Monday, April 27, 2020
Yoga Essay Example
Yoga Essay Yoga is a unique ancient healing art originating from India more than six thousand years ago. This ancient art of movement is a low intensity non-competitive form of exercise that can be safely practiced by children at any level of physical fitness. Yoga is derived from Sanskrit, one of the worlds most ancient languages. In its simplest form, yoga meansa bringing together of the parts in order to create a union or balance of a persons body, mind and spirit. (Dworkis, www.extensionyoga.com) It was developed by yogis who went into the jungles of India, thousands of years ago to meditate. During meditation these yogis observed animal movements. The development of some of the present day yoga postures actually come from these observations. (Holander, 97, 1) This form of fitness session is a great alternative to do with a group of primary aged students. Firstly the non-competitive and overall harmonious nature of yoga can alleviate any feelings of physical inadequacies that some students may harbour. Therefore, you are more likely to see greater motivation and participation towards the activities as the students who may not be as physically fit or coordinated as other classmates will have the opportunity to try out a new exercise without ridicule or defeat. Secondly this form of fitness session is a fantastic one to do with students who are within their peak height velocity or students experiencing the effects of puberty. This scientific system of exercises or poses are designed to strengthen bones, stretch muscles, massage internal organs, increase blood flow and increase flexibility of the tendons, joints and ligaments. (Holander, 97, 1) This is particularly important when concerning primary aged students around or during their pubertal growth spurt. Considering girls peak height velocity is around 10-12 and 12-14 in boys. Physical activity that does not contain the same characteristics as yoga can aid the cau
Thursday, March 19, 2020
PSAT Scoring How Does It Work
PSAT Scoring How Does It Work SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you're preparing to take the PSAT, it'simportant you understand everything there is to know aboutPSAT scoring. How is the PSAT scored? And how will this information help you get the score you want on test day? On the SAT? In this article, we go overthePSAT scoring scale and show you how to calculate your PSAT scores using official scoring tables. We also coverSelection Index scores and offer our top four tips on how to utilize PSAT scoringto inform both PSAT and SAT prep! How Is the PSAT Scored Overall? By Section? The PSAT scoring scale is 320-1520 in 10-point increments. On this scale, 320 is the minimum score you can get and 1520 is the maximum. This scale differs just slightly from the SAT scoring scale, which is 400-1600. Like the SAT, your total PSAT score is a combination of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and Math scores. (The EBRW score comprises the Reading and Writing and Language sections.) Both EBRW and Math use a score range of160-760, with each section accounting for halfyour total PSAT score. So a 500 on EBRW and a 600 on Math would equala total PSAT score of 1100. But obviously there aren't1,520 questions on the PSAT! So why is the PSAT scoring scale out of 1520? The reason for this is thatall of these scores are actuallyscaled scores, which areconverted fromraw scores (equivalent to the number of questions you answered correctly) through a specialequating process. The College Board uses this process toaccount for variances in difficulty among PSATs - essentially, to ensure that a scaled PSAT score will always indicate the same level of ability, no matter when you take thetest. Here’s how theCollege Board describes the PSATequating process: â€Å"This conversion process adjusts for slight differences in difficulty among versions of the test and provides a score that is equated, or consistent, across forms. This process ensures that no student receives an advantage or disadvantage from taking a particular form of the test on a particular day;* a score of 400 on one test form is equivalent to a score of 400 on another test form.†*Emphasis mine. Upon completing the PSAT, you’ll earn three raw scoresfor Math, Reading, and Writing and Language (hereafter referred to as â€Å"Writing†). So if you were to answer 40 Math questions correctly, your raw Math score would be 40. Likewise, if you were to answer 26 Writing questions correctly, your raw Writing score would be 26. You do not lose any points for incorrect or blank answers.These raw scores are thenequated into your final (scaled) Math and EBRW scores. Here's the catch, though: theequating formula differs for each PSAT. Andbecause only the College Board knows what these formulas are, we'll never be able to predict exactlyhow a raw score will convert into a scaled score on an upcoming PSAT. Nevertheless, we can use scoring charts from official PSAT practice tests to estimate how raw scores may translate into scaled scores. Thesetables differ foreach practice test but are extremely helpful because they show ushow PSAT scores typically convert into scaled scores. Scoring charts are the handy, dandy notebook for high school students. Below aretwo examples of PSAT scoring charts, both taken from official PSAT practice tests: Practice Test #1PSAT Scoring Chart Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score 0 8 8 160 25 26 25 560 1 9 9 190 26 26 26 570 2 10 10 210 27 27 27 580 3 11 11 240 28 27 27 580 4 12 12 270 29 28 28 590 5 14 13 290 30 28 28 600 6 15 14 320 31 29 29 610 7 16 14 340 32 29 29 620 8 16 15 360 33 30 30 630 9 17 15 370 34 30 30 640 10 18 16 390 35 31 31 650 11 18 16 400 36 31 32 670 12 19 17 420 37 32 32 680 13 19 18 430 38 32 33 690 14 20 18 440 39 33 34 710 15 20 19 460 40 34 35 720 16 21 20 470 41 34 36 730 17 21 20 480 42 35 37 730 18 22 21 490 43 36 37 740 19 22 21 500 44 37 38 740 20 23 22 510 45 37 750 21 23 23 520 46 38 750 22 24 24 530 47 38 760 23 24 24 540 48 760 24 25 25 550 Source: Scoring Your PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test #1 Practice Test #2PSAT Scoring Chart Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score Raw Score Reading Test Score Writing Test Score Math Section Score 0 8 8 160 25 25 26 530 1 9 9 190 26 26 26 540 2 10 10 210 27 26 27 540 3 11 11 240 28 27 27 550 4 12 12 260 29 28 28 560 5 13 13 290 30 28 28 570 6 14 13 310 31 29 29 570 7 15 14 320 32 29 29 580 8 16 14 340 33 30 30 590 9 16 15 350 34 31 31 600 10 17 16 370 35 31 31 610 11 17 16 380 36 32 32 620 12 18 17 400 37 32 33 630 13 18 18 410 38 33 33 640 14 19 18 420 39 34 34 650 15 19 19 430 40 34 35 670 16 20 20 440 41 35 36 680 17 21 20 450 42 35 37 700 18 21 21 460 43 36 38 710 19 22 22 470 44 36 38 730 20 22 23 480 45 37 740 21 23 23 490 46 38 740 22 24 24 500 47 38 750 23 24 24 510 48 760 24 25 25 520 Source: Scoring Your PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test #2 Bycomparing the tables above, we can see that there are small differences in how raw scores convert into scaled scores. For example, a raw Math score of 37 converts into 680 on Test #1but only 630 on Test #2! As I explained previously, these conversions differ because the two tests vary slightly in difficulty. Now that we’ve covered the equating process and how the overall PSAT is scored, let’s take a closer look at PSAT scoringfor Math and EBRW. Prepare to enter the math vortex! Vroooooom! Your PSAT Math Score Math consists of two subsections: a No Calculator section consisting of 17 questions and for which you may not use a calculator, and a Calculator section consisting of 31 questions and for which you may (but don’t need to) use a calculator. Your Math score begins as a total raw score out of 48 (the total number of questions on Math).Here are the steps for calculating your Math section score using your raw score: 1. Calculate your raw Math scores for each subsection. Start by adding up all of your correct answers on the No Calculator and Calculator subsections using the answer key for your test. On official practice tests, your Math answer key will look something like this: 2. Add your rawscores together togeta total raw Mathscore out of 48.So if I got 10 questions right on the No Calculator subsection and 22 questions right on the Calculator subsection, my total raw Math score would be 32. 3. Find your Math section score using your test’s scoring chart. Your test should offer a conversion table for calculating your Math section score. In my example, I’d find 32 on my test’s conversion table and look for itscorresponding scaled score (which, in this case, is 620): If you’re not using an official practice test and/or don't have a PSAT scoring chart for your test, you can use the two conversion tables at the beginning of this articleto estimate how your raw Math score will convert into a scaled score. For example, let's say you have a raw Math score of 40. According to our tables for Practice Tests #1 and #2, 40 on Math converts into either 670 or 720. This means that your Math section score is likely somewhere around the high 600s or low 700s. Time tomove on to Reading and Writing! (Am I dating myself with a pic of actual encyclopedias?) Your PSAT EBRWScore YourEBRW score is a combination of your Reading and Writing scores, which are at first given to you as two separate scores. Your Reading score startsas a raw score out of 47, whereas your Writing score is out of 44. These are then converted into test scores and then finally a combined EBRW section score. In contrast with the relatively simple process for finding your Math score, finding your EBRW score requires a couple of extra steps. Here’s how to calculate it: 1. Calculate your raw Reading and Writing scores.Use your practice test's answer key to add up all of the correct answers you got on Reading and Writing. Be sure you add these scores up separately - you won’t be combining them until later. Here’s an example of an answer key for the Reading and Writing sections: 2. Find your Reading and Writing test scores. Unlike the Math raw score, which immediately converts into a scaled section score out of 760, the Reading and Writing scores will first convert into individual test scores on a scale of 8-38. So if my raw score were 35 for Reading and 38 for Writing, my Reading and Writing test scores would, according to the chart below, convert into 31 and 33, respectively: 3. Combine your Reading and Writing test scores to get a total EBRW test score.In the example I used above, my Reading test score was 31 and my Writing test score was 33; thus, my total EBRW test score would be 64. 4. Multiply your EBRW test score by 10 to get your section score. This final step converts your EBRW test score into a scaled EBRW section score out of 760. This means that my test score of 64 would equal a final EBRW score of 640. Not bad! Disappointed with your PSAT performance? Want to improve your PSAT score by 150 points? We have the industry's leading PSAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today: Once you’re finished calculating your scaled scores for both Math and EBRW, add the two scores together to get your composite PSAT score out of 1520. If you want, you can compare your score to the current PSAT percentiles to get a feel for where you stand in comparison with other test takers. These next scores are like the cherry on top: some people love them, and some people couldn't care less about them. PSAT Subscores and Cross-Test Scores In addition to Math and EBRW section scores, you’ll also be given separate subscores and cross-test scores (the same ones you’ll get on the SAT). These additional scores break down the three sections into smaller categories in order to highlight your strengths and weaknesses in specific skill areas. Below, I explain how to calculate these subscores andgo over what they mean for you. Your PSAT Subscores On the PSAT, you'll receiveseven subscores: For EBRW Command of Evidence Words in Context Expression of Ideas Standard English Conventions For Math Heart of Algebra Problem Solving and Data Analysis Passport to Advanced Math Each subscore is scored on a scaleof 1-15. These subscores indicate how well you've performed on designated skill areas, such as vocabulary and data analysis. To calculate your subscores, use your practice test’s subscore answer key, taking care to note which questions fall under which subscore categories. Scoring guides for official PSAT practice tests offer detailed descriptionsfor each subscore, explaining what the subscore measures and which questionsit comprises. Here's an example: Once you’ve tallied your correct answers for each subscore, you will then convert this raw score into a scaled subscore using your test’s scoring chart for subscores: Although these subscores are useful for deciphering your own strengths and weaknesses, in the end they’re not especially significant. As it stands, subscores don’t factor into your PSAT section scores or even your overall PSAT score. They also aren’t used to select candidates for the National Merit Scholarship Program (which we’ll get into more in a moment). Your PSAT Cross-Test Scores Cross-test scores indicate how well you've answeredquestions in thedomains of history/social studies and science. Unlike the subscores above, cross-test scores are not section specific; rather, they apply to all sections and use a scoring scale of 8-38. The two types of cross-test scores are: Analysis in History/Social Studies Analysis in Science To calculate your cross-test scores, use your test’s scoring guide to see which Math and EBRW questions comprise these two categories as well as how many questions you answered correctly (i.e., your raw score). Here’s an example of a cross-test score answer key for Analysis in Science: Once you’ve figured