10 ways to improve your memory for written exams

​ It's hard enough to write in exam conditions, let alone remember all the facts and quotes. We've put together the best ways to improve your memorising skills to get you those top marks... 1. Summarise Flashcards are an all-time favourite of students in their revision times, and there's a reason for it. Whether you have the cards in front of you or have downloaded a fancy cyber version, flashcards make you narrow down your notes – getting right down to the nitty gritty; all the important stuff. Having a flashcard per topic, per character, per concept means that you are able to quickly flick between them, do the hide-write-read revision method easily, and have something that's light and practical to bring with you before the exam.2. Past Papers A really good way to improve your memory in a particular subject is to go over past exam papers and do them yourself. Practice makes perfect, after all. Even if you need to have your notes open for the first paper you do, it will still make a difference. It will not only get you in the knack of exam conditions and help you with time management, but it will also give you an idea of what kind of questions to expect. You start to develop an inkling of what is best for you to revise and focus on, and learn the specifics that you know will be useful in the exam.3. Mind MapsA very popular method for revision and remembering details – especially for those that love their coloured pens and highlighters! The reason that mind maps work so well for those trying to revise or memorise is assimilation. By putting a range of different points, all relating to the same topic, in a simple mind map form you are making a connection – or a visual association - between them all in an engaging way. The easy-to-absorb revision layout aids in your learning experience and your exam experience by helping to spark your memory, making an association to a topic or from a point you make to another one on the mind map. With this mind map method, you'll end up remembering far more than you would have by just reading notes. 4. Group Revision A word of warning: this method works for some, but not all! Some people work well with other people, whereas others work better independently. For those that it works for, it's a great option because it gives you support, the chance to compare and communicate each others' ideas, and it can save time by covering a specific topic between a group of you rather than having to tackle an essay plan on your own. The best way to go about working in a group is to have a pen in your hand at all times; capture any interesting points your friends make, and anything that you say too. You'll collect lots of new and useful insights to potentially use in the exam. The memory of a conversation or discussion about a topic is more likely to stand out in your head, as opposed to one specific bullet point on the list you spent hours and hours doing.5. Music Why is it that you always know all the lyrics to your favourite songs and can't remember quotes for your English exam or dates for that History exam? Well, if you try setting your revision notes to music, you might be able to. So, if you're struggling to remember a fact or a figure in your exam, you just have to sing the song that you set it to (in your head, please) and it will come flooding back. If you are not feeling that creative, there are certain genres of music that you can get on your iPod or phone that can aid your revision and memory. It's known that classical music's peaceful and harmonious nature is one of the best choices, in particular, Mozart – so much so that the improvement of mental performance whilst listening to his music is called the ‘Mozart Effect'.6. Storytelling   Everyone loves a good story, and like your favourite songs, they just stick with you. This is why it's one way to help you memorise things. Take a character from the book you're studying, plot out a timeline of the character's important life moments, and turn it into a story. As childish as it sounds, it really does work. Transforming fact upon fact into a more digestible format like a simple story is not only easier to remember but so much more entertaining for you.7. Repetition Undoubtedly one of the most popular choices when it comes to memorising things: repetition, repetition, repetition. By going over something over and over again, it becomes embedded in your memory, long term or short term. Repetition can take the form of repeating similar phrases in every practice essay that you write, or can be writing the same sentence back-to-back a number of times. It's the same principle behind the punishment of writing lines; the more you write it, the more likely you'll remember it. Supposedly, the magic number is 8 – if you write a sentence out at least 8 times, you will be able to remember it.8. Speaking Out Loud Although it may make you look a little bit crazy if you start doing this in the library, speaking out loud works! In fact, you're 50% more likely to remember something if you speak it out loud instead of just reading it over and over again. So, what are you waiting for? Get chatting!9. Teach Someone Else One way of speaking out loud without sounding crazy is speaking it out loud to someone else. At the same time as helping them, you're helping yourself. Simplifying your notes and ‘translating' them into a more conversational language is a lot easier for your brain to take in, making it more likely for you to remember it and regurgitate it for the exam.10. Visual You don't have to save drawing and doodling for Art or procrastination purposes. Visualisation is a very efficient method for memorising for most people. This is particularly useful when it comes to exams that will include diagrams or exams that require you to describe the appearance of someone or something. ​Films and documentaries work well for your memory, too. By watching things that relate to the topic, you'll grasp at least a basic understanding, some interesting arguments, and even pick up on some extra facts that you weren't taught – a serious way to impress the examiner.

