Thursday, October 31, 2019
Ireland is ready to import automobiles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Ireland is ready to import automobiles - Essay Example Conclusions can be drawn from this: Fiscal policy was tight and yet the crisis happened, and ironically, entry into the eurozone can be harmful. ââ¬Å"Again, the debt overhang would be huge, under any plausible assumptions. Ireland is doomed to fiscal stringency for decades, given its poor growth prospects, at least in comparison with its Tiger yearsâ⬠(Wolf, 2011). But, despite the dire straits, Ireland is exiting the recession (Fottrell, 2010). And, since Ireland is unlikely to keep up with the need to produce automobiles, it will need to import them. Ireland is ready to import automobiles, or at least as ready as it ever will be. 2.1. Dire financial straits Ireland's crisis is of an immense magnitude. 50,000 people could leave the country in 2011, yet another wave in a series of exoduses stretching from early Irish settlers in North America to the Irish potato famine to the 1980s (McDonald, 2011). And unlike other generations of exodus, it is professionals and graduates leav ing the country. Jobs for graduates and professionals are scarce. The economy has shrunk by a tenth and unemployment is in the double digits (MacDonald, 2011). Yet the economy was host to, and still does have, Microsoft, Apple, Intel and Pfizer. The middle-class was expanded and grew upwards, almost all Irish sharing in the growth. Aside from the slowly turning upswing out of the recession, there are many other macro-economic indicators that point to the need to import cars. In 2010, the Irish auto market grew (Leggett, 2010). People who need to physically get places, industrial and service sector workers, are not the ones leaving the country. Industrial production is likely to slow, and Ireland's native car market will not be able to keep up with demand, even with the declining Irish population from the eventual exodus. It is clear, then, that Ireland is going to need to import cars. 2.2. Car finance options Despite the bad economy, British firms like Close Motor Finance are seeing a gap in the Irish market. ââ¬Å"A UK-BASED MOTOR finance company, Close Motor Finance, is entering the Irish car finance market this week in an attempt to fill the gap it perceives to have been left after the withdrawal by some lenders and the tighter restrictions imposed by the remaining Irish finance housesâ⬠(Comyn, 2011). This is vital for the growth of the Irish car market because it allows consumers access to credit even when the native banks are facing serious risk. It also shows that external observers view the growth potential in the car market as palpable. This announcement is much-needed news for the Irish car market. ââ¬Å"66 per cent of all sales in 2007 were financed by loans organised through the dealership with its favoured lending institution. By last year that had fallen to 44 per cent and from January to October of this year that had fallen to just 26 per cent of all its car salesâ⬠(Comyn, 2011). The vast majority of Irish consumers are being forced to seek out their own finance options. 2.3. Growing market for imports in Ireland The imported car market in Ireland is generally growing, albeit with mixed signals. Hispano Cars, ââ¬Å"[t]he Irish firm that imported and distributed Seat vehiclesâ⬠, lost the lucrative Seat contract, but this is because Volkswagen itself is deciding to push into the Irish market (Daly, 2011). Hispano Cars
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Natural Gas Markets in Three Distinct Regions Essay Example for Free
Natural Gas Markets in Three Distinct Regions Essay Introduction As with many other products and commodities participating in a globalized supply chain, the three dominant market places are located in North America, Europe and Asia. This is no different for natural gas. While each region shares similarly a reliance on energy to support the tenets of the modern high-standard of living, all three are highly divergent in terms of demographic, culture, and history; and differ widely in policies concerning finance, monetary regulation, and of course, energy. These qualities and more have shaped generations of market development in terms of policy and practice, and in examining the results of those developments, or todayââ¬â¢s key differences between the natural gas markets in Asia, Europe, and North America, differentiations will be made based on the following three criteria: market maturity, the sources of supply, and the dependence on imports. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) Asia ââ¬â Market Maturity Asia is the least developed natural gas market but shows the greatest growth potential. China in particular is rapidly modernizing; what was once a largely agrarian country is becoming a collection of burgeoning city-centers with growing energy needsproof can be found in any of over 100 cities with a population over one million (Perkowski, 2012). In addition, Chinese government has recently unveiled a policy whereby natural gas is prioritized for the transportation sector in an effort to displace diesel and reign in emissions. (Aishu and Hua, 2012) This suggests China, currently the eighth largest consumer of natural gas, may ascend that list to the top threeââ¬âsituating itself among Russia and the US. Despite Chinaââ¬â¢s position to increase gas consumption, significant barriers exist to natural gas market maturity. Structural and regulatory issues concerning natural gasââ¬âincluding pricingare addressed ad hoc. (Huang, 2012 p.3058) Although industrialized Asia largely sets worldwide LNG prices (which are tied to oil-indexed long term contracts), the prices are not binding. China has pursued non-market concessions with India through bilateral agreements (McRae and Ruppel, 2011), and bypassed bidding processes with countries like Angola and Nigeria, who sign agreements without human rights or financial transparency requirements normally required by Western investors. (Mitchell, 2012) Absent any semblance of sound legal framework (let alone continuity of pricing practice), such actions show great unpredictability in Chinaââ¬â¢s trading habits which reduce confidence of potential investors aspiring to enter Chinaââ¬â¢s natural gas industry. These add up to significant barriers to natural gas market maturity. Asia ââ¬â Sources of Supply Asian geography promotes trade by sea and larger economies have logically invested heavily in LNGââ¬âmore than two-thirds of global LNG is traded in the Asia Pacific region (Mitchell, 2012) where flexibility exists to receive gas shipments from a variety sources. Australia (LNG) and Central Asia (pipeline) have traditionally supplied gas to China, but should global market conditions shift, China is easily able to accept shipments from Canada and the United States, and high-CAPEX projects like the Kitimat LNG terminal in British Colombia are indications that North America may grow in relevance to Chinaââ¬â¢s gas supply chain. Asia ââ¬â Dependence on Imports With limited local conventional gas, industrialized Asia is highly dependent on imported LNG from South East Asia, Australia and the Middle East. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) However, recent assessments peg Chinaââ¬â¢s recoverable tight-gas reserves at over 1,200TCF. Due to uniquely challenging reservoir lithology, (Faulkner, 2012) China will require assistance from Independent producers as their EP technology lags by world standard. (Faulkner, 2012) Even with Shell allocating USD1B per year to Chinese shale gas exploration (Hamilton, 2012), it may take a decade until Chinese shale gas flows to market. Therefore, itââ¬â¢s reasonable to expect Asia will continue importing roughly 40% of its gas (roughly half is from in-region) and may become increasingly dependent on supplies from Central Asia (Kazakhstan), the Middle East and Western Africa. (Mitchell, 2012) Europe ââ¬â Market Maturity Europe contains a well-developed natural gas market which is considered open, although the lack of a uniform natural gas financial and legal framework for European Union (EU) nations is an encumbrance to efficient market operation. The complicated patchwork of cross-border pipelines must also comply with multiple and dissimilar legal and regulatory regimes which add complication to construction and operations. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) The European market relies heavily on long term contracts with price terms based on a mix of competing fuels, and pipeline access is restricted. This policy was crafted by way of reaction to the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo; itââ¬â¢s inherently inapplicable to todayââ¬â¢s market and serves as a hindrance to full development of the European spot market. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) Europe ââ¬â Sources of Supply Europe is at considerable disadvantage in terms of security of natural gas supplyââ¬âthere is access to Russian and Central Asian natural gas, but only through Russian pipeline systems monopolized by Gazprom and Transneft, meaning shipments are highly subject to disruption resulting from infighting between Russia and transit-nation Ukraine. (Mitchell, 2012) While France has been determined to contain a remarkable 180TCF of shale gas, Europe may never see the benefit as France has invested in nuclear to eliminate the need for hydrocarbon exploration, and holds a moratorium on same. Poland is the other European country with significant shale gas; they intend to monetize their resources expeditiously. