AP World History - Learn What Test Score You Need

AP World History - Learn What Test Score You Need World History is a popular Advanced Placement subject, and in 2017 nearly 300,000 students took the AP World History exam. Many colleges have a history requirement as part of their general education programs, and a high score on the exam will often fulfill the requirement and qualify students to take upper-level history courses. About the AP World History Course and Exam AP World History is designed to cover the material one would encounter in a two-semester introductory-level college world history course, although the reality is that very few colleges will award two semesters of credit for the course. The course is broad and covers important people and events from 8000 B.C.E to the present. Students learn to make historical arguments and historical comparisons, and they learn how to analyze and write about both primary and secondary sources. Students study how to contextualize historical events, and how to understand cause and effect in relation to historical phenomena. The course can be broken down into five broad themes: The ways that humans have been shaped by the environment as well as the way that humans have affected and transformed the environment.The rise and interaction of different cultures, and the ways that religions and various  belief systems have molded societies over time.Issues of state including the study of agrarian, pastoral, and mercantile states, as well as the ideological foundations of governing systems such as religion and nationalism. Students also study types of states such as autocracies and democracies, and conflicts and wars between states.Economic systems including their creation, expansion, and interaction. Students study agricultural and industrial systems as well as systems of labor including free labor and coerced labor.Social structures within human societies including those based on kinship, ethnicity, gender, race, and wealth. Students will study have different social groups are created, sustained, and transformed. Along with the five themes, AP World History can be broken down into six historical periods: Name of Time Period Date Range Weight on Exam Technological and Environmental Transformation 8000 to 600 B.C.E. 5 percent Organization and Reorganization of Human Societies 600 B.C.E to 600 C.E. 15 percent Regional and Interregional Interactions 600 C.E. to 1450 20 percent Global Interactions 1450 to 1750 20 percent Industrialization and Global Integration 1750 to 1900 20 percent Accelerating Global Change and Realignments 1900 to the Present 20 percent AP World History Exam Score Information In 2018, 303,243 students took the Advanced Placement World History exam. The mean score was a 2.78. 56.2 percent of students received a score of 3 or higher, meaning they might qualify for college credit or course placement. The distribution of scores for the AP World History exam is as follows: AP World History Score Percentiles (2018 Data) Score Number of Students Percentage of Students 5 26,904 8.9 4 60,272 19.9 3 83,107 27.4 2 86,322 28.5 1 46,638 15.4 The College Board has posted preliminary score distributions for the World History exam for 2019 test-takers. Note that these numbers may change slightly as late exams get recorded. Preliminary 2019 AP World History Score Data Score Percentage of Students 5 8.7 4 19 3 28.3 2 28.9 1 15.1 College Credit Course Placement for AP World History Most colleges and universities have a history requirement and/or a global perspectives requirement, so a high score on the AP World History exam will sometimes fulfill one or both of these requirements. The table below presents some representative data from a variety of colleges and universities. This information is meant to provide a general overview of the scoring and placement practices related to the AP World History exam. For other schools, youll need to search the colleges website or contact the appropriate Registrars office to get AP placement information. AP World History Scores and Placement College Score Needed Placement Credit Georgia Tech 4 or 5 1000-level history (3 semester hours) LSU 4 or 5 HIST 1007 (3 credits) MIT 5 9 general elective units Notre Dame 5 History 10030 (3 credits) Reed College 4 or 5 1 credit; no placement Stanford University - no credit or placement for the AP World History exam Truman State University 3, 4 or 5 HIST 131 World Civilizations before 500 A.D. (3 credits) for a 3 or 4; HIST 131 World Civilizations before 500 A.D. and HIST 133 World Civilizations, 1700-Present (6 credits) for a 5 UCLA (School of Letters and Science) 3, 4 or 5 8 credits and World History placement Yale University - no credit or placement for the AP World History exam A Final Word on AP World History Keep in mind that college placement isnt the only reason to take AP World History. Selective colleges and universities typically rank an applicants  academic record  as the most important factor in the admissions process. Extracurricular activities and essays matter, but good grades in challenging classes matter more. The admissions folks will want to see good grades in college preparatory classes. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate (IB), Honors, and Dual Enrollment classes all play an important role in demonstrating an applicants college readiness. In fact, success in challenging courses is the best predictor of college success available to the admissions officers. SAT and ACT scores have some predictive value, but the  thing they best predict is the income of the applicant. If youre trying to figure out which AP classes to take, World History is often a good choice. It is a popular exam ranking below just five subjects: Calculus, English Language, English Literature, Psychology, and United States History. Colleges like to admit students who have broad, worldly knowledge, and World History certainly helps demonstrate that knowledge. To learn more specific information about the AP World History exam, be sure to visit the  official College Board website.