What is DSL †Digital Subscriber Loop

What is DSL – Digital Subscriber Loop Free Online Research Papers Nowadays, Internet technology is developing as fast as we need. Users of the Internet are still increasing and they are in need of a more powerful supporting technology to ensure a more steady connection and a higher rate of transmission. So, a kind of technology came, which is called â€Å"ADSL†. What does this word mean? The full name is: â€Å"Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Loop†. As the name suggests, it is an improvement of the technology called DSL – â€Å"Digital Subscriber Loop†. The basic idea of ADSL, or say, the basic characteristic of ADSL technology is â€Å"Asymmetrical†. It provides users an asymmetrical upload download bandwidth. The upload bandwidth is limited in 640Kbps, while the download bandwidth is able to reach 8Mbps. This is the most important idea of ADSL, and this feature provides a satisfying connection status while users are trying to get video/sound track downloading service and information sharing when users do not need a high upload transmission rate. ADSL technology uses normal copper wire which is used by telephone transmission. The installation of ADSL is simple and costless. Users only need to set an ADSL multi-use xxxx on the original telephone wire – not a completely new one and there is of no need to change users’ phone number. Why does ADSL technology have such advantages? Some users may ask, based on the fact that it didn’t improve the technology of wire/cable production arts and it even uses the same wire with telephone! The answer to this question includes several points. Firstly, it is asymmetrical, as I mentioned above. This key technique is, simply explaining, doing the job: improve the distribution of resources – divide the total bandwidth according to our needs. And there is, of course, more myth inside this question. As we all know, currently we use the twisted pair wires to transmit telephone sound signal. But, what is worth our attention is that, we are only using the low frequency part of the wire which limits the frequency between 0 and 4 kHz. How can this narrow bandwidth satisfy our demands? Actually, we are just using the wire, not the bandwidth in this very wire. ADSL makes use of a higher frequency band which is defined between 26 kHz~2 MHz. What is the theory of this kind of â€Å"double frequency band signal† transmission? Well, this is not a mystery and even a very simple fact. The signal is coded by the ADSL modem and transmitted through the telephone wire, at beginning. Then, when it reaches the telephone department, a signal decoder start to work and separate the high frequency part and low frequency part, or say, the digital signal part and the voice signal part. Finally, when these have been done, the decode sends th em to corresponding service devices: digital signal part heads towards the Internet and voice signal part heads directly to the PSTN net. Simple enough, although how the decoder and encoder work is beyond my understanding and was left to the future studying. This method of using the same transmission path but in different frequency to transmit a series of signals is called â€Å"FDM† Frequency Division Multiplexing. Copper is being replaced nowadays because its high distortion. Hope that optical fiber technology will be ready in the near future. (P.S The upload rate of transmission is affected by the distance, size of wire used and noises, and is between 10 kbps ~ 60 kbps) I have found some information about the standards of ADSL technology, fortunately. (Should be useful to anyone who wants to learn the history or basics of ADSL) Since ADSL tech was born, there exist two standards: CAP and DMT. CAP was designed by ATT Paradyne and DMT was developed by Amati Communication Company. Recently, a new standard called G-lite was accepted by users. DMT and G-lite are professional in their own fields, though G-lite attracts more attention these days. CAP – Carrier-less Amplitude/Phase Modulation CAP is the special modulation method used only by ATT Paradyne. Signal is modulated into single channel and send through a telephone wire. Signal should be encoded before transmission and will be reformed at the receiver terminal. DMT?Discrete Multi-Tone? First the system divide the signal pack into several parts and tests the transmission qualities of every channel. Then, the system provides a certain signal bandwidth to a channel according to its quality. This means: systems always try to find the best way to transmit signals. G-lite G-lite is a new standard, so far as I know. This standard is developed by Universal ADSL Working Group. (Further details are left for future studying) The above is some basic understandings of ADSL technology. Now, we shall move to its characteristics of ADSL and I will try to explain the cause of these characteristics. (You can consider the following part as the advantages of ADSL technology) Second part: The advantages of ADSL corresponding technology See, a new technology’s birth means there are some advantages comes with it (though it is not a totally new improvement). Modem and ISDN technology have brought us a more and more satisfying connection to the Internet. ADSL shows its superiority, too. Generally speaking, ADSL connection technology has following advantages: A steady connection to the Internet and magically, a super high-rate transmission! This depends mainly on its design ideas, as we have covered earlier. Asymmetrical upload and download rate of transmission perfectly uses the bandwidth recourses users have when we connect into the Internet. ADSL provides a much higher rate of signal transmission than traditional modem (28.8k) – about 200 times higher! At the same time, it outnumbered the ISDN technology (about 128K), a lot. Compared with the cable modem technology, ADSL is more â€Å"flexible†, although it has a lower download rate. ADSL needs a very small investment. It uses the original telephone wire, not some advanced tech. This greatly reduced the cost of installing an ADSL modem. And it will not affect the quality of users’ phone talks, need no change in phone number. ADSL reduce the cost through the multiple use of one wire. Users of ADSL need not to pay additional fees for using a telephone wire when they are connected to the Internet. Finally, ADSL has a low installation difficulty. Users can install any ADSL modem instruments on their own. There is no need to invite a professional engineer to handle these. 3rd part: Applications of ADSL tech Before we look at the possible applications of ADSL, I want to talk something about the theory of ADSL tech, in detail. ADSL use a special device to connect the twisted pair wire’s terminal. It has a high-speed downstream, a duplex and a low frequency POTS (4 kHz). The POTS channel ensures that the voice transmission works even the ADSL connection attempts failed. At the same time, the high-speed and medium-speed channel both are able to be multi-used to create several low-speed channels. Normally, the high-speed channel has an average transmission rate of 6 MHz and the medium-speed duplex has an average transmission rate of 64 kHz. ADSL has a powerful error-correcting system due to its multi-used downstream and duplex. It has been tested that ADSL is able to handle MPEG2 and several other digital video formation. So, what can we do with this technology? I searched the net, and made some conclusions: High-rate connection. Since ADSL technology has brought us such a convenient connection method, What are we waiting for? We can use ADSL to surf in the Internet. BBS, websites are now more convenient to be browsed. We are able to use ADSL to get a much higher e-mail transmitting rate. An encouraging fact is that ADSL makes online-chat possible! Playing videos and users have full control of the application program. Thanks to the asymmetrical upload and download transmission rate, ADSL technology is able to be perfectly used in video playing, downloading sound tracks or playing online games. ADSL satisfies the need of having both a high rate of signal transmission and a steady connection to the signal source. Creating strong and reliable connections between terminals. The ADSL wide-band connection technology provides possibility that companies combine their branch companies with the mother company network. This is also benefit from the stability of ADSL tech. This solution solves the problem caused by the distance between companies and will not affect the transmission rate of every user in the net when they are surfing in the Internet. In-house work support. In modern society, people tend to have a better working environment. So, many choose to work at home. If the available permits, of cause. ADSL can make this a real thing. Users can have a high-rate access to the data base of the company when they are sitting at home. Moreover, workers can enjoy the service of a high qualified online video meeting. This is what traditional modem can not provide. Long-distance medication and long-distance teaching, etc. Like in-house working, people tend to enjoy various services at home. ADSL also provide the possibility that teaching and medical treatment materials are available at home through the connection to the Internet. Generally speaking, thanks to the satisfying bandwidth of ADSL connection, users can get whatever data they need, never needing to consider the problem caused by a low bandwidth. At the same time, users do not need to worry about the fees of waiting in the net endlessly. 4th part: ADSL: compared with Cable modem technology There are always competitors. As ADSL is developing fast, several other technologies also tend to give a solution to the steady connection and provide a high rate transmission. Here, let us compare ADSL with the technology Cable Modem. Cable modem system uses the TV to get access to the Internet (HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax)), while ADSL makes use of the telephone wire. Cable modem provides an upload channel between 5 ~ 45 MHz and a download channel between 550 ~ 750 MHz. First, we shall compare the bandwidth. This is an important factor of a connection technology. Generally speaking, cable modem technology has an advantage in bandwidth. Every sub-channel of cable modem can reach a total data transmission rate of 25 ~ 40 Mbps. So, when used by a small amount of users, cable modem performs perfectly. But, (users) sharing the same bandwidth makes the transmission rate unreliable, in some degree. On the contrary, ADSL provides a stable transmission rate. Second, we can look at the ability to resist distortion. Cable modem uses coaxial wire while ADSL is still using the traditional telephone wire. This gives the cable modem technology unmatchable superiority of resisting distortion. Finally, we can see that ADSL instrument is easier to install than cable modem. Nowadays, people are still trying to make full use of narrow bandwidth wire to achieve high transmission rate and our final goal is successfully using the light to carry signals. Optical fiber is still being developed. Both ADSL and cable modem technology are useful technology and connection device before the final goal is achieved. Final discussion As we can see from above, ADSL technology is a creative idea of how to make full use of original telephone wire. â€Å"Low cost, easy to install, stable transmission rate† are its most significant advantages. More and more users especially families are trying this technology. In the words above, I just covered some basic theory and applications of ADSL technology. We, should learn something from its interesting and creative ideas. Reference: Thanks to chinaitlab.com/www/special/adsl.asp . This website gave me a lot of useful information I needed. During the creation time of this essay, I have read lots of its articles and learned a lot. [1] [2] http://windows.chinaitlab.com/skill/13530.html I have used a figure of this address Lots of information comes from â€Å"http://windows.chinaitlab.com/skill/13530.html†s tutorial. Research Papers on What is DSL - Digital Subscriber LoopThe Project Managment Office SystemInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperStandardized TestingThree Concepts of PsychodynamicGenetic EngineeringDefinition of Export QuotasThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use

