Perceptions Of The British And Indian War - 860 Words

Perceptions of Britain Many events happened during the period of time between 1763-1775, that changed Americans mindset from then until now. Certain people and certain events during this time frame affected the nation of the United States enormously. This time period changed the United States for better and for worse. Certain people like Thomas Paine and Samuel Adams, tenaciously tried to change the course of history; haven wars, such as the French and Indian war altered the perception of the American people. These events and people were some of the many facilitated with the defiance against the British. This essay will show how these altercations turned the People of the newly formed Americas against the British. During the time of 1763-1775 one of the occurrences that happened to affect the colonist’s perception of the British was the French and Indian War. The amazing thing is that the war itself was not the main factor of the colonist’s trouble with the British, but the time after the war that was the cause of trouble. During the war the British fought with France around the Ohio valley for the control of land. The Ohio valley was very important to both of the empires, because of the value of the land and the strategic point it held in the years to come. Although both had their struggles especially with the Native Americans that called this place their home. Most of the Native Americans sided with either the British or the French, because they thought that if they hadShow MoreRelatedThe French And Indian War877 Words   |  4 Pageshistory; wars, such as the French and Indian war altered the perception of the American people. These events and people were some of the many tha t facilitated the colonists’ defiance against the British. Altercations they encountered turned the people of the newly formed Americas against the British aiding in their quest for independence. During the time of 1763-1775, one of the occurrences that happened to affect the colonists’ perception of the British was the French and Indian War. The war itselfRead MoreThe Causes And Effect Of The French And Indian War1146 Words   |  5 Pages 7 Years of War â€Å"French and Indian war† What were the causes and effect of the war? Ana Rodriguez 6th period 03/10/15 What were the causes and effect of the French and Indian war? â€Å"The last and most destructive of the four Anglo-French Colonial wars, was the French and Indian war.† Took place on 1754-1763, and together with its European counterpart, the seven years war. Start with England declaring war on France, and ending with the Treaty ofRead MoreThe Philosophy of the American Settlers Westward Expansion Leads to Expulsion of the Native Americans1197 Words   |  5 Pageswould remove Indians. Due to the long history various conflicts between Indians and Americans, the American settlers were apprehensive toward the Indians, leading to the perceived need of the removal of the Indians for their safety. Andrew Jackson’s negative attitude toward of the Indians also aroused public sentiment against them. Jackson’s position as a leader gave him more influence on the people, who knew of the battles he had won against the Indians during his time as an â€Å"Indian fighter.† Read MoreThe Causes of the American Revolution Essay1689 Words   |  7 Pagesindependent of the British Empire. In April of 1775, after many transgressions on both sides, the colonists decided that they no longer needed, or wanted the support, protection, and leadership of the country that founded them. There were many factors, both immediate, and longstanding that lead to the decision to fight for freedom from British rule. The American Revolution had some of its beginnings in the French and Indian war. For seven years, Britain battled the French and Indian nations in theRead MoreThe Era Of Optimism Based On The United States Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieved today. Though World War 1 was impactful it didn’t alter people’s perception on the importance of science and technology in our society. This is shown in the technological outcomes that the war essentially produced. Like the use of machine guns, airplanes and other artillery’s. Also World War 1 greatly affected the political, spiritual and cultural development of the United States, India and Germany. The United States was impacted greatly because of the war. The United States at the timeRead MoreIndia Challenges Of India s Indian Movement Of Independence1477 Words   |  6 PagesKweller​ 2W 11 May 2015 Gandhi challenges British rule in India When one imagines of the early 1940s’ Indian movement of independence, one figure readily clicks into the mind; the popular Mahatma Gandhi, who was an immensely leader in India. He was nicknamed Mahatma by most of his countrymen, a name that meant â€Å"The Great Soul†. This leader led to a remarkable change of the world far much beyond his sacrificial and successful struggle that led to the end of the British imperial rule in his nation, IndiaRead MoreAmerica, A Narrative History Essay1425 Words   |  6 Pagespopulations. On article that exemplifies the cultural differences between the Native Americans and the Spanish Explorers is the third-person biographical narrative called â€Å"The Collision of Cultures.† The narrative gives the reader insight on what the indians and the explorers pre-judgement of one another, based off of what the parties believed with their religion and moral. This article’s reader would be someone that showcases an immense inter est in a population’s psychology and culture. As well as, interestRead MoreTaking a Look at the American Revolution832 Words   |  3 Pagesconstitutional rights. For a long time, the British had left the colony to run itself and given the freedom, the North American settlers turned to unique forms of government to match their developing new identity as Americans. They did this by establishing representative legislatures, observing the set rights and freedoms ad holding democratic meetings, all of which gave the settlers a sense of a new identity. When the British lost in the French and Indian war, they turned their attention to AmericaRead MoreLove Marriage vs Arranged Marriage!635 Words   |  3 Pageschanging the perception of the Indian mind. Love marriage is supposed to provide freedom and more independence as compared to arranged marriages where the girl/boy is chosen by the parents. The usual question of love marriage voters against arranged one is that how can anyone marry the person whom they don’t know? Amid popular love lore like Soni Mahiwal, India always had a long tradition of arranged marriages. With the advent of the British and the subsequent introduction of British education systemRead MoreImpact of the First World War in Africa: The Development of the Continent1289 Words   |  5 PagesThe First World War marked a crucial moment in the history of the world through its developments and its consequences. It was not only the first conflagration that affected the world at a global level but also it represented a series of events that influenced countries and territories that were initially outside the immediate source of war. One of these regions was the African continent that was, until the end of the first world conflagration, a mix of colonies and territories belonging to European

A Collective Identity Of Europe - 959 Words

Post-war European nations were faced with the task of restructuring their states after the devastating war. A collective agreement was made for a political body to help stabilize much of Europe. The Community provided external political structure that would provide the means necessary to create a stable economy and develop technologies, but in order to do so there would need to be a collective identity of Europe. As nation-states were trying to redefine their history and assert their independence it became a delicate balance between maintaining their own identity and joining in the Community that would impose new regulation but also provide the resources necessary to rebuild economically. This struggle to maintain a national identity†¦show more content†¦The benefit was that nation-states could now have their own domestic economy and still benefit from the advancing international markets that were more accessible. However, economics cannot be viewed as an independent unit. How the market works is inadvertently based on a cultural set of ideals and markets can function differently from state to state. In order to formalize an institution to control the economy new regulations must be set in place. In the sense of the European Community all nations states had to join together to create a set of rules that everyone agreed upon. By abiding by new rules nations in return could expect to benefit from a larger political body. This all sounded very promising, a new and stronger institution would regulate the economy, and provide security for the vulnerable post-war nations. In doing so, Europe would create a collective identity, a sense of nationality. Although after the war the idea of a stronger unified economy sounded promising it could also be viewed as a hindrance in the long term. The European Community’s goal was to create a unification of the nation-states but from the viewpoint of a individual state this could be a loss of independence and identity. This communal identity â€Å"made western European states resemble each other much more than they resembled those of other places or other times.† The focus was no longer onShow MoreRelatedNational and European Identity 1273 Words   |  6 Pagesstrong interest in the concept of European Union identity (Cram, 2009). The ‘European union’ identity can be identified nowadays, although there are still conflicts between national identities and a shared European identity which can be illustrated by the data from Eurobarameter and other sources. Most people perceive themselves as Europeans, as Anderson (1991) state, there is no contradictory between Europe and nation-state, ‘country first, but Europe, too’ is the main feeling of the public. HoweverRead MoreEmotion And Devotion : The Meaning Of Mary Medieval Religious Cultures Essay1508 Words   |  7 Pagesthe modern era. In chapter one The Global â€Å"Middle Ages† Miri Rubin points out that â€Å"understanding life in the pre-modern past has... become complex and variegated† because there existed a â€Å"global† aspect in Europe. Rubin thinks that it is important to realize that Europe was not regionally isolated during the Middle Ages. â€Å"Medieval Europeans were travellers† and when they returned home they shared their â€Å"tales, experience and expertise.† Travel was possible because there was a â€Å"modicumRead MoreEuropean Integration And A Symbol Of Construction Of European Identity1618 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessful example of European integration and a symbol of construction of European identity. Through the ‘European Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students’ (ERASMUS), the largest student exchange programme in Europe, nearly two million students have studied abroad and had the opportunity to learn firsthand about other European peoples and cultures. Erasmus program is the most popular European program in Europe and worldwide, being considered the â€Å"flagship† educational program of EuropeanRead MoreAmerican Identity Paper: John Hector St. John de Crevecoeur641 Words   |  3 PagesAmerican Identity Paper Stafford Sweeting University of Phoenix HIS/110 Tom Albano May 28, 2011 American Identity Paper John Hector St. John de Crevecoeur was a naturalized French-American writer authored the 1782 essay Series, ‘Letters to an American Farmer’ which were presented as a book; the narratives of the collective essays describing and giving rise to what can now be determined as ‘American Ideals’ His through his ‘letters’ used American-English slang as they were used in theRead MoreWhen Memories And Events Become Institutionalized In A1682 Words   |  7 PagesWhen memories and events become institutionalized in a museum setting, they become the lens through which present and future generations gaze into past. National museums promote local history and identity, but what about multinational museums and multinational identity? This is the question the European Union hopes to address with their sanctioning of the House of European History (HEH). The main goal of the HEH is to create a collection of permanent and temporary exhibitions to invite people i ntoRead MoreMemories And Its Impact On Society1387 Words   |  6 Pagesmemory have always fascinated scholars, and the study of memory has soon shifted from the individual dimension to the collective one. How collective memories define an entire society and the role these have when, due to traumatic events, the society is threatened has been studied thoroughly. It is widely recognized that historical memory plays an essential role in the development of identity politics but unfortunately also in the rise of ethnic and civil conflicts all around the globe. It has been observedRead MoreEuropean Collective Identity11275 Words   |  46 PagesEuropean Journal of Social Theory http://est.sagepub.com/ A Theory of Collective Identity Making Sense of the Debate on a European Identity Klaus Eder European Journal of Social Theory 2009 12: 427 DOI: 10.1177/1368431009345050 The online version of this article can be found at: http://est.sagepub.com/content/12/4/427 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com Additional services and information for European Journal of Social Theory can be found at: Email Alerts: http://estRead MoreThe Refugee Crisis : A Humanitarian Issue1421 Words   |  6 Pagesanalyzed using the concept of values and identity, more specifically with respect to collective and organizational identity, and social constructivist philosophy. The model of systems thinking, as described by Senge’s principles, may also be a useful tool to understand the intentions and positions of various countries, as well as working towards a possible solution to the issues being considered in the article. The nature, construction and role of identity in society has always been useful in understandingRead MoreEssay751 Words   |  4 PagesFrance has always been in a constant struggle to become the hegemonic power of Europe, attempting to keep its own identity, culture, and preserve its way of life while expanding to different territories, this alone has led to countless wars and skirmishes resulting in devastation over Europe including the 30 year war, 100 year war, and the Napoleonic era. After the tragedy known as World War II, an attempt to integrate France along with other European states to form a supranational government resultedRead MoreThe European Union As A Powerful Entity1612 Words   |  7 Pagesallocation of production and resources. This, in turn, leads to an increase in wealth, both in the new and older members. History, however, proves to be the one weakness of the European Union. Fragmented into fifty-three countries, Europe s people jealously guard their identity, and are severely opposed to losing it. This makes gaining consensus on policies very difficult, as countries may want to protect traditional industries, associated with their own history and culture. Groups that may be disadvantaged