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) Europe ââ¬â Dependence on Imports While dependency rates between EU nations varies, the EU imported 54.1% of its gross energy consumption in 2010 (European Commission, 2012), indicating great dependence on seller nations (primarily Russia, Nigeria, Algeria, Qatar and Norway). The EU receives almost 50% of its gas by pipeline, and LNG continues to support the Iberian Peninsula. Diversification of supply is a high priority. (McRae and Ruppel, 2011) One major step to liberalizing markets would be to establish pricing mechanisms not tied to oil. While potential exists for shale gas development to reduce European imports, stringent EU environmental regulations ensure Europeââ¬â¢s dependence on imports for years ahead. Lengthy disruptions are unlikely as Russia and Algeria have failed to reinvest hydrocarbon revenues for economic growth; they remain highly dependent on steady cash inflows to remain solvent. If a lengthy disruption did happen, Europe generally has powerful North American allies who may use diplomacy, sanctions or hostility to mitigate damage. In the event of conflict, North American surplus LNG export capacity may bolster gas shortfalls in Europe. North America ââ¬â Market Maturity The United States and Canada enjoy the most developed and un-restricted natural gas market in the world. Natural gas infrastructure is highly developed and is the mechanism by which the US was able to consume 22% of the worldââ¬â¢s natural gas in 2009. (Mitchell, 2012) Natural gas is produced by private companies with open access to the pipeline network and sold at prices set by the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) based on principles of supply and demand. Gas in North America trades at the greatest degree of independence to oil compared to other regions, indicating an exceptionally mature natural gas market. North America Sources of Supply By way of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the US receives natural gas supply by pipeline from Canada and Mexico, and LNG shipments from Trinidad. Canada receives shipments of American gas to eastern markets via pipeline. Importation of Canadian hydrocarbons may increase if authorization is granted to build the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast. North America ââ¬â Dependence on Imports North America possesses the reserves and technology to theoretically discontinue natural gas imports. Whether this makes political sense is debatableââ¬âdoing so would financially impair many supply nations with whom North American countries participate in a variety of global affairs. Canada and the US are particularly well situated to conduct natural gas arbitrage. Environmental concerns have slowed the development of the Keystone XL pipeline. Left unresolved, natural gas may be reallocated for export to Asia. Conclusions In the West (US and EU), increased market share for NG will be an adjustment to an already well-functioning energy supply chain. In China, development of a natural gas market will be part of a paradigm shiftacknowledgement that Chinese people are earning and spending more, and expect higher standards of living. While the West currently enjoys relatively convenient pricing on natural gas, China will boost Asiaââ¬â¢s competitiveness with Europe for supplies from Russia, West Africa, Iraq and Central Asia. This will cause an eastward shift of the global gas supply chain, (Mitchell, 2012) and may shine a brighter light of scrutiny on Asiaââ¬â¢s standards of conduct that might not be in line with a Western sense of decency. The results of such confrontation on natural gas markets are impossible to predict. One thing we can be sure of is that natural gas as a commodity is more than just a tool by which we power our machines or heat our homes. Natural gas is a gift to the world that if used correctly, can drastically improve the human experience for a great many people. Whether buyer and seller nations can be pragmatic about international trade agreements, use the proceeds to grow internal economies, and establish transparency in the marketplace are the metrics by which we will know if this resource is being put to good use or merely squandered. REFERENCES 1) Mitchell, J. (Nov 2010) ââ¬Å"More for Asia: Rebalancing World Oil and Gasâ⬠Chatham House 2) McRae, G. and Ruppel, C. (Jun 2011) ââ¬Å"The Future of Natural Gas, An Interdisciplinary MIT Studyâ⬠Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Available at: http://mitei.mit.edu/publications/reports-studies/future-natural-gas 3) Perkowski, J. (May 2012) ââ¬Å"Chinaââ¬â¢sBest kept Secrets: Mianyang and Other Tier 3 Citiesâ⬠Forbes Magazine. [Online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackperkowski/2012/05/11/chinas-best-kept-secrets-mianyang-and-other-tier-3-cities/ 4) Huang, L. (May 2012) ââ¬Å"Development in Chinaââ¬â¢s Natural Gas Industry Regulationâ⬠Advanced Materials Research. [Online] Volume 527-527 pp 3058-3061. Available at: http://www.scientific.net/AMR.524-527.3058 5) Faulkner, C. (Sep 2012) ââ¬Å"Chinaââ¬â¢s Natural Gas Potentialâ⬠Business Excellence [Online] 26 September. Available from: http://www.bus-ex.com/article/china%E2%80%99 s-natural-gas-potential 6) Aishu, C. and Hua, J. [Ed. Fernandez, C.] (Oct 2012) ââ¬Å"China Prioritizes Use of Natural Gas By Vehicles, Shipsâ⬠Reuters [Online] 31 October. Available from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/31/china-gas-policy-idUSL3E8LV5DN20121031 7) Hamilton, G. (Aug 2012) ââ¬Å"Shell Canada to go ahead with Kitimat LNG projects despite billion-dollar Chinese gas investmentâ⬠[Online] 21 August. Available from: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/resources/Shell+Canada+ahead+with+Kitimat+projects+despite/7124608/story.html 8) Main Origin of Primary Energy Imports, EU-27, 2002-2010.[Online] European Commission Eurostat. Available from: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Energy_production_and_imports
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Virgin Galactic: Global Business Management
Virgin Galactic: Global Business Management 1. Introduction Virgin Galactic is the space tourism company which was founded in 2004 by Sir Richard Branson. This is type of Limited Liability Company. This company has its different headquarters at different locations such as Las Cruces, New Mexico and USA. Now it is planning to expand its business at global level such as Dubai. This company is part of Virgin Group which is also known as its parent company. The CEO of this company is George Whitesides. They started to provide its services to customer such as spaceflights in 2008 and now they are offering lot of services to their customers such as Space Sub Orbital, Small Satellites and Orbital Human Space Flight. Although this company is on the way to success but still every company has some weak points which they can use to convert into opportunities to perform better. So the aim of this research is find problems of Virgin Galactic and eliminating those. 2. Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic In this section, there will be a discussion about the evaluation of Richard Branson track record and his strength of new venture team and also will be discussing about his creative opportunity. 2.1 What is the concept of Global Leadership and how its reflect in Sir Richard Branson Leadership style? Richard Branson undoubtedly is a global leader. It is also reflected in its leadership style. Global Leadership means, the person who can reach beyond the boundaries of their own country and continent to influence an end result. In addition to this, it is also the person who just not looking for his profit but also looks for the problems and challenges and successfully solves them. Richard Branson is the person who likes to accept challenges and make his all best affords to reach success. He believes in people and thats he behaves like family members with his employs. He encourages his employees to challenge changes and bring up with new ideas to him. This is the reason why Sir Richard Branson brands is the worlds most powerful and recognizable brand. He himself promotes his brand which no other leaders can do in world. (Sir Richard Branson | Global Zero, 2017) 2.2 Evaluation of Richard Branson Track Record Richard Branson, A successful business man, the founder and Chairman of Virgin Group was born on 18 July 1950 in UK. Like all other flourishing business tycoons, he was also a school dropout. In 1970, he started his record business in UK and very soon his business become success under the name of Virgin. (Richard Branson Biography Childhood, Life Achievements Timeline, 2017.) Later, in 1980 the Voyager Group was established as his own travel company. It is not that he had never face any problems, in the beginning of 1990s he faces financial problems and has to sell his one of the company. He had never given up in his life and thats the reason he won 400 companies in 30 countries at present. One of the famous quotes of Richard Branson is if somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but is not sure you can do it, say yes then learn how to do it later. This quote show that he always think about new business and he jump in to it and at later he succeed in that. Due to this we can see lots of diversification in his business, means there is not just music industries in which he operates his business but also have train company, a mobile company, a luxury game preserve and airline company and a space tourism company to name a few. (Michelle L.V, 2014.) 2.3 Richard Bransons Strength as a New Venture Team Lets discuss the strength of Sir Richard Branson leadership. He believes in people, who work for him, he thinks that hire best employees who have excellent ideas and then trust them and let them do their job on their own. Sir Richard Branson finds a right candidate for the particular position, who is better than him for the job, due to which his all business are achieving success. The next is Sir Richard Branson thinks that failure is a learning lesson. For that he gives an example of his own business of virgin cola and that was successfully operated but also attracts some giant revivals due to his business gone down and he has to think again about the new strategies. (Business Lessons From Mega-Entrepreneur Richard Branson, Kinney B.2013) Sir Richard Branson always follows his strength whenever he start new venture with his team. He says, challenge the status quot, by which he means that thinks like a consumers, and add values to the product. Next create value of the product in globe, means that consumers satisfaction should be in the core value of the any product. In addition to this, he believes that be confident and concrete about your business and self motivation is the main thing for any business. He says Dream Big and do big then any other in the world. The first year of any business is all about survival and dont just invest money, invest more than that. (How Richard Branson Works Magic, Glenn Rifkin, 1998) 2.4 Leadership Theory Leadership is a process which is running by people with common goal and values, several kinds of capital like economic and political, to achieve a common interest. (Leadership: Theory and practice p.425) Leadership motivates other people to achieve common goal. That means the leader and other followers have mutual purpose. So it means that followers have fate in leader and vice versa, due to this they achieve a desire goal (Rost, 1991). 2.5 Leadership Style of Richard Branson Ability to think Differently Once in an interview with the Telegraph Sir Richard Branson said that Leadership doesnt have a secret formula; leaders go about things in their own way It is his leadership skill to think in a different way which makes him different from others. Richard Branson compares his collaborative and democratic leadership style to the late co-founder Steve jobs, was famous for his autocratic style. Both successful people have great achievement and come up with their own viewpoints, beliefs and approach. It is not important that which leadership skills are the best but its all about accepting the method which suits to the organization to utilize available resources. A Positive company culture He believes personality comes first then CV. The companys employees are always looking for a leader who makes fun passes that enthusiasm onto other members of the company. An eye for talent It is important to get as much as possible from the ability of the employees, Sir Branson believes in it. Also he said Believe in yourself, your method of work, and your ideas and in your employees It would not be possible to be a great leader without leading great people. He believed that people not only who have necessary experience and talent but also should fit for the business. (9 leadership skills from Sir Richard Branson | Robert Half UK, Jammi Freed, 2015.) Attention to detail Sir Richard Branson believes that successful and efficient leaders give more concentration in deep. In the Daily Telegraph he said that it can be made possible to get good fun with minor problem comparatively if this engages in dealing with customers issues personally and going to visit them surprisingly. Passion for job At last, the business leaders need to be aware about what they are doing to make effective planning, to build a team and inspiring the employees. He said that the people can get the best results. (Four leadership lessons from Virgin Groups Sir Richard Branson, Jammi Freed 2015.) Willingness to listen and learn According to Richard Branson, it is very important for the business leaders that they are quite capable to listen and learn from that and also he advised to note down those ideas to get best results. He said that the successes will happen when you are working and learn from the inspired person. 