State Curriculum and Standards for the State of South Carolina Essay

State Curriculum and Standards for the State of South Carolina Compared and Contrasted to the State of North Carolina - Essay Example It is based on a philosophy of teaching and learning that is consistent with current research, exemplary practices, and national standards. In South Carolina "Curriculum standards" has been changed into "Academic standards" came into force in 2004. This is a standards document aims to meet students and their parents expectations. In accordance with the South Carolina Educational Accountability Act of 1998, the purpose of academic standards is to provide the basis for the development of local curricula and statewide assessment. To some entent, these two documents are similar as they stipulate the basic standards nationally accepted. In North Carolina the Standard course of study include: Arts Education, Computer/ Technology Skills, English Language Arts, Guidance, Healthful Living, Information Skills, Mathematics, Second Languages, Science, Social Studies, Workforce Development, Dance and Music Education. The Curriculum of South Carolina include less subject covering only English, Foreign Language, Health and Safety, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, Visual and Performing Arts fields. So, North and South Carolina have different set of subjects according to their state standards. It should be mentioned that today technological literacy is an integral part of a public school education. Whether or not access to multimedia computers and the Internet are realities for all students, state and national educational establishments, professional organizations and corporations recognize the immediacy of promoting appropriate integration of technology in K-12 classrooms. That is why in both states a particular attention is paid to technology standards for students and teachers which include: woven into curriculum standards, 1 unit of Computer Science required for graduation in South Carolina, and Computer-Technology Skills in North Carolina. For teachers the standards are the same for both state (ISTE foundation standards in State Technology Plan). Both of the states recognize four levels: 1 - Standard level; 2 - Knowledge and Skills level; 3 - Performance Descriptor level; 4 - Grade Level Example. The purpose of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study is to guarantee that all students have equal access to the same basic curriculum. If public education is an avenue to equal opportunity, high standards must be set for all students. The Standard Course of Study does not seek to prescribe how schools should organize themselves or how teachers should instruct. Rather, the curriculum sets standards against which schools and teachers may judge their success. In contrast to South Carolina pays more precise attention to the question how schools should organize themselves in order to help students to achieve their goals. The North Carolina ABCs Accountability Plan establishes performance standards which specify the level of proficiency a student must reach in order to have met specific content standards in specified subject areas. These performance standards are indicators of proficiency for those content areas that are tested. Today, however, the challenge of education is to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. According to standards adopted in South and North Carolina students should be prepared to: compete in a global economy, understand and operate complex communication and information systems,

Comparison of Two Flood Stories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison of Two Flood Stories - Assignment Example It is worth mentioning that â€Å"The Flood of Noah† is the older story of the Bible, wherein all manhood got destroyed by the flood except the family of Noah. On the other hand, in case of â€Å"The Flood of Gilgamesh†, all mankind of the civilization got destroyed excluding the family of Utnapishtim (Lorey, â€Å"The Flood of Noah and the Flood of Gilgamesh†). Noah was quite spiritual in nature and he lived with his family. When the age of Noah was 500 years, the God said him to make an ark for his family. God also said Noah that after 120 years, a flood will occur, which will destroy the entire mankind and give him instruction to live in the ark with his family. Later, the flood took place, which continued for forty days. Notably, Noah along with his family stayed in the ark for full one year. After the completion of one year, when Noah found a land and left the ark, God blessed him and his family with the power of immortality (Davidson 49-77). With regards to the story of â€Å"The Flood of Gilgamesh†, Gilgamesh was the king of Samaria. The Sumerian hero journeyed the whole world and met an old man named Utnapishtim. The Utnapishtim told Gilgamesh about the disaster flood story of the Sumerian civilization. The flood took place for six days, which was a short duration, but resulted in destroying the entire civilization (Davidson 49-77). Identifiably, there lay certain differences between the above discussed two flood stories. In this context, the announcement of Noah’s flood was made by the God directly, but in relation to the case of Gilgamesh flood story, the announcement came from God via dream. The cause behind the flood of Noah was the increasing mischievousness of the people, however, in case of Gilgamesh, the reason was man’s sins. The landing space of the ark in Noah was Mountain Ararat and the landing spot of the boat in Gilgamesh was Mountain Nisir (Lorey, â€Å"The Flood of Noah and the Fl ood of Gilgamesh†). Apart from the above identified