Plato And Aristotle (2179 words) Essay Example For Students

Plato And Aristotle (2179 words) Essay Plato And AristotlePlato, a Greek philosopher was among the most important and creative thinkers of the ancient world. He was born in Athens in 428 BC to an aristocratic and well-off family. Even as a young child Plato was familiar with political life because hes father, Ariston was the last king of Athens. Ariston died when Plato was a young boy. However, the excessive Athenian political life, which was under the oligarchical rule of the Thirty Tyrants and the restored democracy, seem to have forced him to give up any ambitions of political life. In 388 BC he journeyed to Italy and Sicily, where he became the friend of Dionysius the ruler of Syracuse, and his brother-in-law Dion. The following year he returned to Athens, where he devoted his time to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. Most of his life thereafter was spent in teaching and guiding these activities. In 347 BC Plato died, while hes published writings all still live. They consist of some 26 dramatic dialogues on philosophy and related themes. The philosopher Socrates was a close friend of Platos family as well as his teacher. Platos writings attest to great influence on him. This could be a good explanation to why Plato uses Socrates to voice his own opinions about his Ideal State. Book I of Platos Republic, beings with Socrates, Cephalus, Polemarchus and Thrasymachus discussing justice. Each give their own meaning of justice or dikaiosyne. Cephalus says justice is truth telling and debt paying. He views justice this way because he is an honest and just businessman. Polemarchus, who is Cephaluss son, agrees with Cephaluss definition, but continues by saying justice, is giving each his own due. By this he means, helping ones friend. Finally, Thrasymachus, who is a sophist, defines justice as the advantage of the stronger. Justice is not to the advantage of everyone but to the advantage of the rulers. Socrates proves that justice brings unity to any group of people, because it allows them to trust and rely on one another. The discussion of justice is continued in the beginning of Book II. Glaucon enters the conversation and he divides all things into three categories: 1) Those that are pleasurable for themselves and their results, 2) Those that bring good results, but with difficulty, and 3) Those that bring no results, but are pleasurable. Glacon then asks Socrates which category justice falls within. He replies by placing it in the first category. ?I myself put it among the finest goods, as something to be valued by anyone who is going to be blessed with happiness, both because of itself and what it comes from? (Republic, Book II 358a). Glaucon claims that the general view of justice lies in the second category, the mean between two extremes. Glaucon defends his argument by using the example of the ?Ring of Gyes,? a magical ring that turns its wearer invisible. He continues to argue that if humans were given the opportunity to be unjust without getting caught or without suffering any punishment or loss of good reputation, they would naturally choose a life of injustice, in order to maximize their own interests. Now the issue at hand is to prove whether it is more beneficial to lead a just or unjust life. In an attempt to provide a satisfactory definition of justice, Socrates tries to make an analogy between the justice of an individual human being and of an entire society or city. He then begins to build and imaginary city. Socrates defines the basic city as the Health City opposed to a Feverish City. Socrates states that the fundamental needs of human beings in the society are food, shelter, and necessary clothing and things needed for production. However, Socrates is aware that the people of this city will want more then just the bare necessities. He continues to build this political correct city by manipulating a number of different things such as; adding a specialized class of soldiers, adding guardians, controlling any false information (censoring), creating men and women equal, and balancing their education between philosophy and physical training. .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .postImageUrl , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:hover , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:visited , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:active { border:0!important; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:active , .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u58e0ba581de71d78c2025bf62fd1646b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Frees on Kafka's Metamorphosis: True Essence Essay Finally, Socrates just city is built.Now that Socrates has built his just city