2.6 Background of Virgin Galactic Company Virgin Galactic is a profit-making space line service. It has several carrier craft which is Space-Ship Two, White-Knight Two, and an orbital launch vehicle for small satellites which is Launcher One. The Company was established in 2004 and a sister company of Virgin Group Ltd. Virgin Galactic and its partner companies: Virgin Galactic also have collaboration with NASA, they sign a memorandum of understanding in Feb 2007. In January 2015, Virgin Group announced an investment in to OneWeb Satellite constellation. This collaboration is for to provide world internet access service to WorldVu. To Create a New supersonic passenger transport Virgin Collaborate with Boom Technology. For this Virgin Galactic has optioned 10 units. Here we are going to discuss the Richard Branson team members who are working for Virgin Galactic and they are responsible for making this business successful. George Whiteside CEO of Virgin Galactic and the Spaceship Company. He has a long experience in this field and one of the best people for this job in these industries. Prior to this company he is working for NASA where he was designated as a Chief of Staff. He also awarded with the Distinguished Service Medal from NASA. Before that George served as Executive Director of the National Space Society (NSS). Michael p. Moses president of virgin galactic, the commercial human spaceflight program is managed by Mike. He leads his team in all aspects of successful operations including White Knight Two and Spaceship Two Vehicle processing, astronaut training and flight planning also which are connected with space line. He had more than 10 year of experience of working until 2005 as a flight controller in the Shuttle Propulsion and Electrical System Groups. Doug Shane, Chairman of The spaceship company, manage the design, manufacturing and test operations of the Virgin Galatis carrier aircraft through their sister company, The Spaceship Company (TCS). Along with serving as a Director of Flight Operations, for many years he served as Vice President of Business Development. Stephen Attenborough, commercial Director of Virgin Galactic, in 2004 he joined the company as its full time employee to handle the responsibility for commercial foundations and framework for the organization as well as business development, ongoing sales, public relations, partnerships and marketing. On behalf of Virgin Galactic, Stephen always works as speaker at many conferences, at numerous industries and at important events. Jonathan Firth, Executive Vice president of Spaceport and program Development, he joined Virgin Galactic as Project Director and then started to play the role of Director of Operations and projects in 2008 1 and moved to U.S to perform his current role in 2014 as Executive Vice President of Spaceport and Program Development. (Our Team Virgin Galactic, www.virgingalactic.com) Because of all these successful persons Virgin Galactic performing really well, also Richard Branson believes in Employees comes first then clients, if you look after your employees clients come automatically. He knows that happy staff member means the most successful company and product. Creative Opportunity for Virgin Galactic Only 558 people from all around the world have had an experience to travel to Space so Virgin Galactic is going to open the opportunity for the rest of the world because of their passion and good talents. Virgin Galactic have already trust brand name under the Virgin Group from many years so there will be easy for them to attract more customers toward their business and do expansion of it. Virgin Galactic have many businesses under the name like Virgin Hotel, telecommunication, virgin satellite and so on which are linked to the Virgin Galactic like they have come for induction, business meetings, they can request to the customers to go there so ultimately that will expand the virgin business. Virgin Galactic has very strong financial back up and their reputation as a brand. 3. Five Generic Competitive Strategies In this section, we are going to discuss about the Porters five generic competitive strategies of Virgin Galactic. Generic strategy means basic kind of competitive strategy which holds across a number of business situations. Whereas competitive strategy is related with how a strategic business unit obtains competitive advantages in domain of its activities (Porter M. E). FIVE GENERIC COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES 3.1 Low-Cost Provider Strategy: A low cost strategy is that in which a company offers their products to the customers relatively at a low price. This strategy is usually adopted by any corporation, where the product has few or no competitive advantage. Moreover, it attracts the broad range of purchaser. Some companies using this strategy in order to earn low profits but incur high sales volumes. For instance, the Kmart uses the low-price strategy because it provides the goods to customers at low price (Arbuckle D. 2017). This strategy is not using by the Virgin Galactic. 3.2 Focused Low-Cost Strategy: The focused strategy is based on low cost and concentrates on narrow customer segment. It serves the customers in the niche market at a lower cost and lower price than the opponents. Most of the companies using this strategy to enjoy the high degree of buyers loyalty. This strategy is usually suited to the small business where the resources are limited and they only focus on the narrow market segment. In this narrow segment market, the suppliers have the less power of bargaining. For instance, Gap is a good example of it. (Arbuckle D. 2017) This focused strategy is not employing by the Virgin Galactic. 3.3 Best Cost Provider Strategy: The best cost provider strategy aims to provide buyers more value for the money by offering them updated products at a lower price than competitors. Moreover, it gives more emphasis on a minimal quality, service, features and performance of the product to the customers. This strategy works best in the market where the customers diversity make the product different and also sensitive regarding the value and cost of the product. For example, Amazon uses the best cost provider strategy and also uses by Toyota Company. This strategy is also not adopted by Virgin Galactic. 3.4 Broad Differentiation Strategy: The broad differentiation strategy distinguishes the firms product from their competitors with the qualities, which attract their customers with uniqueness of the product. The value added by the product uniqueness allows the firm to charge a premium price for it. This strategy is not suitable for small business but it is more useful for big corporations. For instance, Netflix uses the differentiation strategy. This firm offer to customers greater variety of movies and charge less price than rental stores by conducting its business worldwide over the internet and Starbucks is also using it (Edwards J. 2017). The differentiation strategy is not using by Virgin Galactic. 3.5 Focused Differentiation Strategy: This focused differentiation strategy concentrates on a narrow purchaser section by fulfilling the particular tastes and needs of niche members. It refers to the situation where a corporation selects the strategically differentiate itself from their competitors in a narrow market. This Strategy is using by the companies to promote the product with multifarious features, innovation, brand name and customers service in order to attract more customers towards them. Likewise, Virgin Galactic using this strategy because the target market is narrow and they are trying to serve its services to the niche market. The main focus of Virgin Galactic is to be more innovative and unique in space travelling. (Porter M. E.) The main reason for selecting this strategy is that it provides the better-quality services and good value to their customers in different ways. Virgin Galactic looking to be unique in the niche market along with some changes which are broadly valued by customers. The main emphasis of Virgin Galactic is on the safety of passengers in every aspect and also provides training to passengers about one week prior the flight. Virgin Galactic taking $25000 from public in advance who wants to fly during the first years of flights and wants to turn their dreams into realities. In addition to it, the motive of Virgin Galactic is to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to space tourists. The spaceship2 has double the crew and capacity to carry triple the passengers. However, Virgin Galactic has competitors but he always wants to serve the market first. The focused differentiation strategy has following benefits for Virgin Galactic Premium price for its product: This strategy allows Virgin Galactic to command a premium price for its product. Increased unit sales: A virgin Galactic sale has increase due to this strategy because near about 550 ticket holders in line who wants to fly with it. Brand loyalty: By offering better in flight amenities at a lower cost as compared to many domestic carriers Virgin is creating strong brand loyalty for itself and dollar value for its customers New plans: Therefore, due to strong bonding with customers Virgin Galactic plans to deliver payload low earth orbit of 100 kg to market under US$ 10,000,000 per mission. Research and Development: Virgin Galactic has strong capability in research and development. They use the modern technology for the development of their products. Creates value: Virgin Galactic uses this strategy but their main focuses on the cost value of the product versus other similar products in the market, thus it creates a perceived value among its potential customers (Kelchner L. 2017). BCG MATRIX OF VIRGIN GALACTIC High Price Low Quality High The above figure demonstrates the BCG Matrix of Virgin Galactic. In this matrix, X-axis represents the quality of products and Y-axis reveals the price of the products. Following table is comparing price and quality of different space companies. Virgin Galactic competitors Price Quality XCOR Benson Space company Space-X Virgin Galactic Blue origin Low Low High High Low High High Low 4. SWOT Analysis of Virgin Galactic SWOT: This is type of