China Construction Market The WritePass Journal

China Construction Market Intoduction China Construction Market ). As noted above, the potential to form a JV based on the technology and knowledge within the company is immense as Chinese builders look to rein in costs and compete more effectively in an oversupplied market. One area of consideration for a business would be the current structure of the market, with previous research noting that the Chinese construction market is largely made up of state-owned and local private enterprises (World Bank, 2014). According to recent research undertaken (EUSME, 2013) privately-owned companies control 81% of the market, state-owned 18%, while foreign-funded firms control less than 1% of the overall market. From this, it could be assumed that regulation and business practices may restrict some international companies from moving into the market. Regulation: many companies that have attempted to establish Chinese entities have experience strong regulatory constraints; with the Chinese see protective of their domestic industry (Rowley, 2014). It has previously been noted that it is difficult to obtain building sector licenses given that Chinese provinces will favour the use of local construction companies, with corruption still a major issue to overcome (US Department of Commerce, 2012). Furthermore, it could be mentioned that China is quite risk adverse to the introduction of new building/material techniques, with regulation in place that quite often restricts the entrance of new technology into the market due to an inability for the country to assess its implications on the wider industry, which to some could be seen as a form of protectionism given that the construction sector is such as large employer within the country. While a JV may be beneficial for an international company given its access to a local market player who understands the market, the company must be wary of the technology or knowledge it would be sacrificing in the process (Cameron, 2012). It may also be noted that given current market conditions in China, some Chinese companies may be willing to form JV’s with Western counterparts in a bid to gain access into the recovering markets in Europe and the U.S. Again, the difference in regulation may affect the attractiveness of the Chinese market to some businesses. Business Practices: taking into account practices, it could be seen that major contracts in China have been known to be awarded more through relationships rather than product/ service quality (World Bank, 2014). To some Western companies, this may be business practices they are unwilling to follow, or in some cases unwilling to support the management change that is needed to facilitate business in the Chinese market. Taking this into account, the business must ensure that is able to trust the business and its employee’s in the joint venture. Given the difference in doing business and ethics, the UK Company must ensure that the JV does not contradict its standards in the UK (Cameron, 2012). Key Characteristics: key characteristics of the market may also be of importance given that it could be assumed the Chinese growth in construction has to part been fuelled by quantity over quality. There have been a number of reports detailing the major $Billion efforts by cities within China to essentially support rapid expansion, however most of the building work appears to be of a much lower standard/ design than similar projects in the western economies. With this, it becomes a question of whether the current market in China would fit in with the interests and desired outcomes of the UK Company seeking the JV. To provide come concluding remarks, the UK must ensure that it picks a Chinese partner that meets its UK ethical standards and business practices, essentially aligning their priorities to develop a viable business plan for the JV’s development in the marketplace (Paton, 2008). The company must also ensure that it’s safeguarding its intellectual property, mainly when dealing with Chinese companies that are in need of new development/ technology to improve competitiveness in their home market. The company must also ensure that it picks a partner where it can be an equal stakeholder it he project (Bosshart et al, 2010) References AECOM (2013) Asia Construction Outlook 2014, London, AECOM. Anderson, D. and Anderson, L. (2010) Beyond Change Management, London, Wiley Publications. Bosshart, S., Luedi, T. and Wang, E. (2010) Past lessons for China’s new joint ventures, London, McKinsey Company. BREE (2014) China Resources Quarterly: Southern Winter- Northern Summer 2014, Sydney, Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics. Cameron, E. and Green, M. (2012) Making Sense of Change Management, London, Kogan Page Publishers. EUSME (2013) The construction sector in China, Beijing, European Union Research Centre. Financial Times (2014) [Online] Doing Business in China, Available at http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/892eae14-6323-11e4-8a63-00144feabdc0.pdf, Accessed 10.11.2014. Liu, B. Wang, X. Chen. C and Ma, Z. (2014) Research into the dynamic development trend of the competitiveness of China’s regional construction industry, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 18(1), pp1-10. Paton, R. and McCalman, J. (2008) Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation, London, SAGE Publications. Rowley, C. and Cooke, F. (2014) The changing face of management in China (Vol. 6), London, Routledge. U.S Department of Commerce. (2012) 2012 Country Commercial Guide for U.S Companies, Washington, U. Department of Commerce. World Bank. (2014) Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency – Economy Profile 2015 China, Washington, World Bank. Wu, J. Deng, Y. and Liu, H. (2014) House price index construction in the nascent housing market: the case of China, The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, 48(3), pp522-545.