Temple University Business Plan Essay Example

Temple University Business Plan Essay The Temple Consultants designed the Virtual Insurance Procurement Portal (IPP or PIP Portal) to align the brokerage model with evolving technology to address these pressing issues. The PIP Portal is an online resource planning tool that automates the overage procurement process, facilitates communications, increases transparency, and serves as a consolidated information source. The IPP will feature two separate, customizable interfaces for the broker and the client to suit each users needs. Figure 1: PEST Stable Social North American Insurance Industry 2012-present Political Demand increased transparency Non face-to-face communications Economic Industry consolidation Disintermediation through technology Technological Technological ubiquity and mobility Market Analysis In order to adapt to the political, economic, sociological, and technological rends affecting the insurance brokerage industry, brokers must redefine their current business model. The future brokerage model allows brokers to fully demonstrate the true value of their supplier, problem solver, innovator, and partner functions to clients. If clients only recognize the value of the brokers supplier function, industry competition will increasingly be based on price. Strategic changes must correspond to current insurance brokerage industry trends, which can be identified with a PEST framework (Figure 1). Political There are no new political trends affecting the insurance brokerage industry today. Despite the stable political environment, brokers must vigilantly ensure that all business practices uphold all federal and statutory regulations. The PIP Portal code will incorporate safety nets to ensure users do not violate any regulatory requirements. Industry consolidation and disintermediation through technology are the main economic trends affecting the insurance brokerage field today. Large brokerages expand and secure market share primarily by merging and acquiring smaller competitors. Increased consolidation is concentrating and intensifying industry rivalry. Disintermediation through technology is encouraging clients with simpler risk management needs to seek inferior broker substitutes. Most clients with simple risk management needs already find it hard justifying investments towards broker services and building relationships with brokers. We will write a custom essay sample on Temple University Business Plan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Temple University Business Plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Temple University Business Plan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer These economic trends are challenging the brokers role in the insurance procurement transaction. Social Entities spend less time socializing face-to-face and prefer to socialize through technology-enabled media. Customers and employees are becoming more accustomed to communicating through technology than through face-to-face tenting or over the phone. Brokers that do not embrace technology to facilitate the broker-client relationship risk being pushed out. Technology is continually affecting the way com pansies conduct operations. Businesses have already adapted significantly to align strategy with new technologies. As technology continues to evolve, companies need to further align strategy with the evolution of technology in order to remain competitive. 3 Our proposed brokerage model was developed to help brokers overcome the various competitive forces affecting the industry and challenging the brokers role as risk advisor. These forces are driven by the trends identified in the PEST evaluation and analyzed under a Porters Five Forces framework (Figure 2). Figure 2: Porters Five Forces Insurance Brokerage Industry Force industry Rivalry Intensity Very Strong Threat of Weak New Entrants Buyer Power Moderate to Strong Supplier Power Us busiest Explanation C] Leading industry competitors (201 3): Marsh, Non, Willis, and Arthur J. Gallagher C] Disintermediation through technology CLC Clients cannot perceive true value C] Threat of strong price competition 0 Low to moderate buyer switching costs CLC Response from powerful incumbents L] Relationship-driven industry C] Access to suppliers I. E. Arises C] Buyers need insurance and risk management solutions C] Small clients have simpler needs, but are price sensitive D Large clients need individualized solutions, and have high bargaining power C] Relationship-driven customer switching costs C] Difficulty realizing true value CLC Control policy form design C] Control premiums 0 Intense competition among carriers C] Direct marketing 0 Alternative Risk Solutions Industry Rivalry The United States insurance brokerage industry is highly competitive. Marsh, Non, Willis, and Arthur J. Gallagher are the strongest commercial brokerage competitors. The industry has undergone a long-standing trend of consolidation as larger brokerages acquire smaller competitors. Disintermediation is becoming increasingly apparent as more clients, 4 particularly those with simpler needs, are severing broker relationships and relying on technology to develop their own, cost-effective risk management programs. Though, clients recognize the value of the brokers supplier function, many clients fail to realize the true value of the brokers problem solver function. Because switching costs are relatively low, clients can easily rancher to another brokerage that clients believe is capable of providing them the best coverage at the best price. Brokers who fail to address the consolidation, disintermediation, and value non-recognition trends threatening the industry will succumb to pressures stemming from increased rivalry. New entrants pose little threat to the US brokerage industry. Though, it is relatively easy to start an insurance brokerage firm, new entrants face hostile responses from industry incumbents. To build a book of business, new entrants must convince potential clients to dissolve pre-existing broker-client relationships. To provide clients the right products at the right price, new entrants must also establish strong broker-carrier relationships. The chosen brokers relationship with carriers, will largely influence the clients risk management program. Built on trust, this relationship-driven industry has high entry barriers lessening the threat new entrants pose to established brokers. Buyers Commercial insurance brokers face moderate forces from large clients and strong forces from small clients. Small clients are those with simpler risk management needs and large clients generally have more complex portfolios. Large clients exert moderate buyer power on brokers because large clients cannot easily find substitutes to their brokers problem solver and partner functions. However, large clients have a higher switching costs compared to small clients 5 because it takes time to rebuild relationships, trust, and understanding with a new broker. Small clients exert strong buyer power on brokers because traditionally, small clients do not avail broker services and have a harder time realizing the true value brokers provide. Small clients can easily access inferior broker alternatives and are more price sensitive. However, buyers relinquish some power since all clients need a means of risk transfer. Buyer power is weakened when considering brokers can leverage relationships with carriers to provide clients with better coverage. The commercial brokerage industry is heavily relationship-driven, wherein most clients tend to remain loyal to their broker. The primary factor disrupting existing broker-client relationships is severe pressure for cost reduction. Overall, buyer power is increasing more clients fail to recognize the true value brokers provide and consider alternative solutions to manage risk. Suppliers Suppliers have considerable strength in the LOS brokerage industry. Insurance carriers largely derive power from control over capacity, policy design, and ability to accept or decline a risk. Without broker-carrier understanding brokers are incapable of adequately serving clients. Strong supplier power is also driven by intense competition among the carriers themselves. However, since carriers compete to ensure that their products are brokers first choice recommendation, supplier power slightly diminishes. Overall, suppliers exert great strength over the commercial brokerage industry. Insurance brokers face a weak to moderate level of threat from substitutes because generally clients are most comfortable entrusting experts with their risk management, consulting, and procurement needs. However, disintermediation through technology and increased 6 availability of alternative risk solutions are jeopardizing the brokers role. Currently, substitutes still pose little threat to the industry. If clients continue underestimate the true value brokers provide, the threat of substitutes will strengthen and exert increased competitive pressure on the commercial brokerage industry. The Virtual Insurance Procurement Portal Technology Integration The Virtual Insurance Procurement Portal (PIP Portal or IPP) is a resource planning system that automates the coverage procurement process, facilitates communication, and provides a cohesive, organized, center of information for enhanced client management. The portal will integrate seamlessly with Windows and MAC operating systems and will be available in standard, touch, and mobile options. Because the IPP tool is designed to enrich the borderline relationship, it must be portable and provide constant access to client-related material. Due to the highly sensitive nature of client information, the IPP will employ state-of-the-art security encryption to ensure account integrity is always protected. Interface The interface will have an intuitive, visually appealing, tiled interface. Each of the tiles is customize able and will provide quicklime to selected information such as policies, interaction logs, chat, conferencing, client preferences, loss history, and industry benchmarking data. The platform will leverage a licensing agreement with Google data analytics to provide superior search capability within client accounts. As an example, the broker will be able to err policy limits, and the portal will return, the per-occurrence and aggregate limits of each policy as well 7 as any deductibles and exclusions. In the event of a loss, the broker will be able to best assist the client regardless of either users location or time. Users can set preferences within each client profile, so they will receive industry- specific news from insurance publications such as Advised and Business Insurance. This will ensure clients are consistently up-to-date on the broad issues affecting clients. Brokers will be able to directly interface with the carriers through the portal or Reps, and carriers will be able to directly upload policy deliverables into the portal. The portal will be able to Scan and quickly return key information, such as rates and exclusions, to the brokers. From the clients perspective, the portal will also have an intuitive, tiled approach, and work similarly to the brokers version. However, certain information, such as internal procedures will be excluded from the clients view. With all marketing and Reps results stored in the application, this will eliminate the administrative burden of preparing transparencies, as made requisite by the 2004 Spirits investigate. Storage and Maintenance The PIP Portal will include 24/7 customer service to detect and repair bug issues, and will make use of site management to ensure that all applications are consistently fully operational. Data storage will be securely encrypted and will be outsourced by a cud storage firm. This platform will be downloaded online, and will not require any hardware or packaged software. The platform will integrate with legacy information and underwriting systems as well the Microsoft suite. This will allow for steady assimilation to the product and will enable brokers to employ the most optimal mix of resources. Financial Market Entry We propose that the IPP be developed in-house, by a large brokerage firm. Due to lack of proof of concept at this stage, it may be difficult to find venture capital. Evidence supporting proof of concept will come from beta testing. Following development, the brokerage firm will have ownership of the PIP Portal. Business Model Our estimates indicate that about $1 will be required to develop a functioning prototype. During beta testing, the brokerage will partner in capital formation, which will enable developers to bring the software to optimal functionality and ensure that the software is capable of large-scale use. The portal is designed to syntactically align with the broker process and become inextricable from placement and client-servicing processes. During the three year battening phase, market share will be low at approximately half a percent. This period will allow brokers, partner carriers, and clients to collaborate and ensure that the tool provides maximum utility and enhances the brokers value-proposition. Upon completion of the beta phase, the brokerage firm will garner significant competitive advantage through full integration of legacy systems in place. Benefits and Cost Savings From a cost and benefit perspective, PIP Portal will increase process efficiencies in placement and servicing drastically reduce transaction costs, add value, and increase clients willingness to pay. We believe that IPP will provide savings for the broker by reducing the 9 number of staff needed to properly service an account and providing tools to assist the client as effectively as possible. The IPP solution will reduce administrative costs, increase efficiency, and provide savings on transaction costs. This does not necessitate a direct monetary discount for clients, but it ill provide greater utility and competitive advantage by increasing value relative to premium paid. Further proof of concept will provide greater clarity on the amount Of savings and the increase in productivity that will result from implementation of the PIP Portal. Financial Analysis By interviewing Bill Mortar, an adjunct professor at Temple University and an IT professional with knowledge in software development, our team estimated development costs for the IPP. The portal will need to be developed in phases. We designed a four-phase implementation process with varying development time and costs. Phase is currently underway and primarily involves researching design functionality and capability. Phases II through IV will build proof of concept that the PIP Portal must establish prior to implementation. The table below shows a breakdown of the four phases and major tasks that must be achieved in each phase. Phase I (6 months) Setting the business requirements Functionality and navigation considerations Screen mock-ups Total Cost Phase I Cost $50,000 Phase II (6 months) Translating business requirements Database structure Detailed software design and documentation Total cost of Phase II 150,000 10 Phase Ill (12 months) Coding Portal testing Bug tracking Total Cost of Phase Ill $700,000 Phase IV (12 months) Beta version testing Further development Maintenance Considerations Total Cost of Phase IV $1 75,000 Estimated Total Time Estimated Total Cost 36 months The team estimated the total time for development and testing to be 36 months at a cost Of $1 We have estimated the amount of value the PIP Portal could provide to a brokerage firm by conducting a net present value (NIP) analysis. According to Hoovers, the insurance agency and brokerage industry in the United States cords approximately 100 billion in revenue annually, and is expected to experience medium growth over the next 1 2 to 24 months. We decided a 5% growth rate is a reasonable assumption based on Hoovers data. We used very conservative numbers to estimate the extent of additional market share a brokerage firm could capture after implementation. Our assumptions is that a firm could capture an extra . 5% of industry revenue in the first year after the three year beta phase and is adjusted up to 3% at year five.