Leadership Development Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Development Report - Essay Example 134). Leadership development entails the entire process of expanding the capability of an organization to generate potential leaders in an organization to accomplish the set goals and objectives (Tichy and Devanna, 2007, p. 79). Leadership development entails the complete leaders’ interaction with political, social, and cultural environment within their area of jurisdiction (Avolio, and Gardner 2005, p.315). Leadership development models forms a key pillar for professional development in various manufacturing organizations (Northouse 2007, p. 91). Models expound on the standards prerequisite for an effective leader in an organization. Leadership development models defines some of the universal behavioural expectation of effective leaders including the leaders ability to develop external focus, the capability to achieve the expected results with people, implementation of the organizational plans with quality value and speed, prediction and execution of changes in an organizatio n as well as enhancement of quality evaluation and action. Leadership competency models are ideal for availing the three basic leadership requirements, connectivity, consistency, and clarity. Competencies aid in the formation of comprehensible and most effective expectations on the type of capabilities, behaviours, values, and mindsets that are fundamental in the organization leadership role (Jay and Douglas 2004, p. 2). In its consistency role, competency models offer an exceptional language and framework for communication and implementation of an organization’s leadership development plans. In its connectivity responsibility, competency models offer basic metric in organizations leadership development process. It is the driving force for performance management, feedback procedure, identification, rewards, and successful management Competency Model The study will focus on the competency model of core competencies for self management. Referring to this model, an effective lea der should understand their weaknesses, values, and strengths. Productive leaders should as well develop the capability of managing their weaknesses and strengths through engaging in consistent learning. They should also be committed and willing to seek aid from other professionals (George and Morgan 2006, p. 399). Leaders should be enthusiastic in accepting their mistakes and make the needed rectifications. Effective leaders should also have the capability of adapting with dynamic and stressful situations as well as having the ability of enhancing a practical balance between their social and working lives. However, the model is criticized for over relying on individual traits in describing the development and effectiveness of an excellent leader. The model is also condemned for overlying on a single personality in the success of an organization. The model also faces criticism for disregarding the issues of role overload, consistent errors, increasing frustrating situations, and rol e conflict. My Personal Strengths and Weaknesses as A Leader Current Strength In the course of my involvement in broad range of organizational situation, I have developed the leadership strength of a valuable and reliable leader in criticism situations. I have the capability of relishing the emerging challenges and standing strong for what I believe is correct and right. I have also developed a considerable degree of self awareness. As a

The responsibilities of a project manager

The responsibilities of a project manager

Of mice and Men theme- friendship Essay

A Life Long Companion Friendship is ever-present and a necessity in leading a satisfying life. This is evident in the novella â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck. The story takes off in the Depression Era, a time when distrust was abundant and dreams were constantly shattered. Our main characters, George and Lennie, set off seeking a new beginning to their lives but things take a turn for the worse; despite this, their friendship still flourishes and flowers in the midst of all the obstacles. Between the two main characters, George is more intelligent, but to survive, he cares for and loves Lennie in all the ways that he can. George has foresight and creates back-up plans for Lennie if the situations turn sour, telling Lennie,â€Å" Hide in the brush till I come for you. Can you remember that? † (17). Lennie, on the other hand, keeps George hopeful and upbeat, motivating him by saying, â€Å"Come on, George. Tell me. Please, George. Like you done before† (14). The pair fit like puzzle pieces filling in what the other doesn’t have. It is inspiring to see a tremendous friendship bloom in such a despairing time. The two clearly distinguish themselves from â€Å"them other guys† (15) and the times they are by each other are the times they truly thrive. Another way the two thrive is through their dream. This dream is a recurring theme in this novella and it symbolizes hope. They are both constantly dreaming about â€Å"livin off the fatta the lan† (15) and how Lennie will get to tend the rabbits. There is some irony in there being so much optimism in two migrant, low class workers but the two make it work. By keeping this dream alive the two have something to work for, something to put their fifty dollars a month towards. This dream also serves as quite the problem solver for the two. Each time Lennie gets into trouble, George ends up worrying about the consequences. Lennie puts George at ease by reminding him of the dream and George always ends up forgiving Lennie. Forgiveness is how Lennie and George can keep their friendship going and continue their journey towards the dream. The story is very centered around the problems Lennie creates and how George tries to fix it. And the end of the story, Lennie confesses to â€Å"doing another bad thing† (44) but George just brushes it off, saying, â€Å"It don’t make no difference† (13). At the beginning, however, George admits to Slim that he had done something bad to Lennie and in this case Lennie forgives him. Throughout any relationship there are bound to be ups and downs and George and Lennie maintain a healthy friendship by forgiveness. Steinbeck gave George’s character quite a big heart because he may complain about his misfortunes whilst staying with Lennie but he never leaves Lennie’s side. While seeking a new chapter to their lives, George and Lennie develop a unique and complex friendship. The two lifelong companions go through a ton of trouble and it is amazing how their friendship lasts till the very end. Steinbeck illustrates how with care, optimism, and forgiveness, friendships can flourish even in the midst of treacherous obstacles.

