The Geography of North America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Geography of North America - Essay Example There is also a Mediterranean climate in the South West, and a dry continental interior in the Great Plains (North America). As to the vegetation type in North America, it is also varied and the types that exist in it include grasslands, drought-resistant vegetation, coniferous forests, deciduous broadleaf forest, and tundra. Among the land forms in North America, there are mountain ranges, plains, and volcanoes. Lastly, among the natural calamities, there are tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and ice storms (North America). When it comes to language, the two most common spoken languages in North America include English and Spanish. English is predominantly spoken in the United States, Bermuda, Canada and the Cayman Islands. On the other hand, Spanish is being spoken in the rest of the countries, while a part of Canada would speak French (â€Å"Facts about North America†). North American culture is all about individualism, which is common among Americans. This is the practice of keeping personal distance with another person. This must have developed because of the fact that families are spread out across the country and the continent. Moreover, Thanksgiving Day is a time that families gather and restore their bond with each other. North American culture is also all about equality and exchanging of gifts (â€Å"North American Culture†). The wealthiest countries in North America are Canada and the United States (â€Å"Facts about North America†). Moreover, there are a total of 393 high-tech regions in this continent and there are 19 specific high-tech industries that exist here. The largest and most influential high tech center in the world, Silicon Valley, is the leader of the metropolitan regions of the continent (DeVol et al.). Currently, the United Stateshas a population of 316.1 million and Canada with 35.2 million. North America has 11 megaregions in the United States alone and these regions are where the growth of population is

Morals vs. Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Morals vs. Ethics - Essay Example The morality conundrum gains importance with each passing day since environmental decision making has gained its due share within the midst of things. The comparison of morality with ethics must not come in the way of the environmental decision making since this is something that could be solved if both moral and ethical domains are kept in close check of one another. However the argument stems from the fact that morals and ethics are distinguished against one another, which in essence means that there are ambiguities for all and sundry, in the long run. The environmental decision making thus becomes a non-issue in the fight of survival for morality and ethics. The interesting debate of morals vs. ethics is helpful as far as degrading the environment and its pertinent decisions are concerned. The reason for the same is that morality is a much cherished priority for the people and hence following the dictum within the environmental decision making scenarios becomes an even more desired proposition. The environmental decision making is hard to make – for the fact that there are judgments drawn every now and so often, alternatives found on each and every pathway, both short term and long term decisions studied in depth and thus a clear cut approach is manifested by the people who matter the most within the environmental decision making processes. The contrasting mannerisms related with morals and ethics in the discussion of the environmental decision making processes brings to light the notion of ‘doing it right’ and that too on a proactive and consistent basis. (Brewer & Stern, 2005) What this does is to document a clear cut beginning for the steps that will indeed be taken within the environmental folds and which will ultimately prove to be significant in the long run. More than anything else, it is the fight of morality and ethics that bring a bad taste in the mouth as far as