Biography of Hannah Höch, Co-Founder of Berlin Dada

Biography of Hannah Hà ¶ch, Co-Founder of Berlin Dada Hannah Hà ¶ch Facts Known for:  co-founder of Berlin Dada, an avant-garde art movementOccupation:  artist, the painter, especially noted for her photomontage workDates:  November 1, 1889 – May 31, 1978Also known as Joanne Hà ¶ch, Johanne Hà ¶ch Biography Hannah Hà ¶ch was born Johanne or Joanne Hà ¶ch in Gotha. She had to leave school at 15 to take care of a sister and was not able to resume her studies until she was 22. She studied glass design in Berlin from 1912 to 1914 at the Kunstgewerbeschule. World War I interrupted her studies, temporarily, but in 1915 she began studying graphic design at the Staatliche Kunstgewerbemuseum while working for a publisher. She worked as a pattern designer and writer on womens handicrafts from 1916 to 1926. In 1915 she began an affair and artistic partnership with Raoul Hausmann, a Viennese artist, which lasted until 1922. Through Hausmann, she became part of the Berlin Club Dada, the German group of Dadaists, an artistic movement dating from about 1916.  Other members besides Hà ¶ch and Hausmann were Hans Richter, George Grosz, Wieland Herzfelde, Johannes Baader, and John Heartfield.  She was the only woman in the group. Hannah Hà ¶ch and Dadaism She was also involved, after the first World War, with political radicalism, though Hà ¶ch herself expressed herself less politically than many of the others in the group.  The Dadaist sociopolitical commentary was often satirical. Hà ¶ch’s work is known for more subtle explorations of culture, especially gender and portrayals of the â€Å"new woman,† a phrase describing that era’s economically and sexually liberated women.   In the 1920s Hà ¶ch began a series of photomontages including images of women and of ethnographic objects from museums.  Photomontages combine images from popular publications, collage techniques, painting, and photography.  Ã‚  Nine of her works were in the 1920 First International Dada Fair. She began exhibiting more frequently starting in the late 1920s. One of her most famous works was Cut With the Kitchen Knife Dada Through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany,  portraying German politicians in contrast with (male) Dadaist artists. From 1926 to 1929 Hà ¶ch lived and worked in Holland. She lived for some years in a lesbian relationship with Dutch poet Til Brugman, in the Hague first and then from 1929 to 1935 in Berlin.  Images about same-sex love appear in some of her artwork of those years. Hà ¶ch spent the years of the Third Reich in Germany, forbidden from exhibiting because the regime considered Dadaist work â€Å"degenerate.†Ã‚  She tried to remain quiet and in the background, living in seclusion in Berlin. She married the much-younger businessman and pianist Kurt Matthies in 1938, divorcing in 1944. Though her work was not acclaimed after the war as it had been before the rise of the Third Reich, Hà ¶ch continued to produce her photomontages and to exhibit them internationally from 1945 until her death. In her work, she used photos, other paper objects, pieces of machines and various other objects to produce images, usually quite large. A 1976 retrospective was displayed at the Musà ©e dArt Moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Nationalgalerie Berlin. More Information About Hannah Hà ¶ch Categories: artist, photomontage, DadaistOrganizational Affiliations: Dadaism, Berlin Club DadaPlaces: Berlin, Germany, HollandPeriod: 20th century Print Bibliography Hannah Hà ¶ch. The Photomontages of Hannah Hoch. Compiled by Peter Boswell.

Pros and Cons of Using Lectures as a Teaching Method

Pros and Cons of Using Lectures as a Teaching Method Lecturing is a time-tested instructional method where an instructor who possesses the knowledge on a given topic delivers all relevant information to students verbally. This model dates back to Medieval Ages representing an  oral tradition  in contrast to providing information in print or other media. In fact, the word lecture came into use during the  14th century as a verb, to read or deliver formal discourses. The person presenting the lecture was called a reader because information  in a book was read to students who would then copy the information all down. During a typical lecture, an instructor stands before a class and presents information for the students to learn, but this method of teaching tends to get a bad reputation today. Thanks to the infusion of technology, instructors have the ability to provide a multi-media learning experience, by working to incorporate sound, visuals, activities, and even games into a classroom learning experience, and even provide opportunities for flipped classroom formats.   So, does that mean that lectures no longer have a place in todays teaching landscape? There are a number of factors that can make a lecture successful or unsuccessful. These factors can include the acoustics in the room, the dynamic quality of the lecturer and his ability to hold an audiences attention, the length of lecture, topic and amount of information intended to be shared.   Lecture Pros Lectures are a straightforward way to provide information knowledge to students quickly. In a lecture, instructors have greater control over what is being taught in the classroom because they are the sole source of information. Students who are auditory learners may find that lectures appeal to their learning style. Most college courses are lecture-based, and as a result, many high school teachers imitate this style to prepare their students for the college lecture. Far from being a Medieval way to deliver information, the modern lecture can be very engaging. Many educational institutions now offer faculty recorded lectures for students. Massive Open Online Courses have video lectures available on every subject. There are a number of schools that record teachers in lectures or that use pre-recorded lectures to support flipped classrooms or for remediating students who may have missed materials.  Khan Academy  videos are examples of short lectures on topics students need to review. There are also popular lecture series that have been recorded for general viewing and then used in classrooms. One of the most popular lecture series on  culture  is offered through the non-profit organization  TED Talks  with their series for schools, TED-Ed. The TED Conferences that host  these talks began in 1984 as a means to spread ideas in Technology, Entertainment, and Design. This style of short lectures delivered by dynamic speakers became popular, and there are now hundreds of recorded lectures or talks on the TED website in over 110 languages.   Lecture Cons Students are expected to take notes while listening to a lecture. During a lecture, there is no discussion. The only exchange that may occur between the instructor and students might be a few scattered questions from listeners. Therefore, students who are not auditory learners or have other learning styles  may not be as engaged by lectures. Such students may have a harder time absorbing the material. Students who are weak in note-taking skills may have trouble summarizing or in identifying the main points they should remember from lectures. Some students may find lectures boring; the  length can cause them to lose interest. Because the instructor does all the talking, students may not feel that they are able to ask questions as they arise during lectures. Lectures do not meet the criteria in many teacher evaluation programs, such as in the Marzano or Danielson models. In those evaluation domains that rate classroom instruction, lectures are categorized as teacher-centered. They do not provide the opportunities for students to formulate many questions, initiate topics, or challenge one another’s thinking. There is no evidence of student inquiry or student contributions. During a lecture, there is no grouping for differentiation. The most important reason to reconsider the use of the lecture is that the instructor does not have the immediate opportunity to assess how much students are understanding. There is little to no opportunity for exchanges. Other Considerations Effective lectures need to be well organized and cover only what students can absorb during a given class period. Selectivity and organization are keys to effective lectures. Lectures are also only one tool in a teachers instructional arsenal. As with all the other tools, lectures should only be used when most appropriate. Instruction should be varied from day to day to help reach the greatest number of students. Teachers should help students beef up their  note-taking skills  before they start presenting lectures. Instructors should also help students understand verbal clues and learn methods of organizing and  taking notes. Some schools suggest providing a handout listing key points of the days lecture to help students focus on the major concepts to be covered. Preparatory work should be  conducted before a lecture even begins. These  steps are key to helping students be successful and fully understand the subject and content the teacher hopes to convey. A lecture may be necessary to improve student understanding, but a steady stream of lectures does not allow for an instructor to differentiate for a students needs or assess a students understanding. On balance, lectures should be implemented less often than other instructional strategies.

Retail Business Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Retail Business Analysis - Research Paper Example A retail establishment that implemented generic marketing and segmentation approaches is a Reebok store. Implementation of segmentation strategy The retail implemented the strategy by separating a big probable market into minor groups, which exude diverse retail needs. The retail started by categorizing their market thus stating the general boundaries of market they intended to segment. This is achievable at the product progress stage. As such, one needs to find information about the intended target. Later on, they established market segmentation drivers for every product, which is achievable basing on age. Furthermore, other determinants incorporate expenditure, likeability of other merchandise, demographic facts, and imbursement methods. After successfully doing that, they chose a critical strategy that defines major segments. In the last stage of the implementation, they prioritized basing on the resources that they could dedicate to their marketing effort and the likely outcome o f addressing each segment (Weinstein, 2004). Implementation of Generic market strategy The retailers implemented the strategy by identifying its strengths and weaknesses, uniqueness, advantage, and usual tendencies. After identifying themselves, the organization identified their customers by finding information about them. The organization could not make an assumption about each customer groups, so they had to know their market better than their competitors did. For them to acknowledge their customers, they had to talk and listen to them. By presenting questions to customers, they could find vital information like the reasons attributable to the non-utilization of their products. Moreover, they convinced their consumers to start buying their merchandise (Pizam, 2010). Additionally, they used a present-day date base system to get a relatively cheap and competent marketing tool. This system could record customers’ behaviors and expectations. The information acquired from the sy stem was instrumental in decision-making. In marketing, the amount of sales made is not necessary. However, the important aspect is the profit figure. This is because, in marketing, decisions derive their basis on profit and not on the amount of sales, which is significantly minor. For the organization to respond properly to its marketplace, it linked the customer database with other market information system and business brainpower system (Pizam, 2010). Another implementation step that the retailer employed was the application of differentiation. This enabled them to proffer remarkable benefits to their customers. Applying differentiation enabled them to know the values of their customers so that they could appeal to these values in an effective way than competitors. By differentiation, it is easier to identify their potency and the weaknesses of their rivals. They then developed a clear image of each segment (Pizam, 2010). During the implementation, the Reebok stores avoided to co mpete with its products in the same segment. The entity was clear in defining its own role and tried to cover all bases to discourage potential competitors. It therefore, built a good correlation with its consumers, while trying to avoid dependence on one customer or any product (Pizam, 2010). Improving implementation of segmented marketing For effective implementations of

The PROS and CONS ofImplantingInformation Chips in Humans Essay

The PROS and CONS ofImplantingInformation Chips in Humans - Essay Example Due to reason, several eras has come in healthcare practice to improve the medical record system of patients to the highest logical point. As the debate rages on how medical record system can be improved, scientists have been swift in incorporating technology into the whole system. With something that started with the need to switch from paper records of patients to computer database software in keeping records of patients, we today have proposals on implanting chips in people to keep their medical records. The device is known as the implantable medical ID. Stein (2004) explains that the device is â€Å"a microchip that can be implanted under the skin to give doctors instant access to a patient's records.† Already, the proposal to implement the implantable medical records has won government approval. For now, the best thing to do is to continue detain on the pros and cons of the device and technology to come to a logical conclusion on whether or not the system would be helpful in the discharge of medical duties. Pros Already, there are health gurus who have approved of the use of the implantable medical ID and have started using them already. ... Therefore if there is the need to switch hospital at any point in time or travel inter-state, the records of the user will be ready as and when they are needed. The second point has to do with the safety of the system. Clearly, papers get burn or soaked with water and computer software gets corrupted or crashed. Any of these situations temper with the safety of records. With the implantable medical ID however, the records remain intact as long as the patient is alive. Yet again, the implantable medical ID is very reliable in emergency situations. Indeed medical emergencies come unannounced and therefore make the need to going to get a person’s records in times of medical emergencies very difficult. With the implantable medical ID however, a patient does not have to worry about emergencies because the device caters for that. It is always available and reliable. These points are supported by Merrill (2009) who states that the implantable medical ID â€Å"was designed to provide his identification and immediate access to his medical history in the event of an emergency.† Cons The beautiful advantages discussed above notwithstanding, the implantable medical ID come with a number of cons or disadvantages. There are commentators who argue as to whether or not the implantation and its removal themselves do not pose health risks and threats. There are many critics who are of the view that even though it is easier implanting the chip, removing it can be very complicated. John Halamka, MD, CIO at Harvard Medical School and CareGroup in Massachusetts, for instance laments that â€Å"it’s easy to insert but challenging to remove. I have no plan to have mine removed† (Merrill, 2009). The second demerit has to do with the cost involved in