Prophet Mohammad Essay

If I could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history, I would want to meet with Prophet Mohammad. He is well known across the world as the person who brought the Islamic religion to the Arab countries. His teachings can be found in the Holy Quran (Madelung, 87). It is said in Islam that Mohammed is the last of all the prophets God will send to all the people on the earth. Mohammed is very famous because he brought a religion to the world by the orders of God and in only a short time, it became well known everywhere. Even today, there are over 1 billion people in the world who are Muslims. Only a great person like Mohammed could have created a religion in his lifetime that would have captured the attention of all people. Islam started when God sent down angel Gabriel to Mohammed at the mountain Hara. He was first told, â€Å"Okra† which means â€Å"read†. The amazing part about this is Mohammed could never read nor write before meeting the angel. From this time at 40 years old until he was 63 years of age, he received many rules and wisdom from God. His instructions were to advise the people of God’s rules and how they should live, for they were living in â€Å"haram† or sin (Watt, 48). Mohammed was born and raised in Mecca. Read more:  How to write an essay about someone you admire His father died before he was born and he lost his mother too at the age of six and thereafter lived with his paternal grandfather Abd al-Muttalib as an orphan (Andrea, 78). Growing up as an orphan in Mecca was never easy even though he was well fed by his guardians. At a tender age of twelve, Mohammed had started engaging in trading journeys with his uncle. He therefore started to develop interest in commercial trade probably because that was the only option he had because he grew up as an orphan. Mohammed took up the career as a merchant in his later youth and was highly regarded as trustworthy and later nicknamed â€Å"al-Amin†. Mohammed’s youthful days are really admirable and inspiring at the same time (Madelung, 59). He not only had an upright character but was also a very hard working young man who tried and beat the odds despite his humble background. It was for his reputation that a forty year old widow called Khadijah who asked for his hand in marriage which he accepted and lived happily thereafter (Turner, 89). After the death of Khadijah, Mohammed married other women numbering about thirteen and he was survived by nine of them. One of them was called Aisha, who according to the Sunni Muslims was Mohammed’s favorite companion. She is known for her instrumental work in bringing together the many scattered Mohammed’s sayings that later formed the Sunni’s hadith literature. As a husband, Mohammed had a great reputation at a time when women were lowly regarded in the society. It is said that he participated in house chores like washing, cooking and even sewing clothes. Although women were never treated fairly during the prophet’s time, Mohammed was extremely exceptional with his women. He not only listened to his wives’ advice but also engaged them in dialogue and arguments. This is worth emulating in today’s Muslim societies where women continue to suffer in the hands of their men (Andrea, 75). Mohammed’s future prophetic life was said to have been prophesized by another Christian monk he met his way to his many caravans from Mecca to Syria (Watt, 56). At the onset of his prophetic life, Mohammed was fond of visiting a cave in Mount Hira every year where he would meditate for weeks. According to Islamic teachings, it was during one of the ritual meditations at Mount Hira when angel Gabriel descended and instructed him to say the following words: â€Å"Proclaim! or read! ) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, – He Who taught (the use of) the pen, – Taught man that which he knew not† (Qur’an 96: 1-5). Mohammed was very much disturbed by these revelations and knew the task required of him. He went home and shared with his wife Khadija and Khadijah’s Christian cousin who consoled and reassured him that nothing bad would happen (Ramadan, 45). He was afraid of the news and did not know how he could get others to listen to what he was to say. His wife was the first to tell him she believed him and that Mohammed must do what was told. The amazing thing about Mohammed is his faith and willingness to do what God commanded. He never gave up in his prayers even after a pause of almost three years after the initial revelation. He prayed continuously until God finally commanded him to start preaching the word to his people. He was living in Mekkah of Saudi Arabia when he began his teachings to the people. According to Islamic teachings, Mohammed’s wife was the first person who believed that he was a prophet. His younger cousin called Ali Abi Talib and best friend Abu Bakr as well as his adopted son Zaid were to follow in believing in his prophesies (Turner, 102). Many of people from Mecca did not like or accept this way of life and tried to kill Mohammed. He would be mocked or chased away by the Meccans who could not believe or understand his new way of life. The opposition to Prophet Mohammed in Mecca began when he started preaching against worshiping of the idols that was a common feature in Mecca city. He also became a threat to the wealthy religious leaders who depended on the Kaaba, a major defining traditional feature of the Meccan religion which Mohammed’s teachings would render obsolete. Due to these, most of his new converts were killed by the wealthy merchants and other opposing groups who never wanted their traditional religions interfered with. But Mohammed had to endure insults and ridicules only and could not be harmed or killed because he came from the Banu Hashim clan (Madelung, 56). He left and traveled to different places including Yemen before he went back to Saudi Arabia to live in the city called Medina. The people of Medina were accepting of him and listened to his advice. There were some people there who professed to Jewish or other religions, but they did not fight with Mohammed. He had a good reputation in Medina where he helped to solve a long standing inter-ethnic conflict. A delegation comprising of representatives from all the clans involved in the fight between Jewish and Arabs in the Yathrib was sent to get Mohammed to arbitrate in the conflict. This did not only help him to escape the hostile city of Mecca but also enable him spread his teaching to various communities and clans in the greater Middle East (Ramadan, 83). Mohammed’s teachings really formed the foundation of the Islamic religion. One of the Muslim’s sources of spiritual inspiration is the Sunnah. The sunnah according the Islamic religion are deeds and sayings of the prophet Mohammed as preserved in the hadith and includes a variety of activities as well as beliefs such religious rituals, burial rituals, personal hygiene and the love between man and God. It is supposed to guide every Muslim and so far has been a great influence to the Muslim culture allover the world. For example, Mohammed taught Muslims a greeting to offer one another – â€Å"may peace be upon you† is wide used by Muslims from all corners of the world (Rahman, 69). The Sunnah has played an important role in the establishment and development of the religion’s sciences. Much of the prophet’s deeds and sayings have particularly contributed to the establishment of the Islamic law in the early years of the Islamic religion (Madelung, 78). The Sufis who sought to understand the inner meaning of the holy book, Qur’an and the true nature of the prophet, considered Mohammed not only as a mere prophet but as a perfect saint. Their spiritual descent is traced back to Prophet Mohammed (Rahman, 45). Mohammed was not liked by many of the outside tribes living throughout the Middle East and they wanted to hurt him, they taught their children to throw stones at him during his travels (Andrea, 65). A great quality of Mohammed that I look to is his patience. He taught to others that a very important behavior in life is to have patience with all issues. People would come to Mohammed with many complaints or questions to try and trick him (Madelung, 56). Others would do many things to him so he would go away. In all of these events, he would wait quietly and think before he answered or acted. I admire his ability to restrain himself and not fight small issues. In this world today, I think that everyone could benefit from this lesson of patience. Too many people die and are left hurting from wars between people who have little patience. During the spread of Islam, Mohammed gave people a choice to convert to Islam or if they did not want to, they would need to pay money that is like a tax. The Muslims and other people who would pay could live in harmony, but the tribes who refused to pay and resisted the teaching of Islam would end up in a war. These people had killed family members of Mohammed and wanted to fight him. So Mohammed and a small army would go out to fight, for example the Battle of Badr City (Andrea, 67). The small Muslim army won the battles because God had given them the strength to fight an enemy who hated God and worshipped idols. When the battles were over, Mohammed never took prisoners and killed them on purpose. He showed mercy and compassion. Like the Prophet Jesus had taught the way to live is with mercy, compassion and love. It is the only way to live a correct life. If you look to any of the prophets, they are famous and different from all of the other people because they took chances and were disliked. They had to remain strong in their faith of God and be patient. It was no different for Mohammed. There are many times in my life that I become angry because people are mean or I lose patience with them but I try to look to the example Mohammed made for the Muslims to follow. I sit and read the Quran and hope to find a peace. Conclusion When the word was revealed to Mohammed, the world was in a bad situation. People were worshipping idols and hurting the less fortunate and women. It was like these people were acting like animals. Mohammed was very scared of how he would be accepted by the people and if they would reject the word of God. I admire the strength of Mohammed when he was faced with danger. I sometimes wish to have that strength, so I must remain strong in my faith to God and look to Him for guidance. This was an important teaching of the prophet Mohammed. When I came to America, I was afraid because I was new and did not know many people. Also, the news shows things that can make people afraid of Muslims and I know some people will not like me because of it. I try hard to live by the example Mohammed set for the Muslim people so I may have a good life. It has been good for me in America. By having patience, I have learned many things about this country and also made good friends. I hope that people can look past the bad news media makes for people and discover the good things about Mohammed because there are many lessons a person can learn from his life.