Victimology Example

Victimology Example Victimology – Coursework Example Discuss victimology and how technology changes over the past 20 years have created circumstances that can increase a persons chance of being victimized:â€Å"Victimology is the study of relationships among perpetrators, victims and the criminal justice system† (Czaja, 2010). Apart from the study of the interrelationship among these, victimology also offers an insight to the influence made by changing business scenario, social and cultural norms and the media upon the society in general. Here, it is customary to describe victims. Victims may not necessarily be encountering criminals. Instead, any person whose rights have been subdued in any way is a victim. People’ chance of being victimized has tremendously increased since the early 1990s with the rise in technology, particularly which relates to computers. Use of computers became widespread almost all over the world since the 1990s. Along with computers came internet, that opened doors to new ways of crime and peopleâ €™s verisimilitude of being victimized grew noticeably. â€Å"†¦internet access became more available and economical throughout the late 1990s† (Fusco, n.d., p. 12). Internet has conventionally been employed as a means of networking. Because of the quick access to people, many people have conducted severe frauds through internet. Internet frauds include but are not limited to blackmailing, puffery, and promotion of gay/lesbian marriages without individuals getting to know of it. People have conventionally hidden their original identity on internet, and a lot of gay marriages have taken place online, without the consent of individuals being victimized. In addition to that, Facebook, Twitter and Orkut have provided criminals with access to personal information about people, as a result of which, people have then been victimized in various ways. References:Czaja, J. (2010). Victimology Theory. Retrieved from ehow.com/facts_7185129_victimology-theory.html. Fusco, M. (n.d .). An Analysis of the Competing Business Models in Online Journalism. Michael Fusco.

OUTLINE AND EVALUATE PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROCHES. (COGNITIVE AND Essay

OUTLINE AND EVALUATE PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROCHES. (COGNITIVE AND HUMANISTIC) - Essay Example Individuals like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow felt existing (psychodynamic) theories failed to adequately address issues like the meaning of behavior, and the nature of healthy growth. However, the result was not simply new variations on psychodynamic theory, but rather a fundamentally new approach.† Some of the major weaknesses of the two approaches overlap, such as the fact that in all psychological perspectives—including both the cognitive and humanistic approaches—identifying practitioners that are any good in their field is rather difficult and sometimes impossible. For the purpose of treating psychopathy, the humanistic approach is simply not appropriate. It is not possible to have a great deal of emotional contact with psychopaths, and that step would be necessary if one were to engage in the humanistic approach. Furthermore, humanism is simply not suited for dealing with emotional damage that is extensive (Wilderdom, 2003). One strength of the humanistic approach is that it caters to unprecedented areas of psychology than other approaches. It is simply a newer, more eclectic approach at looking at the fundamentals of older ideas that were presented by previous psychologists (Wilderdom, 2003). Case studies and laboratory experiments are usually used as tools or instruments during investigations involving the cognitive approach. These studies are often conducted via computer and on people who are brain damaged. The entire idea behind the process is to analyze their thought processes and to draw a conclusion (Burgoon, 2008). There is one main weakness of this type of methodology, say some psychologists. One claims, for instance, that the testing environment is artificial and fair sets of data, therefore, cannot be collected. However, the thought processes of a human can be accurately recorded by a computer at any given time through the utilization of

Encoding Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Encoding Study - Essay Example In the following report, an understanding on how two primary procedures of encoding are rather effectively affecting the memory use of the young students shall be examined. Through an experimentation process, the entire study shall be based on evidence proven approach that would likely involve the use of certain willing participants and the evaluation of the results that are to be handled by the researchers early on. 2 The process by which the mind stores an awful lot of information in the head of human individuals is a great and awesome truth about the amazing capabilities of the human body’s capability to respond to the environment that a person lives in. Not a single super computer could amount to the capability of the human mind to store information about a hundredfold of details about different matters of consideration that a person is most likely interested in. 3 This particular capability of the mind is the basic reason why there is learning. The belief that growth comes along with the process of mindful maturity and the amount of information stored and utilized by the human minds is indeed considered as the basic foundation of the reasons behind the establishment of several learning institutions today.4 Truthfully, the entire process of storing and utilization of information is taken considerably by the human mind as the main function that it contributes to the function of the human body. However, not all human individuals are able to utilize the memory function of their minds. Some are able to develop an easier personal process of storing information in their minds, while some others find it hard to recall certain details that they were already supposed to know since their mind has already been fed with the information that they need to know.5 For this particular reason, the need to develop and investigate existing procedures of memory enhancement among students is pursued by many educators