African Traditional Literature Essay Example for Free

African Traditional Literature Essay Indigenous literature whether oral or written is the cultural heritage of most societies. Unfortunately, African traditional literature overtime has been treated as something inferior to their Western counterparts. But to a large extent, both traditional African literature and their European counterparts have similar socio-artistic values. Both express interest in the events happening in their society because they recognize their role as social barometer, hence, they need to express themselves properly to their audience no matter the language they use. African traditional literature shares a lot with similar literature from other parts of the world. More recent studies have indeed revealed that the old view that rural societies are not capable of producing elegant literature expressing the responses of men in an advanced culture to events around them is no longer tenable. This view was upheld by Westerners who studied traditional African literature with racial prejudice. They believed that African culture was still struggling for elementary problem of existence and was yet to attain the level of civilization that will facilitate the pursuit of literary achievement. But this view was met with a lot of controversial criticisms, as African Scholars began to argue the importance of African traditional literature in the literary world, stressing the fact that traditional literature is not only relevant, but should also be accorded a literary status in the literary world. Their reasons being that African literature perform certain functions in the society; the noticeable variety in the existing genre and; the competent evidence in the elegant use of language exhibited in the cause of performance with the resultant aesthetic effect, and with time, African traditional literature began to be accepted. But it was not wholly accepted by these Europeans. They began to employ their foreign concepts in the critical evaluation of African traditional literature. They believed that Africans do not possess adequate tools for the appraisal and evaluation of their literature. Hence, they began to employ these foreign approaches in the study of African traditional literature.

The Use Of Irony In The Stone :: essays research papers

Irony is an important literary device in many stories and there are many examples of it in 'The Stone Boy'; by Gina Berriault, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. In all of these works, irony plays an important role in the plot of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 'The Stone Boy';, the title of the story is a good example of irony. The title indicates to the reader that Arnold has no feelings and is like a stone. The irony here is that Arnold cares more about Eugie than anybody, he just doesn't know how to express it. Although Arnold did not start out as a 'stone boy';, by the end of the story the other characters' actions forced Arnold to 'build a wall'; around himself so his feelings couldn't be hurt anymore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  George Orwell also used irony in the plot of Animal Farm. In the beginning of the story, Old Major talks about rebelling from Mr. Jones 'administration';. Mr. Jones' way of running things was in a sense a form of capitalism. The animals had an idea about a socialist form of government. This existed for a short period of time when the animals had all the power. When Napoleon took charge, he gradually gained power and after a while the farm was soon under the rule of a capitalist. This change in government ultimately led to the downfall of the farm. This a good example of irony, because capitalism was the thing the animals were trying to get away from, and in the end it led to their downfall. At another point in the story, when Boxer is being taken to the 'hospital';, he is really being taken to a slaughter house. The animals think that Boxer's life is going to be saved, when it was really being taken away from him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses different forms of irony in many ways. First of all, the Friar marries Romeo and Juliet to end their families feud, but the marriage ends up leading to their death. This is an example of situational irony. Another example of irony is when Juliet's parents are planning a wedding for her, when she is already

Women and Art

All art is political. Every slap of paint on canvass, every sculpture, every graffiti, drawing, and so on is a product of another individual's particular sentiment, ideology and persuasion. Every work serves as an arbitrary reflection or extension of the artist or individual who created it. All art is able to evoke and communicate the aforementioned ideology and persuasion of its artist, whether or not the artist in question explicitly intended to do so. As far as the politics of art and conveying meanings and messages are concerned, however, women, it would appear, are often on the receiving end of conceptual constructions or deconstructions, and general influences necessarily afforded by society, culture, and art. And no art form is capable of eliciting the most influence and affecting generally accepted social constructs and norms, than that of advertising. Of course, while most hardly regard advertising as an art form, but instead a field or medium which peddles products and ideologies through art, which is one aspect of it; the manner by which advertising makes use of art is perhaps, to a certain convoluted degree, one of the most crude but simultaneously honest as well. Honest because its audience, or the general public on the receiving end of such art are aware of its intentions, aware of its function to peddle or sell whatever product, philosophy or worldview they are tasked to peddle at the moment. Unfortunately, this awareness doesn't always translate to lack of vulnerability and unaffectedness on people's part. As previously mentioned, women are often on the receiving end of influences and constructs, as far as characteristics, roles, and unavoidably, stereotypes of the supposed weaker sex are concerned. In recent years, the prescribed image of what a woman is: how she should look, should feel, should think, should necessarily conduct, behave, engage, and apply herself within the family, other social institutions, and society at large is greatly dictated and shaped by commercial advertisements present in television, the radio, magazines, the internet, newspapers, and virtually the whole of mass media. While the stereotypical view that women are generally emotional and fragile has ceased to become breaking news, similar concepts and standards of what a woman is persists through commercial advertisements. Advertisements which define women based on her physical parts, as opposed to her ideas, convictions, what she has the capacity for, and what she can actually do, how she works, and a myriad other things which comprise her as a human being. In commercial ads for clothes, perfumes, accessories, and so on, for instance, the aesthetic is given the highest regard, and women are reduced to the crudeness of waist lines, bust sizes, and weight, among other things. While one could argue that the opposite sex are also on the receiving end of such attacks on identity and gender, and that the same premise applies to men; the prescribed standards and social constructs on women are far more predominant and palpable as evident in every magazine cover, billboard, and television commercial which runs in public view on a daily basis. It also appears especially and particularly evident in the images which follow, images which appear in public view across the globe under the heading of advertising. It doesn't take a radical feminist perspective to realize and be conscious of the reality that something is infinitely wrong and contrived with the way women are being defined and depicted in advertising. Advertising not only coaxes peple into buying prodcuts they supposedly need, it also influences and conditions views regarding normalcy and what should and should not be deemed acceptable, in terms of how people should look, think, and behave in society. Women in turn, are encouraged, if not obliged to be beautiful, to assume the â€Å"responsibility† of being aesthetically pleasing by losing weight, having smooth skin, full lips, big breasts, however fake or artificial, in order to fit into the mold of what advertising deems â€Å"beautiful,† which every â€Å"normal† woman is expected to assume and become. Both the stereotypical domestic housewife and working career woman are affected and subjected to society's concept of the ideal woman. Despite the manner by which some form of art, mainly photography in advertising, affords a view of women which serves to demean and disparage them, there exists other art forms which depart, if not, largely contradict the contrived ideology and perspective that was previously discussed concerning women. Such opposite, and perhaps, positive constructs and view on women are evident in the philosophy and art of Barbara Kruger. The American artist famous for her conceptual art which weaves and incorporates words and images together in seeming subversive and opinionated collages affords individuals who view her art, a refreshing perspective on relevant social constructs which affect every individual. Kruger's art interestingly comes across as the negation of commercial advertising. What she evokes and communicates through her art is the presence of social constructs which exists and abounds inescapably in the society we live in and belong to. Kruger presents these constructs and creates satirical or mock interpretations of the realities which every individual is immersed in. Kruger's perspective on what constitutes a woman is made evident in her collages and illustrations which depict women, for instance, incapacitated by pins stuck across their body, concluded by an ironic message written in bold text in the middle of the illustration which pronounces, â€Å"We have received orders not to move† (Untitled 1982). And another of a woman's face split vertically in two parts, one perfectly distinct and ideal, and the other muted in negative art, aptly entitled, â€Å"Your Body Is A Battleground. † Kruger's photographs and illustrations present social constructs in a tone and platform which effectively conveys her aim to deconstruct them. The manner by which Barbara Kruger's art differs from that which is presented in advertising exists in the reality that Kruger, as an artist, and as a woman is communicating and expressing an extension of herself, her ideals and perspective on women and how they are portrayed are translated into the aforementioned art forms, whereas commercial advertisements are products of a market which intends to peddle an â€Å"ideal† version of women, one which exists as a facade, and in less organic and realistic forms. Ultimately, as Barbara Kruger has already aptly put it, every woman's body is a battleground, women should not only be aware of the roles, standards and definitions being set regarding who or what a woman should be, but also take necessary steps in challenging and breaking free from these constructs. If not for every woman's sake, then for individuality, and the preservation of it.