NBC in Trouble

NBC in Trouble Introduction NBC is a diverse international company. NBC stands for National Broadcasting Company. It is involved in media activities, especially television network. It is an American commercial broadcasting television and radio network. Radio Corporation of America was the radio network involved in NBC.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on NBC in Trouble specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is this Radio Corporation of America that started the television broadcasting. It was using the profit it made from radio broadcast to develop the television. It is from this that NBC started television broadcast, which was located in Empire State Building in New York. The radio continued to support the television until NBC gained significant popularity. It also became grouped among the best broadcasting business. NBC television Network airs reality shows like sports news, business news, politics and many others. It also airs soap operas and children programs like cartoons and animation. However, NBC television seems to have lost taste since 2005. That’s the reason why it was ranked fourth in the year 2005 and 2006 in the television ranking of that season. NBC has however tried to improve and attract some viewers by airing the National Football League around the end of 2006, thus managing to attract football fans. This game was a big accomplishment because improved its rating of that year. Formation of NBC Universal Television network under the NBC came up with the NBC universal. This was after the acquisition of the Universal studio movie and the theme park business. NBC Universal was created around 2004. NBC was a subsidiary of industry giant of generic electric. Due to the prolonging disappointing performance by this merged business, general electric decided to reduce losses at the end of 2009. It was to fulfill this by transferring more than half of the business stake to the cable provider busines s called the Comcast. Hence, Comcast became the controlling stake in the business. This deal ended at the beginning of the new 21st century. It was now Comcast time to come up with strategy and ideas which were to boost the business back to its leading position. There were a number of regional and cable stations owned by the NBC universal. These stations utilized effectively by Comcast, could have seen the business to the top. NBC in the 20th Century 20th century started with bad news for NBC. It was around this time when the United States was experiencing a down turn in their economy. Most of the companies in the United States were closed especially the online ones. This also affected the NBC which was forced to reduce the number of its employers. Apart from laying off some of its employers, NBC also lost several millions of US dollars.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn Mor e During the same millennium period, NBC did not have a clear internet strategy. This lack of clearance made the internet not to differentiate NBC from other portals. According to some analysts, it had a general purpose portal. However, some of the analysts did not have a problem with the general purpose portal. They argued that there was nothing wrong with a media company having a general portal as the company itself is a network. At the beginning of the 20th century NBC also experienced some financial problems caused by fall in the advertising revenue. Most of the television profits come from the advertising sector. Hence, dropping the advertising revenue meant a stiff financial crisis. It meant no enough money to run the business and even for paying the workers. However, there is only one positive thing that happened in the 20th century. NBC purchased the broadcast and cable business of Telemundo Communication Group. This was a Spanish television network. The deal was don e in 2002. NBC acquiring Telemundo became the only television that devorts a full channel to the Spanish people. This was received positively, especially by the Spanish speaking population in the United States. This increased the popularity of NBC and also the viewership. Increase in the viewers’ number means an increase in revenue hence, there is an increase in profit margin. Strengths of NBC Television Network NBC news has been the most watched newscast. This is because they have been able to divide the news to cables due to the expansion of the news. This led to launching different channels for a specific part of the news. There was a channel for business news, another one for general news with political orientation. NBC Sports Network was responsible for airing sports news and events. There was also a weather channel which aired weather forecast. This increased the number of viewers as one could turn to the channel that he is interested in. This was made easier by the fac t that NBC operates in a 24 hour regular network programming schedule. Hence, with this type of schedule, the viewers could watch what they wish at any time of the day. NBC possess some technological knowledge. It is even known as the pioneer of new technologies. This knowledge has been used to bring good unique things for the viewers. This helps attract more viewers and also with the unique things to bring about a stiff competition with other networks.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on NBC in Trouble specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, in 1999, NBC launched NBCi which is a NBC internet. It was a publicly held internet firm. It was positioned as a general internet to attract much audience. NBCi was also to attract many advertisers by leveraging the rich and complicated content that they wanted to advertise. It also brought out the e-commerce experience of NBC. NBC airs the winter and summer Olympics eac h time they are played. It sells some of its Olympic events that are on demand through its cable television, internet and video. By doing this, it is able to meet the viewers’ interest for real time highlights. NBC also got some cash from the cables, internet and video. It was also able to gain more viewers. Many people also brought in advertisements request due to the increased number of viewers. Increase in advertisement led to a higher profit margin. Weaknesses of NBC Television Network NBC decision to make a full television season renewals is a drawback. This is because; the full season pick ups seem more of a sign of the network’s lack of program development. It shows mismanagement and also uncertainty as to what direction the network wants to go next season. Although most of the shows are getting below average ratings, bringing new shows will make it even worse. Not many people would want to watch a new show especially if it is series type of a show. Therefore, i t makes sense to retain some of the shows for a while. The shows that should not be cancelled are those that have a high network. NBC was the first important network to put up its programming. This became a weakness because the program did not attract many viewers as expected. The network only saw a minor boost in viewers. The program did cost NBC much money but did not yield a good result. This reduced the NBC finances bringing it down even more. NBC concentrated so much on airing football and athletics that it forgot about other shows which were also important. That is why in 2006, NBC’s revenue went down by 23%. NBC hoped for the winter Olympic to improve the situation. However, poor performance of the United State athletics was one reason which led to the drop of the number of viewers. The viewers could not sit down and watch their own athletics being defeated. The other primary reason for the decrease in the number of viewers was the competition from other networks espec ially the ABC. These networks were able to take advantage of the fact that NBC was concentrating on Olympic coverage. They were able to come up with other interesting shows which attracted more viewers especially those from NBC. Hence, the Olympic coverage did not increase NBC viewership as other networks had put their best products forward.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Recommendations on NBC NBC has all it takes to entertain its viewers. It has 10 fully owned stations which are operational. It also has 200 affiliates on the territory of the States. It is therefore fully equipped to keep all its viewers and listeners well informed by making good use of the station and the affiliates. It can also use the same station to entertain their viewers which will attract more viewers.