out your raw scores, use the cross-test scoring chartthat came with your test to calculate your scaled cross-test scores: Now here's a score that's actually worth something! Your National Merit Selection Index Score The final score you’ll receive on the PSAT is a National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) Selection Index score. The Selection Index score uses a score range of 48-228 and is equivalent to the sum of your Reading, Writing, and Math test scores (that is, the ones on scales of 8-38) multiplied by 2. So if my three test scores were 34, 30, and 27, my Selection Index score would be: 34+30+27=91 91*2=182 The NMSC uses Selection Index scores to determine your eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Program. This program offers an extremely prestigious distinction and scholarship to students with exceptionally high PSAT scores. Each year, the top 1 percent of PSAT scorers in the 11th grade - equal to about 16,000 students - become Semifinalists. Of those students, 15,000 will become Finalists. And of those students, 8,000 will each win a $2,500 scholarship! The Selection Index score you need in order to be aSemifinalistvaries by state but usually ranges anywhere from 209 to 222.See our guidefor an updated list of Selection Index score cutoffs by state. 4 Tips for Usingthe PSAT Scoring System to Your Advantage So far, we've addressed nearly everything you need to know about the PSAT scoring scale. But what can you actually gain from it? Here are four simple ways you can use PSAT scoring to your advantage. #1: Set a PSAT Goal Score Using Selection Index Cutoffs Ifyou want to try to qualify as a Semifinalist for the National Merit Scholarship Program, you can use the Selection Index score cutoffs to set a PSAT goal score. Remember that the cutoffs vary by state, so it’s important you aim for your state’s cutoff and not a different state’s! According to our estimates, the lowest cutoff is 209 (equivalent to a total PSAT score of about1400) and the highest is 222 (equivalent to about 1480). For a detailed list of Selection Index score cutoffs and their (estimated) corresponding PSAT scores, refer to my article on thePSAT score range (coming soon). Let's look at an example. Jackie lives in Florida, whose Selection Index cutoff score is 217. This gives her a PSAT goal score of about 1450. To get her individual goal scores for Math and EBRW, Jackie divides her total PSAT goal score by 2. This gives her goal scores of 730 (rounded up from 725) for each section. If you’re stronger at Math or Reading/Writing, consider aiming for a higher score on your stronger section and a slightly lower score on your weaker section. So if Jackie were better at Math, she could instead aim for something like 750 on Math and 700-710 on EBRW. #2: Use Tables to Estimate the Number of Correct Answers You'llNeed If you've got a PSAT goal score in mind, you can usescoring chartsfrom official practice tests to estimate how many questions you’ll need to answer correctly in order to hit your goal score on test day. This process is somewhat complicated but extremely helpful to know how to do. Let's say your PSAT goal score is 1400, and you want to aim for 700 on both Math and EBRW. Using the tables above for Practice Tests #1 and #2, we see that 700 on Math comes out to 39-42 correct answers. (Remember, your raw score = the number of questions you answered correctly.) There are more steps for EBRW, however.First, divide your goal score (in this case, 700) by 10 to get your total Reading and Writing test score. This gives us 70. Then, divide this number in half to estimateyour individual Reading and Writing test scores. In our case, 70/2=35. Finally, convert your test scores into raw scores using the conversion tables above. In our example,a 35 Reading test score equals 41-42 correct answers, and a 35 Writing test score equals 40 correct answers. This process of working backward, albeittime-consuming, is useful because it offers a rough idea ofhow many questions you can afford to get wrong on the PSAT. It also lets you estimate what yourfinal PSAT scores will be before they’re released, thereby letting youpredict whether you’ll qualify for National Merit. I prefer estimating how many peeps I can fit in my mouth. Aiming for a National Merit Scholarship but worried your score won't qualify? If you're not sure you can self-study your way to a qualifying PSAT score, you'll love our PSAT prep program, PrepScholar. We designed our program to learn your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and customize your prep to be as effective as possible for you. When you start with PrepScholar, you’ll take a diagnostic that will determine your weaknesses in over forty PSAT skills. PrepScholar then creates a study program specifically customized for you. To improve each skill, you’ll take focused lessons dedicated to each skill, with over 20 practice questions per skill. This will train you for your specific area weaknesses, so your time is always spent most effectively to raise your score. We also force you to focus on understanding your mistakes and learning from them. If you make the same mistake over and over again, we'll call you out on it. There’s no other prep system out there that does it this way, which is why we get better score results than any other program on the market. Check it out today with a 5-day free trial: #3: Consider Your PSAT Score a Starting Point to SAT Prep Your PSAT scores are important butnot nearly as important as your SAT scores, especially if you’re hoping to get into a top-tier university. Luckily, the PSATwas specifically designed to prepare studentsfor the SAT! We already know that the twotests use different scoring scales, with the PSAT being out of 1520 and the SAT out of 1600. But here's the kicker: each scaled score on the PSAT corresponds directly to the same scaled score on the SAT. This means thatany score you get on any PSAT or SAT will signifythe samelevel of ability. So 1400 on the PSAT equals 1400 on the SAT, 1250 equals 1250, 1000 equals 1000, etc. But if this is the case, why does the PSAT scoring scale only go up to 1520 and not 1600? The reason for this is that the PSATis not as challenging as the SAT. Toaccount for its lower difficulty level, then, the PSATemploys aslightly lower maximum of 1520 (which is not a perfect SAT score but close). Despite these connections, don’t consider your PSAT score a direct indicator of what your SAT score will be. Your PSAT score tells you where you’re currently scoring but not where you’re capable of scoring. In other words, think of your PSAT score as your baseline SAT score (i.e., the score you start off with before you begin anySAT prep). Then, once you have your SAT goal score, too, you can use both of these scores to calculate how many points you’ll need in order to hit your goal score on test day. #4: Use PSAT Scores and Subscores to Target Potential