The outsourcing of the Canon Europe

The outsourcing of the Canon Rupee's finance and accounting management to Accentuate Total words: 2772 Contents l. Introduction In 2006, the Canon Europe decided to outsource its finance and accounting business to the Accentuate consulting company. As a well-known imaging solution company, Canon Europe confronted with fierce competition in 2006. Although Canon Europe is a subsidiary of Canon Inc. Of Japan, the company contributes about one-third of Canon Inc. ‘s worldwide sales revenue.At the initial stage of transforming, to focus on those activities which are significant to its competitive positioning, the executive of Canon Europe determined to establish a shared-service center to centralize the company's finance operations. After a series of testing and analysis, Canon Europe found out that cooperating with the right outsourcing partner is the only way to achieve greater effectiveness. This measure not only can be used to reduce costs of their finance processes and improve the efficiency of them, but also to create powerful differentiating relationships with supplier.After the careful review of the proposals of all the candidates of vendors, Canon Europe finally decide outsource the finance and accounting business operation to Accentuate. The contract duration is seven years, and Accentuate provided Canon Europe with a range of finance processes through the management of the Accentuate Delivery Center in Prague. II. Outsourcing Project Overview By the reason of Cannon Europe was constantly confronted with increased completion and tighter, the executives of Canon Europe decided to create a powerful, differentiating relationships with suppliers by improving finance processes to reduce he costs.They also determined to improve the finance and accounting, like ordering from approved suppliers using standardized purchase orders, could increase their compliance . Initially, the executives thought that centralizing the company's finance operations would be th e right way to achieve the goals which were mentioned above. But by 2006, they found out that the only way to further savings and greater process effectiveness is through outsourcing. In the autumn of 2006, Accentuate submitted a proposal to Canon Europe that included significant details about its research on high performance.Subsequently, Canon Europe executives recognized Accentuates capabilities are relevant to their company's own strategic direction, and they also initiatives to achieve world-class finance operations, following detailed conversations with Accentuate leaders, the executives finally decided to outsource the company's European shared-services operation to Accentuate. Canon Europe signed a seven-year business process outsourcing contract with Accentuate, focusing on finance and accounting.Managed through the Accentuate Delivery Center in Prague, Accentuate provides Canon Europe with a range of finance recesses, including accounts payable, cash posting and fixed asse ts administration, as well as travel expense processing. Services are provided in 12 languages to Canon Europe businesses in 14 European countries. Ill. Client Perspective The experience of client Canon Europe had a good experience in this whole outsourcing process. Accentuate helped Canon achieve the objectives because running finance and accounting back offices is teacher business of them.Accentuate were able to deploy their economies of scale, and their expertise and process focused to help Canon achieve world-class performance. In fact, within the outsourcing activities, the Canon Europe reached the goal of improving their productivity baby percent in three years. Sourcing model The model that Canon Europe used is sole supplier model, which means Accentuate provides the entire finance accounting service to them. To the Canon Europe, the outsourcing model they chose is appropriate.Outsourcing finance and accounting presents a series of unique challenges that require deep expertis e and sophisticated toolkits. Furthermore, the vendor corporations need the right resources, innovation and talent to positively impact their business. The main benefit of this model is the sole accountability of the supplier, which makes the governance of the venture easier relative to other configuration models. Briefly speaking, it is a wise decision for Canon Europe outsourcing its whole finance and accounting process to an onshore vendor.Canon Europe selected a offspring outsourcing model to cooperate with Accentuate. According to the Decision-making matrix on outsourcing which was suggested by Hillocks (2002), the Canon Europe outsourced their â€Å"Qualifiers†, which means the organization outsourced their finance and accounting department-?the radical activity for business operations, but do not contribute to the company's competitive positioning in a major way. Strengths and weaknesses The company intended to invest more in their core competitiveness such aspirator m arketing, customer service and looking after their channel partners.Therefore they are realistic in paying vendors, and recognized back office administration as a secondary activity and do not wish to invest in back office innovations. Secondly, â€Å"thereat a number of strength that Canon has realized through the relationship with Accentuate. â€Å", said by Chris Poppa(Accentuate Senior Executive). For instance, this outsourcing activity increased visibility and transparency on the finance processes, more responsive service from the Prague Deliver Centre improved management control through the formal discipline.And finally, Canon Europe can focus on their core business and not worry about the back-office processes. The Canon Rupee's outsourcing weakness lies in that they are a large company, this fact results to the difficulties when they selected vendors. There are so many factors they need to consider, for instance, the reputation, the capability of handle massive ATA and the technology innovations of the suppliers. The organization's own characters decide that the number of vendors they can choose from is limited, and it due to the cost controlling becomes even more difficulty.Retained capabilities The capabilities that developed by Canon Europe through the outsourcing activities are as following: First, relationship building. Creating a powerful, differentiating relationship with supplier is one of the aims of Canon Europe. Actually,building a relationship involves helping users understand developmental of finance and accounting for the business ND the improvement of productivity, helping users and financialexpertscollaborate, and ensuring users' ownership and satisfactions. The second capability is informed buying.Generally, this capability related to the challenge of managing the finance and accounting outsourcing strategy in a way that meets the interests,priorities, and goals of the business. For example, the transition from a shared-services mode l to the Accentuate Delivery Center in Prague was completed in only four months, furthermore, there was no reengineering needed and all finance activities were quickly stabilized. Thirdly, to protect the current and future contractual position of the firm, Canon Europe also had the contract monitoring capability.It is important to note that the contract monitor ensures that the business position is contractually protected at all times while the contract facilitator is mainly involved in the day-to-day operational 1 . Furthermore, as a contract monitor, Canon Europe needs to ensure that their business position is contractually protected at all the timely 2. Risks in outsourcing deal The Canon Europe also met several risks. First of all, considering that Canon Europe ND Accentuate are both influenced organizations in the world, they both have the differentiations culture.Provided that during the process of outsourcing, both parts have limited opportunities for interactions, hence it w ill cause misunderstandings and poor change management controls 3. The structural risk may also exist in the process of the duration of outsourcing. Structural risk refers to the danger that the relationship between clients and suppliers may not work as expected. Whatever, transaction preprocessing insurance claims processing are happily easy to monitor using preciseness's to measure their quality 5.Therefore these activities present low structuralism. Lastly, if an organization decides to outsource some business which includes sensitive data, then a carefully managed outsourcing contract may be preferable. This is because large established clients are probably more careful about protecting their reputation. Expected value Within Canon Rupee's new finance and accounting outsourcing environment, there is now greater assurance that activities are being executed effectively with maximum efficiency, and that productivity and continuous improvement are daily priorities.Such advancements demonstrate why the goal to improve productivity within the outsourced activities by 25 percent in three years is well within reach. To sum up the foregoing, the business achieving performance continually. To keep the relationship between Canon Europe and Accentuate getting better is also the value that this outsourcing activity brought. Actually, Canon Europe paid careful attention to the levels of relationship competency of the supplier, without they wish to maintain a close long-traineeships.Whatever, they found out that Accentuate has the ability to support the future changes in their business direction, and the needs of their innovations the supplier, so the long-term relationship would be a potential value they wish to obtain. ‘V. Supplier Perspective Good pick for supplier From the perspective of Accentuate, this contract was a good pick undoubtedly. First and for most, Accentuate built the partnership with Canon through this outsourcing process, this laid the foundatio n of theorization's of strategic partner in the future. Actually, in 2010, Canon enters $9. Ban to launch in collaboration withAccentuate to deliver customized information and media management solutions for large European organizations. Given these facts, we can make a conclusion of both parts already built good relinquishment's the finance and accounting outsourcing process. Advantages and disadvantages The vendor selected in this outsourcing case possessed plenty of advantages. First of all, finance and accounting (F) was one of the first processes that Accentuate start to outsource, henceforward have more than 15 years operational experience in Finance and Accounting business process outsourcing.Secondly, Accentuate was also en of the best consultant companies in that time, which means they had better reputation and lower risk than other companies. Last but not least, Accentuate has their own R teams, which maximize the efficiency and increase the possibilities of reaching the go al successfully. While outsourcing, three technology innovations of Accentuate play an important role. For example,the first of these is an Accentuate- developed self-service portal that is updated daily to help Canon Rupee's suppliers control, access and monitor invoicing and payment activities.As for the disadvantages, one of them is the technology solutions growth in Accentuate is much slower than consultancy roles in the fierce competition of the consultant industry. Therefore, once Canon encountered some technique problems in the outsourcing process, Accentuate may not provide powerful supports to them efficiently. Risks to vendors Like most of devotedness, Accentuate also had risks in this outsourcing process. One of them is reputation loss, it would happen as the venture failed.No matter what the real reason is, the supplier always should take the responsibility for the failure first. Another risk is the security of techniques and intellectual property. Elementally repertory rights are also one of major concerns to both the client and the supplier 19. Thus, companies should be particularly careful, because the absence of suitable contractual safeguards can put at risk the firms' rights to its own intellectual property. For example, the development and the application of Accentuates technology innovations are belong to the core competence of the organization.And the Accentuate-developed self-service portal also has key function to the completeness of the whole outsourcing project. Expected value As an outstanding consulting company, Accentuate expects not only to manage the entire successfully, but also to develop the partnership with the Canon Europe. Cooperating with some well-known companies successfully, like Canon, will expand the influence of itself. Furthermore, building the partnership with those companies will also bring plenty of opportunities to the future development to Accentuate.Hillocks suggests that enterprise partnership's involves risk- reward and Joint ownership arrangements, offers promising way to leverage cost and quality gains as well as knowledgeableness and exploitation. V. Recommendations Safeguard of client's position To mitigate the risk that Canon Europe may face, the organization interacted on a daily basis with Individual Accentuate teams (one for each process such as accounts payable and cash posting).Besides, to increase the visibility of the clients, the Accentuate Planning and Control enables management and process owners to capture and track critical path activities and issues in real time. The extraction of value for supplier For the supplier, provided atone of their targets is obtaining extraction of value from the contract, then the following factors are important: firstly, Accentuate should ensure they provided the desired services according to the contract.Secondly, manage to protect the safety of the sensitive data, like ensure the data to be used in appropriate ways, and periodically check that authorized personnel are following designated procedures. Win-win situation As the contract manager of insubstantial public sector agency noted â€Å"Suppliers have to make a reasonableness's to stay in business. You don't want them to lose moneybags the worse their business gets, the worse your business gets. â€Å"Theodosius uncovers that both parts in the outsourcing process are interest- elated.Creating a win-win situation's the client receives increased value- adding services and disruptive generates better revenues and obtaining more opportunities. When Accentuate completed the outsourcing project, the Canon Rupee's employees were free from time-consuming finance transactional tasks, and they are now able to focus on strategic activities to add value to the businesses. Improvement or changes In the next five years, the organizations recognize back office administration as a secondary activity and do not wish to invest in back office innovations, whereby the equines proc ess outsourcing will overshadow IT outsourcing.The clients should invest much more in contract value due to the contract management is a major determinant of outsourcing successes. Second, to avoid the outsourcing failure, the thing that Canon Europe should considerately suppliers other than sole supplier model, as a large company, the outsourcing process of Canon Europe would be more complex than others, therefore continue with only one vendor would carry high amount of risk. In the future, selective sourcing with multiple suppliers will remain the dominant trend.