strategic tool like PESTLE and PORTER which can be used to determine the long term performance of company to make good strategic plan to overcome its weakness and to utilize opportunities in better way. As name of this tool reveals meaning of itself such as S is for strength and so on. S W International Brand Progressing in Research and development Emphasis on Safety parameters Employee Strength Brand Image Strong Planning by using reusable craft Less risky and More trustworthy Skilled workforce High industry growth rate Reasonable Price Costly Failing to protecting RFP for satellite business Overtaking by competitors Time consuming to accomplish their mission Brand portfolio Competitive market Bad craft structure Sustaining brand image Employing new and innovative ways of doing business First to market Growth rate and profitability Technology advancement Expanding global markets Lacking interest of people due to crash Government regulations Accessible to middle class people Lot of investment required O T 4.1 Strength Based on article, it is evident that company is on its success as slowly-2 it is progressing. Some of following are strength of company. International Brand: This Company have reputed image over the whole globe as this is operating different branches at different locations such as New Mexico, USA, Las Cruces. In the beginning they just have only one spaceport which is in Mexico but now they have made 2 or 3 other spaceports to other locations to make it convenient for their customers to enjoy service of them. Virgin Group which is parent company of it which has brand image from last number of years. As Virgin Group has different Product line, it offers variety of services to their customers such as virgin hotels, virgin media, virgin passenger flights under name of virgin Atlantic, virgin money and many more. So their parent company helps them to perpetuate their brand image at global level (essays writers, 2017). Progressing in Research and Development: This Company is going through research and development mode and getting progress. As initially they have made first space ship flight (SS1) which could accommodate only 3 person all together (1 pilot and 2 passenger). Now recently they have made another spaceship flight (SS2) which can accommodate 8 people all together (2 pilots and 6 passengers) (the verge, 2016). Emphasis on Safety Parameters: Safety is the main concern of their organization. They bother equally for the safety of both passenger as well as employees. They give one week training to passenger in advance and give training to employees as well (wixsite, 2017). Employee Strength: As employees are the key part of every business so their security is important concern for an industry which is well done by virgin galactic. Due to this employees are interested to work with this group. As without employees there is no business, so virgin galactic is lucky to have good employees (advisor gate, 2016). Brand Image: As Virgin Group is offering good and wide variety of services to their users so it has already branded and reputed image in market and people are used to their services and can rely on them (essays writers, 2017). Strong planning for saving money by using reusable craft: They have good strategic planning to build strong and compatible passenger craft which can be reused again to send them in space which can help them to save money that they can used to improve their services better. Less risky and Trustworthy: As it is already mentioned that safety is main concern of their company so less risk is involved. Their services are so trustworthy thats why notable celebrities (Angelina Jolie, Stephen Hawking, Tom Hanks and Prince Zulf Ali) have already booked with them to travel in space (review essays, 2017). Skilled workforce: As this industry requires more creativity which cannot be possible without the help of employees so it means that employees should be equipped with good skills and it has employed skilled person in their company which further helps them in gaining success (swotanalysis24, 2017). High Industry Growth Rate: This Company is growing at very fast pace as recently its growth rate jumps from 27% to 47% (advisor gate, 2016). Reasonable Prices: The Company should charge reasonable prices for their services over their competitors. Because this is the good way to attract more passenger and to maintain their interest. 4.2 Weaknesses Apart from having good points, this company has some negative points which hinder them from achieving success. Some of them are given below: Costly: No doubt this company is offering good services to their users but services are very costly as compare to its competitor. As XCOR Aerospace which is in great competition to it is offering high quality services at low price. As Virgin Galactic is taking $250,000 per person whereas XCOR is taking $95000 per person (advisor gate, 2017). Failing to protecting RFP for satellite business:- one of the weak point of their company is that they are not good at planning and do not have strong vision as recently they were fail to set up RFP for Satellite Business. They planned in 2010 to initiate this proposal but till 2012, they were not able materialize the flights. Overtaking by competitors: As it is already mentioned, their competitors are stronger than them as their competitors are working in this industry from long time so they more knowledge and experience than them. For Example, SPACEX which is another Competitor of Virgin Galactic who was first to start to create reusable craft before Virgin Galactic. So in this matter, that company overtook Virgin Galactic (quartz, 2017). Time consuming to accomplish their mission: Although their industry growth is at high pace but still they are taking lot of time to provide services to their customers. For example, till now they have just made 2 spaceships named SS1 and SS2. So their processing time period is very long (geocities, 2016). Brand Portfolio: As it is already mentioned they have good brand image due to offering of wide variety of services. But this is not proved fruitful to them because this has made them less capable to focus on any particular service by which they are losing control on improving their services rather making these worse (swotanalysis24, 2017). Competitive market: As Space industry is highly risky and competitive so to compete with their competitors, they should have strong vision and long term strategies to hit them. But this is the negative point of Virgin Galactic; they are not competing well to their competitors. Bad Craft Structure: Although they are trying to provide better, improved and reliable services to their passenger but still they suffering from some problems. For example, the recent crash which was due to catastrophic failure happened because of poor structure of craft (advisor gate, 2016). 4.3 Opportunities Apart from considering strength and weakness of internal environment of company, company can grab opportunities of external environment to improve their performance. Following are list of areas where they can improve: Sustaining Brand Image: This Company can perpetuate brand image of their parent company by maintaining good competition with their competitors because this is the main area where they are lacking. So they should focus on this (cayenne, 2016). Employing New and Innovative Ways of doing Business: Although this company is on path of success but still they are slow in Research department. So till now they have just made 2 spaceships. So this is good opportunity for them to improve their performance by bringing more innovative ways of operating business (wixsite, 2017). First to market: As this company was first in market as comparison to its competitor. So it is great opportunity for them to make good reputation in market to attract customers. Growth Rate and Profitability: Although they are growing well with accordance to time, but they can utilize their opportunities to improve more as they can expand their product line. For example, apart from providing space sub orbital, small satellites and orbital human space flight, they can offer more services to their users to increase their growth level (swotanalysis24, 2017). Technology Advancement: As modern era is totally based on technology and this company is lacking in technology so they should new techniques in industry to make it more competitive (swotanalysis24, 2017). Expanding Global Markets: No Doubt, they started to operate at an international level and they should continue with this because this is an effective opportunity for them to maintain their image. On the other hand, they can also expand business through advertising in schools, universities which can enhance knowledge of students as well about orbit (advisorgate, 2016). 4.4 Threats In addition to grabbing opportunities of external environment, there can be some threats in every organization which can hinders them to get progress. Some of these are given below which can create problem for virgin galactic. So they should know these things in advance. Lacking interest of people due to crash:- Due to recent happened crash, company is losing interest of people as they are not trusting anymore on them and wanted to take back their money which they deposited while registering with them (the verge, 2017). Government Regulation: As space business requires lots of knowledge of government concerns so virgin galactic should be aware of these concerns to avoid any types of governmental issues (advisor gate, 2016). Accessible to upper class people: one threat to company performance is that this is only accessible to upper class people who mean middle class and any other category people cannot have access to this (guardian, 2013). Lot of Investment Required: As this business requires availability of great amount of funds which is not possible without strong market position and they should be financially sound. And what is happening in virgin galactic as they are using revenues earned from other product lines and if they will not earn anything from other product lines then i
Friday, October 25, 2019
Essay --
ââ¬Å"Trust is only a five letter word but it can be misused in so many ways.â⬠I am glad to be here today with you in what will impact many lives of teenagers and their families. What Iââ¬â¢m explaining about is sexual abuse in teenagers. Nearly 1.5 million high schools students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. Letââ¬â¢s stop abuse! How can America change? How well these changes improve lives of teenagers? Sexual Abuse is pressuring a human into a sexual activity. Ages between sixteen and twenty-four are most likely to get abuse. These teens who gets sexual abuse is from their former or current relationship. When someone is abuse they are too scared to tell anyone. About 46 % of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to the police.When girls are raped they are taking immediately to medical assistance, but some girls are not taking to see medical assistance because they are scared to take tests like pregnancy test and to find any sexually transmitted diseases. But when a boy or girl donââ¬â¢t go to ER right away is because they donââ¬â¢t want to tell but if yo...