Official Listing of Countries by Region of the World

Official Listing of Countries by Region of the World The 196 countries of the world can be logically divided into eight regions based on their geography, mostly aligning with the continent on which they are located. That said, some groupings dont strictly adhere to divisions by continent. For example, the Middle East and North Africa are separated from sub-Saharan Africa along cultural lines. Likewise, the Caribbean and Central America are grouped separately from North and South America due to similarities based on latitudes.   Asia Asia stretches from former stans of the  USSR  to the  Pacific Ocean.  There are 27 countries in Asia and it is the worlds largest and most populous region, with about 60 percent of the worlds population living there. The region boasts five of the 10 most populous countries in the world, with India and China taking the top two spots. BangladeshBhutanBruneiCambodiaChinaIndiaIndonesiaJapanKazakhstanNorth KoreaSouth KoreaKyrgyzstanLaosMalaysiaMaldivesMongoliaMyanmarNepalPhilippinesSingaporeSri LankaTaiwanTajikistanThailandTurkmenistanUzbekistanVietnam Middle East, North Africa, and Greater Arabia The 23 countries of the Middle East, North Africa, and Greater Arabia include some countries not traditionally considered as part of the Middle East (such as Pakistan). Their inclusion is based on culture. Turkey is also sometimes placed in lists of Asian and Europan countries since geographically, it straddles them both. In the last 50 years of the 20th century, due to a decline in mortality rates and a high rate of the fertility rate, this region grew faster than any other in the world. As a result, demographics there skew young, while in many more developed regions, such as in Asia, Europe, and North America, population bubbles skew older. AfghanistanAlgeriaAzerbaijan (The former republics of the Soviet Union are typically lumped into one region, nearly 30 years after independence. In this listing, theyve been placed where most appropriate.)BahrainEgyptIranIraqIsrael (Israel may be located in the Middle East, but it is certainly an outsider culturally and perhaps better belongs attached to Europe, like its seaward neighbor and European Union member state, Cyprus.)JordanKuwaitLebanonLibyaMoroccoOmanPakistanQatarSaudi ArabiaSomaliaSyriaTunisiaTurkeyThe United Arab EmiratesYemen Europe The European continent and its local region contain 48 countries and stretches from North America and back to North America as it encompasses Iceland and all of Russia. As of 2018, data shows that about three-quarters of its population live in urban areas. Having so many peninsulas, and the region itself being a peninsula of Eurasia, means a wealth of coastline on its mainland- more than 24,000 miles (38,000 kilometers) of it, in fact. AlbaniaAndorraArmeniaAustriaBelarusBelgiumBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGeorgiaGermanyGreeceHungaryIceland (Iceland straddles the Eurasian plate and the North American plate, so geographically it is halfway between Europe and North America. However, its culture and settlement are clearly European in nature.)IrelandItalyKosovoLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMaltaMoldovaMonacoMontenegroNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSan MarinoSerbiaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandUkraineUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (The United Kingdom is the country composed of the constituent entities known as England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.)Vatican City North America Economic powerhouse North America includes  only three countries but it takes up most of a continent and is thus a region onto itself. Since it stretches from the Arctic to the tropics, North Americ includes almost all the major climate biomes. In the farthest reaches north, the region stretches halfway around the world- from Greenland to Alaska- but at its farthest point south, Panama has a narrow point thats only 31 miles (50 kilometers) wide. CanadaGreenland (Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark, not an independent country.)MexicoThe United States of America Central America and the Caribbean Among the 20 countries of Central America and the Caribbean, none are landlocked, and half are islands. In fact, there is no location in Central America that is more than 125 miles (200 kilometers)  from the sea. Volcanoes and earthquakes go hand in hand in this region, as many of the islands in the Caribbean are volcanic in origin and not dormant.   Antigua and BarbudaThe BahamasBarbadosBelizeCosta RicaCubaDominicaDominican RepublicEl SalvadorGrenadaGuatemalaHaitiHondurasJamaicaNicaraguaPanamaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesTrinidad and Tobago South America Twelve countries occupy South America, which stretches from the equator to nearly the Antarctic Circle. Its separated from Antarctica by the Drake Passage which is 600 miles wide (1,000 kilometers). Mount Aconcagua, located in the Andes Mountains in Argentina near Chile is the highest point in the Western Hemisphere. At 131 feet (40 meters)  below sea level, the  Valdà ©s Peninsula, located in southeastern Argentina is the hemispheres lowest point.   Many Latin American countries are experiencing a financial contraction (such as unfunded pensions for an aging populace, deficit government spending, or the inability to spend on public services) and also have some of the most closed economies in the world. ArgentinaBoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuadorGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguayVenezuela Sub-Saharan Africa There are 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. (Some of these countries are actually intra-Saharan or within the Sahara Desert.) Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world, and by the year 2050, will overtake the United States as the worlds third most populous nation. As a whole, Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent. Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa achieved independence between the 1960s and 1980s, so their economies and infrastructure are still developing. This is is proving most difficult for countries that are landlocked due to the extra hurdles in transportation and right of way they must overcome to get their goods to and from port. AngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCape VerdeThe Central African RepublicChadComorosRepublic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the CongoCote dIvoireDjiboutiEquatorial GuineaEritreaEthiopiaGabonThe GambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauKenyaLesothoLiberiaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRwandaSao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanSwazilandTanzaniaTogoUgandaZambiaZimbabwe Australia and Oceania The 15 countries of Australia and Oceania vary widely by culture and occupy a large swath of the world ocean. With the exception of continent/country Australia, the region does not occupy a great deal of land. Islands have been known- since Charles Darwin pointed it out- for their endemic species and nowhere is this more apparent than in Australia and Oceania. For instance, about 80 percent of the species in Australia are unique to that country. Endangered species in the region range from those in the ocean to those in the sky. Challenges to conservation include the remote location and fact that much of the areas oceans are outside the direct jurisdiction of the countries there. AustraliaEast Timor (While East Timor lies on an Indonesian [Asian] island, its eastern location requires that it be located in the Oceania nations of the world.)FijiKiribatiMarshall IslandsThe Federated States of MicronesiaNauruNew ZealandPalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatu

HRM2013 Human Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

HRM2013 Human Resource Management - Essay Example The structure of the organization will determine the responsibilities, reporting structure and hierarchy. Organizational structure varies depending on locations, nature of business and people. It helps in arranging people and jobs to meet the requirements of the management. The structure of the organization impacts the workplace culture and employee behavior, motivation, performance, job satisfaction. (About Organizational Structure, n.d) There are 3 different types of organizational structures that are used in fast food companies depending on the size, technology and span of control; they are Bureaucratic Organizational structure: This form is often found rigid and inflexible as they are not accustomed to changes. Network structure Functional Organizational structure (Walter, 2011) Chuck E Cheese is one of the best fast food joints which are not present in the UK. It’s a great place for the kids as there are many attractions such as games and rides. Most of the fast food join ts adopt a very traditional organizational structure to their outlets. To establish Chuck E Cheese in the UK, it is best to have a centralized organizational structure where decisions are made by the top management. For chuck e cheese to enter the UK market, it is important to utilize a multinational strategy which helps the company to develop products that would reach the UK market. It helps the company to adapt to the local trends. If chuck E Cheese is to enter the UK market, it is better it practices a decentralized organizational structure where in decision making can be made by lower level management. This provides an opportunity for the top management to focus on other issues as opposed to looking over subunit level details. (Organizational Issues in Strategy, n.d) II. Employee Relations It is very important to have a good employer employee relationship as it helps in communicating issues, views and other requirements. Managers play a crucial role in maintaining good employee relations. The public sector organization considered is the British Council. This organization has well laid staff policies and procedures which includes the following- The employer employee relationship Industrial relations Grievances Discipline Confidentiality and Integrity The supervisors of the British council are given the primary responsibility in managing staff; recruitment; motivation; health safety and staff welfare; recognition and reward programs. At the British Council, the employee relations are based on equality of opportunity. There is a two way communication between the employees and the management. If there has been any deviation in the British Council policy, the reason must be clearly justified to the human resource department. There are number of factors that affect the relationship between the employees and the supervisors such as- Policies and procedures of the company Company’s internal values and standards Contractual agreement Social norms One of the main important employee policies is to provide equal opportunities to all irrespective of

Advantages and Disadvantages of Making and Buying Assignment

Advantages and Disadvantages of Making and Buying - Assignment Example Advantages of using internal resources (making approach)Advantages of using internal resources (making approach)i) Complete controlThe use of internal resource in developing the new system gives the organization total control of the system. They are able to carry out internal factor analysis by surveying, classifying, exploring and appraising without external interference (Limaye, 2009).ii) Ownership of the software codeThe organization has full ownership of the software code and can be able to smoothly identify and carry out major updates while doing inner testing without written permission from an external entity (Doyle, 2008).iii) Tailored to unique needs of the businessThe organization can make a system that is unique to their business needs because in house production enables them to make core features thus ensuring longevity as well as running of the software (Limaye, 2009).  iv) In house production ensures easy identification of problems associated with the system and timely solutions.  Disadvantages of using internal resources (making approach)i) Development timeInternal development of software requires a lot of time from human resources of the organization. It is time consuming to develop complex solutions for multiple users (Doyle, 2008).ii) Training and supportIt requires that internal software developers be given specialized training services as well as support for them to be able to effectively work with the new system. The organization may not have resources and time to offer such training and support.