SAT Weaknesses What’s great about the PSAT is that it’s similar to the SAT - so much so that its section scores and subscores are the same ones you’ll get on the SAT. Therefore, you can use your PSAT scores to see what your SAT weaknesses are likely to be. For example, ifyou received a low Heart of Algebra subscore on the PSAT, it's a good idea to dedicate a lot of your SAT prep to mastering the basics of algebra. Or if you didn’t get a high Words in Context subscore, you'll probably want to spend more time improving your reading comprehension skills and fine-tuning your vocabulary knowledge. Knowing what to focus on for your SAT prep will not only help you hone your weaknesses but also help you attain an SAT score farhigher than your PSAT score! Recap:How Is the PSAT Scored? The total PSAT scoring scale is 320-1520, and the Math and EBRW scoring scale is160-760. The Math and EBRW section scores are scaled scores converted from raw scores through a special equating process, which changes slightlywith each test. Raw scores equalthe number of questions you answered correctly.A raw Math score converts directly into a scaled section score, whereas raw Reading and Writing scores are converted into test scores on a scale of 8-38,combined, and then multiplied by 10 to give you a single scaled EBRW score. ThePSAT also offers subscores and cross-test scores to indicate test takers' strengths and weaknesses in various skillareas. Subscores use a scale of1-15, while cross-test scores use a scale of8-38. The final score you'll get is a National Merit Selection Index score, which uses a scale of 48-228. This score determines who is eligible for National Merit consideration. Every year, the top 1 percent of 11th-grade test takers, or approximately 16,000 students, qualify as Semifinalists. Knowing the ins and outs ofPSAT scoring can help you qualify for National Merit as well as predicthow many questions you can afford to miss on test day. It can also offeryou a starting point for yourSAT prep and allow you to see which skills and areasyou'll need to honebefore taking the SAT. All in all, PSAT scoring is a pretty useful tool to have, so use it to your advantage whenever you can! PSAT scoring is a handytool - though not nearly as handy as Colonel Mustard's wrench. What’s Next? Want to learn more about PSAT scoring?Check out my in-depth guide to thePSAT score rangeto learn more about the score ranges for each section as well as the scores you'll need to qualify for National Merit. Got questions about the basics of the PSAT?Learn what exactly the PSAT is and what's considered a good score.If you're asophomore,read our guide to see how "good" scores differ for 10th graders. Ready to move on to SAT prep?Start with our guide to how the SAT is scored and learn about the basic differences between the PSAT and SAT, so you'll have no surpriseson test day. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Programming Exercise for Odd Magic Squares in Java
Programming Exercise for Odd Magic Squares in Java Its unclear who first came up with a magic square. There is a story about a huge flood in China a long time ago. The people were worried they would be washed away and tried to appease the river god by making sacrifices. Nothing seemed to work until a child noticed a turtle sporting a magic square on its back that kept circling the sacrifice. The square told the people how big their sacrifice needed to be in order to save themselves. Since then magic squares have been the height of fashion for any discerning turtle. Level: Beginner Focus: Logic, Arrays, Methods Odd Magic Squares In case youve never come across one before, a magic square is an arrangement of sequential numbers in a square so that the rows, columns, and diagonals all add up to the same number. For instance, a 3x3 magic square is: 8 1 6 3 5 7 4 9 2 Each row, column and diagonal adds up to 15. Odd Magic Squares Question This programming exercise is concerned with creating odd sized magic squares (i.e., the size of the square can only be an odd number, 3x3, 5x5, 7x7, 9x9, and so on). The trick with making such a square is to place the number 1 in the first row and middle column. To find where to place the next number, move diagonally upwards to the right (i.e., one row up, one column across). If such a move means you fall off the square, wrap around to the row or column on the opposite side. Finally, if the move takes you to a square that is already filled, go back to the original square and move downwards by one. Repeat the process until all the squares are filled. For example, a 3x3 magic square would start like so: 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A move diagonally upwards means we wrap around to the bottom of the square: 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Likewise, the next diagonal move upwards means we wrap around to the first column: 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 Now the diagonal move upwards results in a square that is already filled, so we go back to where we came from and drop down a row: 0 1 0 3 0 0 4 0 2 and it continues on and on until all the squares are full. Program Requirements a user must be able to enter in the size of the magic square.they must only be allowed to enter in an odd number.use a method to create the magic square.use a method to display the magic square. The question is can your program create a 5x5 magic square like the one below? 17 24  1   8 15 23  5   7 14 16  4   6 13 20 22 10 12 19 21  3 11 18 25  2   9 Hint: Apart from the programming aspects of this exercise its also a test of logic. Take each step of creating the magic square in turn and figure how it can be done with a two-dimensional array. Odd Magic Square Solution Your program should have been capable of creating the 5x5 magic square below: 17 24  1   8 15 23  5   7 14 16  4   6 13 20 22 10 12 19 21  3 11 18 25  2   9 Heres my version: import java.util.Scanner; public class MagicOddSquare {   public static void main(String[] args) {     Scanner input new Scanner(System.in);     int[][] magicSquare;     boolean isAcceptableNumber false;     int size -1;     //only accept odd numbers     while (isAcceptableNumber false)     {       System.out.println(Enter in size of square: );       String sizeText input.nextLine();       size Integer.parseInt(sizeText);       if (size % 2 0)       {         System.out.println(The size must be an odd number);         isAcceptableNumber false;       }       else       {         isAcceptableNumber true;       }     }     magicSqua re createOddSquare(size);     displaySquare(magicSquare);   }   private static int[][] createOddSquare(int size)   {     int[][] magicSq new int[size][size];     int row 0;     int column size/2;     int lastRow row;     int lastColumn column;     int matrixSize size*size;     magicSq[row][column] 1;     for (int k2;k matrixSize1;k)     {       //check if we need to wrap to opposite