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Early learning studies Essay
In the first five years of life, a child has gone through rapid development in physical, cognitive, and social/emotional characteristics. Around the time these children start kindergarten, their growth has slowed down. However, it is still vital for the kindergarten teacher to know how their students have developed and what they can do to further develop their students as a whole. According to ââ¬Å"Educating Children in Nursery Schools and Kindergartensâ⬠by Lillian L. Gore, by the age of 5 children are learning how to relate to others in a positive manner. This skill forms the basis of all human relations (16). In general, kindergarten-aged children are beginning to develop their own self image and their likes and interests through sensory and other experiences (Gore 16). To a kindergarten-aged child, the world is big and mysterious. The combination of physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development allow these children to explore and begin imposing basic order and control over their environments (Gore 16). Overall, these experiences allow children to understand and appreciate the world around them. When the teacher looks at the overall development of their kindergarten students, the physical, cognitive, and social/emotional aspects are relatively similar across each child. That is to say that each child experiences relatively the same development in all three areas. Physically, a kindergartener has two distinct developmental characteristics. #1 is the individual characteristics such as rate of growth, body build, and eye color (Gore 17). The teacher should respect each childââ¬â¢s unique characteristics and teach others to respect them as well. #2 is each kindergartener has a wide output of energy (Gore 17). A kindergarten teacher should expect their students to be fully active one day and inactive the next. Similarly, the activities the children participate in receive different levels of energy from day to day (Gore 17). Cognitive development in kindergarten in vital for a child to understand and experience all that school and the world have to offer. In Goreââ¬â¢s book, she notes two important cognitive developments that a kindergarten child experiences. #1 is the development of hand-eye coordination (Gore 17). At this stage, children are developing awareness for everything that needs both hands and eyes in order to function properly. As the teacher, you should be aware of the students and their surroundings. Particularly on the playground, the teacher should know the students inability to judge speeds and distances properly (Gore 17). To aid in the development of proper hand-eye coordination, the teacher should incorporate hand-eye coordination lessons and activities into the daily schedule. The second important cognitive development in kindergarteners is that they want to grow and learn (Gore 19). Kindergarten is a stepping stone into what school will be like for the rest of their lives, and the fact that each student wants to grow and learn makes the teacherââ¬â¢s job easier because the students are intrinsically motivated. To further their enjoyment of learning it is important for the teacher to provide conditions for each student to explore, discover, and feed their sense of wonder at their own pace (Gore 19). Teachers should also allow students to think and solve problems at their own pace as well (Gore 19). By letting each student work at his or her own pace, the student feeds their desire to grow and learn and also learns that they are capable of many things. One of the most important developments that kindergarten children make is social and emotional developments. Both these developments aid children in forming friendships, relationships and emotional maturity as their lives continue. Two social developments are highlighted in Goreââ¬â¢s book. #1 is that children will fluctuate their patterns of social growth and they may regress at times (Gore18). This is a natural process that children go through and navigating it can be tricky. As a teacher, we should encourage children to proceed in and out of groups at will (Gore 18). This will allow children to experience many different people and form many friendships. As teachers we should also encourage students to relate an experience with one group of students to experiences with another group (Gore 18). This will allow each student to mentally process each experience and decide which experiences they prefer to have, which in turn leads to them having friends of similar beliefs and interests. Above all, kindergarten children learn how to cooperate with others when they choose which group of students to associate with. The second social characteristic that kindergarten children develop is their preference of children of the same sex as playmates and friends (Gore 18). As a teacher we should support this development and help each child learn appropriate sex role with their peers. In addition, kindergarten teachers should also encourage children of the opposite sex to interact. When it comes to emotional characteristics of development, the #1 characteristic is that children in kindergarten are learning how to accept and give affection (Gore 18). This developmental characteristic is vitally important because if children do not learn how to give and accept affection, then all their relationships with others will be short-lived. We as teachers can help foster this important characteristic by providing warm relationships for emotional growth in the classroom and individually with your students (Gore 18). In addition to the developmental characteristics, a kindergarten teacher must also be aware of how they arrange their classroom. Utilizing space and organizing the classroom to best suit the needs of the students allows each kindergartener to maximize their use of the classroom. In Doris Frombergââ¬â¢s book ââ¬Å"The Full-day Kindergartenâ⬠, it is important to know both the teacherââ¬â¢s and the studentââ¬â¢s views on four elements relating to classroom organization. Those four elements are; ââ¬Å"Choice: what the students will be doing. Space: where the students will be engaged. Pacing: when the students will be participating. Social Activity: how and with whom the students will interactâ⬠(Fromberg 62). These elements are also applicable to what the students are doing in a kindergarten classroom and what activities they participate in. By understanding when and where to implement these four elements, the classroom experience will be enhanced for all the kindergarten students. In a kindergarten classroom, the students are capable of making choices that are relevant to the school-day procedure (Fromberg 62). When a kindergarten student, or any other person, chooses what to do, their attention is higher to that activity than if they had not chosen. However, this is not to say that kindergarten students enter into an ââ¬Å"anything goesâ⬠classroom (Fromberg 62). The teacher has preselected and screened everything that is already in the classroom to ensure that it is safe and educationally-sound. The teacher also screens the materials that students bring from home on the same criteria (Fromberg 62). By ensuring that all materials in the classroom are on the same level and that the children decide what they want to do, they will establish a routine of making independent choices knowing that what they choose will spark their interests and be educationally appropriate. The space and organization of the classroom is an important concept to consider when in a kindergarten classroom. Kindergarten students enjoy moving around and being independent, but also need a sense of stability and security. How the classroom space is organized reflects four characteristics about the teacher and the classroom in general: 1) How independent the students are expected to be. 2) How responsible the students are expected to be. 3) Relays what activities are valued in the classroom. 4) How students will spend their time in the classroom (Fromberg 64). When organizing the classroom, it is important to keep materials where they will be used and in limited-use sections. By creating a section of the room only for writing, or art, or reading, children will be more focused on that activity or feel part of a small group (Fromberg 64). Limited-use sections also help the students answer the question, ââ¬Å"What will I do next? â⬠(Fromberg 64) For example, a child that is finished at the writing center will know that there is nothing more they can accomplish at this center; they decide that they want to work on their art project and move to the appropriate section. By utilizing limited-use sections, the students are minimizing procrastination and are maximizing their ability to select their own choices. By using these elements, Fromberg describes a properly organized kindergarten classroom. In a kindergarten classroom, all materials are stored where they will be used; books are in the reading areas, writing supplies are in the writing area, and art supplies are in the art area. The students work in the areas where the materials are stored. This not only keeps them focused on their tasks, but also eliminates the possibility of misplacing materials. These active work areas should be located away from student desks or other areas where students are meant to concentrate and reflect (Fromberg 64). In addition, the teacher should always organize their classroom where they and the students are visible to each other at all times. This not only allows the teacher to monitor behavior, but it also allow students to see what model behavior looks like. In addition to the organization of the room, there also needs to be proper time management as well. Proper time management can help reduce the issues that arise in those students who have ADHD or other unpredictable behavior patterns (Fromberg 66). In a full day kindergarten classroom, it is beneficial to have a whole-class planning session in the morning and afternoon, with a small gathering before lunch or around 11:00 AM according to Fromberg (66). Kindergarten instructors have found it helpful to provide at least two long activity blocks of 30 minutes or more each day (Fromberg 66). In this time, the students will be engaging with the different sections of the room; art, writing, reading, etc. at their own choice and pace. From having this time to select which activity to do and how long to do it for, the students are inspired to make long-range plans and increase their sense of control over their environment (Fromberg 66). Within the kindergarten environment, the lessons and activities should emphasize academic content but also personal relationships and social behaviors. While kindergarten does prepare students to ââ¬Å"do schoolâ⬠and everything that comes with it, I believe that lessons and activities that stress proper relationship techniques and social behaviors are just as important. For example, kindergarteners