be other problems. So, it becomes advantageous if we can simulate a design and test the same in simulation. More over, a product / design that may give certain results under certain conditions, may give varied results under different conditions. While it may be possible to calculate / extrapolate the current situation, simulation helps the person to find the result without having to create the conditions physically. There are soft wares available for simulating various parameters and finding the results. The student can test his / her design under different conditions. Many simulation packages are available for teaching different subjects. 4.3 Video Lectures This is another method where the student is made to listen to the lectures by an eminent person in a field. The lectures by a reputed person are recorded and are available as video lectures. There are many such lectures available in the Internet [21]. The well known lecture series from Professors of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are available for free down load on any technical subject. These lectures are expected to offer to the student the much needed variety of view on the subject. It must be understood such lectures, though available, are not suited for developing practical skills. 4.4 Audio- visual (AV) lectures These are slightly different from the video lectures. These are useful with additional voice-over. That is, there are practical demonstrations with supporting voice -over instructions. The additional instructions are very helpful in enhancing the understanding of the subject. There are many available, mainly for learning different languages. However, there are a series of AV volumes available for Physical Exercises by Jane Fonda. 4.5 Screen casting and POD casting Some times screencasting helps easy understanding of some subjects [22]. A screen cast is the capture of the computer screen along with accompanying audio (of the teacher) and distributed. It can be viewed through the LAN in screen cast or it can be distributed through mobile network in POD cast. It can be considered to be representation of computer screen over a period of time. It captures changes in the screen for each action. The student, even if he / she has not been attentive in the class to appreciate all the minute points can learn them leisurely at home at a later time. 4.6 Virtual Learning Virtual Reality is the latest technique. It allows the user to experience a simulated Virtual environment in the computer. It calls for use of many gadgets associated with imaginary environments. It helps the student to gain the experience of any situation without having to go through the rigmarole of creating the environment. This is driven by stringent computing power requirements. V CONCLUSION We have considered many pedagogies that can be used in your classroom. After studying all these options, one may wonder if the pedagogy used by that person is the best one. However, it must be borne in mind that a particular pedagogy may be well suited for teaching a particular subject. The same pedagogy may not suit well for teaching other subject. The suitability of the pedagogy is dependent on the following parameters: The subject taught Students capability to understand Students interest to learn Nuances involved in learning that subject The learning environment Compulsion / incentives in learning that subject Language proficiency of teacher and taught We have considered different pedagogies and their relative merits. Only after practice of each of them one can come to a conclusion if it is well suited for any subject. VI References http://www.in-corporate.eu/images/diagrams/learning-process.gif http://www.dynamicflight.com/ Blanter A Blanter , Allee (1997) Applications in Education In the Art of play : Helping Adults reclaim imagination and spontaneity Philadelphia: Bruner/Mazel Taylor Francis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindergarten sbaweb.wayne.edu/~absel/bkl/vol17/17ck.pdf http://www.cmu.edu/corporate/news/2007/features/mgmt%20game.shtml Carnegie Mellon University http://tocgame.sr1.fi/ www.edwdebono.com/debono/lateral.htm Bruner, J.S. (1967). On knowing: Essays for the left hand. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. www.learning-theories.com/discovery-learning-bruner.html Kolb DA 1984. Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall. http://www.papert.org/ http://www.studygs.net/casestudy.htm www.Caseplace.org www.intel.com/business/casestudies/all/index.html http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/company_list.php http://www.schroeder-inc.com/casestudy.html http://ucs.ist.psu.edu/default.asp Tan Tee Hwa, Student Peer Teaching Strategy, Malaysia, UNESCO, Bangkok (2009) ISBN 978-92-9223-251-1 (Print version), ISBN 978-92-9223-252-8 (Electronic version) http://ceupromed.ucol.mx/sptss/introduction.htm www.youtube.com www.educause.edu/eli

Description of The Beach Essay -- Personal Narratives, Descriptive, Ob

The waves are crashing. The sun is setting. People are laughing and embracing under the sunset. I feel the sand squish slowly through my toes as I gaily walk down the shoreline of the Outer Banks. My all time favorite place to be is the beach. The weather at the beach is the most quarreling of all places in the world. One minute you are relaxing lazily on the sandy seashore reading a most invigorating book. I sit engrossed and allow the foamy mist from the rampant ocean spray your face lightly as though it was the touch of a feather. Off in the distance the sun begins to set in a sleepy unhurried fashion. It is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. The colors swirl together in a muddled mass across the sky. Crash! Flash! The sky turns wild. Lightning hurls itself across what was once the tame uncaring heaven. Thunder booms while the atmosphere relieves itself of unwanted moisture. A violent explosion of heavenly emotion has replaced my peaceful evening. What could be more exciting than living in a place where your plans could be intruded upon so abrasively by a cause you cannot control? Sand castle building is the most enjoyable and childish activity available to people over the age of ten. Building sand castles is a very creative process. First, I have to decide what type of architecture I am going to construct my castle around. The architecture can be old-fashioned, contemporary, or even imaginary. Next, I mus...