row       if (row - 1 0)       {         row size-1;       }       else       {         row;       }       //check if we need to wrap to opposite column       if (column 1 size)       {         column 0;       }       else       {         column;       }       //if this position isnt empty then go back to where we       //started and move one row down       if (magicSq[row][column] 0)       {         magicSq[row][column] k;       }       els e       {         row lastRow;         column lastColumn;         if (row 1 size)         {           row0;         }         else         {           row;         }         magicSq[row][column] k;       }       lastRow row;       lastColumn column;     }     return magicSq;   }   private static void displaySquare(int[][] magicSq)   {     int magicConstant 0;     for (int j0;j(magicSq.length);j)     {       for (int k0;k(magicSq[j].length);k)       {         System.out.print(magicSq[j][k] );       }       System.out.print;       magicConstant magicConstant magicSq[j][0];     }     System.out.print(The magic constant is magicConstant);   } }
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Economic Environment of China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words
Economic Environment of China - Essay Example This issue is one of the most sought after topics for the researchers because in the recent years a lot of flexibility has been allowed in the economic system of China. There are several sectors where the private players are being allowed to exist in the market. The stringent restrictions on the property rights of the country have also been relaxed. The paper also analyses the economic systems that the other developed and developing countries have adopted. The comparison of the economic systems provides an insight into the various pros and cons of the set ups that are existent across the world. The fundamental premise for the contention is that the economic structure and the systems of a particular economy are a major determinant of the growth and prosperity of the economy. The world has witnessed the set up of different kinds of economic systems over different eras. There are various countries that have adopted different theories and have tried to implement them into their economies . The economic set up that China, Russia or Poland have followed the socialist structure while that of the US or German Economy have adopted the capitalist set up. In this paper comparison of China has been done with the other countries that work on a different economic model. A variety of economic systems around the world can be observed. In the Capitalist economic system which is alternatively called the market economy, the forces of demand and supply are allowed to operate. The prices and quantities to be sold are determined in the free market and there is no restriction put by the government on the determination of the prices that are sold in the market. Thus the profit or surplus that is earned by the owners of the means of production remains on their hands and the employees or the workers are eligible for salaries or wages (Gardner 27). The economic structure of the United States is of the capitalist type because this ideology has been applied in the economic system of the Uni ted States. In an alternative system that is the Socialist structure of the economy, the entire ownership of the means of the production lies with the government of the country. In this kind of a socialist system the surplus that is derived out of the production of goods and services after the payment of the wages are equitably distributed among the people that constitute the residents of the entire nation. Even the disabled people who directly cannot contribute to the production get an equal share of the surplus as the wage earners are entitled to. The main proponents of the theory of socialism were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They believed in the theory of class struggle and the theory of surplus value. A third kind of economic system that has the quality of both the capitalist structure and the socialist structure is the mixed economy. In this kind of an economic structure, the public and the private sector institutions coexist (Conklin 37). The government of such mixed econo mies does not interfere into the activities of the private sector directly but they do have certain restrictions imposed on them in the form of legal and constitutional regulations. The economy of India is an example of mixed economy where there is the coexistence of the private and the government players in the markets. Literature review The
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Pain Management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Pain Management - Term Paper Example It is not acceptable for patients to be left to experience pain without proper management from medical staff in a health facility (Hall-Lord & Larsson, 2006). It is also unacceptable for nurses to lack knowledge and skills to help patients manage their painful situations. It is a professional duty for nurses to be accountable to patients with regard to pain management. There have been calls in the nursing field to include pain management as a compulsory component of pre-nursing training programs so as to ensure all nurses are fully equipped with necessary skills that will enable them to manage their patient’s painful situations. This, if implemented will result in patients receiving high standards of pain assessment and management. It will also help reduce instances of unnecessary suffering from patients. Pain assessment is the first step in pain management and treatment. The main objectives of a successful pain assessment process should be aimed at reducing the pain that the patient is experiencing, increasing the patient’s comfort, improving the patient’s physical, physiological and psychological function as well as ensuring the patient is satisfied with the pain management process. It is not easy to measure and assess pain. Nurses have to be aware of various factors that can influence how the patient feels and how he or she expresses pain. Pain assessment and measurement involves a lot of issues that have to be approached with a lot of attention. Pain assessment involves the following steps.... There have been calls in the nursing field to include pain management as a compulsory component of pre-nursing training programs so as to ensure all nurses are fully equipped with necessary skills that will enable them manage their patient’s painful situations. This, if implemented will result in patients receiving high standards of pain assessment and management. It will also help reduce instances of unnecessary suffering from patients (Hall-Lord & Larsson, 2006) Pain assessment is the first step in pain management and treatment. The main objectives of a successful pain assessment process should be aimed at reducing the pain that the patient