may not realize what they say sometimes and although they find nothing wrong with it, the teacher or others students will. Having several lessons on how to talk to other students in a nice and polite way will not only benefit the students in class, but they can take that knowledge and apply it to other situations as well, such as talking to adults. Lessons that demonstrate proper social behaviors and etiquette will also benefit kindergarteners. For example, how to stay quiet and listen while another person is talking or how to solve conflicts in a respectful manner will again not only benefit the students in the classroom, but also prepare them for the world as they grow older. Finally, classroom management is very important in a kindergarten class. A teacher could have a perfectly organized room and excellent lessons, but if they cannot manage their students they will never get a chance to utilize their room or lessons. Firstly, the kindergarten teacher should make a set of class rules for the school year. In addition to their professional opinion, the teacher should ask the students themselves what rules should be followed during the school year. This serves two purposes: 1. it reinforces the element that children are capable of making relevant choices pertaining to school and 2. It allows the students to feel that they have a say in how the classroom is to be run. By having this sense of control, the students are more likely to follow the rules and provide less argument when disruptions arise. Secondly, student behavior accountability should be established. In her article ââ¬Å"Classroom Managementâ⬠, Jody Camp describes her accountability system. She has four circles displayed in her room, each a different color and face. All the students have a clothes pin with their name on it. Every morning each student starts on the green smiley face. If a student breaks one classroom rule, they move their clothes pin to the yellow face. The yellow face is a warning for the student to start acting correctly. In addition to that, the student loses 5 minutes of recess. If the student breaks another rule, they move to the red face, which means the student needs to stop and think about what they are doing. The student also misses an entire recess. The last face in Jody Campââ¬â¢s management system is the blue sad face. This means that the student needs to go to the principalââ¬â¢s office (Classroom Management). By implementing these or similar classroom management techniques, any teacher will be successful and be able to focus the majority of their time on educating the minds of America. As a student moves through elementary school and into middle school many changes occur so fast that they may, to the frustration of teachers and parents, act like kindergarteners once more. However, it is important to realize and understand the developmental characteristics of middle school students so they still have a positive educational experience. Similar to kindergarten students, middle school students have their own unique set of physical, cognitive, and social/emotional characteristics. Physically, middle school students are in transition between their childhood bodies and their adult bodies. This leads to three main physical characteristics. Susan Robinson, Guidance Counselor at Southern Columbia School District in Catawissa, PA, nicely lays out physical characteristics of middle school students (5th-8th grade) on her webpage. The first physical characteristic is large muscle development (5th Grade Characteristics). In boys, this means that their arm and leg muscles are becoming more defined, as well as their abdomens. In girls, muscle development leads to growth spurts and gaining weight. The second physical characteristic is the desire to be outdoors and physically challenged (5th Grade Characteristics). It is at this time that both boys and girls become very interested in sports and physical activity. This characteristic can also lead to a decline in school performance because the students are more interested in playing outside than doing homework. The third physical characteristic is that they become restless and in constant motion (6th Grade Characteristics). The need to move and be active can also lead to declining performance because the students wonââ¬â¢t be as focused. This can also lead to more discipline because the students canââ¬â¢t stay in one place for extended periods of time. Cognitively, middle school students are now open to more abstract and logical reasoning than ever before. The first cognitive characteristic is that 5th grade students have is an increased memory and ability to abstract (5th Grade Characteristics). The increase in memory potential allows the students to remember more academic information, but also helps them remember social activities like birthday parties and phone numbers. The second cognitive characteristic is the affinity for logical reasoning and problems solving (5th Grade Characteristics). 5th and 6th grade students are now using more of their brain in every aspect of life which allows them to solve and reason more than ever before. Similar to how kindergarten students like to impose control on their environments, middle school students enjoy the feeling of being able to solve a problem or think logically with classmates and teachers. The third cognitive characteristic of middle school students is their increased concentration in all aspects of school (5th Grade Characteristics). With the increase of concentration students are able to read, focus on homework, and participate in activities for longer periods of time. This cognitive gain can help balance out the need for movement during physical development. Middle school is the time when every student starts to define who they are and who they want to be. Socially and emotionally, each middle school student is becoming more mature as they grow older and it is important to know what developmental characteristics these students face. When a student is in 5th grade they are more socially and emotionally sound than 6th graders. The first developmental characteristic of 5th graders is that they are generally content with themselves and others (5th Grade Characteristics). At this stage they are in a state of equilibrium in terms of social and emotional growth. This is not to say that 5th graders are void of anger. When this age group gets angry, they tend to get angrier faster than usual but they also are faster to forgive (5th Grade Characteristics). The second characteristic of 5th graders is that they work well in groups and enjoy team-oriented activities such as sports and clubs (5th Grade Characteristics). Because they are generally content, it boosts 5th graders abilities to work cooperatively. This age group would benefit greatly from pods in the classroom and team-oriented competition. Lastly, 5th graders are mostly truthful and are developing a larger sense of right and wrong (5th Grade Characteristics). At this age, students want to be taken seriously because they feel that they have valuable opinions. They realize that they canââ¬â¢t lie and be taken seriously so they tell the truth. Also, as they are telling the truth more, they are expanding their sense of right and wrong. It is at this point when crucial right/wrong situations should be explained to the students such as drugs and alcohol. When a child hits 6th grade, they change once again and sometimes not for the better. There are three main characteristics of 6th graders from Susan Robinsonââ¬â¢s website. The first is that 6th graders become more moody and sensitive (6th Grade Characteristics). 6th graders are starting to hit puberty and this messes with their normal selves. The hormones set off mood swings and sensitivity towards almost any situation. It is important to know this because it could be the cause of many problems with your students. The second characteristic is that 6th graders are becoming more autonomous and with that comes more opposition to rules and punishments (6th Grade Characteristics). As they get older, the students begin to realize that they are held to higher standards but still try to get around those expectations. This inevitably leads to confrontations between teacher and student(s) and the student(s) will test your patience at this age. The third characteristic is more positive. As the students age and grow during 6th grade, they will start to take on an adult personality (6th Grade Characteristics). They will lessen their oppositional behavior and become more respectful and dutiful in school work and social activities. While their bodies are going through a massive amount of change in a short period of time, it is important to layout the classroom, lessons, and management techniques to keep up with these middle school learners. First off, it is important to keep the students in groups when at their desks. This helps the students remain social with others and it helps the students to keep working in teams. As they are older, each student should be given their own desk. This allows the student to become more independent and it allows for individuality to show through if they are permitted to decorate their desk. Similar to the kindergarten room, there should be sections of the room where students can go to complete different assignments. Especially at this time, the movement will allow these students to relieve some tension from their growing bodies. Overall, the classroom at the middle school level starts to become similar to that of high school and college classrooms, but should still represent a sense of home and security for 5th and 6th graders. The lessons and activities that these students participate in should also be developmentally appropriate. At this stage of life, the students are beginning to think and reason logically. Therefore, lessons in math and science can enhance the individual studentââ¬â¢s ability to think and reason logically. In addition to logic and reasoning, social skills are key to a healthy development. In 5th and 6th grade, it is important to teach and model proper social etiquette and behaviors. One way to accomplish this is to have the students sit in pods when at their desks. This serves two purposes: 1) it allows each student to work in close proximity to other students and 2) it allows students to practice proper social behavior on a daily basis. Lastly, students at this age are going through major physical changes and it is important to keep that in mind when designing lessons and activities. When possible, incorporate some form of physical movement into your lesson plans. This will allow the students to move their bodies and retain focus in school. If you simply let the students sit at their seats all day, they will become restless very quickly and will lose focus and interest in what you are trying to teach them. Similar to the kindergarten classroom, without successful classroom management techniques, the teacher will struggle to maintain focus and interest in their lessons. With this age group, routines are essential to having successful classroom management. As noted by many teachers, routines help the students to know what is coming next in the school day and how to proceed from one task to the next. With a regular routine, students wonââ¬â¢t need to be told to take out their reading materials or their math books; they will already know what is coming. By establishing successful routines, the teacher can minimize distractions and maximize learning time. Another management technique that I remember from 6th grade was the use of a money management system. My teacher, Diane Dale, set up a management system that revolved around the use of a weekly ââ¬Å"allowanceâ⬠for each student. Each student started the week with a predetermined amount of ââ¬Å"moneyâ⬠, i. e.