King Philip II of Spain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

King Philip II of Spain - Essay Example Unlike his father Philip II was not interested in war and avoided wars and paid less attention to enhancing his own greatness than to deter that of others. King Philip II usually followed the opinion of others. King Philip II considered that Spaniards superior to the nation. He believed that he lived among the Spaniards and he should consult them and they should direct his policies. He considered the Spaniards above all the others that he ruled, that is, the Flemish, the Italians and the Germans. He would give them positions only in the military, in the hope that he could prevent his enemies from using them. Born in 1527 Phillip II became the king of Spain in 1556, he died in 1598. He governed Spain in her Golden Age. However during his rule Spain went through an economic crunch. Spain's bankruptcy continued for a decade from 1588 to 1598. Inclusive of the disaster of the Spanish Armada. Philip II had a good taste for music and art and considered him self a traditional Spanish man. He also loved collecting master pieces and his collection was at his palace outside Madrid which was called Escorial. Philip II was an educated man but however he was weak at languages but good at Politics and History. He also collected art works and rare books. He was a very religious man and his rooms at his palace were Spartan which contained very less furniture. Philip II was married four times to Maria Manuela of Portugal, Mary Tudor of England, Elizabeth of Valois and Anne of Austria respectively. Philip had a major problem of not trusting his own judgments and also relied on the advice of others. He al so mistrusted the advice of his advisors. Due to this any issues took a very long time to be decided upon. It is believed he had a persistent lack of self confidence. "Your majesty spends so long considering your undertakings that when the moment to perform them comes the occasion has passed and the money has been spent"(Maran, 1954, p. 17). Long term policies could be cultured to achieve long term results as a result of him taking time to make important decisions. He wanted to 'Castilise' Spain which resulted in the most important government positions going to Castilians. Philip strongly believed that the right of the kings was divine and believed that kings were appointed by god and he as a king was also appointed by god so he could never makes any mistakes as god could not make mistakes. King Philip II settled down in the Netherlands during the early years of his reign. In 1559 he returned to the peninsula and never left the peninsula again. King Philip II was a native Spanish speaker and he decided to rule from Spain rather than travel around to his different states. Though, King Philip II was sometimes described as a monarch, he faced many constitutional limitations on his power. Spain was considered a coalition of many separate territories. It wasn't a single monarchy with one legal system. Precedence was usually taken over King Philip's authority by the local assemblies. The word of the local Lords was considered more effective than the King's own word. He also struggled with the issue of the Morisco population in Spain, who were forced to convert to Christianity by his ancestors. When the Morico Revolt broke out in 1568 in response to the attempts to restrain Moorish customs, King Philip ordered the distribution of Moricos onto other states after their

