Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Terrorism - Essay Example The first component is use of violence or involvement of threat. Albeit the modern world has recorded the emergence of cyberterrorism where information and communication systems would be employed, physical violence remains a definitive feature of terrorism. Secondly, the violence should be quest for social or political objective. Finally, terrorism would not be aimed at any particular individual since the aim would be to cause psychological harm beyond the immediate objects or victims of the attack. This randomness aims at creating fear. Thus, a useful definition would outline terrorism as random use of violence or threats by an organized group in pursuance of political or social objectives. Examples of groupings that have met these features and thus considered as terrorists include Al-Qaeda, the Irish Republican Army, IRA and Aum Shinrikyo. There are various reasons that would cause a group to launch a terrorist attack. Political motivations have been reported over years. The traditional Irish Republican Army gives an appropriate example of a terrorist group with modest political objectives which fought what it considered as outside domination. Theirs involved small scale bomb attacks resulting into dozens of casualties to attract the attention of the world but not to a large extent alienate members of their community. Internationally, the dominance of few nations having massive political, economic and military power encourages acts of terrorism. Giving an example of Al-Qaeda, Shimko (299) argues on social and political goals motivated by specific forms of religious fundamentalism as probable causes of terrorism. The surges in terrorists that are religiously motivated have been on the increase since 1991. By 1995, they comprised more than half the recognized active international terrorist groups. The magnitude of the September 11 US terrorist attacks makes it unique. Considering it as war would limit action against perpetrators to military action thus the

Hospitality marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hospitality marketing - Essay Example 579). The statement must offer a description of the organization to create awareness among potential stakeholders such as its consumers. It must also identify the organization’s potential customers. This is particularly essential because the organization must have been established for a product or service delivery and identification of its customers forms a basis towards defining what the organization ought to offer to the target market. The statement must also establish a philosophy upon which the organization operates. Similarly, the definition of a mission statement involves establishment of the organization’s potentials in its market as well as the organization’s obligations. A mission statement is therefore an expression that offers an organization’s basis for a level of â€Å"reliability, tangibility, empathy, and responsiveness† that it would achieve at optimum environmental conditions (Shoemaker and Shaw, p. 48). A vision statement is on the other hand an expression of what an organization intends to be. It therefore establishes standards that the institution wishes to achieve. As a result, it consists of a number of elements that guides the organization’s stakeholders toward achieving the desired aspects. The definition of a vision statement therefore identifies an ability to inspire stakeholders towards achieving the identified levels as well motivating involved parties towards the organization’s desire. Establishing what an organization intends to achieve also identifies realism in a statement that qualifies it as a vision statement. The statement must similarly describe the target standards, in a clear manner, which is consistent with the organization’s objective of meeting its customers’ needs (Shoemaker and Shaw, p. 579). A mission statement therefore establishes an enterprise’s scope of operations in an ideal environment