Battle of Nassau in the American Revolution

Battle of Nassau in the American Revolution The Battle of Nassau was fought March 3-4, 1776, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). In 1776, an American squadron commanded by Commodore Esek Hopkins descended on the Bahamas with the goal of capturing weapons and ammunition for the Continental Army. The first major operation for the newly-created Continental Navy and Continental Marines, the expedition arrived off Nassau in early March. Landing, American forces succeeded in capturing the island and a large cache of weapons, but some hesitation after coming ashore allowed the British to spirit away much of the islands gunpowder. Though the operation proved successful, Hopkins was later criticized for failing to achieve other assigned objectives and his performance during the return voyage. Background With the beginning of the American Revolution in April 1775, the Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, directed that the colonys supply of arms and gunpowder be removed to Nassau, Bahamas lest it be captured by colonial forces. Received by Governor Montfort Browne, these munitions were stored in Nassau under the protection of the harbors defenses, Forts Montagu and Nassau. Despite these fortifications, General Thomas Gage, commanding British forces in Boston, warned Browne that an American attack would be possible. In October 1775, the Second Continental Congress formed the Continental Navy and began purchasing merchant vessels and converting them for use as warships. The following month saw the creation of the Continental Marines under the guidance of Captain Samuel Nicholas. As Nicholas recruited men ashore, Commodore Esek Hopkins began assembling a squadron at Philadelphia. This consisted of Alfred (30 guns), Columbus (28), Andrew Doria (14), Cabot (14), Providence (12), and Fly (6). Hopkins Sails After taking command in December, Hopkins received orders from Congress Marine Committee which directed him to clear British naval forces from the Chesapeake Bay and North Carolina coast. In addition, they gave him some latitude to pursue operations that could be â€Å"most beneficial to the American Cause† and â€Å"distress the Enemy by all means in your power.† Joining Hopkins aboard his flagship, Alfred, Nicholas and the rest of the squadron began moving down the Delaware River on January 4, 1776. Battling heavy ice, the American ships remained near Reedy Island for six weeks before finally reaching Cape Henlopen on February 14. There, Hopkins was joined by Hornet (10) and Wasp (14) which arrived from Baltimore. Before sailing, Hopkins elected to take advantage of the discretionary aspects of his orders and began planning a strike against Nassau. He was aware that a large amount of munitions were on the island and that these supplies were badly needed by General George Washingtons army which was besieging Boston. Commodore Esek Hopkins. Public Domain   Departing Cape Henlopen on February 17, Hopkins told his captains to rendezvous at Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas should the squadron become separated. Two days later, the squadron encountered rough seas off the Virginia Capes leading to a collision between Hornet and Fly. Though both returned to port for repairs, the latter succeeded in rejoining Hopkins on March 11. In late February, Browne received intelligence that an American force was forming off the Delaware coast. Though aware of a possible attack, he elected not to take any action as he believed the harbor forts sufficient to defend Nassau. This proved unwise as Fort Nassaus walls were too weak to support the firing of its guns. While Fort Nassau was located near the town proper, the newer Fort Montagu covered the harbors eastern approaches and mounted seventeen guns. Both forts were poorly sited in regard to defending against an amphibious attack. Battle of Nassau Conflict: American Revolution (1775-1783)Dates: March 3-4, 1776Fleets Commanders:AmericansCommodore Esek HopkinsCaptain Samuel Nicholas2 frigates, 2 brigs, 1 schooner, 1 sloopBritishGovernor Montfort Browne110 men The Americans Land Reaching Hole-In-The-Wall at the south end of Great Abaco Island on March 1, 1776, Hopkins quickly captured two small British sloops. Pressing these into service, the squadron moved against Nassau the following day. For the attack, Nicholas 200 Marines along with 50 sailors were transferred to Providence and the two captured sloops. Hopkins intended for the three vessels to enter the port at dawn on March 3. The troops would then quickly land and secure the town. Approaching the harbor in the morning light, Providence and its consorts were spotted by the defenders who opened fire. With the element of surprise lost, the three vessels aborted the attack and rejoined Hopkins squadron at nearby Hanover Sound. Ashore, Browne began making plans to remove much of the islands gunpowder using vessels in the harbor as well as dispatched thirty men to reinforce Fort Montagu. Meeting, Hopkins and Nicholas quickly developed a new plan which called for landings on the eastern side of the island. Covered by Wasp, the landings commenced around noon as Nicholas men came ashore near Fort Montagu. As Nicholas consolidated his men, a British lieutenant from Fort Montagu approached under a flag of truce. When asked of his intentions, the American commander replied that they sought to capture the islands munitions. This information was conveyed to Browne who had arrived at the fort with reinforcements. Badly outnumbered, the governor decided to withdraw the bulk of the forts garrison back to Nassau. Pressing forward, Nicholas captured the fort later in the day, but elected not to drive on the town. Capture of Nassau As Nicholas held his position at Fort Montagu, Hopkins issued a proclamation to the islands residents stating, To the Gentlemen, Freemen, Inhabitants of the Island of New Providence: The reasons of my landing an armed force on the island is in order to take possession of the powder and warlike stores belonging to the Crown, and if I am not opposed in putting my design in execution the persons and property of the inhabitants shall be safe, neither shall they be suffered to be hurt in case they make no resistance.† While this had the desired effect of preventing civilian interference with his operations, the failure to carry the town on March 3 allowed Browne to embark most of the islands gunpowder on two vessels. These sailed for St. Augustine around 2:00 a.m. on March 4 and cleared the harbor with no issues as Hopkins had failed to post any of his ships at its mouth.The next morning, Nicholas advanced on Nassau and was met by the towns leaders who offered up its keys. Approaching Fort Nassau, the Americans occupied it and seized Browne without a fight. In securing the town, Hopkins captured eighty-eight cannon and fifteen mortars as well as variety of other much-needed supplies. Remaining on the island for two weeks, the Americans embarked the spoils before departing on March 17. Sailing north, Hopkins intended to make port at Newport, RI. Nearing Block Island, the squadron captured the schooner Hawk on April 4 and the brig Bolton the next day. From the prisoners, Hopkins learned that a large British force was operating off Newport. With this news, he elected to sail west with the goal of reaching New London, CT. Action of April 6 During the early hours of April, Captain Tyringham Howe of HMS Glasgow (20) spotted the American squadron. Determining from their rigging that the ships were merchantmen, he closed with the goal of taking several prizes. Approaching Cabot, Glasgow quickly came under fire. The next several hours saw Hopkins inexperienced captains and crews fail to defeat the outnumbered and out-gunned British ship. Before Glasgow escaped, Howe succeeded in disabling both Alfred and Cabot. Making the necessary repairs, Hopkins and his ships limped into New London two days later. Aftermath The fighting on April 6 saw the Americans suffer 10 killed and 13 wounded against 1 dead and three wounded aboard Glasgow. As news of the expedition spread, Hopkins and his men were initially celebrated and lauded for their efforts. This proved short-lived as complaints about the failure to capture Glasgow and the behavior of some of the squadrons captains grew. Hopkins also came under fire for failing to execute his orders to sweep the Virginia and North Carolina coasts as well as his division of the raids spoils. Commodore John Paul Jones. Hulton Archive / Stringer/ Hulton Archive/ Getty Images After a series of political machinations, Hopkins was relieved of his command in early 1778. Despite the fallout, the raid provided much-needed supplies for the Continental Army as well as gave young officers, such as John Paul Jones, experience. Held prisoner, Browne was later exchanged for Brigadier General William Alexander, Lord Stirling who had been captured by the British at the Battle of Long Island. Though criticized for his handling of attack on Nassau, Browne later formed the Loyalist Prince of Wales American Regiment and saw service at the Battle of Rhode Island.