$100. Actions in class had either a positive or negative effect on the studentââ¬â¢s allowance. For example, if one student got a perfect on their math test, they may get $25 added to their account. If another student starts a fight on the playground, besides the consequences of the principal, they may lose $75. At the end of each week the students with the 3 highest allowances got to pick a prize from the ââ¬Å"Class Treasure Chestâ⬠. To my recollection, this system worked well in our class and I plan on modifying this management system to create my own. All in all, as an elementary teacher it is important to know and be able to work with students from all age groups. By understanding the characteristics of the students in your class, you will be able to maximize the effectiveness of your lessons because they are aimed to work with their developmental characteristics, not as a substitute. In addition, to knowing developmental characteristics, a teacher should also institute effective classroom management techniques and proper lesson plans that will maximize the learning experience for each student. Works Cited Gore, Lillian L. , and Rose Koury. Educating Children in Nursery School and Kindergartens. Washington: U. S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Education, 1964. Print. Wills, Clarence Dechent, and Lucile Lindburg. Kindergarten for Todayââ¬â¢s Children. Chicago: Follett Educational Corporation, 1967. Print. Fromberg, Doris. The Full-Day Kindergarten. 1995. eBook. Camp, Jody. http://www. atozteacherstuff. com/Tips/Classroom_Management/Managing_Behavior/index. shtml Robinson, Susan. http://www. scasd. us/ms/RobinsonPage/grade5. htm White, George. Incoming 6th Graders. http://www. ringwoodschools. org/files/ryerson/parent_orientation_booklet. pdf.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Night World : The Chosen Chapter 7
By the time Rashel intercepted the girl, the truck was already braking to turn around. Someone was shouting, ââ¬Å"She's out! We lost one!â⬠ââ¬Å"This way!â⬠Rashel said, reaching toward the girl with one hand and gesturing with the other. Up close, she could see that the girl was small, with disheveled blond hair falling over her forehead. Her chest was heaving. Instead of looking grateful, she seemed terrified by Rashel's arrival. She stared at Rashel a moment, then she tried to dart away. Rashel snagged her in midlunge. ââ¬ËTm your friend! Come on! We've got to go between streets, where the truck can't follow us.â⬠The truck was finishing its turn. Headlights swept toward them. Rashel looped an arm around the girl's waist and took off at a dead run. The blond girl was carried along. She whimpered but she ran, too. Rashel was heading for the area between two of the warehouses. She knew that if there really were vampires in that truck, her only chance was to get herself and the blond girl to her car. The vampires could run much faster than any human. She'd picked these two warehouses because the chain-link fence behind them wasn't too high and had no barbed wire at the top. As they reached it, Rashel gave the girl a little shove. ââ¬Å"Climb!â⬠ââ¬Å"I can't!â⬠The girl was trembling and gasping. Rashel looked her over and realized that it was probably the literal truth. The girl didn't look as if she'd ever climbed anything in her life. She was wearing what seemed to be party clothes and high heels. Rashel saw the truck's headlights in the street and heard the engine slowing. ââ¬Å"You have to!â⬠she said. ââ¬Å"Unless you want to go back with them.â⬠She interlocked her fingers, making a step with her hands. ââ¬Å"Here! Put your foot here and then just try to grab on when I bounce you up.â⬠The girl looked too scared not to try. She put her foot in Rashel's hand-just as the headlights switched off. It was what Rashel had expected. The darkness was an advantage to the vampires; they could see much better in it than humans. They were going to follow on foot. Rashel took a breath, then heaved upward explosively as she exhaled. The blond girl went sailing toward the top of the fence with a shriek. A bare instant later, Rashel launched herself at the top of the fence, grabbed it, and swung her legs over. She dropped to the ground almost noiselessly and held her arms up to the blond girl. ââ¬ËLet go! I'll catch you.â⬠The girl, who was clambering awkwardly over the top, looked over her shoulder. ââ¬Å"I can't-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Do it!â⬠The girl dropped. Rashel broke her fall, set her on her feet, and grabbed her arm above the elbow. ââ¬Å"Come on!â⬠As they ran, Rashel scanned the buildings around them. She needed a corner, someplace where she could get the girl behind her and safe. She could defend a corner-if there weren't more than two or three vampires. ââ¬Å"How many of them are there?â⬠she asked the girl. ââ¬Å"Huh?â⬠The girl was gasping. ââ¬Å"How-many-are-there?â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't know, and I can't run anymore!â⬠The girl staggered to a halt and bent double, hands on her knees, trying to get her breath back. ââ¬Å"My legsâ⬠¦ are just like jelly.â⬠It was no use, Rashel realized in dismay. She couldn't expect this bit of blond fluff to out-sprint a vampire. But if they stopped here in the open, they were dead. She cast a desperate look around. Then she saw it. A Bostonian tradition-an abandoned car. In this city, if you got tired of your car you just junked it on the nearest embankment. Rashel blessed the unknown benefactor who'd left this one. Now, if only they could get inâ⬠¦. ââ¬Å"This way!â⬠She didn't wait for the girl to protest, but grabbed her and dragged her. ââ¬Å"Come on, you can do it! Make it to that car and you don't have to run anymore.â⬠The words seemed to inspire the girl into a last effort. They reached the car and Rashel saw that one of the back windows was broken out cleanly. ââ¬Å"In!â⬠The girl was small-boned and went through the window easily. Rashel dove after her. Then she shoved her down into the leg space in front of the seat and hissed, ââ¬Å"Don't make a sound.â⬠She lay tensely, listening. She barely had time to breathe twice before she heard footsteps. Soft footsteps, stealthy as a prowling tiger's. Vampire footsteps. Rashel held her breath and waited. Closer, closerâ⬠¦ Rashel could feel the other girl shaking. She watched the dark ceiling of the car and tried to plan a defense if they were caught. The footsteps were right outside now. She heard the grate of glass not ten feet from the car door. Just please don't let them have a werewolf with them, she thought. Vampires might see and hear better than humans, but a werewolf could sniff its prey out. It couldn't possibly miss the smell of humans in the car. Outside, the footsteps paused, and Rashel's heart sank. Eyes open, she silently put her hand on her sword. And then she heard the footsteps moving quickly-away. She listened as they faded, keeping utterly still. Then she kept still some more, while she counted to two hundred. Then, very carefully, she sat up and looked around. No sight or sound of vampires. ââ¬Å"Can I please get up now?â⬠came a small whimpering voice from the floor. ââ¬Å"If you keep quiet,â⬠Rashel whispered. ââ¬Å"They still may be somewhere nearby. We're going to have to get to my car without them catching us.â⬠ââ¬Å"Anything, as long as I don't have to run,â⬠the girl said plaintively, emerging from the floor more disheveled than ever. ââ¬Å"Have you ever tried to run in four-inch heels?â⬠ââ¬Å"I never wear heels,â⬠Rashel murmured, scanning up and down the street. ââ¬Å"Okay, I'll get out first, then you come through.â⬠She slid out the window feet-first. The girl stuck her head through. ââ¬Å"Don't you ever use doors?â⬠ââ¬Å"Sh. Come on,â⬠Rashel whispered. She led the way through the dark streets, moving from shadow to shadow. At least the girl could walk softly, she thought. And she had a sense of humor even in danger. That was rare. Rashel drew a breath of relief when they reached the narrow twisting alley where her Saturn was parked. They weren't safe yet, though. She wanted to get the blond girl out of Mission Hill. ââ¬Å"Where do you live?â⬠she said, as she started the engine. When there was no answer, she turned. The girl was staring at her with open uneasiness. ââ¬Å"Uh, how come you're dressed like that? And who are you, anyway? I mean, I'm glad you saved me-but I don't understand anything.â⬠Rashel hesitated. She needed information from this girl, and that was going to take time-and trust. With sudden decision she unwound her scarf, one-handed, until her face was exposed. ââ¬Å"Like I said, I'm a friend. But first just tell me: do you know what kind of people had you in that truck?â⬠The girl turned away. She was already shivering with cold; now she shivered harder. ââ¬Å"They weren't people. They wereâ⬠¦ ugh.â⬠ââ¬Å"Then you do know. Well, I'm one of the people that hunts down that kind of people.â⬠The girl looked from Rashel's face to the sheathed sword that rested between them. Her jaw dropped. ââ¬Å"Oh, my God! You're Buffy the Vampire Slayer!â⬠ââ¬Å"Huh? Oh.â⬠Rashel had missed the movie. ââ¬Å"Right. Actually, you can call me Rashel. And you'reâ⬠¦ ?â⬠ââ¬Å"Daphne Childs. And I live in Somerville, but I don't want to go home.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, that's fine, because I want to talk to you. Let's find a Dunkin' Donuts.â⬠Rashel found one outside of Boston, a safe one she knew had no Night World connections. She pulled a coat on over her black ninja outfit and lent Daphne a spare sweater from the trunk of her car. Then they went inside and ordered jelly sticks and hot chocolate. ââ¬Å"Now,â⬠Rashel said. ââ¬Å"Tell me what happened. How did you end up in that truck?â⬠Daphne cupped her hands around her hot chocolate. ââ¬Å"It was all so horribleâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"I know.â⬠Rashel tried to make her voice soothing. She hadn't had much practice at it. ââ¬Å"Try to tell me anyway. Start at the beginning.â⬠ââ¬Å"Okay, well, it started at the Crypt.â⬠ââ¬Å"Uh, as in ââ¬ËTales from theâ⬠¦'? Or as in the Old Burial Ground?