Effect of Neo-Geography on Professional GIS

Effect of Neo-Geography on Professional GIS Will Neo-geography cause the end of professional GIS Almost everything that happens, happens somewhere (Longley et al. 2005) meaning that everything happens in geographic space. It can be of critical importance to know not only what happened and when but where something happened as well. A GIS is a computer-based system that provides for the storage and representation of geographic data. GIS data are most commonly stored in a relational database format, from which they can be analysed, combined and displayed as maps or in other data formats. In recent years there has been a large increase in the use of neo-geography, that is the use of applications such as Google Earth, Google Maps, Bing Maps etc. to create maps. These maps usually use a base map from one of the above applications with spatial data collected and displayed over it. The large increase in people using neo-geography has led to discussions as to whether neo-geography will cause the end of professional GIS. GIS GIS is a tool that allows users to visualise data (generally on a map) in order to see patterns and relationships in a given area or subject. (Kemp (ed.) 2008) defines GIS as â€Å"fundamentally concerned with building shared understandings of the world in ways that are robust, transparent and, above all, usable in a range of real world settings.† According to ESRI a GIS â€Å"lets us visualise, question, analyse, interpret, and understand data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.† (GIS DEMYSTIFIED) however claims that this is too general a definition for such a complex and wide ranging set of tools and says that: â€Å"GIS is, in essence, a central repository of and analytical tool for geographic data collected from various sources. The developer can overlay the information from these various sources by means of themes and layers, perform comprehensive analysis of the data, and portray it graphically for the user.† It is a computer application designed to perform a wide range of operations on geographic information. Geographic information is defined as information about locations on or near the surface of the Earth, and may be organized in a variety of ways (Goodchild 2009). A GIS includes functions to input, store, visualise, export, and analyse geographic information. With GIStechnology, people can compare the locations of different things in order to discover how they relate to each other. For example, using GIS, the same map could include sites that producepollution, such as gas stations, and sites that are sensitive to pollution, such aswetlands. Such a map would help people determine which wetlands are most at risk. GIS can use any information that includeslocation. The location can be expressed in many different ways, such aslatitudeandlongitude, address, orZIP code. Many different types of information can be compared and contrasted using GIS. The system can include data about people, such as population,income, or education level. It can include information about the land, such as the location of streams, different kinds ofvegetation, and different kinds ofsoil. It can include information about the sites of factories, farms, and schools, orstorm drains, roads, and electricpower lines. Neo-geography Neo-geography is a term that refers to techniques, tools and practices of geography that have been traditionally beyond the scope of professional geographers and geographic information systems (GIS) practitioners (Turner 2006). (Castree, Kitchin Rogers 2013) describe neo-geography as follows: â€Å"The new forms of geographical knowledge enabled by Web 2.0 technologies where in geographical data are sourced through the collective actions of many individuals, and processed and displayed through online resources. Neo-geography produces geographical outputs that have not been produced by professionals, but rather through crowdà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ sourcing. These data range from place tags on virtual globes, to uploaded GPS traces of locations, to georeferenced communication that can be mapped and combined with other data to create large, dynamic, open data sets.† Szott (2006) describes neo-geography as â€Å"a diverse set of practices that operate outside, or alongside, or in the manner of, the practices of professional geographers.† He goes on to explain that rather than being scientifically based, methods used in neo-geography tend to be based on more personal and artistic tendencies that are â€Å"idiosyncratic applications of ‘real’ geographic techniques† which can be of value to the cartographic and geographic sciences but don’t conform to professional practice. As mentioned in the above quote from Castree et al. (2013) neo-geography has been enabled by Web 2.0 technologies. Web 2.0 is a term that was introduced in 2004 and refers to the second generation of theWorld Wide Web (TechTerms 2008). While it suggests new version of the World Wide Web the term actually refers to technological improvements in software and changes in how software developers and end users use the web (Fu Sun 2011). These improvements and changes lead to the introduction of services such as Google Maps, Google Earth, Bing Maps and MapQuest among others. These services are referred to as WebGIS. WebGIS is any GIS that uses Web technologies (Fu Sun 2011). As these services became more popular developers such as Google started to release an application programming interface (API) for their programs. An application programming interface is a set of programming instructions and standards for accessing a Web-based software application orWeb tool (Roos 2007). Releasing APIà ¢â‚¬â„¢s to the public allowed software developers to design products powered by WebGIS. The term ‘neo-geography’ was coined by one of the founders of platial.com, Di-Ann Eisner (Maguire 2007). She used neo-geography to describe the ‘new’ geography of overlaying or ‘mashing up’ two or more sources of geographic information. The release of API’s allowed developers and users to quickly and easily show geographically based data on shareable maps creating what has become known as a ‘mashup’ (Turner 2006). This could, for instance, be a Google Maps base layer overlaid with mobile phone coverage. Using the Google Maps API a software developer was able to take the original application (Google Maps) and overlay content (the mobile phone coverage over it) effectively ‘mashing’ the two together. Web 2.0 has resulted in a rise in user-generated content (UGC) of which volunteered geographic content (VGI) is UGC of a geographic nature (WEBGIS pg250). VGI is digital spatial data that is created voluntarily by citizens rather than by formal data producers (webgis pg279 goodchild 2007a). â€Å"The availability of mapping APIs like Google’s has facilitated the concept of a ‘mashup’ as the ideal presentation vehicle for VGI by providing a geographical backdrop† (Learning From the Crowd: The Role of Volunteered Geographic Information in Realising a Spatially Enabled Society). VGI has become a hugely important channel through which geographic data is collected. The table below taken from WEBGIS (XXXX) shows the geographic information collected from popular websites. Example websites and essential geospatial questions asked Use cases Geographic information contributed Wikimapia What places do you know? Users draw a rectangle and describe the place with a few sentences Constructing a comprehensive global gazetteer database Picasa, Panoramio, and Flickr online albums (geotagging) What photos can you share about places you have been? Users upload geotagged photos or upload and geotag the photos by zooming to a location on a map Recording and reporting the past and present conditions of places or events with the use of photos OpenStreetMap What GPS data do you have for the roads you bike, walk or drive? Users upload the track logs of their personal GPS receivers Constructing street and highway data layers for many areas SeeClickFix Where and what problems do you see that need to be fixed? Users report problems such as potholes and graffiti by drawing on and annotating maps Identifying problems for local authorities Twitter (GeoTweeting) Whats going on here? Users report personal activities, other events, or incidents at their locations Monitoring and reporting activities Conclusion Neo-geography has caused a large shift in the way people view and use maps. The Conclusion Focus on data quality Focus on analysis that gis’s can carry out, neogeo can’t really do this – only really displys at the mo planning Also focus on fact that most neogeo is built on a gis foundation. These reasons neogeo will not end prof GIS GIS has a huge amount of uses including: Managing business activities Planning Emergency services Land management Transport Utility operations Benefits of GIS include: Fundamentals of GIS (intro to GIS first few pages) GIScience – the professional arm? Introduction Geography (use demystified, use GIS: an introduction, use gis and science)( The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Business PDF) They will explain gis from geography How much gis used now in daily life, business etc (google gis in daily life)( CONCEPTS AND THEORIES OF GIS IN BUSINESS)( The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Business PDF) Mention neogeo; use intro to neogeo try to rehash what it is in a few lines with examples The hardware and software functions of a GIS are as follows: Acquisition and verification Compilation Storage Updating and changing Management and exchange Manipulation Retrieval and presentation Analysis and combination These actions are applied to the data held in the GIS. All of this data is georeferenced i.e. linked to a location on the earth’s surface using a coordinate system. Information can be attached to locations (Heywood, Cornelius Carver 2011) tell us that in general, the definitions of GIS cover three main components: It is a computer system comprising of both hardware and software, It uses spatially referenced or geographical data and, Carries out various management and analysis tasks. Hardware is used to collect and input data. Analysis of the information can then be undertaken using the software. By providing spatial analysis of suitably coded data it is possible to provide striking, visual representations of data. These representations can often reveal patterns and trends that might otherwise have gone unnoticed without the use of GIS techniques.

The Lovers Tale :: The Lovers Tale Chaucer Canterbury Tales Essays

The Lover's Tale Whan that the goode Wif of Bathe hadde hir tale ytold, with ful light herte thought she, â€Å"Whan that I go again from Canterbury, Sekirly shalle I have a soper at the cost of alle.† Anoon a yonge lovere saide in parfit Englisch, â€Å"Lordings, now leten me tell the tale of most solas and best sentence.† The young lover paused for a moment: â€Å"Surely the tale would be much more enjoyable if we stop with all the Middle English.† The pilgrims nodded in agreement, wondering why they had not decided upon this earlier, and the lover continued, â€Å"Now, permit me to tell the most pleasant and meaningful tale.† â€Å"In the days of old, during the time of the great King Arthur, there was a knight well known for his courage, valor, and good looks; however, this knight was known to no woman, and many people spoke of this in jest. Also, there was a fair maiden, young and coy, who adored the knight. This lovely lady adored him so much that one day, as he was riding his great steed, she winked at him. This gesture greatly offended the courageous man. He dismounted his horse, went up to the woman, and asked her if she knew who he was. She said, ‘Sir, I do know who you are, and I dare say that I have loved you for some time now.’ The knight was horrified by this beautiful, forthright, and bold woman. He said to her, ‘Woman, I am a fair knight, and thou art not my type.’ A few bystanders giggled, but the knight continued, ‘You shall be punished for what thou hast done to me.’ Then, with his great strength, he took hold of the woman, placed her behind him on his noble steed, and brought her to his lord, the great King Arthur. The noble knight smiled gleefully and was full of joy as he greeted the knights of Arthur’s court (he seemed joyful and gay). The great King Arthur listened to the complaints of his brave knight, and after some time told him that he would need time to decide what punishment to give this girl.