Exceptionalism In Us Foreign Policy History Essay

Exceptionalism In Us Foreign Policy History Essay Why did the notion of American exceptionalism erupt during the American colonial era and how has it influenced U.S. foreign policy from the time of the American Revolution until the Vietnam War? Introduction One of the core components of the American identity that has greatly influenced the creation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy is the historical notion of American exceptionalism. American exceptionalism is a term used to describe the idea that the United States is a superior and unique nation with a distinct and special destiny in the world. Although the expression exceptional was first used to describe Americans and their country during the early 19th century by Alexis de Tocqueville in his work Democracy in America after his travels to America, the origins of the belief can be traced back to the earliest times of the colonial era with both secular and religious roots. Talk about foreign policy here Like other nations, the foreign policy of the United States is influenced by a number of important factors American exceptionalism has been used as propaganda for Americans to reason with and justify the acts of their country Get a fancy definition of exceptionalism! What exactly is exceptionalism? U.S. foreign policy throughout Americas history have been influenced by two main strains of thought in regards to American exceptionalism missionary and exemplar Throughout American history, the two forms of exceptionalism have clashed numerous times and each have had a their own tremendous influence on foreign policy. Frontiersmen ship and spreading of democratic, Christian ideals Preserving their unique way living with out being corrupted by the outside world could of be done since America was so isolated from Europe America was blessed by being geographically isolated from the troubles of Europe Also given the duty of spreading American ideals, responsible to install and ensure the freedom and liberty of others The Emergence of American Exceptionalism Part of the notion of American superiority can be traced back to the colonial era with one of the first groups of settlers; the Puritans. While aboard the Arbella during its passage to New England in 1630, a Puritan leader named John Winthrop delivered a lay sermon where the earliest expression of American exceptionalism can be found. In this sermon, Winthrop declared to his fellow settlers we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill, the eyes of all people are upon us. Unlike the Pilgrims who were Separatists, Puritans in England wanted to stay within the established order and to change it from the inside rather than to completely break away. (Galvin Finley). They saw the New World as an opportunity given to them by God where it was possible to establish a perfect, pure church and community, which would serve as models for those back in England and around the world. Metaphorically placed in Winthrops sermon is the idea that the colonists in America were especially blesse d by God to create an ideal, utopian society for the purpose of bettering humankind. The American Revolution and the creation of a new Republic in America asserted the notion that the United States was an exceptional nation with a unique destiny in the world. In the literature of the revolutionary era, one can find many descriptions of how special, unique and destined people thought America and its people were. The vast, numerous differences between the American colonies and the typical European society in England contributed greatly to the idea of American exceptionalism. Indeed, there were many important differences between the old European society and the flourishing one in the colonies that led the colonists to think of themselves and their country as superior. Unlike in England, there was an absence of feudalism, a class system or hierarchy, a centralized government, and there were very few immense differences in wealth between the settlers. Each individual worked for himself and owed loyalty to no one but to the land that nourished him. (What is an American?) A merica was land of opportunity and hope where the common person could flourish where they could not back in England. In one of the most famous pamphlets of the time Common Sense, Thomas Paine expresses the idea how the exceptional nation of America had outgrown its mother country due to their immense separateness and needed to seek its freedom. He asserted the notion that America had a special place in the world and claimed the cause of America is, in great measure, the cause of all mankind. He believed that America would be the place where people could start over and a new, progressive society could be built based on American ideals. The framers of the American Constitution took this idea and ran with it. Although they were pessimistic about its results, the farmers were hoping that the framework that they had placed in the constitution would one day lead to a perfect republic. They hoped that the unique geographical isolation of America from Europe would help protect it from the i lls and corruption of the Old World. Thus, with the establishment of the Constitution, republicanism and providential ideology came together to cement the notion of exceptionalism into the national identity of Americans. U.S. foreign policy that followed the revolution was exemplar and isolationist in nature. The United States, isolated from the evils of the European world, would serve as a model of liberty, freedom, and democracy for the rest of the world. The nation would be a city upon a hill, acting as a beacon of light for the rest of mankind. Early national leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson advised Americans to protect their countrys superiority over the worlds ills, saying that the U.S. needed to avoid permanent and entangling alliances. This early strand of isolationist exceptionalism however, would be challenged as the power of America grew and became more dominate in the world. Even while urging the continued separateness of the U.S., President Jefferson supervised the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 which doubled the size of the country. He defended his act by calling upon the notion that the U.S. needed to expand to preserve liberty. Coupled with the frontier spirit à ¢Ã¢ ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE FRONTIER DANIEL BOONE This idea was contributed to further by the creation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. In this doctrine, President James Monroe declared that any European intervention in any of the states in the Western Hemisphere would be seen as an act of aggression and would invoke the involvement of the United States. With this declaration, President Monroe gave additional emphasis to the difference of intentions between the U.S. and the countries of Europe in regards to their foreign policy. It underlined the United States as the regional dominate power even though the American military at the time was weak compared to those in Europe. An inherent factor contained within the Monroe Doctrine was the belief of exceptionalism. The United States declared that it had nothing but good intentions in terms of intervening in the affairs of other states located in the Americas. The foreign policy of the U.S. was innately different from the oppressive, imperialistic ones of European countries. As once state d by John Adams, the Secretary of State at the time, the United States does not go abroad in search of monsters to vanquish. Being declared exceptional, the United States could do no wrong and therefore was incapable of being imperialistic by interfering in the affairs of other nations. It was defended that U.S. intervention, should there even be any, would be beneficial for the state in question and would not be in the self-interest of the U.S. The exceptional idea of the necessity of American expansion for the insurance of liberty was further asserted by President James Polk. In 1845 he reasserted the Monroe doctrine and declared that the U.S. was solely responsible for the liberty and security of all the nations within the Western Hemisphere. As maintained by Polk, the United States was not in search of conquest but rather in search of the establishment of independence within the nations of the Americas. Again, it was declared that the U.S. interference in their neighbors affairs was in the interests of the neighbors and was completely beneficial. U.S. intervention was exceptional in nature meaning that the motivation behind their interference was not self-interest unlike those of the imperial European nations. Polk used these notions to defend the Mexican-American War in 1846 with which he desired to expand the states all the way to the Pacific coast. Polk presented his argument for the acquirement of new land by placing emphasis on the exceptional nature of American foreign policy and through the notion of Manifest Destiny. The idea of Manifest Destiny was first used by democratic journalist, John OSullivan in 1839 in an article where he declared that the United States had a divine destiny to establish on earth the moral dignity and salvation of man based on American ideals. This destiny was not necessarily territorial in nature but rather it expressed the responsibility of America to spread their values through the establishment of republics. OSullivan officially coined the phrase six years later in an article arguing for the annexation of Texas, but the phrase received little national attention. During the same year however, the expression gained a tremendous amount of recognition throughout the nation in an article he wrote for the New York Morning News. In this document, the conflict between England and the United States over the territory of Oregon was focused on and OSullivan argued that the United States was the one that had the right to annex the land. He believed that, through manifest destiny, Providence had given the U.S. the task to spread their unique republican democracy throughout North America. As noted by historian William Weeks, advocates of Manifest Destiny touched upon three main themes: the exceptional virtue of the American people (which was simply the notion of American exceptionalism), the mission to spread these virtues to remake the world in the image of the United States, and the God-Given destiny to complete His work. This idea is closely tied with the missionary strand of the American exceptionalism belief. The notion of Manifest Destiny was used to justify Americas expansion and the annexation of territory in North America for much of the 19th century. A clear form of missionary exceptionalism, Manifest Destiny embodied the notion that the U.S. had a special role to play in the world. Though it was never an official political policy, the idea of manifest destiny affected the creation and conduction of U.S. foreign policy greatly. The expansion of the American territory was justified by Americans through the idea that the United States was an exceptional nation , chosen by Providence to extend their values of liberty and freedom across North America. Americans at the time also argued their right to expand because they believed that they could utilize the land and resources for the amelioration of mankind better than the previous inhabitants could. The core element of Manifest destiny the idea that Americans had a mission given by God to spread their values and institutions across the world became a central aspect in the belief of missionary exceptionalism. The Mexican-American War asserted this notion and by the mid 19th century, this missionary strand had become the dominate form of American exceptionalism. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American war, another elemental factor was added to the notion of manifest destiny which became a central aspect in the belief of missionary exceptionalism. The idea that Americans had a religious duty to uphold emerged. This religious duty validated the need for the U.S. to intervene in other states affairs since Americans were responsible for bringing to the people their natural rights. Once the frontier was officially declared closed at the end of the 19th century, the United States set their missionary sights on states overseas. The Spanish American War in 1898 at first gained massive popularity among Americans since it was theoretically being fought to ensure the basic freedoms of the people in the Spanish colonies. But as calls for the annexation of former Spanish territories grew soon after American victories, a national debate was sparked over the issue of American imperialism. With the Treaty of Paris in 1898 which officially ended the Spanish-American War, Cuba was granted independence while the once Spanish territories of Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico, were given to the United States. The bloody conflict that ensued afterwards in the Philippines left many Americans known as Anti-imperialists to question the motives of the United States. Was the U.S. acting out of its exceptional principles or was the country following in the imperialistic footsteps of the Old World? With the issue of American oversea expansion, the two main strands of exceptionalism came into direct conflict. Both sides of the debate used aspects of what they believed to be the notion of American exceptionalism to defend their arguments. The majority of the proponents for the annexation of new overseas territory generally employed the potential strategic and commercial benefits for their rationale. Nevertheless, many defended American expansion with the exceptional notion that the U.S. had a divine duty to spread democracy and liberty across the globe. Theirs was a destiny to have freed the Spanish colonies from the imperial Old World. The United States, being an exceptional nation, was not being imperialistic in nature by occupying these states, but rather a beneficial actor in the territories search for liberty and freedom. Expansionists argued that the United States would act as a nurturing mother to help develop the once-oppressed lands to fully functional, democratic nation s. Once the territories were ready, they argued, they could chose either to join the union or declare independence. Evidently, these proponents were strong supporters of the missionary strand of the American exceptionalism belief and the notion of manifest destiny. Opponents against imperialistic actions of the U.S. on the other hand drew their arguments from the exemplar strand of American exceptionalism. Anti-imperialists believed that the United States was destined to play a different role in the world than the expansionists believed. Their strand of exceptionalism emphasized that the U.S. shouldnt dirty its hands in the imperialistic dealings of the old world. The colonies which they had freed should be able to establish their own government, keeping true to the American ideology of the consent of the governed. They claimed that America was special in the fact that it did not interfere in other nations affairs like the countries of the Old World and they feared that the United States was not acting accordingly to the principles laid down by the Founding Fathers. Both anti-imperialists and expansionists believed America to be exceptional in nature with a special role to play in the world but each had their own expectations for what exact rol e the country would play. The anti-imperialists failed to gain a strong following among Americans under the McKinley administration and after the Philippine uprising was crushed, the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines were annexed. Despite this failure however, the anti-imperialists provided a valuable check on the imperialistic fever that had befallen the country and helped return American sentiments to the original opposition of colonialism. One famous anti-imperialist who actively spoke out against the annexation of the Philippines was three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. Bryan, who had volunteered for the Spanish American War, argued that United States should not try to copy the imperialistic practices of Great Britain and other European countries. With his presidential candidacy defeat in 1900 however, the anti-imperialist movement gradually died down and the desire for American oversea expansion would soon follow. Proof that this desire had receded came along with the election of President Theodore Roosevelt. Although he was a huge advocate of American expansion, Roosevelt reaffirmed the belief that America did not have imperialistic intentions in other nations. Following the Venezuela Crisis of 1902-1903, Roosevelt added the Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine which asserted the right of the United States to intervene in the affairs of Latin America in cases of flagrant and chronic wrongdoing by a Latin American Nation. He claimed that the U.S. did not have imperialistic desires in the land and would only intervene in Latin America for their own welfare, even if their problems were internal. Roosevelt rejected the idea of complete American isolationism and instead opted for a balance of power between separation and actively spreading American ideals. With this, he effectively reconciled the two strands of the American exceptionalism belief. When extreme circumstances demanded it, the U .S. had a responsibility through manifest destiny to intervene in other nations affairs to preserve American ideals abroad when threatened. Other than in those cases, the U.S. should spend its time focusing their attention on improving their own society to become a model for the rest of the world. President Woodrow Wilson on the other hand strongly supported the missionary belief of American exceptionalism. Keeping to tradition, he firmly believed that the United States was an exceptional nation given a special destiny to spread its values and principles across the globe. He argued that the U.S. acted to serve the rest of the world and was not self-interested in its relations abroad. In the case of military affairs, Wilson was morally driven in his decisions. He believed that U.S. military intervention, unlike those of other nations, would be used for the amelioration rather than the oppression of mankind. Although Wilson claimed that the United States would never again search to expand their territory, his ideologies were deeply embedded in the missionary strand of exceptionalism. He frequently used military force abroad to introduce and enforce democratic values in many different countries such as the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua and Russia. With the outbreak of World War I, Wilson justified his decision of entering the conflict by declaring that the world needed to be made safe for democracy and declared that the U.S. was entering the war with the best benign intentions. The United States was going into war to protect the very ideals that they defended during the Revolution and the Spanish-American War. Doubt about the involvement was quieted by the notion of American exceptionalism being put in terms with the intervention. Thus, American exceptionalism was used to justify the U.S. intervention in World War I. The period between the two world wars was dominantly marked by isolationist and anti-entanglement policy. The Congress rejected Woodrow Wilsons petition to join the League of Nations due to the nations popular isolationist belief that the United States should not be under the obligation of any other country. Keeping to tradition, Americans believed that they should take advantage of the fact that they had been blessed with geographic peace and security, isolated from the ills of the Old World. Being 5,000 miles away from Europe with two unthreatening, friendly neighbors above and below gave reason to the lack of fear of foreign attack. The United States had no real motivation to entangle itself in other nations affairs abroad. Proponents of isolationism and many others did not believe that the United States should remain completely separated from the worlds affairs but rather detached from its trivial conflicts. America should focus on the becoming an ideal, exemplar nation that would serve as a model for the rest of mankind. Isolationists argued their opinions using rhetoric consistent with the exemplar strand of American exceptionalism. With the outbreak of World War II, the two strands of exceptionalism came into direct conflict once more. President Franklin D. Roosevelt kept to the popular American census when war was declared on Germany and asserted U.S. neutrality. After World War I Isolationism prevented the US from entering the war in 1939 Pearl Harbor silenced these voices FDR used exceptionalism to justify entering the war the US needed to protect freedom After World War II The outcome of the war affirmed the belief that the US had a special role to play in the world US become the strongest nation in the world Activist internationalism President Truman US was the best nation under the sun the US had a responsibility to defend liberty and freedom all across the world Cold war good vs evil Vietnam the end of American exceptionalism? Common Sense was written in a time of doubt concerning freedom from England and Thomas Paine used the idea that America was an exceptional entity to persuade people that independence was necessary. In many other works of the time and in public discussion, England was described as being a tyrannical monster whose sole purpose was to steal the new-found liberty away from the innocent colonists. In reality however, England was acting rational in their standards and were defending their right to tax the colonists. Many people used the idea of American exceptionalism as propaganda. Conclusion Although the notion is about 400 years old, one can still see today the influence of American exceptionalism on the American identity and on how U.S. foreign policy is created and conducted. Used as a way for Americans to justify their countrys acts Foreign policy turned aggressive as the notion of Manifest destiny spread