Impact of Technology on the Tourism Industry

Impact of Technology on the Tourism Industry Technological Convergence is becoming critical for the future. Discuss and illustrate implications for the tourism industry Technological Convergence Overview Convergence technologies are increasingly obliterating barriers of distance and time, providing anywhere, anytime communication and information sharing. The interactions that these technologies enable are incredibly varied, ranging from real-time one to one communications, to globally accessible electronic resources that reach mass audiences on demand. (Covell, 2000) These technologies also integrate all digital media types and indeed, one of the most powerful aspects of the digital convergence phenomenon is that these technologies can be used to combine interactions and media in so many different ways, thus producing innovative mechanisms, tools, and information resources. Whilst advances in miniaturisation have yielded a massive advance in the range of multipurpose devices in the last two years, ranging from game consoles that can be used as photo viewers, to mobile phones that double as cameras and music players. At the same time, developments in high-speed communications are allowing providers of traditional services like cable TV, Internet and phone services to move beyond their realms to products like video on demand and music and video downloads, together with Internet access through endless different media. â€Å"As the lines between product offerings become blurred, a looming high-tech identity crisis is creating rivals out of companies that once considered themselves to be in separate industries.† (Young, 2006) Telecommunications operators now believe that they can create value out of providing TV services, whilst cable TV companies are bundling Internet and mobile services, and phone handset makers are getting into music players and cameras. However, whilst traditional technology and telecommunications firms fight it out, Internet companies like Google, Microsoft MSN and Yahoo are building up powerful brand names to leverage in the future, both on and off the Web. Signs of convergence are on display the world over, spanning the semiconductor industry in Asia, where the hearts and memories of many devices are made, to cutting-edge telecoms development from Europe to the thriving U.S. Internet community experimenting with new products and services. (Young, 2006) As a result, customers’ expectations and demands have risen to include combined functionality and, where this functionality is included, reliability. (Buhalis, 2003) As a result, technological convergence is becoming increasin gly more critical for businesses wishing to market new products and services, and to extend the life of old ones. Within the tourism industry, technological convergence has had three main impacts: on sales, transport, and the provision of services. Sales Travel agents have found that their role has had to evolve, due to the changing technological dynamics of the travel industry. The travel retail sector has been adversely impacted since 2001 by technological convergence factors, chiefly the increase in the level of Internet and communications access. This has resulted in a rise in the number of consumers and businesses booking their travel arrangements directly, via the telephone or Internet; and as a result airlines and travel companies have reduced commission fees to travel agents in order to save costs, and also set up their own reservation systems via the Internet. Even before 11 September 2001, sales were being hurt by lower commission fees and trends towards direct booking, (Global Market Information Database, 2004) and now many operators in sectors such as airlines, hospitality and car rental have began to take advantage of the technology boom to make their sales direct to the consumer, bypassing travel agents. Travel Although technological convergence has not had substantial impacts on tourist’s choice of long distance travel, asides from facilitating the low cost airline boom, through Internet sales and eTickets, it has had some impacts on resort based travel. A good example of this is highlighted by Daigle and Zimmerman (2004) who studied the Acadia National Park Field Operational Test, where Intelligent Transportation Systems components were deployed to help visitors travel around Mount Desert island and in Acadia National Park Real-time travel information was collected and integrated with island Explorer buses and disseminated to visitors via an automated announcer that transmitted an audio message and displayed the next bus stop on an electronic sign within the bus. Also, electronic signs displayed real-time departure times of the next Island Explorer bus at bus stops, and visitors could also obtain real-time parking conditions at two popular destinations in the park, similar to the t echnology used by TFL in its London bus network. Services Finally, the trend towards individual booking of holidays by Internet, or dynamic packaging, is predicted to continue as more and more people become ‘Internet-savvy’, and seek more control over pricing and planning of both business and leisure travel. (Global Market Information Database, 2004) As a result, tour operators will respond to these trends by introducing more flexible holiday booking and selection services allowing, for example, clients to combine low-cost flights with premium hotels, and creating more targeted packages, such as those aimed at over-50s, sporting or activity holidays. Hotel groups and airlines will respond by improving their websites and services, and especially trying to match the fares offered by online agencies or offering extra services. Technology convergence in the travel and tourism industry will thus continue to improve in order to increase convenience, cut airport waiting times and encourage business travel. This will likely include aut omated check-in, and check-in via the Internet, the continuing development of high-speed Internet services in hotels and on aircraft, and satellite navigation services in cars. Conclusion In conclusion, with the exception of online sales, technological convergence is yet to have as fundamental an impact on the tourism industry as it has had on the technology, media and telecommunications industries. However, as the Internet continues to grow, and converges with more varied technologies, the potential for innovative offering will increase and, as in the TMT sectors, these offerings will increasingly become the norm, thus making technological convergence even more critical for the future in yet another industry. References: Buhalis, D. (2003) eTourism: Information Technology for strategic tourism management. Pearson. Covell, A. (2000) Digital Convergence: How the Merging of Computers, Communications, and Multimedia Is Transforming Our Lives. Aegis Publishing Group, Ltd. Daigle, J. J. and Zimmerman, C A. (2004) The Convergence of Transportation, Information Technology, and Visitor Experience at Acadia National Park. Journal of Travel Research; Vol. 43, Issue 2, p. 151. Global Market Information Database (2004) The World Market for Travel and Tourism. Euromonitor International. Young, D. (2006) Reuters Summit Technology convergence makes a comeback in 2006. Reuters Limited.