is experiencing, increasing the patient’s comfort, improving the patient’s physical, physiological and psychological function as well as ensuring the patient is satisfied with the pain management process. It is not easy to measure and asses pain (Hall-Lord & Larsson, 2006). Nurses have to be aware of various factors that can influence how the patient feels and how he or she expresses pain. Pain assessment and measurement involves a lot of issues that have to be approached with a lot of attention. Pain assessment involves the following steps; Overall appraisal of all the factors that could influence the patient’s expression of pain Comprehensively describing pain and the effect it has on body functions of the patients Determining the barriers that may affect the nurse’s ability to asses and manage the patient’s pain, such factors include; The nurse’s lack of adequate knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed in order to effectively manage pain Poor documentation of the patient’s pain, its assessment, management as well as pain re-evaluation The age of the patient,
Saturday, January 25, 2020
Nikes Entry into China
Nikes Entry into China China is one of the major fastest growing markets in the world and the most popular markets for foreign entrants. One of todays major business challenges requiring logistics insight is the dramatic growth in international sourcing, mainly to low cost countries such as China and Malaysia (David J.Closs, 2005). IBM Global Business Services reported that low cost country helps raise revenue. Most of the companys CEOs are looking for revenue growth by reduce costs to maintain or expand profit margins. Obviously, cost is one of the factors that all companies that desire to reduce. After a company study of future sourcing, Nike had chosen China as one of the long-term most low-cost suppliers. By quoting Nike Inc. Cain.com said that labour costs accounted for a huge share of the prices of the companys shoes and had to be kept below 24 per cent of prices to stay competitive. Since, Nike is the leading sports brand in China. In 1981, Nike started production in China. However, for a company like Nike that has a reputation of making the best products for their customers, they have to take in other factors such as quality. Its one reason why they did not choose countries such as Africa to be their supplier. In addition, one factor that China has to offer is labor capability to make quality goods for Nike. Furthermore, China was also chosen because the domestic market size. Mark Parker, who is the President and CEO of Nike stated that Nike is a growth company and China is being one of their most important sourcing markets and also swiftly becoming their second biggest consumer market in the world. About one of every three pairs of Nike shoes they sell in the world is made in China. Similarity, Nike was taken these advantages to tap into the large market it offers. In others word, China was also taking the opportunities to capturing the market in China which will help stiffen the companys foundation in its industry. The fact of lowering cost is to achieve profit maximization. Production in a first world country would increase cost and lead to reduce profit. China as a second world country for the foreseeable future is also the reason why Nike chose to enter into China. 2.0 Analysis 2.1 Advantage gained by Nike for entering China When Nike first entered the international market through China, they gained many benefits. This is because China is a low-cost country, so NIKE has no involvement in the manufacturing of its products and all of its production has been outsourced mainly to manufacturers. For example, Goodbaby Group, Chinas top manufacturer and retailer of baby care products, has announced an online retail partnership with the Nike Inc as part of its efforts so that they able to win more brand recognition (China Daily, 2012). Nike has been working with manufacturers in China for about 20 years. The employees and factories produce a lot of Nikes most highest-performance athletic products. One of the most fundamental impacts Nike have is to create positive, systemic change in their global supply chain, and for the industry as a whole. The deep brand and supply chain footprints in China create distinctive opportunities for Nike while it continues to help influence and gain from Chinas success. The achievement in China is built regarding the deep connections with Chinas Nike-branded footwear and athletes. According to Barney Jopson (2012), the apparel and equipment product are produced by nearly 700 contract manufacturers worldwide, and employing almost 800,000 employees. China represents the largest sourcing country for Nike, with roughly 180 contract manufacturers employing more than 210,000 workers (Barney Jopson, 2012). China is the major sourcing market for Nike, which producing around 35 percent of footwear and also an important sourcing market for Nike apparel and equipment. Besides this, the company engages in public discourse and policy formation in China by sharing their experiences. First is the legal protection of employees that went into effect in January 2008, for the aim of strengthening legal protection for Chinas employees. Nike supports the regulatory environment that strengthens legal protections for employees and promotes well-mannered working conditions throughout the supply chain and this helps to prevent discrimination. Second is the international trade. Since Chinas World Trade Organization (WTO) entry in year 2001, Nike has worked to ensure that trade disputes between China and its trading partners are settled and negotiated i n a manner consistent with international norms. For example, trade disputes over apparel and footwear and equipment with Chinas main trading partners in United States. According to a survey by the American Chamber of Commerce, three United States companies say their China operations are profitable while most say their margins are higher in China than other places in the world. Nike not only supported the development of Chinese football, it also concerned about the development of youngsters by launching a series of activity called I have a dream in August 2002, a large scale of youth sports. Since Nike established in China in the early of 1980, it gained several early entry timing of foreign direct investment, which includes new markets, distribution channels, segmentations, and lack of strong competition. Nike first launched their products in China and this gave the company to monopoly in market through different distribution channels. At that period, not much company are providing the same areas of business, therefore Nike did not faced much competitors. Other than this, the company also gained advantage related in products, such as new product, material supply, new product positioning, and brand loyalty. China continues to be a very viable resource when dealing with overall trade and labour markets around the world. Nike now has more than 7,000 retail stores in China and the company plans to expand their distribution to second and third-tier cities. 