History of Frogs :: essays papers

History of Frogs A Frog is a small, tail less animal that has bulging eyes. Almost all frogs have long back legs. The strong hind legs make the frog able to leap farther than the length of its body. Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica, but tropical regions have the greatest number of species. Frogs are classified as amphibians. Most amphibians, including most frogs, spend part of their life as a water animal and part as a land animal. Frogs are related to toads, but are different from them in a few ways. The giant frog of west-central Africa ranks as the largest frog. It measures nearly a foot (30 centimeters) long. The smallest species grow only 1/2 inch (1.3 centimeters) long. Frogs also differ in color. Most kinds are green or brown, but some have colorful markings. Although different species may vary in size or color, almost all frogs have the same basic body structure. They have large hind legs, short front legs, and a flat head and body with no neck. Adult frogs have no tail, though one North American species has a short, tail like structure. Most frogs have a sticky tongue attached to the front part of the mouth. They can rapidly flip out the tongue to capture prey. Frogs have such internal organs as a heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys. Some of the internal organs differ from those of higher animals. A frog's heart has three chambers instead of four. And although adult frogs breathe by means of lungs, they also breathe through their skin. The eggs of different species vary in size, color, and shape. A jelly like substance covers frog eggs, providing a protective coating. This jelly also differs from species to species. Some species of frogs lay several thousand eggs at a time. But only a few of these eggs develop into adult frogs. Ducks, fish, insects, and other water creatures eat many of the eggs. Even if the eggs hatch, the tadpoles also face the danger of being eaten by larger water animals. The pond or stream in which the eggs were laid sometimes dries up. As a result, the tadpoles die. Certain tropical frogs lay their eggs in rain water that collects among the leaves of plants or in holes in trees. Other tropical species attach their eggs to the underside of leaves that grow over water.