King Sejong the Great of Korea, Scholar and Leader

King Sejong the Great of Korea, Scholar and Leader Sejong the Great (May 7, 1397–April 8, 1450) was king of Korea during the Choson Kingdom (1392–1910). A progressive, scholarly leader, Sejong promoted literacy and was best known for developing a new form of writing to allow Koreans to communicate more effectively. Fast Facts: Sejong the Great Known For: Korean king and scholarAlso Known As:  Yi Do, Grand Prince Chungnyeong  Born: May 7, 1397 in Hanseong,  Kingdom of JoseonParents:  King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong of JoseonDied: April 8, 1450 in Hanseong,  JoseonSpouse(s): Soheon of the Shim clan, and three Royal Noble Consorts, Consort Hye, Consort Yeong, and Consort ShinChildren: Munjong of Joseon, Sejo of Joseon, Geumseong, Jeongso, Jeongjong of Joseon, Grand Prince Anpyeong, Gwangpyeong, Imyeong, Yeongeung, Princess Jung-Ui, Grand Prince Pyeongwon, Prince Hannam, Yi Yeong, Princess Jeonghyeon, Princess JeonganNotable Quote: If the people prosper, how can the king not prosper with them? And if the people do not prosper, how may the king prosper without them? Early Life Sejong was born under the name Yi Do to King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong of Joseon on May 7, 1397. The third of the royal couples four sons, Sejong impressed all of his family with his wisdom and curiosity. According to Confucian principles, the eldest son- named Prince Yangnyeong- should have been the heir to the Joseon throne. However, his behavior at court was rude and aberrant. Some sources claim that Yangnyeong behaved this way purposefully because he believed that Sejong should be king in his place. The second brother, Prince Hyoryeong, also removed himself from the succession by becoming a Buddhist monk. When Sejong was 12 years old, his father named him Grand Prince Chungnyeong. Ten years later, King Taejong would abdicate the throne in favor of Prince Chungnyeong, who took the throne name King Sejong. Background to Sejongs Succession to the Throne Sejongs grandfather King Taejo overthrew the Goryeo Kingdom in 1392 and founded Joseon. He was assisted in the coup detat by his fifth son Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong), who expected to be rewarded with the title of crown prince. However, a court scholar who hated and feared the militaristic and hot-headed fifth son convinced King Taejo to choose his eighth son, Yi Bang-seok, as successor instead. In 1398 while King Taejo was mourning the loss of his wife, the scholar hatched a conspiracy to kill off all of the kings sons besides the crown prince in order to secure Yi Bang-seoks position (and his own). Hearing rumors of the plot, Yi Bang-won raised his army and attacked the capital, killing two of his brothers as well as the scheming scholar. The grieving King Taejo was horrified that his sons were turning on each other in what became known as the First Strife of Princes, so he named his second son, Yi Bang-gwa, as the heir apparent and then abdicated the throne in 1398. Yi Bang-gwa became King Jeongjong, the second Joseon ruler. In 1400, the Second Strife of Princes broke out when Yi Bang-won and his brother Yi Bang-gan began to fight. Yi Bang-won prevailed, exiled his brother and his family, and executed his brothers supporters. As a result, the weak King Jeongjong abdicated after ruling for just two years in favor of Yi Bang-won, Sejongs father. As king, Taejong continued his ruthless policies. He executed a number of his own supporters if they became too powerful, including all of his wife Wong-gyeongs brothers, as well as Prince Chungnyeongs (later King Sejongs) father-in-law and brothers-in-law. It seems likely that his experience with princely strife and his willingness to execute troublesome family members helped encourage his first two sons to step aside without a murmur and allow King Taejongs third and favorite son to become King Sejong. Sejongs Military Developments King Taejong had always been an effective military strategist and leader and continued to guide Joseon military planning for the first four years of Sejongs reign. Sejong was a quick study and also loved science and technology, so he introduced a number of organizational and technological improvements to his kingdoms military forces. Although gunpowder had been used for centuries in Korea, its employment in advanced weaponry expanded markedly under Sejong. He supported the development of new types of cannons and mortars, as well as rocket-like fire arrows that functioned in a similar way to modern rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Gihae Eastern Expedition Just one year into his reign in May 1419, King Sejong dispatched the Gihae Eastern Expedition to the seas off Koreas east coast. This military force set out to confront the Japanese pirates, or wako, who operated out of Tsushima Island while harrying shipping, stealing trade goods, and kidnapping Korean and Chinese subjects. By September of that year, the Korean troops had defeated the pirates, killing nearly 150 of them, and rescuing almost 150 Chinese kidnap victims and eight Koreans. This expedition would bear important fruit later in Sejongs reign. In 1443, the daimyo of Tsushima pledged obedience to the King of Joseon Korea in the Treaty of Gyehae in exchange for what he received as preferential trading rights with the Korean mainland. Marriage, Consorts, and Children King Sejongs queen was Soheon of the Shim clan, with whom he eventually would have a total of eight sons and two daughters. He also had three Royal Noble Consorts, Consort Hye, Consort Yeong, and Consort Shin, who bore him three, one, and six sons, respectively. In addition, Sejong had seven lesser consorts who had the misfortune of never producing sons. Nevertheless, the presence of 18 princes representing different clans on their mothers sides ensured that in the future, the succession would be contentious. As a Confucian scholar, though, King Sejong followed protocol and named his sickly eldest son Munjong as Crown Prince. Sejongs Achievements in Science, Literature, and Policy King Sejong delighted in science and technology and supported a number of inventions or refinements of previous technologies. For example, he encouraged the improvement of a moveable metal type for printing first used in Korea by 1234, at least 215 years before Johannes Gutenberg introduced his groundbreaking printing press, as well as the development of the sturdier mulberry-fiber paper. These measures made better-quality books much more widely available among educated Koreans. Books that Sejong sponsored included a history of the Goryeo Kingdom, a compilation of filial deeds (model actions for followers of Confucius to emulate), farming guides meant to help farmers improve production, and others. Other scientific devices sponsored by King Sejong included the first rain gauge, sundials, unusually accurate water clocks, and maps of the stars and celestial globes. He also took an interest in music, devising an elegant notation system for representing Korean and Chinese music, and encouraging instrument-makers to improve the designs of various musical instruments. In 1420, King Sejong established an academy of 20 top Confucian scholars to advise him called the Hall of Worthies. The scholars studied the ancient laws and rites of China and previous Korean dynasties, compiled historical texts, and lectured the king and crown prince on Confucian classics. In addition, Sejong ordered one top scholar to comb the country for intellectually talented young men who would be given a stipend to retreat for one year from their work. The young scholars were sent to a mountain temple, where they read books on a vast array of subjects that included astronomy, medicine, geography, history, the art of war, and religion. Many of the Worthies objected to this expansive menu of options, believing that a study of Confucian thought was sufficient, but Sejong preferred to have a scholar class with a wide range of knowledge. To aid the common people, Sejong established a grain surplus of approximately 5 million bushels of rice. In times of drought or flood, this grain was available to feed and support poor farming families to help prevent famine. Invention of Hangul, the Korean Script King Sejong is best remembered for the invention of hangul, the Korean alphabet. In 1443, Sejong and eight advisers developed an alphabetic system to accurately represent Korean language sounds and sentence structure. They came up with a simple system of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, which can be arranged in clusters to create all of the sounds in spoken Korean. King Sejong announced the creation of this alphabet in 1446 and encouraged all of his subjects to learn and use it: The sounds of our language differ from those of Chinese and are not easily communicated by using Chinese graphs. Many among the ignorant, therefore, though they wish to express their sentiments in writing, have been unable to communicate. Considering this situation with compassion, I have newly devised twenty-eight letters. I wish only that the people will learn them easily and use them conveniently in their daily life. Initially, King Sejong faced a backlash from the scholar elite, who felt the new system was vulgar (and who likely did not want women and peasants to be literate). However, hangul quickly spread among segments of the population that previously did not have access to enough education to learn the complicated Chinese writing system. Early texts claim that a clever person can learn Hangul in a few hours, while someone with a lower IQ can master it in 10 days. It is certainly one of the most logical and straightforward writing systems on Earth- a true gift from King Sejong to his subjects and their descendants, down to the present day. Death King Sejongs health began to decline even as his accomplishments mounted. Suffering from diabetes and other health problems, Sejong became blind around the age of 50. He passed away on May 18, 1450, at the age of 53. Legacy As King Sejong predicted, his eldest son and successor Munjong did not survive him by much. After just two years on the throne, Munjong died in May 1452, leaving his 12-year-old first son Danjong to rule. Two scholar-officials served as regents for the child. This first Joseon experiment in Confucian-style primogeniture did not last long, however. In 1453, Danjongs uncle, King Sejongs second son Sejo, had the two regents murdered and seized power. Two years later, Sejo formally forced Danjong to abdicate and claimed the throne for himself. Six court officials formed a plan to restore Danjong to power in 1456; Sejo discovered the scheme, executed the officials, and ordered his 16-year-old nephew burned to death so that he could not serve as a figurehead for future challenges to Sejos title. Despite the dynastic mess that resulted from King Sejongs death, he is remembered as the wisest and most capable ruler in Korean history. His accomplishments in science, political theory, military arts, and literature mark Sejong as one of the most innovative kings in Asia or the world. As shown by his sponsorship of Hangul and his establishment of the food reserve, King Sejong truly cared about his subjects. Today, the king is remembered as Sejong the Great, one of only two Korean kings honored with that appellation. The other is Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo, r. 391–413. Sejongs face appears on the largest denomination of South Koreas currency, the 10,000 won bill. His military legacy also lives on in the King Sejong the Great class of guided missile destroyers, first launched by the South Korean Navy in 2007. In addition, the king is the subject of the 2008 Korean television drama series Daewang Sejong, or King Sejong the Great. Actor Kim Sang-kyung portryed the king. Sources Kang, Jae-eun. The Land of Scholars: Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism. Paramus, New Jersey: Homa Sekey Books, 2006.Kim, Chun-gil. The History of Korea. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing, 2005.King Sejong the Great and the Golden Age of Korea. Asia Society.Lee, Peter H. William De Bary. Sources of Korean Tradition: From Early Times through the Sixteenth Century. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.