Sam Harris Thesis Review

â€Å"Morality and values depend on the existence of conscious minds—and specifically on the fact that such minds can experience various forms of well-being and suffering in this universe. Conscious minds and their states are natural phenomena, of course, fully constrained by the laws of Nature (whatever these turn out to be in the end). Therefore, there must be right and wrong answers to questions of morality and values that potentially fall within the purview of science. On this view, some people and cultures will be right (to a greater or lesser degree), and some will be wrong, with respect to what they deem important in life. (Harris, 2011) This is Sam Harris’s thesis in his book The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values. This proposition purports science can answer questions about morality. Science is about empirical evidence not social norms or accepted moral standards (morality). His stance on morality is centered on naturalistic fallacy. It is the thought that morality is the result of evolution and social conditioning. (Craig 2012) The laws of nature do not determine right or wrong behavior with relativity to the conscious mind. We as humans do not become more moral as we evolve. As situations around us change our morals change based on what’s more beneficial to us. â€Å"We are selfish to one degree or another; we lack complete information about the consequences of our actions; and even where we possess such information, our interests and preferences often lead us to ignore it. † Harris states. (Harris, 2011) However, his thesis contradicts this statement. I agree with many other critics of Harris† regarding his idea of well being. He does not define well being or what justifies it. If well being is a part of the science of morality what can increase or decrease well being? How can well being be the foundation for morality? I do agree with him that our minds can experience much suffering. However, the measure of suffering is not a science. The laws of nature do not determine if our response to unpleasant situations or suffering is right or wrong as he suggests. Philosophers believe morality comes from the soul. Scientist believe morality comes from certain areas of the brain. There are many tests out to study brain functions. These tests display activities in certain areas of the brain that respond to an emotional stimulus. Although scientist continues to research this issue, no network of nerves has been found to determine the process of moral cognition. (Young & Dungan, 2011) Science does not tell us how to live or explain the differences between right and wrong. Morality is based on a school of thought. Morality does not appear in any type of science. Our morals change as our culture change. Right and wrong is determined in the court of public opinion.

Famous Chinese Horse Proverb Sai Weng Lost His Horse

Famous Chinese Horse Proverb 'Sai Weng Lost His Horse' Chinese proverbs (è « ºÃ¨ ªÅ¾, ynyÃ… ­) are an important aspect of Chinese culture and language. But what makes Chinese proverbs all the more extraordinary is that so much is communicated in so few characters. Proverbs generally carry multiple layers of meaning despite the fact that they are commonly only comprised of four characters. These short sayings and idioms each sum up a larger, well-known cultural story or myth, the moral of which is meant to convey some greater truth or provide guidance in everyday life. There are hundreds of famous Chinese proverbs from Chinese literature, history, art, and ​famous figures and philosophers. Some of our favorites are horse proverbs.​ The Significance of the Horse in Chinese Culture The horse is an important motif in Chinese culture and, in particular, Chinese mythology. In addition to the very real contributions made to China by the horse as a means of transportation to military power, the horse holds great symbolism to the Chinese. Of the twelve cycles of the Chinese zodiac, the seventh is associated with the horse. The horse is also a famous symbol within mythological composite creatures like the longma or dragon-horse, which was associated with one of the legendary sage rulers. The Most Famous Chinese Horse Proverb One of the most famous horse proverbs is Ã¥ ¡Å¾Ã§ ¿ Ã¥ ¤ ±Ã© ¦ ¬ (SÄ i WÄ“ng ShÄ « MÇŽ) or SÄ i WÄ“ng lost his horse. The meaning of the proverb is only apparent when one is familiar with the accompanying story of SÄ i WÄ“ng, which begins with an old man who lived on the frontier: SÄ i WÄ“ng lived on the border and he raised horses for a living. One day, he lost one of his prized horses. After hearing of the misfortune, his neighbor felt sorry for him and came to comfort him. But SÄ i WÄ“ng simply asked, â€Å"How could we know it is not a good thing for me?†After a while, the lost horse returned and with another beautiful horse. The neighbor came over again and congratulated  SÄ i WÄ“ng on his good fortune. But SÄ i WÄ“ng simply asked, â€Å"How could we know it is not a bad thing for me?†One day, his son went out for a ride with the new horse. He was violently thrown from the horse and broke his leg. The neighbors once again expressed their condolences to SÄ i WÄ“ng, but SÄ i WÄ“ng simply said, â€Å"How could we know it is not a good thing for me?† One year later, the Emperor’s army arrived at the village to recruit all able-bodied men to fight in the war. Because of his injury, SÄ i WÄ“ngâ₠¬â„¢s son could not go off to war, and was spared from certain death. The Meaning of SÄ i WÄ“ng ShÄ « MÇŽ The proverb can be read to have multiple implications when it comes to the concept of luck and fortune. The end of the story seems to suggest that every misfortune comes with a silver lining, or as we might put it in English- a blessing in disguise. But within the story is also the sense that with what at first appears to be good luck can come misfortune. Given its dual meaning, this proverb is commonly said when bad luck turns to good or when good luck turns to bad.