Apprenticeship System

EDUCATIONAL THEORY AND PRACTICE A (ETP 410S) Discuss the impact that technological development in general had on the apprenticeship system from its original form till today. In your deliberations also refer to the apprenticeship system in Namibia. Also explain the advantages and disadvantages of the Apprenticeship system. In the introduction define the term â€Å"apprenticeship system†. In your argumentation answer the question above and also deliberate the question whether the replacement of the apprenticeship system with a trainee system can solve the vocational education and training problems of Namibia.Conclude your question with a summary of the content. THE APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM 1. Introduction This assignment serves to discuss about the Apprenticeship system, its origin. I will as well deliberate a bit on the events in history which had an impact on the apprenticeship system and compare the ancient apprenticeship system to the modern type of skills transferring. A few d isadvantages and advantages will as be looked at, without derailing from the main focus of the assignment, the deliberations will mainly focus on Namibia in general.Certain aspects of my argumentations will as well look at the changes to the apprenticeship system and how Industrial revolution or technological development had an effect on the apprenticeship system. Lastly the focus will then be directed at the hot question of whether the replacement of the apprenticeship system with the traineeship system will solve the vocational education and training in Namibia. A conclusion will then be made to sum up the whole topic. According to A.Du Preez (2012: 13) â€Å"The word apprentice is from the Latin word apprentia which means learner†. The word system is a process or structure. The Apprenticeship system can be defined as a system training of training a new generation of apprentices of a structured set of skills and apprenticeships which may save as a gate way for one to enter many different careers. Apprenticeship ranged from craft occupations or trades to those seeking a professional license to practice in a regulated profession.Most of the apprentice’s training was done while working for the employer who in return helps the apprentice to master their trade and profession, in exchange for their continuing labour for a period agreed on in the indenture after they have achieved the required competency (Apprenticeship and traineeship n. d. ). Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job training (OJT) and related classroom instruction under the supervision of a journey-level craft person or trade professional in which the workers learn the practical and theoretical aspects of a highly skilled occupation. The history of Apprenticeship n. d. ). 2. Objectives The objectives of this assignment are to: 1. Discuss the historical impact on the apprenticeship system. 2. Discuss the impact that technological development in general had on the Apprenticeship system as from its origin till today. 3. Discuss notable changes to the early apprenticeship system compared to the modern type of apprenticeship. 4. Deliberate on the apprenticeship system in Namibia. 5. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the apprenticeship system. 6.Lastly, discuss and or deliberate on the question of whether the replacement of the apprenticeship system with a trainee system can solve the vocational education and training problems of Namibia. 7. Conclusion. 3. DELIBERATIONS/ARGUMENTATIONS Impact of historical events on the apprenticeship system Before we look at the impact that technological development had on the apprenticeship system, there is a need to step a bit back into time and look at the origin and historical impact on the apprenticeship system, being the only recognised and structured form of transferring skills from an expect to a learner.Human lives revolve around skills and knowledge in order to achieve goals, sculpturing, ploughing and creat ing of tools, are all some of the skills that have been passed from generation to the other through apprenticeship. Although not documented, apprenticeship has been part of human revolution, where parents or masters would subject young men and women to some form of skills learning in order to be able to perform certain tasks.Many years ago, the manufacturing of shoes, household utensils, boats, crafts, hunting tools, furniture, clothes, house decorations and bread baking were all produced in families and clans by specialised in doing so. As the need for such homemade items grew for commercial purposes, clan and family members with such skills formed organisations herewith known as guilds with responsibilities of protecting and guarding the exploitation of such skills and to avoid impostors from cheating the consumers and discrediting the master craftsmen.With time the guilds grew more and more powerful, they became the only authority to certify craftsman to practice the trades. With in the protection and guarding of the apprenticeship, the guilds started to set up rules and conditions of the apprenticeship, such as, suitable working conditions for the apprentice, set of wages for an apprentice who has just completed the apprenticeship and the standard of work (A. Du Preez 2012: 13). Unlike in the beginning of time, contracts were now drafted for both the master craftsman and the apprentice to sign before entering into an apprenticeship.Further readings would state that the contractual agreements signed by the two parties had with them rules and conditions for both parties to undertake. Such rules were: Rules and condition for the master craftsman: * Lodge the apprentice * Clothe the apprentice * Feed the apprentice * Teach the apprentice the art and mysteries of the trade. * Responsible for the apprentice’s morals, religion and civic education. * Teach the apprentice how to read and write. * Monitor the apprentice’s progress on a daily basis. Rule s and conditions for the apprentice: * Live and stay with the master craftsman. Work for the master craftsman for a period of time. * Obey and respect the wishes of the craftsman * Will not partake in any other apprenticeship, gambling or visit brothels. * Will only serve one master craftsman. * Would create a final masterpiece for his/her master upon completion of his/her apprenticeship as a proof of level of skills acquired (Apprenticeship n. d. ). Impact of technological development on the apprenticeship system For many centuries apprenticeship was the only kind of education a working class youth could get† while staying and working for his/her master.The apprenticeship system, which has lasted for hundreds of years since middle age has through time, gradually disappeared in its original form of apprentice and master, with the rise of industrial development. (A. Du Preez, 2012). Apprentices usually at tender ages of ten to fifteen years and would live and be fed in the mast er craftsman’s home (Apprenticeship n. d. ). Age was never a matter of concern in the ancient times, parents would allow their children to be taken away by master craftsman or would give them away due to poverty or could just not simply afford to send them to school.No education was ever provided for, for these children hence at such a young age they should have been to or attending schools. With contract signed between the craftsman and the apprentice, the young apprentice was only bound to obey their masters and only live by their masters’ wishes. In keeping up with the new era, certain laws had to be put in place to govern and transform the apprenticeship system. One such law is the Constitution of the republic of Namibia in which certain Articles based on human rights and freedoms are enshrined.We take a look at three Articles, Article 9 Slavery and forced labour, Article 15 Children’s rights and 20 Education. Article 9 Slavery and forced labour states that, no person shall be subjected to any form of slavery or forced labour. Article 15 Children’s rights, clearly states that no child under the age 16 shall be allowed to work or enter into any form of contractual agreement with an adult and most importantly it states that all children shall be cared for by both parents. Article 20 Education, it states that primary education in Namibia shall be free and compulsory.This is to stop parents from giving away or sending their children to go and work somewhere at tender age due to poverty or unable to pay education fees. (The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia). This law made it impossible for master craftsmen to practice the ancient apprenticeship system in the developing world as it protects the exploitation of humans and children in particular. Impact of industrial revolution on the apprenticeship system In the early 20s industries and technology expanded and there was a drastic demand for more skilled persons in different fiel ds.Such demands caused the master craftsman to change the apprenticeship approach, from where the learner was attached to the master for a longer period, to a more competent and demand meeting approach and which was as well changed to a more specific skills approach, a lesser or shorter period being implemented. The training of one learner at a time to acquire a wide range of skills over a long period has become a thing of the past. Masters were forced by the industrial revolution to use the on-the –job type of skills transferring and class rooms where not only one person is subjected to learning but a group of apprentices are taught at once.Vocational Training Centres were established where skills could be transferred to apprentices by different master craftsmen herewith referred to as instructors. The most notable example to this is the Namibian Police training standard. Police recruits immediately after the colonial era were recruited and trained policing in general withou t specialisation. Some were recruited on grounds of being ex-combatants or being ex police officers in the South West African Police (SWAPOL).Some of these members were sent out to countries with better police training institutions for longer periods of time to acquire the much needed policing skills and knowledge e. g. nine months police training in Zambia. The whole idea was seemingly to return experience police officers on which the police grounds could be established. According to A. Du Preez (2012: 17) â€Å"the apprenticeship system was seen as a highly beneficial method of proving skilled workforce in those trades that demanded skills and of retaining the knowledge and experience of older workers†.This was praised as a good idea, however the training period became a concern as Namibian people needed a lot of skilled and educated policemen and women. The advanced ways of how crimes were committed and the introduction of computers, the police was forced to take a new dir ection to curb the crimes and meet its goal of maintaining of law and order. Decent numbers of men and women were recruited and subjected to a more military-like training by experienced skilled police officials.Trainings continued with the military-like trainings where more military tactics were being taught, mostly the use of fire-arms and drill formations. The public demanded for more skilled and educated police officials to walk the streets. A new map was the drawn on the training to meet the changing needs. The trainings centres were then revamped to an education friendly environment. A different learning approach was adopted from that of more skills training to a 50/50 practically and theoretically oriented training.Instead of training being done in fields, classes became the song of training where educated and better qualified police official undertook to train new police recruits with more theory than practice. As time went by, training was then divided into three phases: mai nly Basic recruit training for six months, six months probation on the job practices and then a choice of specialisation in any field of choice, be it investigation or traffic policing. With the adoption of technology, a lot of things changed.The way how skills are currently being transferred compared to the early apprenticeship, the use of computers to give classes, the use of visual and audio materials where the master is never personally in contact with the apprentices, unlike the early form, where the master was on a daily basis present with the apprentice, monitored and guided him/her throughout the entire learning process. Take for example the telecommunication system, in the 19th century, for one to make a call; you have to be connected to an operator who then has to connect you to an operator who then has to connect you to the numbers or number of choice.These persons working at switch-board were only skilled persons trained by a craftsman which has all changed to the use of computers. The whole process where the operator connects the caller to the next intended receiver changed in the 20th century with the use of computers. The fate of all operators is unknown as their services were no more needed. According to A. Du Preez (2012:24) â€Å"Focused training was needed to satisfy the demands of a fast growing industrial environment†. The differences between the ancient and modern apprenticeship system ANCIENT APPRENTICESHIP| MODERN APPRENTICESHIP| . Anyone could sign an indenture with the master craftsman. (A. Du Preez 2012)| 1. Only persons meeting the required entry standards are registered. | 2. Age was never part of the requirements for anyone to undergo apprenticeship by a master craftsman. | 2. Only persons above the age of 16can be admitted as apprentices. | 3. The apprenticeship ran for many years. | 3. It runs on a more manageable period of time. | 4. The skills taught were not specific and were only based mostly on crafts. | 4. Each appr enticeship has its own craftsman with his/her students/learners| 5.There was a very low output of skilled apprentices. | 5. Since the apprenticeship is done in classrooms, they are a lot of graduates annually. | 6. The apprentice stayed and lived with the master craftsman during the entire apprenticeship process. | 6. The apprentices do not stay with masters, they their own homes. | 7. The apprentice could not engage in any other activity or change the field of study. | 7. The apprentice is likely to engage in other apprentices, depending on personal wishes. | 8. It was only a one- on-one type of skills transferring. 8. The presentations are done by one master to a group of people at once. | 9. After the completion of the apprenticeship, the apprentice was required to make and present a masterpiece to the master craftsman, which would the be presented to the guild, and only after the guild’s approval would the apprentice be certified as a journey’s man and later a craf tsman (A. Du Preez 2012: 15)| 9. The final year concentrates more on practices in workshop and on the job trainings after which theoretical and practical examinations are done.Success in the examination would amount to a Certificate, diploma or degree and higher. | 10. Done at the residence of the master. | 10. Done in classrooms, in industries and in workshops. | This clearly indicates just how much has the apprenticeship system being modernised and transformed to meet the social, economic, industrial and political pressure. The apprenticeship system in Namibia The apprenticeship system in Namibia has in years focused mostly on the psychomotor domain learning approach, other that the cognitive domain as a learning style.The psychomotor domain is the system being used in the vocational training centres as Namibia is driving towards the direction of competency, efficiency and effectiveness in skills acquiring. For a learner to be able to go and work, one has to firstly complete all v ocational requirements and lastly graduate (A. Du Preez 2012:19). We take a look at the police force once again, all police cadet or police recruits would firstly undergo a six months training programme with both theoretical and practical examinations and test being done.Those who do not excel in shooting practices would be recommended never to carry an official service firearm and as for those who do not make it academically, their fate is in the streets or recommendations for retraining and would remain cadet constable (students) until such time they qualify. Namibia’s development plan of vision 2030 is the driving force behind the current state of the apprenticeship system with the aim of meeting the target of a better and developed nation.Some Namibian may have used the ancient and colonial form of apprenticeship where a learner was attached to the master for a period of time while acquiring skills, but have changed to a vocational and on the job kind of apprenticeship. T he much thought after example to this is the Namibian Police Force, franchise shops and institutions known as vocational training centres. Let us look at the vocational training centres, skills are not passed from professionals or qualified persons in the form of practices only but theory is as well included and that goes for the police trainings.The use of firearms was taught only at shooting