King Sejong the Great of Korea, Scholar and Leader

King Sejong the Great of Korea, Scholar and Leader Sejong the Great (May 7, 1397–April 8, 1450) was king of Korea during the Choson Kingdom (1392–1910). A progressive, scholarly leader, Sejong promoted literacy and was best known for developing a new form of writing to allow Koreans to communicate more effectively. Fast Facts: Sejong the Great Known For: Korean king and scholarAlso Known As:  Yi Do, Grand Prince Chungnyeong  Born: May 7, 1397 in Hanseong,  Kingdom of JoseonParents:  King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong of JoseonDied: April 8, 1450 in Hanseong,  JoseonSpouse(s): Soheon of the Shim clan, and three Royal Noble Consorts, Consort Hye, Consort Yeong, and Consort ShinChildren: Munjong of Joseon, Sejo of Joseon, Geumseong, Jeongso, Jeongjong of Joseon, Grand Prince Anpyeong, Gwangpyeong, Imyeong, Yeongeung, Princess Jung-Ui, Grand Prince Pyeongwon, Prince Hannam, Yi Yeong, Princess Jeonghyeon, Princess JeonganNotable Quote: If the people prosper, how can the king not prosper with them? And if the people do not prosper, how may the king prosper without them? Early Life Sejong was born under the name Yi Do to King Taejong and Queen Wongyeong of Joseon on May 7, 1397. The third of the royal couples four sons, Sejong impressed all of his family with his wisdom and curiosity. According to Confucian principles, the eldest son- named Prince Yangnyeong- should have been the heir to the Joseon throne. However, his behavior at court was rude and aberrant. Some sources claim that Yangnyeong behaved this way purposefully because he believed that Sejong should be king in his place. The second brother, Prince Hyoryeong, also removed himself from the succession by becoming a Buddhist monk. When Sejong was 12 years old, his father named him Grand Prince Chungnyeong. Ten years later, King Taejong would abdicate the throne in favor of Prince Chungnyeong, who took the throne name King Sejong. Background to Sejongs Succession to the Throne Sejongs grandfather King Taejo overthrew the Goryeo Kingdom in 1392 and founded Joseon. He was assisted in the coup detat by his fifth son Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong), who expected to be rewarded with the title of crown prince. However, a court scholar who hated and feared the militaristic and hot-headed fifth son convinced King Taejo to choose his eighth son, Yi Bang-seok, as successor instead. In 1398 while King Taejo was mourning the loss of his wife, the scholar hatched a conspiracy to kill off all of the kings sons besides the crown prince in order to secure Yi Bang-seoks position (and his own). Hearing rumors of the plot, Yi Bang-won raised his army and attacked the capital, killing two of his brothers as well as the scheming scholar. The grieving King Taejo was horrified that his sons were turning on each other in what became known as the First Strife of Princes, so he named his second son, Yi Bang-gwa, as the heir apparent and then abdicated the throne in 1398. Yi Bang-gwa became King Jeongjong, the second Joseon ruler. In 1400, the Second Strife of Princes broke out when Yi Bang-won and his brother Yi Bang-gan began to fight. Yi Bang-won prevailed, exiled his brother and his family, and executed his brothers supporters. As a result, the weak King Jeongjong abdicated after ruling for just two years in favor of Yi Bang-won, Sejongs father. As king, Taejong continued his ruthless policies. He executed a number of his own supporters if they became too powerful, including all of his wife Wong-gyeongs brothers, as well as Prince Chungnyeongs (later King Sejongs) father-in-law and brothers-in-law. It seems likely that his experience with princely strife and his willingness to execute troublesome family members helped encourage his first two sons to step aside without a murmur and allow King Taejongs third and favorite son to become King Sejong. Sejongs Military Developments King Taejong had always been an effective military strategist and leader and continued to guide Joseon military planning for the first four years of Sejongs reign. Sejong was a quick study and also loved science and technology, so he introduced a number of organizational and technological improvements to his kingdoms military forces. Although gunpowder had been used for centuries in Korea, its employment in advanced weaponry expanded markedly under Sejong. He supported the development of new types of cannons and mortars, as well as rocket-like fire arrows that functioned in a similar way to modern rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Gihae Eastern Expedition Just one year into his reign in May 1419, King Sejong dispatched the Gihae Eastern Expedition to the seas off Koreas east coast. This military force set out to confront the Japanese pirates, or wako, who operated out of Tsushima Island while harrying shipping, stealing trade goods, and kidnapping Korean and Chinese subjects. By September of that year, the Korean troops had defeated the pirates, killing nearly 150 of them, and rescuing almost 150 Chinese kidnap victims and eight Koreans. This expedition would bear important fruit later in Sejongs reign. In 1443, the daimyo of Tsushima pledged obedience to the King of Joseon Korea in the Treaty of Gyehae in exchange for what he received as preferential trading rights with the Korean mainland. Marriage, Consorts, and Children King Sejongs queen was Soheon of the Shim clan, with whom he eventually would have a total of eight sons and two daughters. He also had three Royal Noble Consorts, Consort Hye, Consort Yeong, and Consort Shin, who bore him three, one, and six sons, respectively. In addition, Sejong had seven lesser consorts who had the misfortune of never producing sons. Nevertheless, the presence of 18 princes representing different clans on their mothers sides ensured that in the future, the succession would be contentious. As a Confucian scholar, though, King Sejong followed protocol and named his sickly eldest son Munjong as Crown Prince. Sejongs Achievements in Science, Literature, and Policy King Sejong delighted in science and technology and supported a number of inventions or refinements of previous technologies. For example, he encouraged the improvement of a moveable metal type for printing first used in Korea by 1234, at least 215 years before Johannes Gutenberg introduced his groundbreaking printing press, as well as the development of the sturdier mulberry-fiber paper. These measures made better-quality books much more widely available among educated Koreans. Books that Sejong sponsored included a history of the Goryeo Kingdom, a compilation of filial deeds (model actions for followers of Confucius to emulate), farming guides meant to help farmers improve production, and others. Other scientific devices sponsored by King Sejong included the first rain gauge, sundials, unusually accurate water clocks, and maps of the stars and celestial globes. He also took an interest in music, devising an elegant notation system for representing Korean and Chinese music, and encouraging instrument-makers to improve the designs of various musical instruments. In 1420, King Sejong established an academy of 20 top Confucian scholars to advise him called the Hall of Worthies. The scholars studied the ancient laws and rites of China and previous Korean dynasties, compiled historical texts, and lectured the king and crown prince on Confucian classics. In addition, Sejong ordered one top scholar to comb the country for intellectually talented young men who would be given a stipend to retreat for one year from their work. The young scholars were sent to a mountain temple, where they read books on a vast array of subjects that included astronomy, medicine, geography, history, the art of war, and religion. Many of the Worthies objected to this expansive menu of options, believing that a study of Confucian thought was sufficient, but Sejong preferred to have a scholar class with a wide range of knowledge. To aid the common people, Sejong established a grain surplus of approximately 5 million bushels of rice. In times of drought or flood, this grain was available to feed and support poor farming families to help prevent famine. Invention of Hangul, the Korean Script King Sejong is best remembered for the invention of hangul, the Korean alphabet. In 1443, Sejong and eight advisers developed an alphabetic system to accurately represent Korean language sounds and sentence structure. They came up with a simple system of 14 consonants and 10 vowels, which can be arranged in clusters to create all of the sounds in spoken Korean. King Sejong announced the creation of this alphabet in 1446 and encouraged all of his subjects to learn and use it: The sounds of our language differ from those of Chinese and are not easily communicated by using Chinese graphs. Many among the ignorant, therefore, though they wish to express their sentiments in writing, have been unable to communicate. Considering this situation with compassion, I have newly devised twenty-eight letters. I wish only that the people will learn them easily and use them conveniently in their daily life. Initially, King Sejong faced a backlash from the scholar elite, who felt the new system was vulgar (and who likely did not want women and peasants to be literate). However, hangul quickly spread among segments of the population that previously did not have access to enough education to learn the complicated Chinese writing system. Early texts claim that a clever person can learn Hangul in a few hours, while someone with a lower IQ can master it in 10 days. It is certainly one of the most logical and straightforward writing systems on Earth- a true gift from King Sejong to his subjects and their descendants, down to the present day. Death King Sejongs health began to decline even as his accomplishments mounted. Suffering from diabetes and other health problems, Sejong became blind around the age of 50. He passed away on May 18, 1450, at the age of 53. Legacy As King Sejong predicted, his eldest son and successor Munjong did not survive him by much. After just two years on the throne, Munjong died in May 1452, leaving his 12-year-old first son Danjong to rule. Two scholar-officials served as regents for the child. This first Joseon experiment in Confucian-style primogeniture did not last long, however. In 1453, Danjongs uncle, King Sejongs second son Sejo, had the two regents murdered and seized power. Two years later, Sejo formally forced Danjong to abdicate and claimed the throne for himself. Six court officials formed a plan to restore Danjong to power in 1456; Sejo discovered the scheme, executed the officials, and ordered his 16-year-old nephew burned to death so that he could not serve as a figurehead for future challenges to Sejos title. Despite the dynastic mess that resulted from King Sejongs death, he is remembered as the wisest and most capable ruler in Korean history. His accomplishments in science, political theory, military arts, and literature mark Sejong as one of the most innovative kings in Asia or the world. As shown by his sponsorship of Hangul and his establishment of the food reserve, King Sejong truly cared about his subjects. Today, the king is remembered as Sejong the Great, one of only two Korean kings honored with that appellation. The other is Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo, r. 391–413. Sejongs face appears on the largest denomination of South Koreas currency, the 10,000 won bill. His military legacy also lives on in the King Sejong the Great class of guided missile destroyers, first launched by the South Korean Navy in 2007. In addition, the king is the subject of the 2008 Korean television drama series Daewang Sejong, or King Sejong the Great. Actor Kim Sang-kyung portryed the king. Sources Kang, Jae-eun. The Land of Scholars: Two Thousand Years of Korean Confucianism. Paramus, New Jersey: Homa Sekey Books, 2006.Kim, Chun-gil. The History of Korea. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing, 2005.King Sejong the Great and the Golden Age of Korea. Asia Society.Lee, Peter H. William De Bary. Sources of Korean Tradition: From Early Times through the Sixteenth Century. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.