â⬠ââ¬Å"As in the club on Prentiss Street. It's this underground club, and I mean really underground. I mean, nobody seems to know about it except the people who go there, and they're all our age. Sixteen or seventeen. I never see any adults, not even DJs.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go on.â⬠Rashel was listening intently. The Night People had clubs, usually carefully hidden from humans. Could Daphne have wandered into one? ââ¬Å"Well. It's extremely and seriously cool-or at least that's what I thought. They have some amazing music. I mean, it's beyond doom, it's beyond goth, it's sort of like void rock. Just listening to it makes you go all weird and bodiless. And the whole place is decorated like this post-apocalypse wasteland. Or maybe like the underworldâ⬠¦.â⬠Daphne stared off into the distance. Her eyes, a very deep cornflower blue under heavy lashes, looked wistful and almost hypnotized. Rashel poked her and chocolate slopped onto the table. ââ¬Å"Reminisce about it later. What kind of people were in the club? Vampires?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, no.â⬠Daphne looked shocked. ââ¬Å"Just regular kids. I know some from my school. And there's lots of runaways, I guess. Street kids, you know.â⬠Rashel blinked. ââ¬Å"Runawaysâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Yeah. They're mostly very cool, except the ones who do drugs. Those are spooky.â⬠An illegal club full of runaway kids, some of whom would probably do anything for drugs. Rashel could feel her skin tingling. I think I've stumbled onto something big. ââ¬Å"Anyway,â⬠Daphne was going on, ââ¬Å"I'd been going there for about three weeks, you know, whenever I could get away from home-ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"You didn't tell your parents about it,â⬠Rashel guessed flatly. ââ¬Å"Are you joking? It's not a place you tell parents about. Anyway, my family doesn't care where I go. I've got four sisters and two brothers and my mom and my step-dad are getting divorcedâ⬠¦ they don't even notice when I'm gone.â⬠ââ¬Å"Go on,â⬠Rashel said grimly. ââ¬Å"Well, there was this guy.â⬠Daphne's cornflower eyes looked wistful again. ââ¬Å"This guy who was really gorgeous, and really mysterious, and really just-just different from anybody I ever met. And I thought he was maybe interested in me, because I saw him looking at me once or twice, so I sort of joined the girls who were always hanging around him. We used to talk about weird things.â⬠ââ¬Å"Like?â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh, like surrendering yourself to the darkness and stuff. It was like the music, you know-we were all really into death. Like what would be the most horrible way to die, what would be the most awful torture you could live through, what you look like when you're in your grave. Stuff like that.â⬠ââ¬Å"For God's sake, why?â⬠Rashel couldn't disguise her revulsion. ââ¬Å"I don't know.â⬠All at once, Daphne looked small and sad. ââ¬Å"I guess because most of us felt life was pretty rotten. So you kind of face things, you know, to try to get used to them. You probably don't understand,â⬠she added, grimacing. Rashel did understand. With a sudden shock, she understood completely. These kids were scared and depressed and worried about the future. They had to do something to deaden the painâ⬠¦ even if that meant embracing pain. They escaped one darkness by going into another. And am I any different? I mean, this obsession I've got with vampiresâ⬠¦ it's not exactly what you'd call normal and healthy. I spend my whole life dealing with death. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠she said, and her voice came out more gentle than when she'd been trying to soothe Daphne before. Awkwardly, she patted the other girl's arm once. ââ¬Å"I shouldn't have yelled. And I do understand, actually. Please go on.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well.â⬠Daphne still looked defensive. ââ¬Å"Some of the girls would write poetry about dyingâ⬠¦ and some of them would prick themselves with pins and lick the blood off. They said they were vampires, you know. Just pretending.â⬠She glanced warily at Rashel. Rashel simply nodded. ââ¬Å"And so I talked the same way, and did the same stuff. And this guy Quinn just seemed to love it-hey, look out!â⬠Daphne jerked back to avoid a wave of hot chocolate. Rashel's sudden movement had knocked her cup over. Oh, God, what is wrong with me? Rashel thought. She said, ââ¬Å"Sorry,â⬠through her teeth, grabbing for a wad of napkins. She should have been expecting it. She had been expecting it; she knew that Quinn must be involved in this. But somehow the mention of his name had knocked the props from under her. She hadn't been able to control her reaction. ââ¬Å"So,â⬠she said, still through her teeth, ââ¬Å"the gorgeous mysterious guy was named Quinn.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yeah.â⬠Daphne wiped chocolate off her arm. ââ¬Å"And I was starting to think he really liked me. He told me to come to the club last Sunday and to meet him alone in the parking lot.â⬠ââ¬Å"And you did.â⬠Oh, I am going to kill him so dead, Rashel thought. ââ¬Å"Sure. I dressed upâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Daphne looked down at her bedraggled outfit. ââ¬Å"Well, this did look terrific once. So I met him and we went to his car. And then he told me that he'd chosen me. I was so happy I almost fainted. I thought he meant for his girlfriend. And thenâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Daphne trailed off again. For the first time since she'd begun the story, she looked frightened. ââ¬Å"Then he asked me if I really wanted to surrender to the darkness. He made it sound so romantic.â⬠ââ¬Å"I bet,â⬠Rashel said. She rested her head on her hand. She could see it all now, and it was the perfect scam. Quinn checked the girls out, discovered which would be missed and which wouldn't. He kidnapped them from the parking lot so that no one saw them, no one even connected them with the Crypt. Who would notice or care that certain girls stopped showing up? Girls would always be coming and going. And there had been nothing in the newspaper because the daylight world didn't realize that girls were being taken. There probably wasn't even a struggle during the abduction, because these girls were willing to go-in the beginning. ââ¬Å"It must have been a shock,â⬠Rashel said dryly, ââ¬Å"to find out that there really was a darkness to surrender to.â⬠ââ¬Å"Uh, yeah. Yeah, it was. But I didn't actually find that out then. I just said, sure, I wanted to. I mean, I'd have said the same thing if he asked me did I really want to watch Lawrence Welk reruns with him. He was that gorgeous. And he was looking at me in this totally soulful way, and I thought he was going to kiss me. And thenâ⬠¦ I fell asleep.â⬠Daphne frowned at her paper cup. ââ¬Å"No, you didn't.â⬠ââ¬Å"I did. I know it sounds crazy, but I fell asleep and when I woke up I was in this place, this little office in this warehouse. And I was on this iron cot with this pathetic lumpy mattress, and I was chained down. I had chains on my ankles, just like people in jail. And Quinn was gone, and there were two other girls chained to other cots.â⬠Without warning, Daphne began to cry. Rashel handed her a napkin, feeling uncomfortable. ââ¬Å"Were the girls from the Crypt, too?â⬠Daphne sniffed. ââ¬Å"I don't know. They might have been. But they wouldn't talk to me. They were, like, in a trance. They just lay there and stared at the ceiling.â⬠ââ¬Å"But you weren't in a trance,â⬠Rashel said thoughtfully. ââ¬Å"Somehow you woke up from the mind control. You must be resistant like me.â⬠ââ¬Å"I don't know anything about mind control. But I was so scared I pretended to be like the other girls when this guy came to bring us food and take us to the bathroom. I just stared straight ahead like them. I thought maybe that way I would get a chance to escape.â⬠ââ¬Å"Smart girl,â⬠Rashel said. ââ¬Å"And the guy-was it Quinn?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. I never saw Quinn again. It was this blond guy named Ivan from the club; I called him Ivan the Terrible. And there was a girl who brought us food sometimes-I don't know her name, but I used to see her at the club, too. They were like Quinn; they each had their own little group, you know.â⬠At least two others besides Quinn, Rashel thought. Probably more. ââ¬Å"They didn't hurt us or anything, and the office was heated, and the food was okay-but I was so scared,â⬠Daphne said. ââ¬Å"I didn't understand what was going on at all. I didn't know where Quinn was, or how I'd gotten there, or what they were going to do with us.â⬠She swallowed. Rashel didn't understand that last either. What were the vampires doing with the girls in the warehouse? Obviously not killing them out of hand. ââ¬Å"And then last nightâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Daphne's voice wobbled and she stopped to breathe. ââ¬Å"Last night Ivan brought this new girl in. He carried her in and put her on a cot. Andâ⬠¦ andâ⬠¦ then he bit her. He bit her on the neck. But it wasn't a game.â⬠The cornflower-blue eyes stared into the distance, wide with remembered horror. ââ¬Å"He really bit her. And blood came out and he drank it. And when he lifted his head up I saw his teeth.â⬠She started to hyperventilate. ââ¬Å"It's okay. You're safe now,â⬠Rashel said. ââ¬Å"I didn't know! I didn't know those things were real! I thought it was all justâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Daphne shook her head. ââ¬Å"I didn't know,â⬠she said softly. ââ¬Å"Okay. I know it's a big shock. But you've been dealing with it really well. You managed to get away from the truck, didn't you? Tell me about the truck.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well-that was tonight. I could tell day from night by looking at this little window high up. Ivan and the girl came and took the chains off us and made us all get in the truck. And then I was really scared-I didn't know where they were taking us, but I heard something about a boat. And I knew wherever it was, I didn't want to go.â⬠ââ¬Å"I think you're right about that.â⬠Daphne took another breath. ââ¬Å"So I watched the way Ivan shut the door of the truck. He was in back with us. And when he was looking the other way, I sort of jumped at the door and got it open. And then I just fell out. And then I ran-I didn't know which way to go, but I knew I had to get away from them. And then I saw you. Andâ⬠¦ I guess you saved my life.â⬠She considered. ââ¬Å"Uh, I don't know if I remembered to say thank you.â⬠Rashel made a gesture of dismissal. ââ¬Å"No problem. You saved yourself, really.â⬠She frowned, staring at a drop of chocolate on the plastic table without seeing it. ââ¬Å"Well. I am grateful. Whatever they were going to do to me, I think it must have been pretty awful.â⬠A pause, then she said, ââ¬Å"Uh, Rashel? Do you know what they were going to do to me?â⬠ââ¬Å"Hm? Oh.â⬠Rashel nodded slowly, looking up from the table. ââ¬Å"Yes, I think so.ââ¬
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