ranges but as of recent years, students have to undergo a theoretical approach to the use of firearms and their understanding is tested through written test and examinations after which they are then exposed to the practical shooting exercises at shooting ranges while under the supervision of instructors. The current situation in Namibia is different to that of the ancient times as apprentices are free, they receive a salary and in most times have homes of their own while undergoing training. According to A.Du Preez (2012: 21) â€Å"Namibian’s training system of training takes place in classrooms as well as in workshops and trainees receive tools to work with. Apart from doing practical wok in workshops trainees also receive individual set of writing exercises which they have to carry out and can only go on the job-attachments once they have mastered the skills†. The above practices shows just how much Namibia is striving to achieve its vision for developed Namibia by 2030 by allowing masters to conduct an on the job trainings and the introduction of vocational training centres where skills are acquired to perform or master certain tasks. Nowadays, apprentices are members of a production force as they train on the job and in the classrooms. They are paid wages, work a regular work week, and live in their own homes rather than that of a master. The apprenticeship agreement set out the work processes in which they are to be trained and the hours and wages for each training period. At the end of their apprenticeship, they receive certificates that are similar to diplomas awarded to the engineering graduates of universities (History of apprenticeship n. d. ).The above quote/ paragraph is in line with what the police is currently doing, where recruited persons undergo basic police training and are paid a probation salary until the completion of another â€Å"6† six month on the job probation. Advantages and Disadvantages of the apprenticeship system Every institution or department, entity or environment has its own ups and downs which in most cases we would refer to as the advantages and disadvantages; we will now take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of the apprenticeship system. The lack of job or employment opportunities in Namibia currently, has forced a lot of young women and men to seek for employment forth education in a sense of firstly securing a job and then study and without knowing, they enter into apprenticeship systems rather than the educational process. The choice of firstly seeking or getting emplo yed and then study has its own greener grounds and its down falls, this is evident in the Namibian police, when young men and women would prefer to be recruited, get trained and then pursue a career in either policing or other police related fields. Looking at some of the advantages and disadvantages, it will then be a sole choice of an apprentice to decide the direction of learning. Advantages of the apprenticeship system * Acquire skills and knowledge about your career before registering for educational qualification. * You get paid or an apprentice gets paid a salary while learning and under-supervision. * Working or work experience gives an apprentice the courage to take on any task. * Apprenticeship helps an apprentice to gain more knowledge, experience and skills which may be of advantage in or when enrolling for at a tertiary institution. With apprenticeship, less books or studying is at own will as all skills and knowledge are obtained through practice and guidance by or fro m experience supervisors. * The â€Å"master† or leader gets to monitor, guide and correct his/her apprentice through practice as the saying goes â€Å"Practice makes Perfect†. * Police officers get recruited and as soon as they are appointed as cadet constables, they start to receive a cadet constable‘s salary or while awaiting to undergo a six month basic training, they are paid a student’s salary (career information & E-Recruitment n. . ). * . Disadvantages of the apprenticeship system * Unlike a university graduate recruit an unqualified recruit gains a lesser salary compared to that of a university graduate recruit. * Sometimes having to work before obtaining a university qualification may cause an apprentice to be lazy to study and obtain such need qualification. * With the revolution of technology, the chances of an apprentice without any tertiary qualification of being retrenched to make way for qualified and certified persons are very high. It may take long for an apprentice to get promoted at work than a university graduate. * An apprentice may in some cases not be able to learn all about the choice of career through practice but tertiary education may be likely cover all aspects. * Persons with tertiary qualifications are likely start at command or senior position to that of an apprentice. * When opting to study, distance learning may be a bit difficult than having to do full time (career information & E-Recruitment n. d. ).The apprenticeship system may in other words being referred to as a backlog for young persons, as it is a very long route to obtain tertiary qualification. Replacement of the Apprenticeship system with the Trainee-Based system What are apprenticeships and traineeship; Apprenticeships and traineeships combine paid work and structured training. They allow you to learn a trade or workplace skill and receive a nationally accredited qualification. apprenticeships and traineeships can both be undertaken eithe r full-time or part-time (The traineeship). What's the difference between an apprentice and a trainee?There is a very thin line of difference between the two; however there are two main differences between an apprentice and a trainee. An apprentice is trained in a skilled trade and upon successful completion will become a qualified tradesperson. Trades such as electrical, plumbing, cabinet-making and automotive mechanics are just a few that are a part of the apprenticeship scheme. A trainee is someone who is being trained in a vocational area. These vocational areas include, but are not limited to, office administration, information technology and hospitality.Upon completion of a traineeship you will be  eligible to receive  a minimum of a certificate II in your chosen vocational area (ApprenticeshipInfo n. d. ). Many people have been fooled into believing that apprenticeships are only about plumbing, mechanics, tailoring or building. There are a lot of apprenticeships out there ; it all depends to the choice of an apprentice on what he/she is comfortable with. When the traineeship system was introduced in 1985, it shared many features with the apprenticeship system on which it was based.Over the years, institutional scopes have reduced some of the differences although traineeship system trainees have not benefited from the strong behavioural norms that have governed the apprenticeship training (Grey et al 1999). Why choose an apprenticeship or traineeship? An apprenticeship or traineeship can enable you to: * Gain valuable work experience * Get paid while you learn * Learn the latest knowledge and skills * Get a qualification that's recognized across Namibia. Apprentices and trainees complete a qualification while learning skills at work and under the guidance of a training organisation (ApprenticeshipInfo n. . ). When the traineeship system was firstly introduced in the mid eighties, it was introduced with a variety range of characteristics of the apprent iceship system, with the expansion of technology; most of the characteristics which the traineeship system shared with the apprenticeship system were and have been reduced. Therefore, the features that underpin the completion of the traineeship are essentially the same as for an apprenticeship, but their effects are weaker. Traineeship have not benefited from the strong behavioural norms that have governed the apprenticeship training (Grey et al. 999). Many occupations and industries in which traineeships are used have a tradition of a weak attachment between the employer and the employee. The unstructured nature of labour markets means that the gain to a trainee completing is small, and the lower cost to the employers means that they are less concerned recovering this cost from the trainees. However the whole traineeship completion rate changed in the midi-nineties where the system became more popular and more significant, the low completion rate became more visible (NCVER 2005).Ap prenticeships and traineeships are available in a diverse range of industries and across a vast variety of occupation groups. Traineeships and apprenticeships also allow for the training to be done on a full time or part time basis and can vary in their duration. In addition although most trainees and apprentices are engaged in a single contract with one specific employer or the vocation they are training in and so may effectively enter into more than one training contract prior to completing an apprenticeship or traineeship (NCVER 2001).The successful completion of a traineeship or an apprenticeship requires the achievement of three specific tasks as listed below: * Completion of formal off job requirements of the traineeship or apprenticeship, including completion of the qualification specified in the training contract. * Completion of the indenture period of the contract of training, in addition to satisfying the employer endorsed on the job requirements. Once the above requireme nts have been met, notification of the successful completion of the training contract by the trainee or apprentice, along with provision of required evidence substantiating the successful completion of the traineeship or apprenticeship must be provided to the relevant training authority. High rates of non completion amongst apprentices has been recognised as being costly for employers who invest significant time and resources into offering such training opportunities but may receive little or no return for their efforts (WADOT 1998).An apprenticeship or traineeship is a formal contract between an employer and an apprentice or trainee to undertake vocational education and training under the supervision of the employer or trainer. Traineeships and apprenticeships are offered to a variety of workers including those falling into one of the following groups: i) New entrants to the labour market ii) Re-entrants into the labour market iii) Existing workers who are looking to upgrade their skills with a specific employer.Looking at the above findings, it all comes to one ending, industries are resorting more and more to the traineeship system as it is cheaper and affordable, there are contractual bindings with the trainee and they do not lose a lot in the whole training process. Although the traineeship system appears to be an advantage for the industries, it has however been regarded as a way for companies to score cheap labour without decent consideration of the workers’ needs. The bonus for the trainees is that they do not get to be counted as unemployed, even though they are living on near poverty wages (Google Groups Traineeship are a scam).Apprenticeships and traineeships are available in a diverse range of industries and across a vast variety of occupational groups. Traineeships and apprenticeships also allow for training to be done on a full time or part time basis and can vary in their duration. In addition although most trainees and apprentices are en gaged in a single training contract with a specific employer, some may change employer or the vocation they are training in and so may effectively enter into more than one training contract prior to completing an apprenticeship or traineeship (NCVER 2001). Facts about apprenticeships and traineeships: apprenticeships and traineeships combine work with structured training * traineeships vary in length from 12 months to three years * apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete but many apprenticeships can now be completed more quickly than the traditional four years * apprenticeships and traineeships can be full-time, part-time, or school-based – where some of the training is undertaken while the apprentice or trainee is in high school * existing employees may undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship * apprenticeships and traineeships require employers to enter into a training contract with the apprentice or trainee * Employers work with a training organization and the apprentice or trainee to draw up the training plan (ApprenticeshipInfo n. d. ). Training can be delivered using one or more of the following options: * In an appropriate environment, such as an employer's premises. * Using flexible delivery methods, such as video link, teleconference, correspondence, work books, online self-paced learning, or an internet classroom link, where training is delivered by the training organization * In the workplace, where training is delivered by the employer (ApprenticeshipInfo n. d. Where can an apprenticeship or traineeship take you? On completion of an apprenticeship or traineeship you will have learnt new skills and gained experience and confidence working in a real job. This puts you in a great place to keep working, to go on to further study or even start your own business (ApprenticeshipInfo n. d. ). The afore-stated argument, if looked at the current direction at which the world is aimed and the use of technology and how much industries req uires specialisation in fields and more critical on theoretical knowledge when planning and achieve, the replacement of the apprenticeship system will not solve the vocational education in Namibia.A trainee graduates with a lower or unrecognized qualification whereas an apprentice graduates and qualifies in his/her field. It would therefore be wise and advisable that the two systems run side by side, where the traineeship prepares trainees for the apprenticeship system. The NYS (national youth service) under the Ministry of Youth runs a traineeship programme, where young men and women from all walks of life undergo a training programme and upon completion they get integrated into apprenticeships. A person who does t he apprenticeship is according to the findings, guaranteed a job unlike the one who goes through the traineedhip. Conclusion The deliberations in the assignment looked at main topic of the apprenticeship system.The apprenticeship system was an early form of education or transfer of skills from a craftsman to an apprentice or a learner in a number of years, however hence the early apprenticeship system was a one-on-one training, these whole system started to change from a one-on-one transfer of skills to one-on-many form of education and the duration minimised to a more shorter time frame due to industrial revolution and technology. The apprenticeship system has entirely changed from its original form due to historical events and industrial revolution. In the deliberations, an emphasis was made on the advantages and disadvantages of the apprenticeship system.The other part of the assignment took a focus on the apprenticeship system in Namibia in particular The recruitment of police officers changed from skill training to a 50-50 theory and skills training due to an industrial demand for more educated law enforcement officers. Although Namibia still practices the apprenticeship system, compared to the early apprenticeship system, trainees are not ent irely attached to their masters and, they are paid a salary based o the type of work performed. Current apprentices are being trained on job. The point of concern was the question asked, will the replacement of the apprenticeship system with the traineeship system solve the vocational education and training problem in Namibia.For Namibia to remain competitive to other nations the introduction of the trainee system to replace the apprenticeship system will just diminish the values of the vocational training institutions as they will be forced to enrol unqualified trainees upon the completion of the traineeship. A suggestion is then made that the apprenticeship and the traineeship system runs together as there is a thin line of difference between the two systems. References: * A. Du Preez (2012). Educational Theory and Practice A. Unit 1: 1-26 Published by centre of open and life-long learning, Windhoek, Namibia. * History of apprenticeship (n. d). Retrieved on 14 February 2013 from * http://. Ini. wa. gov/TradesLicensing/Apprenticeship/About/History/default. sp * Advantages and disadvantages of apprenticeship system. (n. d. ) Retrieved on 14 February 2013 from http://www. allaboutcareers. com/careers-advice/apprenticeship/advantages-of-apprenticeship * Traineeship. (n. d. ) Retrieved on 26 February 2013 from http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/education-20961113 * Apprenticeship and traineeship. (n. d. ) Retrieved on 27 February 2013 from http://www. bafensw. edu. au/courses/types/apptrain. htm * Apprenticeship and traineeship. (n. d. ) Retrieved on 27 February 2013 from http;//www. apprenticeshipsInfo. gld. gov. au/apprentices/index. html * Apprenticeship (n. d. ) Retrieved on 27 February 2013 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Apprenticeship