Ing Direct (“Ing-D”) Case Study Marketing Fundamentals Essay Example

Ing Direct (â€Å"Ing Ing Direct (â€Å"Ing-D†) Case Study Marketing Fundamentals Paper Ing Direct (â€Å"Ing-D†) Case Study Marketing Fundamentals Paper ING DIRECT (â€Å"ING-D†) Case Study Course: Marketing Fundamentals Submission Date: 17th November 2009 Executive Summary ING-Direct (ING-D) is a marketing orientated bank that has launched into established markets in the last decade using differentiation as a way to build competitive advantage. This report splits into Section A, based on information provided by the ‘ING Direct USA – Rebel With A Cause’ Case Study by IMD International, and Section B which critically assesses the ING-D website. Section A The Nature of the ING-D’s Value Proposition Customer Value Proposition Creation By engineering processes and products from the customer inwards, ING-D aimed to construct a customer value proposition that offsets perceived sacrifices with higher levels of perceived benefits in areas which resonate strongly with customers. Value Proposition Summary The key perceived benefits offered to customers are simple, easy to use accounts with no fees or service charges, no minimum balances, great savings rates, the convenience of 24/7 internet banking and quality service from an award winning call centre. The perceived sacrifices are principally the physical evidence aspects of the ervice marketing mix that are associated with the traditional banks, including branches and ATMs. The other key perceived sacrifice is that ING-D does not offer a complete portfolio of accounts due to the lack of a Checking Account. Therefore customers potentially need to operate a number of accounts with different organisations. The value proposition is supported through integrated marketing com munications which utilise a range of tools and channels in addition to basic advertising, including sales promotion, events and online educational services. The use of less traditional communication methods underlines the strategy of using differentiation for competitive advantage. It sets ING-D apart from the mainstream banks in brand personality. Value Proposition Effectiveness ING-D created a viable customer value proposition as evidenced by high levels of customer advocacy and the growth in customer numbers and deposit levels. The Evolution of ING-D’s Strategy Since its Launch in the US Market Post-Launch Environment The post-launch period saw ING-D US entering a period of significant growth. At this time the bank was grappling with a range of challenges including pressure on margins, aggressive competitor activity, consumer confusion and increased internal reporting and control measures. The marketing strategies employed principally focussed on evolving two key parts of the marketing mix; product and place. Product Development Post-launch ING-D chose to implement a product development strategy as per the Ansoff Growth Matrix (Appendix 1). This can be seen in the period from 2000 to 2002 when a range of new products, such as Mortgages, Certificates of Deposit, etc, were launched into the existing ING-D US footprint. Channel Development ING-D traditionally operated a direct to consumer distribution channel. This had the benefits of maintaining control over the relationship with the customer ensuring that the brand values could be executed consistently. However, to address its balance sheet issues, in 2005 the direct distribution channel was supplemented with the introduction of intermediary agents in the form of wholesale mortgage brokers. Impact of Activity Growth was achieved quickly with effective diffusion through the market resulting in ING-D becoming the largest on line bank in the US. However, the rapid growth strategy resulted in a more systems and process based organisation and challenging the maintenance of its trademark entrepreneurial culture. ING-D Competitors and the Evolution of Their Strategies. Key Strategic Changes By Competitors Considering Porter’s Model of Competitive Industry Structure, we can see that with high barriers to entry, and limited opportunity for substitution, the main factor affecting ING-D has been in the form of competition from existing US banks, (Appendix 2). Previously these banks had core strategies of targeting specific markets. They focussed on their main product offerings such as Checking Accounts, and on branch network service provision. However, because ING-D’s success many of the established banks implemented new competitor target strategies in which they went head-to-head with ING-D and the other new entrants, internet banks, which had been attracted into the direct market. ING-D’s competitors fall into two key groups; Bricks Mortar The traditional banks such as Citibank HSBC have principally eroded ING-D’s unique selling propositions through the availability of high interest savings accounts. They had the advantage of building on existing relationships and offer the convenience of being a one-stop-shop for customers. As holders of the primary checking relationship this has been a credible market position which has resulted in savings balances switching from ING-D. Internet Internet competitors have operating models more like the â€Å"no frills† approach adopted by ING-D. The main competitive threat has been around interest rates but they also attacked ING-D’s brand values and personality, such as the use of less formal marketing messages and communication channels. Impact The result of these strategic changes has been a proliferation of ‘me too’ savings products from a range of providers which have created price competition, choice and consumer confusion. The actions of competitors have reduced the perceived benefits of ING-D and increased the value of the perceived sacrifices. The main impact is that ING-D lost its price leadership position for savings interest rates weakening the customer value proposition and leaving the bank open to threat. The impact can be seen in the 2006 figures, with average savings per million customers of $10. 8m in 2002-05, falling to $8. 2m in 2006, a drop of 24. 