Interview with a school princaple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Interview with a school princaple - Essay Example It could be something as simple as the number of books a family has in their household or whether the parents are well off enough to play and stimulate their children. But we need a reality check. Is this true? Is this an all-abiding theory, which can explain differences in education results? The answer is that while it can occasionally provide some context, it is not really a theory and doesn’t tell us too much about the world. Some students have more opportunities than others, but there are many people from poorer background who succeed in everything they do. It is not a determining factor. That is part of the problem of social sciences is that they theories they propose are only ever contextual and not determinative. That is a shame. Sociology at its best tells us about ourselves and about the trends and demographics that are determining the shapes of our lives and how we should best respond to them. At its worst, sociology can be a sandbox in which different so-called scie ntists try to settle various political spats. This is much less interesting and important, but nevertheless often gets a lot of attention and research money. When we look at sociology and its possible impact on our lives we should try to do reality checks and expose phony and attention-getting theories so that we can focus on what is real. We need to focus on teaching in order to make a successful school. Supervision is key to making sure a school works well. In general, I try to cover a lot of ground in my school. I know the names of everyone on my staff and I try to be aware if any of them are having problems. The key, in my opinion, is to make sure that staff feel respected. It is not good to be watching their every move on camera. You need to give them room to be themselves. But also you must be vigilant. Generally, I get a good response from my staff on this subject. If I could change anything I would do my best to learn more

Sainsbury's the Supermarket Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sainsbury's the Supermarket - Essay Example The business began as a family owned venture, but later changed ownership in 2011 to include shareholders such as Qatar investment Authority who are currently the majority shareholders for this supermarket chain. Despite the challenge they experienced by Tesco who beat them to be the market leader in 1995 and demotion by Asda to be in the third place in 2003, the store rose again to be second largest supermarket in 2013 thrashing Asda. With this, this essay will develop the supermarket’s profile within its target market using the demographic, behavioral, psychographic, and geographic factors. Further, the essay will delve into a well-researched PEST analysis with emphasis on the relevant variables that would have an impact on the Sainsbury chain of supermarkets. Lastly, the essay will give recommendations to the store’s marketing mix based on the PEST results in tandem with the needs and wants of its target market with the aim of increasing its competitive advantage. Sainsbury Supermarkets is one of the established by J Sainsbury Plc and it is the third largest significant supermarket chain in Britain because of its 16.3 share presence in the market. The majority shares belong to the royal family of Qatar who hold up to twenty six percent of the overall shares in the supermarket chain. Presently, the supermarket store has a listing on the stock market in London and is a part of the FTSE 100 Index 1. Businesses operated by Sainsbury The parent Company J Sainsbury plc operates five hundred and eighty three supermarket stores, five hundred and twenty three convenience stores, and the Sainsbury bank entities. Employees As per the standing data, Sainsbury offers employment to at least one hundred and fifty seven thousand people as of the 2013 obtained data. Geographical area of operation The supermarket stores mainly has establishments in the United Kingdom meaning that it does not have stores in other nations. Sainsbury revenue: The annual profit recorded by the company in 2013 stood at 788,000,000 Pounds pre tax and the total sales excluding VAT was at 25,632 pounds. Basic annual share earnings for Sainsbury supermarkets The full ye ar dividend per share earnings for 2013 was at 16.7 per share making the basic share earnings to be at 30.7p. Management team The stores head or Chairman is Mr. Tyler David while the Chief Executive Officer is Mr. King Justin 2. Mr. Rogers John is the acting Chief Financial Officer for the supermarkets where the three operate from the head office in London. Location of the Sainsbury head office The physical location of J Sainsbury Plc is at 33 Holborn in London at ECIN 2HT. Environmental impact assessment Ideally, Sainsbury impacts the environment through the energy usage at their facilities, food packaging wastes, and through the transport and distribution aspects of the company. The carbon footprint by the supermarkets amounts to 60% with the contribution being by the lighting, refrigeration, and lighting systems used by the store. Environmental compliance The supermarket conforms to the ideal requirements and practices making eighteen of its deposits to receive ISO 14001 certific ation. Customer basis for Sainsbury On a weekly basis, Sainsbury supermarket serves at least eighteen million customers in which the store also operates an online shopping store and delivery service. The