Agile V. Waterfall

Waterfall to Agile References Pavolka, R. , Mount, V. , Neymeyr, A. , & Rhodes, C. From Waterfall to Rapid Prototyping (2005). Supporting Enterprise-wide Adoption of the Oncourse Collaboration and Learning (CL) Environment at Indiana University. SIGUCCS ’05 Proceedings of 33rd Annual ACM SIGUCCS Fall Conference, 312 – 319. Northrop, Robert (2004). The Fall of Waterfall. Intelligent Enterprise 7. 3, 40-41. Adams, John (2013). Change in Software Techniques Helps FHLB Reduce Defects. American Banker, Technology Section, Volume 178 No. 3. I. Agile v. Waterfall Agile Development Methods (Agile) and the Waterfall Method (Waterfall) are two different styles of designing and managing the Soft Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) within an organization. Waterfall being the more traditional approach and Agile newly born just twelve years ago, there is much debate over which approach works best and when. Companies have used Waterfall for decades of successful projects and in most compani es the approach has been ingrained into the very fabric of the company.The organization of teams and human resources in information technology (IT) can be anywhere from loosely to entirely based on the method that the organization is using. More and more organizations are starting to see the advantages of Agile now and are questioning older methods almost entirely because of the fast-paced business world of the twenty-first century. Agile allows an organization to respond to that change more quickly without sacrificing quality work or customer satisfaction.Waterfall, on the other hand, with its precise planning can offer better time management and money savings. In a fast-paced society where the time it takes to bring a product to market could mean the difference between success and failure, Agile is making its way into more and more organizations everyday. And, everyday more and more of these organizations are struggling with the change that is required to adopt Agile methods as we ll as the woes that this fast-paced development style introduce to the organization. II. What is WaterfallWaterfall is the classical system development model. The model of software development hones its ideas from the manufacturing world. It is based on a step-by-step approach to creating products from the conceptual phase to implementation and maintenance. Waterfall focuses its development strategy on the distinct phases of a project: concept, design, implementation, testing, installation, and maintenance. In larger organizations and on larger scale projects these phases of production are often handled by different people and even different teams.Using Waterfall, the concept phase of a project tends to be the single most important phase. This is the step during which the development team gathers and analyses its customer’s needs and documents the problem that the software solution is expected to solve. The documentation and analysis needs to be precise, in depth and even fla wless because once the phase is complete there is no turning back—modifications to a project, no matter what phase its in when the modification or change order is received, require that the project fall back to the concept phase.While several techniques such as use cases and customer interviews are used to gather this information the results of the analysis and requirements gathering that are carried out in this phase are typically relayed to the next phase in the form of a formal document. This document serves as the sole resource for the team who handles the second phase: design. Design entails actually making determinations as to exactly how a team intends to in later phases execute the solution.This is when platforms, programming languages, data storage methodology, equipment types, standards and graphical user interface decisions are made. Design also entails other high-level project decisions on ideas such as how security will be handled and resource management. The des ign step delivers its decisions on these matters, commonly know as the design specifications to the third phase: implementation. Implementation is very simply put the execution of the requirements in the design specifications document.During this phase, developers actually write the code that makes the software system work. Hardware specialists similarly setup the equipment and hardware that are necessary for the solution. The application is developed, debugged and tested against the design document and once it passes muster, the product is handed off to the next phase: testing. Testing is often handled by a quality assurance team. The team upon taking delivery of the product refers back to the documents created during conception and ensures that all of the requirements are satisfied by the solution.This team documents the project and uses business cases or test cases to determine whether the solution actually is the complete solution and whether or not it actually works in its enti rety. This team generally hands off the functioning solution, its documentation and a user manual to the next phase: installation. An installation or delivery team then hands the product over to the customer. This team also often provides formal training to the end-user. Delivery is followed by maintenance. Maintenance of a product usually includes end-user support, debugging of system flaws that are discovered after delivery, and change requests.If Waterfall is executed to the letter of its design, there will be no overlap between the separate phases of the project. Clearly defined timelines for each step are known at the onset of the project and serve as milestones for progress during development. The requirements in a well executed Waterfall project will be so very detailed of point driven that little time is wasted in later phases on things like re-writing blocks of code or back-and-forth’s that question ambiguity in understanding on the developers part.It is a tried and true and has advantages such as minimal wasted time and easy handover—handover of the project or a part of a project in waterfall can be a very smooth process because of all of the documentation that is produced in the analysis and design phases of the project. The documentation can even smooth over team-member attrition. III. What is Agile Agile Software Development is an umbrella for a particular style of development methods that focus on self-organization or cross-functional teams to develop smaller packages of a product more quickly than has been traditionally done.The basis for all of these methods is The Agile Manifesto (www. agilemanifesto. org). The author of the manifesto argues that working software, delivered in small packages, delivered in shorter timeframes (weeks not months) by teams who are self-organized and able to communicate freely throughout the process with both the customer and other stakeholders can respond to change and deliver a more effective approac h to software development in the volatile business world today.The manifesto declares that individuals and interactions are more important than processes and that following a design document is not as necessary as having the ability to change quickly. Agile’s focus is on a rhythmic continuity in the lifecycle of a project. The packages that are delivered tend to be broken down into timeframes as small as a week and generally not more than four weeks long. Customers receive working software continuously and the project is more of a living, breathing software that can overtime change to meet the needs of a rapidly changing marketplace.Agile teams meet frequently, as often as daily to discuss status and approach. Teams focus on reusing code blocks and making decisions about platforms and languages as necessary and with a better chance that standards and new technologies won’t change or become outdated before delivery takes place. IV. Which is the better way? The question so many teams and organizations are debating regularly these days is ‘which is better Agile or Waterfall? ’. Both Waterfall and Agile offer benefits and shortcomings and neither can be called universally better or universally out-of-date.The decision must be made based on each organization’s and each project’s circumstances. Team size can be a significant factor. Waterfall methodology is hard to manage with a small team. Waterfall relies on division of responsibilities and in very small teams this may result in an overwhelming workload for team members. Time to market with Waterfall; however, is longer whereas Agile methods can get product to market quicker so if time is a very high priority Agile may be the methodology to use.Indiana University documented a case in which its own IT Training and Education (ITTE) department underwent the change from its previous standard Waterfall approach to an Agile methodology. The team started questioning its approach t o development of training materials first when its materials started becoming obsolete before they were even delivered. The team found itself being tasked to develop and deliver training materials for a product that it saw as a â€Å"moving target†. It quickly became clear that the old Waterfall methodology would not work given the rapidly changing requirements.The situation required more constant contact with the stakeholders and that the team be able to deliver consistently changing and updated training materials as the system it was training on was an ever-changing system itself. ITTE faced problems in the transition. One such hurdle was changing the mindset of its customer. The team’s customer had grown used to having ITTE deliver large Waterfall sized training packages on static, tried and true, well planned, designed, thought-out and fully-functional software systems.The overhaul of it Course Management System (CMS) was, however, being updated constantly and the customer often expressed feeling of being Beta Testers rather than end users. In addition, ITTE’s own team members struggled with the behavioral changes that were necessary to adapt in order to make a more Agile model of development work for the team. Communications amongst team members, for example, became more necessary on a more frequent basis. The team also faced the task of training users on a system that was not fully functional.Users were, at times, resistant to the change themselves and found confusion in the fact that incomplete software was being delivered. The users were as accustomed to receiving fully functional systems and training as the ITTE team was used to delivering. ITTE also soon learned it necessary to assign team members exclusively to this project. In the past, the team’s Waterfall approach had allowed resources to be more spread out, whereas with the new Agile approach team members were so consistently involved with the living project that they were necessarily exclusively assigned to the CMS project.With all of the challenges that it faced, ITTE concluded that the change in methodology improved its reputation with the customer. More frequent face time and feedback response made the customer happier. It also concluded that, as a team, ITTE was able to produce more products cheaper, faster and more efficiently using its new approach to the SDLC. A single case, however, can’t be used to make a determination for the next company facing this decision. The fact is the right approach to software development is the approach that works best on a case-by-case basis.While Waterfall may still be the best approach for fixed-price, fixed-scope, short-term projects, Agile may be better suited to a project where the scope is expected to creep because of a changing marketplace. And there are teams that have even begun applying Agile methodologies to a Waterfall approach and vice versa. So perhaps the appropriate approach for an or ganization is to not decide on one or the other for the organization but to embrace both Agile and Waterfall methodologies and to learn to apply each appropriately.