7%. Arguments For and Against ING-D’s Introduction of Checking Accounts and Recommendation ING-D has lost its competitive advantage of high rate savings accounts. To rectify this one option is to introduce a checking account. Benefits Establishing primary customer relationship associated with Checking accounts Removing an existing advantage for established competitors Protecting market share by meeting its customers’ complete banking needs Attracting new customers from an attractive, substantial (49% of bill payments in 2002) and profitable market sector Doing nothing leaves bank open to continued risk of market share erosion Removes reliance on maintaining the best rates as sole USP Risks Conflicting with the company’s core value proposition as a low-cost, simple, easy to use banking provider Increasing customer support and training requirements leading to higher operating costs Introducing a level of operational complexity and increasing operational risk Requiring a more process and systems based environment contrary to its entrepreneurial culture Recommendation We believe the benefits outweigh the risks and recommend ING-D launches a Checking Account. It is vital that it links the product offering back to the fundamental brand values that have made the bank successful with a specific focus on product and process design. ING-D needs to focus on making its Checking Account a differentiated product offering around areas such as; less complicated than its competitors’ accounts no requirements for minimum balances transparent communication and application of fees Limited market testing has already helped to refine the product and processes. This needs to be finalised to ensure that the ‘easy to use’ market position is achieved. As part of this, further research around the lack of a cheque book may be required as this could be viewed as a negative by customers and limit the potential market penetration. By referring back to ING-D’s core principles it is possible for it to create a market position on checking accounts that is consistent, credible, competitive and clear and aligned with its other products and core values. Section B Critical Assessment of the Current Positioning of ING-D Based on Their Website ngdirect. co. uk/ The ING-D website was reviewed on 31/10/09 and 15/11/09 and the overall positioning assessed within a framework of four principles of successful positioning. This is completed on the website as at 15/11/09 with references to any noteworthy changes from the 31/10/09 version, (Appendix 3) Clarity The use of the â€Å"Saving Feels Good† positioning statement fixes ING-D as a bank with savings as a key offering. The other products on offers are limited to Mortgages and Home Insurance leaving a very simple uncluttered view of what products ING-D is providing to customers. However, it could also be argued that simplicity has gone too far and that the stripped down approach limits the provision of a comprehensive offer. For example areas such as the main FAQ section fail to answer many common questions that customers may have regarding the bank or the broader economy. The site consistently evokes an emotional relationship through the words, â€Å"feels good†, which links into the behavioural market segmentation approach. Some of the images and marketing approaches are confusing in terms of customer segmentation targets. For example, there are photos of young children and parents on the general pages, whilst the ages of the customers in the video section start at 46 years, thereby conflicting with the messages about earlier life cycle stages. Consistency The use of brand assets such as contemporary â€Å"Dutch† orange and the lifeboat image ensure the site is instantly recognisable. The lifebelt image is consistently used to highlight rates. This links to safety as a motivation for saving, further building on the use of family images. The site remains consistent with the ING-D brand values by being easy to navigate, in a clear font and with easy to find information such as contact details and frequently asked questions. The lead item on the homepage is mortgages which changed since the 31/10/09 when savings led. This doesn’t sit as well with the usual ING-D market positioning as a savings provider. It may well be that ING-D has a strategy to keep the website fresh by changing the offer and emphasis on a regular basis. However, the change may have resulted from the significant drop in interest rates between the two dates as the company attempts to drive mortgage business. Other parts of the home page continue to focus on savings and therefore there is some consistency in reinforcing this position. Tick marks give an upbeat feel to the site rather than simply using bullet points and this fits with the less formal communication style. By delivering a differentiated offer to competitors through the provision of fewer products, a friendlier quality service and a fresh approach ING-D seeks to establish itself in the minds of consumers as a different type of bank with a clear brand personality. Competitiveness The site works to convince consumers that ING-D is a safe place for their money. It doesn’t confirm a position of competitiveness through its messages. The savings interest rate is clearly highlighted which allows for easy comparison but doesn’t specifically provide information on competitor offerings. This may be due to restrictions due to legislation. Over this fairly short time period the ING-D site has changed in emphasis from savings to mortgages which may be due to variances in the savings rate on offer, which have dropped by 2. 7% to just 0. % for new customers. ING-D is proud of its award winning customer service centres and the site highlights a range of awards across both general service and product specific categories. High levels of customer service and UK based call centres will be seen by some customers as a competitive advantage given the recent backlash against organisations that have outsourced this service to India and the Far East. Credibility Much of the credibility of ING-D’s positioning off-line comes from the high levels of customer satisfaction and advocacy. ING-D has chosen to directly translate this factor online with customer videos and uses cues such as customer numbers to build credibility and pre-empt cognitive dissonance. Given the economic back-drop the bank has missed the opportunity to build possible creditability by helping its customers to better understand the stability of the bank and the safety of their deposits. Further to this there are only 5 press releases provided for 2009, the most recent of which is over 4 months out of date, and none of these relate specifically to ING-D. The creditability of the ING-D offer could be greatly eroded by the large drop in the savings rate. In a period with no base rate changes it is difficult to see how the size of change could be justified, especially as competitor rates published on comparison websites remain in excess of 3. 0%. Appendix 1 Ansoff Growth Matrix [pic] (Jobber Mahy, 2009, based on p324) Appendix 2 The Porter Model of Competitive Industry Structure [pic] (Jobber Mahy, 2009, based on p319) Appendix 3 ingdirect. o. uk Home page as at 31/10/09 [pic] ingdirect. co. uk Home page as at 15/11/09 [pic] Bibliography ING Direct [Online]. Available from: ingdirect. co. uk/ [Accessed 31/10/2009 – 15/11/2009]. Jobber, D. and Fahy, J. (2009) Foundations of Marketing, 3rd ed. , McGraw Hill, London. Sequeira, S. , Ryans, A. , Deutscher T. , Ivey, R. , (2007) ING Direct USA – Rebel With A Cause. IMD International, Richard Ivey School of Business (The University of Western Ontario), IMD-3-1845.