schools and scheduling Essay -- essays research papers

I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Title Page: Running head: OUTCOMES USING THREE SCHEDULING METHODS Which Schedule? Learning and Behavior Outcomes of At-Risk, Ninth Grade, Math and Science Students Using Three Scheduling Methods: Parallel Block Alternate-Day Block and Traditional Name University Name Name of Class / Title of Project / Name of Professor and his/her title Abstract Page: (State the Purpose of the Study) Abstract For many generations, high school students have had a schedule of six to eight periods a day with each class meeting every day for forty-five to sixty minutes. To better utilize the time spent with students, many schools have begun to reform scheduling practices. Many schools have chosen to change to block scheduling with the purpose of improving the outcomes of student learning and student behavior. There are many variations of block schedule in use. This study examines the effect of this reform in scheduling practices by comparing the learning and behavior outcomes of parallel block, alternate-day block, and traditional scheduling over an eighteen week period. Learning outcomes were obtained from pre-test and post-test measures and behavior outcomes were measured through absences, tardies, and office referrals for suspensions and detentions. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Review of Research Literature including Definition of Terms: Review all literature that supports the importance of the study (what has been done and what needs to be done.) Also review literature related to your independent variables in each arm and dependent variables (measures and instrumentation). Which Schedule? Learning and Behavior Outcomes of At-Risk Ninth Grade Math and Science Students Using Three Scheduling Methods: Parallel Block, Alternate-Day Block, and Traditional   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Secondary schools were originally designed very much like factories. Classrooms were designed as isolated work stations that could be used only by specific persons at specific times of day and students moved from room to room to receive instruction from the teacher assigned to that room, controlling the four critical facets of the school day: time, the use of space, the grouping of students, and the role of staff members in the use of space (Khazzaka & DeLeon, 1997). To better use these critical facets, educators have been... ... scheduling and traditional scheduling on academic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 27, 178-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  183. Marchant, G.J. & Paulson, S.B. (2001). Differential school   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  functioning in a block schedule: a comparison of academic   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  profiles. High School Journal, 84, 12-21. Meister, D.G., and Nolan, Jr., J. (2001). Out on a limb on our   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  own: uncertainty and doubt in moving from subject-centered   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  to interdisciplinary teaching. Teachers College Record,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  103, 608-631. Queen, J.A. (2000). Block scheduling revisited. Phi Delta   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kappan, 82, 214-223. Santos, K.E. & Rettig, M.D. (1999). Going on the block meeting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  the needs of students with disabilities in high schools   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  with block scheduling. Teaching Exceptional Children, 31,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  54-59. Veal, W.R. (1999). What could define block scheduling as a fad?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American Secondary Education, 27, 3-12.

Outline Research Into Institutional Aggression Essay

Institutional aggression is aggressive behaviour displayed within an institutional situation such as a school or prison. Most research into institutional aggression has been conducted in prisons. One explanation of institutionalised aggression is the importation model- dispositional factors. This model suggests that prisoners bring (import) their own social histories and traits with them to the prison environment and these influence their subsequent behavious (Irwin and Cressey, 1962). Most of the aggressive behaviour studied in the prison situation is not specific to that situation- the same behaviour was carried out in wider society by the same individuals. Such people bring with them into a prison a â€Å"ready-made† way of behaving which they just use in their new institutional setting (Cheeseman, 2003). Irwin and Cressey realised the importance of different prisoner subcultures and identified three. Firstly; the criminal or thief subculture, the prisoner follow the norms and values that are present in the professional thief or criminal â€Å"careers†, such as not betraying one another and being trustworthy. Secondly; the convict subculture, the subject has been raised in the prison system. They seek positions of power and influence and are therefore most likely to turn to aggression or another maladaptive form of coping. and the conventional or straight subculture tend to be one-time offenders and were not part of a criminal or thief subculture before entering prison. They reject the other two subcultures and identify more with the prison staff. This group is least likely to be aggressive. The three subcultures are better at explaining offenders who do not reoffend then some other explanations of institutional aggression. It suggests we have some degree of free will and expla ins that some offenders will not re-offend.

Bridgeton Industries Essay

1. Describe the competitive environment for Bridgeton as well as the cost accounting system currently in use. When foreign competition and scarce, expensive gasoline began to play an important role in the market, Bridgeton began to lose domestic market share. The ACF Bridgeton plant faced new challenges in their production that led them to serious cutbacks like the closing of the ACF plant for manufacture of fuel-efficient diesel engines. By 1987, they classified their products in terms of â€Å"world class† competitive position and potential. With four criteria (quality, customer service, technical capability and competitive cost position) they classified their products in Class I (remain), II (observe) and III (outsource). The classification allowed Bridgeton to take decisions on how to better manage their products performance compared to their competitors. The cost accounting system was product costing, a mixed between job costing and process costing. 2. Explain why manifolds moved from Class II to Class III after oil pans and muffler-exhaust systems had been outsourced from the AC F. Despite improvements in the production process manifolds were downgraded from Class II to III. The results were not sufficient, even though they increased the uptime from an average of 30% to 65% they were behind their Japanese competitors that reached a â€Å"world class† goal of 80% uptime. In addition, as seen in Exhibit 2, the direct material costs for manifolds (based on stainless steel) is extremely high as a percentage of sales (around 40%) compared to the other products manufactured at ACF and at a better Class level. However, there was a doubt on this move due to the possibility of new market requirements for lighter weight (more efficient manifolds). This represented a good opportunity for ACF because as they manufactured manifolds with stainless steel, demand could increase and therefore selling price too.