2.2 Shortcomings of entering China It is very difficult for Nike to control all the quality products around the world. Nike has involved in a serious of quality scandals in China. Many products had been recall due to low quality and some products have been caused injury to consumers in China. According to Ni and Hu (2012) say that Shanghai quality authorities have been found out three sample pairs of Nike shoes do not meet the standards and in 2011, women sports shoes had thinner soles than required. According to Ni and Hu (2012), Bureau prohibited Nike continues produces the shoes and later asks for recall all the shoes which do not meet the quality standard, but the shoe still available at Zhabei outlet of RT-Mart on October 10. However, the shoes were then pulled off the shelves. In 2011 September, Beijing had fine Nike Zoom Hyperdunk due to deceptive advertising and low quality, (Ni and Hu, 2012). Nike has been fined US $779,416 for selling sneakers had only one air cushion in each shoe at a higher price and low standard in China compared those selling in other countries which has two air cushions and has much lower prices, (Zheng, 2012). The Nike Zoom Hyperdunk does not meet the quality set by the government and thus they need recall all the sneakers and offered refund. Besides that, Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) warning consumers stop using Nike football helmet and returned to Nike. The Helmet Chin Straps plastic cups can breaks and caused exposing the player to facial or head injuries (Villanueva, 2007). It is a big concern that Nike shares is declined 1.1% in China and in future the company expect the orders will down to 6%, (Chang, 2009). Furthermore, revenue earn by Nike in China is dropping due to excess inventory, high discounting and slowing in demand. Manager in China does not keep sufficient inventory record because they unable to relay the information to order materials from other country. They do not know what materials need to be imported and when in advanced and cause the production cannot run in schedule. As a result, there have excess inventory in Long March Factory in Guangzhou. The employees who are responsible for checking materials does not know what are the materials needed to be order in following month production schedule and they did not frequently coordinate the records with the planners, (Nike in China, n.d). The planners order the materials does not base on the consumer demand but instead base on guessing method, and they seldom check what the materials left are in storage. As a result, Nike needs to discount the prices in order to reduce the excess inventory, (Marcial, 2013). Sale of excess inventory at discounted prices could significantly impair the Nike brand image. Fail to examine accuracy demand of products could affect the revenues and net income earn by Nike. There is intense competition faced by Nike, either local brands such as Li Ning, Anta Sports, China Dongxiang and Peak Sports or international brand such as Adidas from U.S., Reebok, Asics, and New Balance. Even now, Nike is well positioned at the top in China; however there have multi brands still compete fiercely with Nike. Based on the report, Nike is known in the first place, with a 2009 market share of 10.2%; Li Ning at the following slot which is second place for the first time, with 10.0%; thus Adidas, in third place, with a 9.6% share (as cited in Smith, 2010). The sales lead that Nike and Adidas held over domestic competitors has vanished. From this report is showing that the results of these top three sportswear brand are close proximity with each other, therefore this showing that Nike still in dangerous condition although it is remain in the first position. Furthermore, in the end of 2011, Li Ning had 8,255 stores while Nike had 7,500 outlets in China (as cited in Ranasin ghe, 2012). As a result, Nike not only needs to face this strong local competitor, Li Ning, but also need to do the preparation for facing other competitors in China. 3.0 Recommendation Nike is popular for its high-quality sport shoes and other apparels. It has gained the acceptance in consumers mind that Nike-made products are of high-quality. In order to maintain and gain its competitive advantage over its main competitors such as Adidas, Reebok and others, Nike has adopted the expansion strategy by outsourcing the production line to low-cost countries. China, Indonesia and Vietnam have become the primary manufacturing destination for Nike. The purpose for outsourcing the production line to China is to reduce the waste in terms of cost of hiring the labor, cost of shipment and many more. Cheaper labor and facility cost in China compared to the United States enabled Nike Corporation to enjoy the economies of scale. It eventually lowers the total production cost and Nike will be able to make more profit. It is recommended that Nike should continue to fully adopt the expansion strategy to other low-cost countries like China by outsourcing the manufacturing line. It c ould strengthen the leadership position of Nike Corporation in financial performance as Nike make more revenue and profit with low production cost. First, it is recommended for Nike Corporation to adopt innovation strategy to strengthen companys competitive advantage over the competitors. New design and innovation are very significant for Nike Corporation. One of the visions for Nike is designing for the future by unleashing the innovation. President and CEO of Nike, Mark Parker, said that Nike has set the target at improving the products through design. In the past, Nike has spent multi-million dollars on Research Development to design the athletic shoes which differentiate itself from other shoemaker companies. Nike has gained the recognition from the consumers for its uniqueness and sophisticated design. Nike China has contributed much to the innovation strategy as many advanced shoes design are made in China from the talented Chinese designers. Out of every three pairs of shoes, there is one of them is made in China. One of the innovative products came out from Nike was the Nike-Ipod sport kit with the collaboration with Ap ple Inc. It enhanced the runners experience by combining the sport and the music. It was viewed as a breakthrough for both sport and music industries. Second, Nike has excess inventory, high discounting and slowing in demand. To overcome this, China has several competitive advantages. There are few strategies which can enable exploiting competitive advantage through different goal-means combinations (Bartlett et al., 2008): Multinational strategy achieves most strategic goals by emphasizing national differences. The firms which have adopted this strategy tend