Racial Profiling essays

Racial Profiling essays In 2000, the University of Southern California School of Planning and Development conducted a study for the Sacramento Police Department to determine whether vehicle stops made by officers over represented minority drivers which was a result of racial profiling and where and in what conditions this over representation was most likely to take place. The work was also meant to show if minority drivers are often more subject to intrusive procedures associated with these stops. Racial profiling is generally understood to mean law enforcement activities that are inappropriately initiated on the basis of race most associated with vehicle stops by police officers. The practice of racial profiling became controversial as the public came to believe that race was being used as the sole criterion to which drivers were being stopped and resulted in numerous stops and searches of innocent people. Findings from this study demonstrate an observed over representation of minority drivers among those stopped do not necessarily reflect racial profiling or racially biased policing stemming from department policy or an individual officers motivation. The observed over representation of this kind might reflect greater likelihood among members of a particular race of committing violent or property crime. The stopping of individuals of this race may be said to result from information (leading) the police to a particular individual even if the individual or individuals may or may not be the ones sought. This does not justify a practice by police officers of stopping people of a given race just because others of that race commit crimes. The Sacramento Communit y on the contract specifies race be only one factor that leads police officers to a given individual. During the studys first year, the USC Team carried out an intensive procedure to confirm accuracy of data reported by officers making vehicle stops. Team members conduc ...

Free Essays on “Teenage Use And Abuse Of Drugs And Alcohol“

â€Å"Teenage use and abuse of Drugs and Alcohol† I have learned a few things in my experience with drugs and alcohol, one of which the difference between experimentation, use, and abuse of drugs and alcohol. I see the differences as follows; three tries are experimentation, more than that is use. Abuse is characterized by the need to have the drug (whether it is marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, or tobacco) and the preoccupation with getting it. I have also learned that some of my peers are more likely to be attracted to and hooked on drugs, nicotine, and alcohol. I have concluded that the risk increases with these following factors and that more than one of these can â€Å"tip the scales.† 1. A family history of drug use or alcoholism 2. A family in turmoil 3. Learning difficulties 4. Behavioral problems before adolescence 5. Early school failure 6. Hyperactivity 7. Poor impulse control 8. Rebelliousness 9. Low self-esteem 10. The belief that â€Å"it can’t happen to me† 11. Thinking that marijuana (or cocaine, or heroin if it is not injected) is not addictive Although I do not believe that these are the reasons why I have used drugs and alcohol, I do believe that these have not helped me to â€Å"just say no.† In my years of use I have often seen warning signs in friends, that could have helped their parents notice what was going on. Instead of noticing the warning signs, listed below, they found out the hard way, through the law. The warning signs I personally have noticed in teens using drugs (including myself) are as follows. 1. A change of friends from those you know and a new friend who seem to avoid you. But don't pin all of teens troubles on "bad friends." Often the child who is already troubled is the one who is drawn to a group that is taking dangerous risks and is heavily committed to using drugs and alcohol. 2. Friendship with older teenagers and young adults. ... Free Essays on â€Å"Teenage Use And Abuse Of Drugs And Alcoholâ€Å" Free Essays on â€Å"Teenage Use And Abuse Of Drugs And Alcoholâ€Å" â€Å"Teenage use and abuse of Drugs and Alcohol† I have learned a few things in my experience with drugs and alcohol, one of which the difference between experimentation, use, and abuse of drugs and alcohol. I see the differences as follows; three tries are experimentation, more than that is use. Abuse is characterized by the need to have the drug (whether it is marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, or tobacco) and the preoccupation with getting it. I have also learned that some of my peers are more likely to be attracted to and hooked on drugs, nicotine, and alcohol. I have concluded that the risk increases with these following factors and that more than one of these can â€Å"tip the scales.† 1. A family history of drug use or alcoholism 2. A family in turmoil 3. Learning difficulties 4. Behavioral problems before adolescence 5. Early school failure 6. Hyperactivity 7. Poor impulse control 8. Rebelliousness 9. Low self-esteem 10. The belief that â€Å"it can’t happen to me† 11. Thinking that marijuana (or cocaine, or heroin if it is not injected) is not addictive Although I do not believe that these are the reasons why I have used drugs and alcohol, I do believe that these have not helped me to â€Å"just say no.† In my years of use I have often seen warning signs in friends, that could have helped their parents notice what was going on. Instead of noticing the warning signs, listed below, they found out the hard way, through the law. The warning signs I personally have noticed in teens using drugs (including myself) are as follows. 1. A change of friends from those you know and a new friend who seem to avoid you. But don't pin all of teens troubles on "bad friends." Often the child who is already troubled is the one who is drawn to a group that is taking dangerous risks and is heavily committed to using drugs and alcohol. 2. Friendship with older teenagers and young adults. ...

How to Write a Research Paper in MLA format

How to Write a Research Paper in MLA format How to Write a Research Paper in MLA format Both the content and the form of a research paper matter. In case your assignment requires using a certain format, do not neglect specific rules for every formatting style. The most common formats for research papers include MLA, APA, Turabian, Chicago, and Harvard, and they are all unique. Let us examine the MLA format. MLA (Modern Language Association) is the formatting style most commonly used for research papers in the fields of humanities, linguistics, liberal and other arts. When writing a research paper in MLA format, you are to devote special attention to the page layout and bibliography. Non-compliance with format guidelines may spoil the entire impression of your paper, and lower your mark as well. To avoid this, you need to master MLA formatting rules. MLA formatting rules are narrowed down to the following aspects: Title Page – This is sometimes an optional component of an MLA formatted paper; however, in most cases the title page contains information about the research paper topic, your name, and the name of your scientific advisor/tutor. Page Header – This presupposes placing your last name and page numbers in the upper right hand corner of every page. General Document Settings – The research paper is most commonly created with Microsoft Word with 12-point Times New Roman font. The margins should be 1 inch on all sides, and the paper is to be double-spaced. Citation Rules – Citations are to be carefully formatted as well. You may use in-text citations and list the sources used at the end of the paper. The rules differ in accordance with the citation you need (block or in-line quotations, paraphrase citing, etc.). (not â€Å"References† or â€Å"Bibliography†) – Be sure to include the list of cited sources on a separate page at the end of the research paper. This page will contain all the periodical, non-periodical, web, or print publications used in the research process and should be listed in alphabetical order. Also, do not forget to include full details for every source (the authors name, the books title, number of pages, publication year, etc.). In the majority of cases, you will only need to master the rules of MLA research paper formatting once and then use them while composing your papers. Still, you are always free to order custom paper formatting. In this case, professional editors and writers will grant their services to you. Quick and accurate formatting is carried out for every research paper. Ordering custom formatting for your written assignment will save your time and effort you could spend on more pleasant activities.

Investigating Business-Boots Plc and Vodafone Group Essay

Investigating Business-Boots Plc and Vodafone Group - Essay Example The Boots Company is an international pharmaceutical manufacturer and retailer of health and personal care products. The company operates under three divisions: Boots Retail, Boots Retail International and Boots Healthcare International. Boots Retail includes the company’s UK and Ireland operations. The company has three services in this division: Boots the Chemist, wellbeing services, and digital wellbeing. The division also includes Supply and Support Services which includes the company’s supply chain, logistics, procurement, manufacturing, properties, engineering and facilities management activities. Boots Retail International undertakes the company’s operations in South East Asia and Europe. Similarly, Boots Healthcare International focuses on three core therapy categories – analgesics, cough & cold and skincare. The Boots Group specializes in the manufacture and retail of health and personal care products. It has an international presence, operating u nder three divisions: Boots Retail, Boots Retail International and Boots Healthcare International. The Boots Group operates Boots the Chemists (BTC), a drugstore chain with about 1,400 shops in UK and Ireland. The company's other core business Boots Healthcare International is a leading UK maker of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and it sells OTC drugs in some 130 countries. Boots Contract Manufacturing is one of Europe's largest suppliers of private- label toiletries and cosmetics.

Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Speech - Essay Example for charting all of the pertinent information specific to their patients and single handedly act as the liaison between the doctors and their patients. One would think that it would be the nurses who receive upwards of a half a million dollars a year along with private offices and reserved parking spaces. This is in fact, far from the reality of how the health care industry works. It is not an uncommon scenario to find an E.R. with full occupancy of its bays while still more patients poor through the door via ambulance. These patients are often stuck in the halls on cardiac monitors or in wheelchairs as they wait for the next bed to hopefully open up. While there is always an E.R. attending physician, it is the many R.N’s and L.P.N.’s that juggle the mass of sick patients which most hospitals never seem to be at a loss for. Nurses are essentially on the front lines of the medical industry and are paid little more than laborers and in some cases, they are paid less than laborers such as auto mechanics. It is relatively normal for an L.P.N. to make in the neighborhood of $16.00 an hour while an R.N. can command about $26.00 depending on years of

Ethics of Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethics of Society - Assignment Example Progress is a very important part of success, there is no success without progression in life. One has to understand that whatever we do in life has to be of a progressive nature and should not be static. Once we start doing things to our liking we should define set standard goals and strive to achieve those goals, and only after we achieve those goals along the lines of progression could we say that we have been successful in our endeavors. I am still in the stage of achieving my goals, and therefore I cannot classify myself as a successful person. However, whatever interim goals I had made have been fulfilled by the hard work and therefore at this stage, I can say I am successful with what I have done and with what I had got to achieve those standards. The United States is already a successful country. However, there are a lot of contingencies in the country which have to be corrected in order to make it an even more successful country. Those contingencies are the current lackluster economic condition which the country has been suffering from. The country needs more jobs and for that, the Government has to step in and make more jobs for the people. The entire manufacturing base has shifted from the United States to China and that is a cause for concern since the products which are designed in that country are now being manufactured somewhere else. Therefore for the US to be a very successful country in the future and sustain its success it has to shift the policy of outsourcing the jobs to other countries in Asia and focus on its own middle-class people who are ready and prepared to work in the factories for hours to earn some money. The middle class is now losing the focus in the country and that is why the country’s econo mic position is now deteriorating really fast. Law of attraction talks about the levels of energy and the vibes around us which we have to grab hold of and fell it along with the fact that we have to take in the vibes and give out vibes with the perspective of attracting the attention of the other individual. Law of attraction aims at understanding our flow of energy when we meet new people and how we use this energy to get the positive vibes of the people which we aim for whenever we are in a group having a conversation with people or when we are meeting new people with respect to socializing. The idea does not conflict with my values of religion since religion does not come in the way of the law of attraction. However, on the other hand, religion has its own definition of the law of attraction which is to spread good energy among the society which is pretty similar and identical to the law of attraction explained in the movie â€Å"The Secret†.            