Why Is Farming Important Essay Example for Free

Why Is Farming Important Essay Good day students of Seminole Central High school. I am Mr. Lester Johnson , the proud owner of the Everland farm located on Johnson Road right here on the island of Long Island. I firstly became involved in farming when my parents and grandparents would take me to our farm on most weekends to help out by doing various duties which included collecting the chicken eggs, milking the cows, and feeding all the animals. I eventually came to realize that farming was the perfect source to support myself and my family but over the years it has grown to more than just that. As a farmer I have been able to not only aid in the accommodation of the key necessities for the residents of the Bahamas but I have also subsidized to the deterioration of the five million dollar import deficit (reported by The Guardian in 2012). I have so for been a farmer for the past twelve years and in this business owned a commercial farm. Commercial farming is farming that provides products for sale and subsistence farming provides enough food for the farmer and his family but not enough for sale (both derived from Dictionary.com). In order to become a farmer the land in which you plan to grow on must first be acquired, the products that you plan on rearing whether it is livestock or crops, workers and machinery must also be in place. Farming has facilitated the job market of the Bahamas as it is able to hire individuals such as Naturalist, Food Chemist, Food Technician and Irrigation Engineer. As a mean to support farmers with the many expenses the government has provided them with some incentives these include the exemption from customs duty on specific items and the reduction of duty on specific items, the store credit program, small business loans and the exemptions of water use charges. An incentive is something that motivates or encourages someone to do something (stated by Oxford Dictionary). One of the premier initiatives provided by the government was the exemption and reduction on the Bahamas custom duty for specific items, this was an incentive put in place to let farmers pay little to no money on imported materials, machinery and requirements needed for quality crops and livestock. An exemption is the process of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability imposed on others (Dictionary.com). The exemption of customs duty would assist farmers in numerous ways, customs duty is a payment levied on the import, export, manufactured or sale goods (Oxford Dictionary). By being concluded from such a charge we farmers will not only be able to hire more adept experienced workers such as much needed agronomist but also use money not spent on the expenditure of their farms. We are given incentives on products such as hatching eggs and livestock and cattle which would exert or give other farmers the opportunity to venture into different crops. Farmers do not have to deal with various charges on farm equipment and machinery such as harvesters, materials used for the construction of green houses and feeding systems as the immunity lowers the cost on imported machinery. This has reinforced the government by causing them not to target so much on import and export bills because farmers like me would be able to have more of the crops that we used than to waste money on importing which will result in a lower cost on crops, allowing the money to continuously be pumped back into the economy. The exemption of customs duty on varied items for local farmers will not only assist in boosting the Bahamian economy but the farming industry as well. The government has then accommodated the initiative of stores on the credit program like farm and fish stores, farming input such as seed and fertilizer which concedes farmers to be paid prior to the crops being produced. They are given a credit of out of a certain lump sum of money for every acre of land that they own. The credit system is a system which allows workers to be paid before their work begins (Dictionary.com).The farmer would use this money to aid the outlying cultivation and development of his farm, as did I quiet some years ago. To be eligible for such a program a farmer must be a resident of the Bahamas and they must fill out an application at the Ministry of Agriculture. This initiative has assisted me as a farmer because the advances given to me can go towards the prosperity of my farm like crops, seeds, machinery and it also assists with the salary of my workers. It may also support other farmers as well as those in the future because it allows them to understand that they will be aided in the effort of marketing their farms. Farmers have endured difficulties in apprehending a start-up capital for their businesses. Small business loans are one of the other initiatives that the government has put in place to optimize the growth for these small businesses, as farmers are provided with small business loans. A business loan is a bank loan granted for the use of a business (Dictionary.com). These business loans have assisted farmers in a profuse amount of ways which includes start-up capital to help advocate a healthy business start, this in itself will get farmers on the right track. At this point they will be able to start bringing forth crops and livestock for sale, shaping it to be much easier for farmers to pay off their loans. They can then buy materials such as freezer units and make marketing investments where as they can magnify the chances of their products being sold to local and foreign investors. This initiative has helped me because I was able to make a much needed expansions to my farm which allowed me to hire more laborers therefore contributing to a growing economy. The money for labor can also contributed to by these business loans. Small business loans have been helpful and will continue to strengthen our economy and upcoming farmers. The last initiative that I will speak about is the government exempting farmers of a water use charge this simply means that I do not have a water bill to pay on my farm. A charge is the amount of money asked for something that is for sale or available as a result of payment (Encarta Dictionary). This by itself has assisted me and farmers alike exceptionally because we no longer have to confine the amount of water we use on our crops or give to our animals. This allows farmers to put in place more irrigation systems due to the fact that they would no longer have sparing water bills to worry about and now have a more suitable opportunity to focus more on the farm work. This can also chip in to manage crops as the soil is treated better regard and thus will result in the better the quality of the crops. This can administer jobs because crops will be produced in a shorter time period. I have indubitably benefited from this in numerous ways, one being that I appreciated that most of my laborers no longer have to be limited to one job or duty, but I can place them in different work areas. The exemption has assisted farmers enormously over the years and will pursue to do so in the future to aid aspiring farmers.

Comparison Of Dorian Gray To Lord Henry And Sibyl Vane Essay -- essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Comparison of Dorian Gray to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lord Henry and Sibyl Vane   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oscar Wilde’s 19th century The Picture of Dorian Gray portrays a young, naà ¯ve man, Dorian Gray, who begins to change because of Lord Henry Wotton’s negative influence on him; likewise, Dorian influences Sibyl Vane as a result of Henry’s influence on him. Because of Henry’s influence, Dorian’s attitude towards women and his respect for women change for the worse. Because of Dorian’s influence on Sibyl, she commits suicide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wilde first portrays Dorian as a sweet, sensitive man whom everyone admires. He was described as a â€Å"wonderful young man.† He was not concerned with money or power. One day Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton through a mutual friend, Basil Hallward. This is the beginning of the end for Dorian because Lord Henry’s influence pollutes his mind. Although Lord Henry states that, â€Å"all influence is immoral,† he nonetheless changes Dorian. Lord Henry gives Dorian a book about a man who seeks beauty in evil pleasures. Dorian becomes this man. Lord Henry tells Dorian, â€Å"Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, men represent the triumph of mind over morals.† Lord Henry means that women are beautiful, but stupid and men are smart but have no morals. Lord Henry’s theory cor...