ACT Sample Questions Every Question Type Explained

ACT Sample Questions Every Question Type Explained SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT is daunting. It just is. One of the most intimidating things about it is the average student's initial uncertainty as to what types of questions are going to be asked:Will it test vocabulary? What's tested on the science section? How many formulas do I need to memorize?The best way to clear up the confusion is to look at some ACT sample questions, so you can get a sense ofwhat to expect on test day. As you are most likely aware, there are five sectionson the ACT- English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing- each of whichhas its own types of questions. In this article, I'll guide you through every type of question you're going to encounter in each of these areas and offer some tips on preparing for them. Why Do I Need to Know All the ACT Question Types? Good question! Well, a big part of being prepared for the ACT is knowing what to expect when you open that test booklet. Increased familiarity with the material will ease your mind as the big day approaches and inform your study habits. Why waste time preparing for a task that doesn't appear on the exam? Instead, you should focus your energy on drilling the types of questions that actually matter. Imagine a vocab quiz.How would you study if you knew you'd be asked to... List the words from memory? Define each word, using a word bank? Use each word in an original sentence? Obviously, your approach would be very different given each scenario. And so it should be! Now, onward, to exploreofficial ACTsample questions. Vocab quizzes: the result of an unholy union between Scrabble and alphabet soup. Sample ACT English Questions All seventy-five English questions are multiple choice. They are all situated within the context of five, fifteen-question passages: no sentence stands in isolation. Most questions require you to determinewhich version of an underlined word or phrase is the best, but some ask about the author's intentions. There are two major categories of questions in the English section. Usage and mechanics - punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar and usage Rhetorical skills - style, organization, and strategy Usage and Mechanics Punctuation questions test your understanding of commas, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, em-dashes, periods, question marks, and exclamation points. Grammar and usage questions test your sense of grammatical agreement, verb use, pronoun use, comparative and superlative modifiers, and idioms. Sentence structure questions test your skill with dependent clause placement; run-ons, fused sentences, and comma splices; fragments; misplaced modifiers; and shifts in tense, voice, person, and number. Rhetorical Skills Writing strategy questions test your recognition of the author's choices and strategies - when and why might an editor add, delete, or modify a given statement? Organization questions test your knowledge of the best order and coherence of ideas as well as your ability to craft skillful introductions, transitions, and conclusions. Style questions test your discernment of tone, clarity, and economy (not using words that you don't need). For a more in-depth discussion of all of these skills, I heartily recommend our complete guide to ACT grammar and our analysis of which rules are most crucial to master. If you want a more detailed explanation of some of the terms and categories I threw around in this section, check out our article on what ACT English really tests- practically speaking. Don't forget our ultimate guide if there's anything else you want to examine in more depth! Math All sixty math questions are multiple choice and have five possible answers. Questions get progressively more challenging throughout the section. This is a general trend, not an exact science. In other words, question 1may not be the single easiest problem, and question 60may not be the single hardest problem, but question 60will be orders of magnitude harder than question 1. As far as content is concerned, the ACT aims to test the following topics: Pre-algebra (14 questions, or 23% of the section) Elementary algebra (10 questions, or 17% of the section) Intermediate algebra (9 questions, or 15% of the section) Coordinate geometry (9 questions, or 15% of the section) Plane geometry (14 questions, or 23% of the section) Trigonometry (4 questions, or 7% of the section) If you want to review any particular topics within these arenas, definitely consult our many guides on subjects from basic integer theory to dealing with functions. The six content areas above can be tested in three different ways: General math questions Math questions in settings Question sets I'm always making my calculator angry. I know exactly which buttons to push. General Math Questions These questions canbe basic in style or more complex. Basic math problems are straightforward: they may test difficult topics, but they're concise and don't give you anyunnecessary information. What you see is what you get. Answers are numeric in nature. The more complex questions shake things up a little bit. Some include too much or too little information. Answers may be numeric, or they may appear as expressions, equations, or statements. There may be figures or diagrams to analyze. As you can see, this is kind of a catch-all category including a range of questions with no other well-defined characteristics. Math Questions in Settings These are what we often refer to as word problems or story problems. They typically describe an everyday situation, and the equation isn't set up for you: you need to convertthe circumstances described into a math problem. Question Sets These are simply groups of questions that relate back to the same set of information:a paragraph, a diagram, or another scenario.These problems are easy to recognize, since they're always preceded by a box that explains how many problems are part of the set. This is yet another reason to read instructions carefully; skimming through the math section is a sure-fire way to miss these cues! For more info on ACT math questions, check out our ultimate guide to ACT math. Reading There are ten questions dedicated to each of the four segments of this test. Each segment consists of one long passage or one pair of shorter passages. All forty questions are multiple choice. There are four genres of literature that will appear on the ACT, always in the following order: Prose fiction:Typically a short story or an excerpt from a novel, prose fiction includes a narrated series of events or a progressive revelation of character. Social studies:Texts within this category discuss anything from anthropology and biography to psychology and sociology- any "soft" science or study of human phenomena. These passages present information gatheredvia rigorous research. Humanities:These texts can draw on arts of any flavor, ethics and philosophy, or personal reflections. The focus is on describing and analyzingarts and ideas. Natural science:This kind of text is rooted in any of the "hard" sciences- biology, chemistry, physics, etc. The aim is simply to explore a significant scientific topic. You'll be asked to complete the following types of questions: Detail Main idea Compare and contrast Inference Cause and effect Vocab-in-context Author intent and tone This cactus has clearly had too much caffeine. I'm never thisexcited to be reading the dictionary! Detail Questions The questions ask you to find information in the passage. For example, in the following question, you need to find a specific detail that was explained in the passage. The question states that it wants one data point that was "described in the passage". Main Idea Questions This type requires you to examine passages globally to determine main ideas. The following question refers to the passage "as a whole" and ask that you characterize its entire arc. We might suppose that the answer is never explicitly stated but derives from the sum of the article's many parts. Compare and Contrast Questions These are exactly what they sound like: you'll need to compare and contrast information given in a single long passage or in the two shorterpaired passages. For instance, the following question asks you to find what's similar across two short passages. (Note, though, that it could just as easily have asked for the primary difference between them.) Inference Questions These are the trickiest type of reading question: they ask you to identify the logicunderlying a claimor extend the implication of a statement. For instance, in the following question, you're asked to describe what the author "implies" about what people "commonly assume." Cause and Effect Questions These are specific type of inference question that require you to analyzecause and effect and sequences of events. You should understand what happened when and which event caused what. The following question asks about why the trap-jaw ant has developed the characteristics it possesses today: i.e. what happened originally to cause this new development in turn. Vocab-in-Context Questions These questions point you towards a specific instance of aword or phrase within the text, then ask you to offer a rough definition based on its use in context. Author Intent and Tone Questions For these, you'll be asked to draw conclusions about the author's voice and method. You should be able to explain the author's view of and attitude towards the topic, and you should also be able to identify why the author made certain salient choices. For instance, the following questions asks about the "author's attitude" and offers various descriptions of possible view points in the answer choices. For good, solid advice on how to attack ACT reading, check outour ultimate guide to the subject. Science The science section consists of seven passages, with forty multiple-choice questions. (Technically,there could be more or fewer passages, but there are almost always seven.) There are four categories of passages, content-wise: Biology:cellular biology, botany, zoology, microbiology, ecology, or genetics Chemistry:properties of matter, pH, kinetics and equilibria, thermochemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, or nuclear chemistry Physics:mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, fluids, solids, and optics Earth/space:geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, and thermodynamics There are also three different passage formats, which I'll explore further below: Data representation Research summaries Conflicting viewpoints Fortunately, you will not be asked to spell deoxyribonucleic acid. Data Representation These passages contain a short introductory paragraph and a fewcharts, graphs, and diagrams. They look like something you might find in a science journal or textbook explaining a naturalphenomenon. You'll be asked to interpret charts and tables, read graphs, evaluate scatterplots, and analyze information in diagrams. Research Summaries These passages describe scientific studies. Generally speaking, you'll see two or three experiments per passage. The design, procedures, and results will all be set down for you. Graphs and tables are likely to be featured, but not guaranteed. You'll be asked to understand, evaluate, and interpret the design and procedures, and analyzethe results of the studies. Conflicting viewpoints This type of passage summarizes atleast two alternative theories, hypotheses, or scientific viewpoints. Each will be based on different premises or a set of incomplete data, and they will be inconsistent with each other. You'll be asked to understand, analyze, evaluate, compare, and contrast several theories, hypotheses, and viewpoints. Don't stop exploring science there! Take a moment to exploreour ultimate guide to this portion of the ACT. You won't actually need all four pencils on test day. Writing The ACT essay is a whole different ballgame from what it used to be.The new, enhanced essay presents you with a summary of some controversial issue and three different perspectives on that issue. You're expected to evaluate and analyze the perspectives; state and develop your own perspective, which may align with any one of the other three or none at all; and explain the relationship between your perspective and the three given. You have forty minutes to plan and write a relevant essay. I urge you to read about the specific types of prompts you're likely to encounter and how to nail this task with a perfect score. What's Next? Now that you know what you've seen every type of sample ACT question and know what you'llencounter on the test, it's time to think about learning some new strategies. Consider this list of 21 tips everyone could use, or these 15 tips designed to boost that score. Also consider picking up one of these ten highly recommended books to help you prepare for the test. If you've already settled on using the official guide, read how to use that tool to its greatest advanatage. Of course, you'll want to augment any book(s) with some of these wonderful websites! Rather than diving right into diverse resources with no sense of where you're headed, though, do make sure you take time to assemble a study plan, whether you're a sophomore or junior, a rising senior, or just really pressed for time. Also be thinking about what you really want out of the ACT. Read about what score you need to get where you want to go, and read about what a good ACT score really means. Finally, consider adding a program with PrepScholar to your study plans. PrepScholar will help you focus in on the exact types of questions that challenge you the most so that your studying is as effective as possible. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.