The Ethical Decision Making Process within the Law Enforcement Thesis Proposal

The Ethical Decision Making Process within the Law Enforcement Organization.An Examination of Inappropriate Unethical Behavior from Law Enforcement Officers while Working within the Communities - Thesis Proposal Example Ethical decision-making was to be treated as an essential area of concern among the local law and security enforcement agencies. One would be left to ask a number of questions that may lack a readymade answer. Why do law enforcement officers and security personnel engage in the unethical behaviour? What is the role of ethical decision making in addressing the vices of corruption and abuse of power among the police force? Is there a relationship between training and behaviour? What perception do the communities hold toward the conduct of law enforcement officers? These and many other frequently asked questions require answers that may only come along through a detailed study of the subject matter. Corruption, abuse of power, assault of women and other vulnerable groups during times of calamities have been manifest features of almost every law enforcing agency in the world. The security and other law enforcing groups have severally been reported to have used more force on the ordinary people than stipulated in the law (Caldero, Crank & Crank, 2014). The result of the tainted name of the law enforcement officers has been the fear and resentment by the communities that have fallen victims of circumstances in this regard. One would wonder the ethical picture manifested when ordinary people express their distrust and lack of confidence in a group that should perform a role that is paramount to peaceful human existence. Is it because of lack of proper training on the ethical standards and codes of moral conduct in the course of discharging their duties or is it a culture that has gradually made its roots in the system? Corrective measures are urgently needed to redeem the tainted r eputation and public image of the law enforcement and security agencies. The problem that has been identified is an increase of activity in unethical decision making by law enforcement officers on duty while serving within designated communities

Corruption in Law Enforcement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corruption in Law Enforcement - Research Paper Example Rather, a synchronized policy framework is needed most. The present paper is aimed at focusing on the various aspects of corruption in the sphere of law enforcement and policing. The paper has three parts: Introduction, Discussion, and Conclusion. Discussion Corruption in law enforcement is a very serious problem because it is a kind of evil that can render the whole public administration system of a country defunct. When law enforcement officials began to indulge in accepting bribes in the form of prostitutes, money, luxury items, etc. and help the criminals to escape the reach of law, a process of pervasive social and administrative deterioration sets in. Local notorious elements like the smugglers, mafia, sex racketeers, etc. may become so powerful that they begin to challenge the rule of law, disobey the authority of the state, and start their own system of organized crime. â€Å"Police agencies are constantly striving to improve recruitment, application, and training procedures and to identify those individuals best suited to fulfill the roles of the police officer. It is therefore imperative to understand the nuances of officers’ perceptions of corruption to disseminate the most complete information as possible.† (Jenks et al, 2012, p. ... Law enforcement is an area that is typically looked after by the government. Government acquires the necessary funds to finance the law enforcement departments from public sector and other sources of revenues. Sometimes, this money falls shorter than the expectations of the employees in the law enforcement department. The problem may arise due to poor economic conditions, financial mismanagement, or negligence at the ministry level. The cumulative effect of these factors is that the public allocation process that is aimed at financing the various departments gets impaired and various government bodies, including the law enforcing authorities may experience fund crunch. Consequently, the wages of the law enforcement officials are not adjusted as per the increased costs of living and maintaining status. This leads to corrupt activities including bribery and espionage. (Benson, 1988) One form of corruption is abuse of authority. â€Å"Abuse of authority was defined as having three type s; physical abuse (i.e. excessive force and brutality), psychological abuse (i.e. harassment), and legal abuse (i.e. violating citizens’ rights). Corruption may also be conceptually divided according to whether it serves selfish or altruistic interests.† (Jenks et al, 2012, p. 7) Hence, when law enforcement officials start acting under the influence of some political agenda or anarchist attitude, the situation becomes even more complicated because then the immediate reason behind the corrupt activities is not simple and common greed. In such a scenario, a crisis situation becomes inevitable and according to the experts like Barker (2011, p. 1), â€Å"police ethics† can restrain the officers in such situations. Police ethics advocate a systematic dedication to

Compare and Contrast US policy toward Cuba under George H.W. Bush and Research Proposal

Compare and Contrast US policy toward Cuba under George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton - Research Proposal Example Currently, there exists no official diplomatic relationship between Cuba and the U.S; rather the countries have maintained an embargo that makes any business association between Cubans and U.S corporations illegal. Analysts argue that the conflict between the U.S and Cuba is as a result of the Americans imperialism ideology that is invading the freedom of Cubans. The U.S has maintained its military troops in Guantanamo Bay despite Cuba’s independence in 1992. This move has continued hindering the process of transformation in Cuba and the diplomatic relationship between the two nations is described as tense. The Cuban ambassadorial representation in the U.S in handled by Interest sections in Washington D.C while the U.S is represented politically by similar interest section in Havana. The U.S administration has continued with the Business embargo in both president Bill Clintons Administration as well as the President Bush’s governance. The relationship between the U.S and Cuba is major dominated by restrictions and conflicts. These include economic sanctions and traveling limitations between the two countries. The consequence of such sanctions is reduced interactions in terms of commerce, politics and civilian relationships between the two countries. The U.S government idea of embargo is to facilitate peaceful transformation of Cuban governance from political instability to democracy and an administration that respects human rights (Roy 2000, 123). The embargo dates back to the Eisenhower’s administration in the U.S, this is the time when Fidel Castro took power. The U.S was so much involved with war against communism (Cold War) and it banned shipment of arms to Cuban since at the time, Castro was leading a large rebel group (Perez 2003, 274). The whole of the U.S administration since then has been characterized by

Corruption in Law Enforcement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corruption in Law Enforcement - Research Paper Example Rather, a synchronized policy framework is needed most. The present paper is aimed at focusing on the various aspects of corruption in the sphere of law enforcement and policing. The paper has three parts: Introduction, Discussion, and Conclusion. Discussion Corruption in law enforcement is a very serious problem because it is a kind of evil that can render the whole public administration system of a country defunct. When law enforcement officials began to indulge in accepting bribes in the form of prostitutes, money, luxury items, etc. and help the criminals to escape the reach of law, a process of pervasive social and administrative deterioration sets in. Local notorious elements like the smugglers, mafia, sex racketeers, etc. may become so powerful that they begin to challenge the rule of law, disobey the authority of the state, and start their own system of organized crime. â€Å"Police agencies are constantly striving to improve recruitment, application, and training procedures and to identify those individuals best suited to fulfill the roles of the police officer. It is therefore imperative to understand the nuances of officers’ perceptions of corruption to disseminate the most complete information as possible.† (Jenks et al, 2012, p. ... Law enforcement is an area that is typically looked after by the government. Government acquires the necessary funds to finance the law enforcement departments from public sector and other sources of revenues. Sometimes, this money falls shorter than the expectations of the employees in the law enforcement department. The problem may arise due to poor economic conditions, financial mismanagement, or negligence at the ministry level. The cumulative effect of these factors is that the public allocation process that is aimed at financing the various departments gets impaired and various government bodies, including the law enforcing authorities may experience fund crunch. Consequently, the wages of the law enforcement officials are not adjusted as per the increased costs of living and maintaining status. This leads to corrupt activities including bribery and espionage. (Benson, 1988) One form of corruption is abuse of authority. â€Å"Abuse of authority was defined as having three type s; physical abuse (i.e. excessive force and brutality), psychological abuse (i.e. harassment), and legal abuse (i.e. violating citizens’ rights). Corruption may also be conceptually divided according to whether it serves selfish or altruistic interests.† (Jenks et al, 2012, p. 7) Hence, when law enforcement officials start acting under the influence of some political agenda or anarchist attitude, the situation becomes even more complicated because then the immediate reason behind the corrupt activities is not simple and common greed. In such a scenario, a crisis situation becomes inevitable and according to the experts like Barker (2011, p. 1), â€Å"police ethics† can restrain the officers in such situations. Police ethics advocate a systematic dedication to