Anatomy Quiz Unit 3

1. Match the following chemical terms with their definition: (Points : 15) Answer | | Potential Matches: | : Proton| | 1 : Molecule that dissociates in water to form individual ions, ionic compound |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Neutron| | 2 : Chemical systems that absorb excess acids or bases maintaining a relatively stable pH |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Atomic mass| | 3 : Has lost electrons; indicated by a positive sign, as in Na+ |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Element| | 4 : Non-charged particle in nucleus |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Molecule| | 5 : When acids and bases mix and form salts |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Compound| | 6 : Alkaline | Water molecules| | 7 : Positively charged particle in nucleus |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Base| | 8 : Substances whose molecules have more than one kind of atom |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Acid| | 9 : Double sugar made up of two monosaccharide units |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Neutralization| | 10 : Function is to store energy for later use M. |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Buffers| | 11 : A group of atoms bound together in a group |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Disaccharide| | 12 : Opposite of base | : Carbohydrates| | 13 : Number of protons in the nucleus; determines the type of atom |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Electrolyte| | 14 : Dissociate to form equal amounts of hydrogen ion and hydroxide ion |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Positive ion | 15 : A pure substance, made up of only one kind of atom | | 2. Microscopic View of Skin. Type the number in the empty box that corresponds with the appropriate letter in the diagram. (Points : 15) Answer | | Potential Matches: | : Epidermis| | 1 : k | : dermis| | 2 : h | : subcutaneous fatty tissue| | 3 : g | : hypodermis| | 4 : e | : sweat gland| | 5 : r | : arrector pili muscle| | 6 : n | : Pacinian corpuscle| | 7 : l | : cutaneous nerve| | 8 : c | : papilla of hair| | 9 : b | : hair follicle| | 10 : p | : sebaceous| | 11 : j | : oil gland| | 12 : d | : Meissner's corpuscle| | 13 : a | : dermal papilla| | 14 : i | stratum germinativum| | 15 : m | : stratum corneum| | 16 : o | : hair shaft| | 17 : f | : openings of sweat glands| | 18 : q | | 3. General Characteristics of a Cell. Type the number in the empty box that corresponds with the appropriate letter in the diagram. (Points : 15) Answer | | Potential Matches: | : centrioles| | 1 : a | : flagellum| | 2 : n | : free ribosomes| | 3 : e | : mitochondrion| | 4 : h | : nuclear envelope;| | 5 : c | : nucleus| | 6 : j | : nucleolus| | 7 : l | : ribosomes| | 8 : o | : cilia| | 9 : f | : smooth endoplasmic reticulum| | 10 : k | : rough endoplasmic reticulum| | 11 : m | : plasma membrane| | 12 : i | lysosome| | 13 : d | : cytoplasm| | 14 : b | : golgi apparatus| | 15 : g | | 4. Type the number in the empty box that corresponds with the appropriate term for the statements(s) listed below. (Points : 5) Answer | | Potential Matches: | : Which glands secrete oil, or sebum, for hair and skin? | | 1 : Epidermis |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : These glands work throughout the body, helping to regulate body heat. | | 2 : Sebaceo us glands |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : Hair growth requires epidermal, tubelike structure called _____. | | 3 : Hair follicles |   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   : The outermost and thinnest primary layer of skin is _____. | | 4 : Eccrine sweat glands | | |