The Advantages of Including Clinical Simulation in Nursing Education Research Paper

The Advantages of Including Clinical Simulation in Nursing Education - Research Paper Example This way, the individual is fully engaged in something that he might otherwise just read about or watch someone else doing. However, in most situations, people are just asked to â€Å"watch and learn† and be expected to automatically imbibe what is being taught. Somehow, for most people, this is not enough, especially for those in jobs that would require actual practice before they apply what they have learned. Nursing is one example of a career that would need much practical experience before implementation as a career. Since nurses are entrusted with the lives of their patients, having no clue as to what to do with them in actual practice, no matter if they are just new in their profession, is no excuse. It would be a risky and unprofessional thing to do. Lacking practical experience, nursing students cannot just rely on their theoretical knowledge gained from school. New Training Technique One new development in nursing education is the use of clinical simulation. This is a teaching methodology that provides students with learning experiences closely resembling real-life circumstances that they are likely to encounter in their professional practice. â€Å"Simulated clinical experience requires immersing students in a representative patient-care scenario, a setting that mimics the actual environment with sufficient realism to allow learners to suspend disbelief† (Waxsman:29). Faced with a simulated environment, they gain familiarity with situations that they will most probably encounter in their future profession. They get to see the real equipment to be used, the set up in a clinical environment, and get an idea of how it feels like to be in a clinic, hospital room or operating room. In this method, student nurses get the opportunity to use a lifelike high-fidelity manikin which is interactive and realistic (Jeffries: 56). Different scenarios that nurses are likely to encounter with their patients are played out during simulation sessions that would summon their skills and knowledge. The manikin would serve as a sample patient that the nurses can attend to depending on the symptoms presented. High and low-fidelity manikins as well as skill and task trainers, virtual reality trainers, computer-based simulators and scenarios and even standardized patients comprise the simulation education package (Jeffries: 60). In clinical simulation, they get exposed to various scenarios and are supposed to apply what they have learned in a safe and controlled environment that will not risk the safety and life of any patient. This is very much different from the traditional teaching methods that nursing students have been accustomed to such as lectures, discussions, role-play and laboratory practice, as these may no longer be effective (Waxman:30). What is currently being promoted in education is the adherence to constructivist pedagogical approaches wherein more active, experiential learning strategies reflect real world practices. Parke r & Myrick (42) contend that clinical simulation has constructivist pedagogical underpinnings fostering interpretive, generative learning which is suited to the promotion of transformative learning. Through the use of clinically- simulated scenarios, students engage in concrete experiences likely to be done in their future practice. The Process of Clinical Simulation Human patient simulation (HPS) is the technology behind clinical simulation in nursing education. Bearnson and Wiker (422) explain that a human-like manikin designed with human-like responses and function is controlled by a computer by the

Case Stady#2 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stady#2 - Case Study Example matter of concern, in respect with her Doctor’s advice for her to continue with working since it would help allay the spread of cancer: I would still let her retain her job, but would have to decrease the expected work load owing to her weak and now frail disposition. I would advice her students and colleagues not to put a lot of unnecessary pressure on her. 1I would also have another teacher ready on the standby-just in case the illness happens to take an unprecedented toll upon her, and which may require that she be rushed again back to the hospital. I would urge the school’s staff and the entire student community to accord her total cooperation and respectfully understand her plight. Finally the office staff must take pride in being overly kind, caring and attentive to the needs of the students, teachers and even parents (LeBlanc, 2009). 2In spite of the fact that she is currently ill but still determined with continuing with her work, technically, she still remains an employee of the school because she has found herself in a contentious position, not out of attaining retiring age or out of an act of misconduct; but rather from an unfortunate physical. Therefore a lot of consultation and research on my part must be carried out so that my final decision is informed by integrity and acceptable conduct of professional ethics. I would start with the ministry of education (U.S.) and find out what the ethics and academic duty and laws says about a scenario such as this. 2This is because: Members of a profession agree to maintain high degree of performance, to restrain self-interest, and to promote ideals of public service in the area of their responsibilities (Hamilton, 2002).Therefore it is necessary for me as the principal to strive not to be rash but rather exercise objectivity in my judgment, while not making worse the said teacher’s predicament. 3As I m, mentioned earlier in my introduction, this teacher is not just one of the best in school. She