Sexuality, Corruption, and Power Dynamics in the Bloody Chamber

Sexuality, corruption and power dynamics in The Bloody Chamber Sexuality is a prevalent theme in Angela Carter’s story The Bloody Chamber. Sexual violence within a relationship often reveals aspects of each party’s identity and character as well as affects its power dynamics. Carter depicts sex both explicitly and implicitly in the story through the heroine’s own thoughts of her newfound sexuality and her sexual experiences with the Marquis.Carter’s implicit and explicit portrayals of sex and sexuality in The Bloody Chamber reflect changes in the power dynamic between the heroine and the Marquis throughout the text, develop the identity of the heroine and reveal aspects of the Marquis’ character, and challenge notions of gender. The first incident of an implicit portrayal of sexuality occurs during the narrator’s train ride away from her childhood home towards her new life with her future husband, the Marquis.No physical act of sex is describ ed, but it is the first time that the reader sees the heroine’s sensual side and departure from innocence through Carter’s use of sexual language. It is as if the train ride away from home symbolizes her departure from innocence and into womanhood. Carter uses words such as â€Å"ecstasy†, â€Å"burning†, â€Å"pistons thrusting†, shuddered†, and â€Å"throb† to convey the heroine’s newfound sexual arousal and her thoughts about sex.Carter’s description of the heroine’s â€Å"young girl’s pointed breasts and shoulders† depicts her innocence and virginity (Carter, 8), yet she is consumed with thoughts of sex. This contrast symbolizes the development of the heroine’s identity from childhood to womanhood. Implicit sexuality is also seen on the train ride when the heroine expresses her anticipation of sex. She says: â€Å"for the first time in my innocent and confined life, I sensed in myself a po tentiality for corruption that took my breath away. (Carter, 11). The heroine feels this way because of the way the Marquis watches her with an â€Å"assessing eye of a connoisseur inspecting horseflesh†, and sees for the first time the â€Å"carnal avarice† of the way he looks at her. The Marquis views her as a piece of meat; similar to the way a predator would eye his prey. From this scene, it is evident to the reader that the Marquis treats his women as possessions, and has a primal instinct regarding sexuality.The heroine has lived a sheltered, pure life and is completely new to such concepts as lust and sexual passion, but it is at this moment that she realizes the potential of becoming a woman susceptible to sexual domination and corruption. This scene reflects the power dynamic in the relationship stemming from the Marquis’ obvious desire for sexual possession, corruption, and control, and the heroine’s recognition of her impending sexual exploitat ion. The scene further develops the heroine’s identity towards becoming a woman.Despite the Marquis’ obvious misogyny, his actions excite the heroine because they make her feel as if she is a sexual and desirable being. She recounts his marriage proposal, and says: â€Å"When I said that I would marry him, not one muscle in his face stirred, but he let out a long, extinguished sigh. I thought: Oh! how he must want me! And it was as though the imponderable weight of his desire was a force I might not withstand, not by virtue of its violence but because of its very gravity. (Carter, 9) This quote shows how the heroine perceives the Marquis’ sigh as a sign that he is in love with her, when the more likely reality is that it is a sigh of victory, as if he has just conquered his latest possession. Regardless of these opposing interpretations, it is evident in the last line of this quote that the heroine senses the combination of sexual desire and violence inherent i n the Marquis’ character, and the harm it poses to her. Little does the heroine know how real the Marquis’ penchant for sex and violence is, and how he channels that desire towards the murder of women.The heroine seems accepting of the submissive role in her relationship with the Marquis, and the thought excites her. This assumption further reflects the power dynamic between the Marquis and his wife, as well as the gender roles that both characters embody. The Marquis fits the description of a power-hungry, domineering male, and the heroine that of a naive, innocent girl who obeys her husband. The heroine’s naivety is reflected when she says she is â€Å"bemused that, after those others, he should now have chosen me. She obviously does not understand that the reason he is not still in mourning for his last wife is because he murdered her. Carter’s explicit portrayal of sex occurs when the Marquis first shows the heroine the mirrored room and disrobes her . The heroine narrates the scene as if she is describing a rape, similar to the ones in the Marquis’ collection of pornographic paintings: â€Å"And when nothing but my scarlet, palpitating core remained, I saw, in the mirror, the living image of an etching by Rops from the collection he had shown me when our engagement permitted us to be alone together. (Carter, 15). When the Marquis later takes the heroine’s virginity, it is a form of punishment for the heroine’s disobedience in perusing his collection of books. This reveals the power dynamic that will present itself again in the story, of the Marquis setting the heroine up to disobey him, then punishing her. He makes her wear the choker of rubies as if it is a collar, kisses it before he kisses her, and â€Å"twines her hair into a rope† as if it is a weapon he could use to hurt her. These actions further exemplify the Marquis’ desire for violence and corruption enveloped in sex.Once the heroin e is no longer a virgin and the Marquis leaves the castle, the heroine takes on the role of woman of the house. The reader sees the development of the heroine’s identity, as her independence is revealed through solitary actions such as playing the piano, her true passion, and directing the staff. The heroine is portrayed as a woman who is in control of her domain, rather than a girl under the control of her husband, even though she is still very much trapped in the castle. Power dynamics shift once the heroine loses her virginity, because that was what defined her corruptibility, innocence and youth.The heroine and the reader also witness for the first time a Marquis who has had all the force and power knocked out of him. The narrator says â€Å"He lay beside me, felled like an oak, breathing stertorously, as if he had been fighting with me. In the course of that one-sided struggle, I had seen his deathly composure shatter like a porcelain vase flung against a wall; I had he ard him shriek and blaspheme at the orgasm. † (Carter, 18). Prior to this sexual experience, the heroine had never seen the Marquis be emptied of his composure or expose his vulnerability.She believes that she may have discovered the man underneath the powerful facade when she says â€Å"And perhaps I had seen his face without its mask; and perhaps I had not. † The Marquis is always so in control and holds power over the heroine, but she realizes that if his exterior is removed for a moment, he is not as powerful as he seems. This scene influences the power dynamic within the relationship, since the heroine is no longer convinced that the Marquis holds so much unquestionable authority over her.This transition in the power dynamic aids the heroine’s decision to disobey the Marquis’ instructions when he leaves. The heroine’s identity is further developed after the she discovers the bloody chamber and the Marquis returns to the castle. Now that she has discovered the truth about her husband and the fate of his previous wives, the narrator admits to herself that she is in true danger. â€Å"How could I know, indeed? Except that, in my heart, I’d always known its lord would be the death of me. † (Carter, 33).She is no longer an unknowing, innocent, uncorrupted girl, as she now knows who the Marquis truly is and what he plans to do to her, and she realizes there is nothing desirable about him or their relationship. The narrator realizes that she has played directly into the Marquis’ hands, and has â€Å"lost at that charade of innocence and vice in which he had engaged me. Lost, as the victim loses to the executioner. † (Carter, 34). The heroine has fallen for every trap that the Marquis has set for her, right up until her impending death.The power dynamics of the relationship shift at this moment in the story. The heroine has discovered the Marquis true intentions, so he no longer holds any secrets that she is unaware of. She sees him as the monster he is, and not as the powerful man he pretends to be. The narrator observes as the Marquis â€Å"raised his head and stared at me with his blind, shuttered eyes as though he did not recognize me, I felt a terrified pity for him, for this man who lived in such strange, secret places that, if I loved him enough to follow him, I should have to die† (Carter, 35).The heroine begins to pity the Marquis rather than fear him, and sees his loneliness underneath his powerful disguise. One could argue that the power dynamics truly shift in the heroine’s favor once her mother kills the Marquis, as he is destroyed, but the true shift takes place once the heroine discovers who the Marquis really is, because she no longer has any reason to obey him as a husband. Once the narrator realizes that she is not in a legitimate husband-wife relationship and her husband intends to murder her, there is no reason for her to act like a loving, faith ful wife or submit to this man.The end of the text shows how Carter challenges gender roles throughout the story. At the beginning, the heroine is portrayed as a naive girl who marries a man not because she’s sure she loves him, but because she’s sure she wants to marry him (Carter 8). The reader sees how she fits the notion of the inexperienced, submissive gender willing to obey a man and accept all the riches he offers her. The Marquis fits the notion of a masochistic, domineering male who sees women as objects and seeks to control them and entice them with wealth.However, by the end of the novel, the heroine outlives the Marquis and is no longer the object of a man’s desire for violence and sexual corruption. She marries a man who is blind and poor, so that he can neither objectify her for her beauty nor buy her love with money and gifts, and she no longer has any desire for these things. This change is seen when the narrator says: â€Å"We lead a quiet life , the three of us. I inherited, of course, enormous wealth but we have given most of it away to various charities. (Carter, 40). The Marquis has fallen from his position as a powerful, wealthy, controlling man, and in true feminist fashion, the heroine emerges the victor. Carter’s descriptions of implicit and explicit scenes of sex and sexuality involving the heroine and the Marquis illustrate the development of the two characters’ relationship with each other and the power dynamics involved, as well as their own identity transitions throughout the story.The reader witnesses the narrator’s journey from girlhood and her desire for sexual corruption, through her torture, submissiveness and sexual self-discovery, all the way until her assumption of power over the Marquis. The heroine defeats the preconceived notions of gender roles as her values and character are completely altered by the end of the story. The Bloody Chamber depicts the lethal combination of sexual ity and violence and the desire to be sexually corrupted without comprehending the implications and true nature of the relationship.

How to effectively explain why you have gaps on your resume

How to effectively explain why you have gaps on your resume Job gaps happen, because life happens. Maybe you’ve gotten laid off (or even fired). Maybe you took some time off from working to attend to personal matters, like a health issue, or caring for a child or family member. Our careers aren’t always constant, linear paths. But unfairly or not, having gaps can put you at a disadvantage against other candidates that have been working constantly in the field, picking up steady experience and a continuous progression through the ranks. Let’s explore how to maximize your resume to show that you’re just as qualified, gaps and all.Consider whether you should mention it at all.If the gap happened in the past, and you’re currently (or recently) employed, then you don’t need to talk about your gap at all unless asked. Don’t jump the gun just because you’re anxious about it- your interviewer might not even bring it up!Be honest†¦Sure, a few fake dates may go unnoticed by the resume reader. But they might not. And if your hiring process involves a background check, or you get tripped up when talking about your experience in person at a job interview, it’s going to be an embarrassing (and likely costly) mistake. If you’ve been out of the workforce for two years, acknowledge that fact, potentially in your cover letter, always emphasizing that you’re ready to jump back in.If an interviewer asks you why you left your last job (which is a while ago) and you happen to have lost your job, it’s okay to admit that. People get the downsizing factor- it happens to most people at some point. But again: emphasize that your skills and experience have grown and that you’re excited about this new opportunity.†¦but finesse dates if you have to.Instead of using specific months of employment, go with the year. You won’t be able to hide a gap of a year or more that way, but if you’ve been out of the game for more than a few months but less than a year, it can be easier to obscure that to the reader.Be careful of the kind of information you reveal about your gap.This applies especially if you took time off to have a kid or had a medical issue in the past. Interviewers aren’t allowed to discriminate against you on the basis of family status or physical disability, which means they can’t ask you about those things. If you go ahead and mention them yourself, though, then you’ve opened that door. So, it’s important to tread carefully. Instead of saying, â€Å"I took some time off to treat my clinical depression,† say something vague like, â€Å"I took time off for a family health issue, but now that things are better I’m so ready to put my store manager hat back on.†Tweak your resume format.Not every resume has to have the traditional job experience + skills + education format, with your work experience moving backwards chronologically. If you’re trying to set a narrative for your resume around a gap in employment, put your skills up front, taking care to spotlight ones that directly relate to the job at hand. The hiring manager needs to know, first and foremost, that you’re a good fit for the job. So you can make that connection easier if you show that you have the skills.If you have a fairly long work history, in the experience section you can emphasize only the most relevant jobs (â€Å"Relevant Work Experience), omitting ones that are way back or just not very applicable to this new job. That way, you’re not setting the expectation that every bit of your work experience is listed on the resume.Look for other kinds of experience to highlight.Maybe you volunteered while you were out of work. Maybe you took classes in coding that bumped your skills up to the next level. Look outside the usual job experience bullet points to show that you may have a gap, but you haven’t been totally out of it. Anything you can use to show that you’ve been building in the meantime will help you make the case that you’re ready to seize this new opportunity.So if you have a gap on your resume, don’t despair. It can feel intimidating to know you’re up against people who don’t have the same issue, but always remember that you’ve got great experience and skills. It’s all about showing how you plan to use those to overcome whatever challenges have come your way.

9th Grade Science Fair Projects

9th Grade Science Fair Projects 9th grade is the first year of high school, so 9th graders might be competing against older students in a science fair. Even so, they stand every bit as good a chance of excelling and winning. The key to success is choosing an interesting project that doesnt necessarily take a lot of time to complete. 9th graders have a lot going on, so seek an idea that can be developed and completed over the space of a few weeks or less. The quality of the presentation is very important  since high school students are expected to be familiar with word processing programs and printers. Give some attention to the quality of the poster. Be sure to cite any references used in developing the experiment. 9th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas tooth whiteners s of chemicals to try would include hydrogen peroxide solution, dilute hydrochloric acid solution, dilute isopropyl alcohol solution, fruit juice. Some of these agents are thought to be able to loosen the seed coat surrounding the plant embryo.hair conditioner - Use a microscope to determine whether hair conditioner affects the condition of hair (either comparing brands or comparing with conditioner to without-conditioner). Try to get empirical data, such as a diameter measurement of each hair strand and the distance a strand can stretch before it breaks.What is the best way to store bread to keep it fresh the longest time? What things can you do to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of your clothes dryer or water heater or any device? For example, can you take actions or make changes that will decrease the length of time it takes your dryer to get a load of towels dry?Does listening to music while you study affect your ability to memorize facts?Does the presence of smoke in the air affect plant transpiration?Does eye color affect peripheral vision? Supposedly people with darker eyes tend to have wider pupils for a given amount of light than people with light-colored irises. If you have a more open pupil, does it give you measurably better peripheral vision? Another idea to test would be to see if you have the same peripheral vision in bright light as compared with dim light.acid snow? - You know about acid rain, but do you know the pH range of snow? If you live in an area with snow, test its pH. How does the pH of snow compare with the pH of rain from the same region?What methods of preventing soi l erosion work best? For example, what is effective at preventing erosion in your yard? What can you do to reduce noise pollution in a room? What factors contribute to noise pollution inside a residence?seed viability - Is there a test you can perform to predict whether or not a seed will germinate? What factors can you measure that might be used to construct a test?Does an external magnetic field have any noticeable effect on animals such as brine shrimp, cockroaches, or fruit flies? You could use a strip magnet and containers of sample organisms and make observations to address this question.Is the brightness of glow-in-the-dark (phosphorescent) materials affected by the light source (spectrum) used to make them glow or only by the intensity (brightness) of the light? Does the light source affect the length of time a phosphorescent material will glow?Can you affect vitamin C (or another measurable vitamin) levels in juice (or another food) by adding a preservative to the juice?What is the best thickness of insulation for preventing heat loss?Is light bulb lifespan aff ected by whether the bulb is run at full power? In other words, do dim bulbs last longer/shorter than bulbs run at their power rating? What type of box material gives you the best sound for your speaker?When comparing different brands of batteries, is the battery that lasts the longest at a high temperature the same brand that lasts the longest at a cold temperature.

Knowledge management approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Knowledge management approach - Essay Example Knowledge management implies any activity regarding the capture and the diffusion of knowledge within the organization. A key component of KM is to provide access to stored knowledge components in order to improve decision-making and facilitate knowledge acquisition by the user. The present essay is an attempt to introduce this innovative capital of modern organisations in a simple and lucid style. In the essay, the writer first, tries to distinguish the related concepts in the area of knowledge such as data, information etc, which are often misunderstood (used interchangeably with) as knowledge. In addition, an attempt is made to introduce the two approaches to knowledge management that capture and utilize knowledge. The essay prepared to examine the different of these two approaches. Specifically, it attempts to narrate the definition of these approaches and portrays both advantages and disadvantages of these two approaches. Finally, rather most importantly the report demonstrates how to apply theoretical concepts of knowledge management to NASA's JPL case study. One of the essentials of an effective knowledge management system is that the system must be able to distinguish knowledge from data and information so that information overload can be reduced/eliminated and its efficiency can be improved. An efficient knowledge management system accepts only those data that are relevant, timely, reliable and accurate. In the words of Liew (2002) data means the collection of facts or events and it is comprised of the basic, unrefined and unfiltered information, which are mostly useless. But, information is more refined data that is useful and meaningful for an analysis and decision making. In contrast, knowledge resides in the human brain and it happens when human experience is applied to data and information, therefore, knowledge is internalized which absorbed and understood by the human mind. In the modern business context, knowledge management can have a lot to perform to attain a competitive edge and thereby create value to the organisation. Knowledge management There are many interpretations as to what exactly knowledge management is all about. The definition put forward by Quintas P., Lefrere P. and Jones is worth notable in this context. They define knowledge management as "a continuously process of managing knowledge in order to ensure that knowledge is available when and where needed and can be acquired both from external sources and internal sources" (Quintas et al, 1997). It is worthwhile here to mention the definition developed by NASA for knowledge management. NASA defines "knowledge management as getting the right information to the right people at the right time and helping people create knowledge and share and act upon information in ways that will measurably improve the performance of an organization and its partners" (NASA, 2009). The procedures by which the objectives of KM can be accomplished include the following: As far as possible, everyone connected with knowledge management system should disclose what he/she knows and thereby facilitates knowledge sharing and its reuse. This will allow others to know when and where knowledge is available. Knowledge is made available at the time of decision making and it is the duty of the concerned personnel in an organisation that knowledge is