to operate business based on local environment. They are flexible and responsive to local environment, but there is a lack of capability to learn globally within these firms owing to the fact that almost all national units operate independently. By using multinational strategy, Nike can achieve most strategic goals by emphasizing national differences. This is because Nike can adopt their strategy to operate business based on local environment. They can morph their strategy according to the local market, which is China. International companies like Nike apply all the approaches to create and exploit innovations. This can be their competitive advantages for the China as Asians culture tends to be more shy and conservative in innovative. The strategies discussed above respectively possess unique assumptions about how to build up global competitive advantage. Nike used the Price Leadership Strategy and Value based pricing. This is when a company sets its price based on the value the consumer places on the product. This is why customer willing to pay high prices regardless of the products actual value. Nike already had the strong brand recognition among the people in China. For example Liu Xiang, Liu is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a mens track and field event for China. His athletic gear is sponsored by Nike. No doubt all China people will get to know about Nike. As the excess inventory of Nike in China, I would suggest that they can cooperate with other parties such as their suppliers, distributor and competitors. This can enhance the global competitive advantages in the increasingly complex global environment (Bartlett et al. 2008) This is called strategic alliances. This also can solves high discounting rate for Nike as their inventory level is stable, do not need to discount to reduce inventory. Based on appendix 1 (Regional Product Distribution of Suppliers), China has most worker which is 175,960. This can be their competitive advantage because the production rate of China is very high compare to other country. Third, facing immense competition and failing to rise above others is always going to be one of the greatest shortcomings that a company would face. Which in this case, Nike has to start standing out from its biggest competitors Li Ning and Adidas. At the current state, Nike only has a marginal lead over the two companies. We recommend Nike to be a standout in its industry. They are already making great products, but their competitors are also making great products. In order to rise up and above them, Nike should change the way they serve their customers, create a unique sales style, such as giving expert advice for customers in helping them to make their purchase decisions. They could also create an environment where they feel welcomed and at ease when they are in a Nike shop. A totally new feel towards selling sports ware and clothing. This can help differentiate Nike from its competitors and increase brand awareness. 4.0 Conclusion Nowadays, Nike has more than 7,000 retail stores in China and they plans to develop their distribution to second and third-tier cities.When Nike first entered the low cost country such as China, they gained many benefits. As we know that, China represents the largest sourcing country for Nike and also the most important sourcing market for Nike apparel and equipment. But, Nike has facing the problem of quality controls in China. For example, many low quality products had been recall and some products have been caused injury to consumers in China. Furthermore, revenue earn by Nike in China is dropping due to excess inventory, high discounting and slowing in demand. Thus, we recommend to this industry to adopt the multinational strategy which emphasizing national differences and being able to operate the business based on local environment. Besides that, Nike also faced with intense competition like Reebok and international brand such as Adidas. We recommend Nike to adopt the innovation strategy to strengthen companys competitive advantage over the competitors. New design and innovation are very significant for Nike Corporation to enhance their leadership position. For example, change the way they serve their customers, such as giving the potential customers expert advice and suggestion, so that customers will feel respect and make better purchase decision. In conclusion, we learned that the company should implement expansion strategy by outsourcing the production line to low-cost countries such as China, Indonesia and Vietnam which are the primary manufacturing targeted destination for others company. For Nike, the purpose for outsourcing the production line to China is to reduce the cost such as cost of hiring the labour, cost of shipment and so on. It helped strengthen the leadership position of Nike in term of financial performance as Nike can make more revenue and profit with low production cost and also built up a strong reputation. References Barney Jopson (2012), Nike profit up despite falling China order, retrieved February 27, 2013 from http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/b48a6dae-4aee-11e2-9650-00144feab49a,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Fb48a6dae-4aee-11e2-9650-00144feab49a.html_i_referer=#axzz2MCUQZfC3 China Daily (2011), Nike to invest in China very aggressively, retrieved February 27, 2013 from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-10/11/content_13872475.htm Want China Times (2013), Mounting labor costs forces Nike to relocate in China, retrieved February 27, 2013 from http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?MainCatID=0cid=1102id=20130227000098 Ni,Y., Hu,M. (2012).ShanghaiDaily.com. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/print.asp?id=514991 Zheng,X. (2012).Tougher penalties urged for double standard companies. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2012-10/27/content_15851155.htm Villanueva,L. (2007). Nike football helmet chin strap recall issued following reports of head and facial injuries. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://www.newsinferno.com/?p=2029 Chang, G.G. (2012). The coming collapse of consumption in China. Retrieved February 16, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonchang/2012/09/30/the-coming-collapse-of-consumption-in-china/ Nike in China. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://www.yingyudaxue.com/book/nike-in-china Marcial, G. (2012). Inside Wall Street :Nike slows but is still in race. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=13a96856-28f2-4dc2-bc78-26b601bdf647 Smith, G. (2010). Sportswear in China how local brands challenged the might of Nike and Adidas. Retrieved February 17, 2013, http://www.warc.com/Samples/93120.pdf Ranasinghe, D. (2012). No Medals for Chinas Sportswear Firms. Retrieved February 17, 2013, http://www.cnbc.com/id/48454835/No_Medals_for_Chinarsquos_Sportswear_Firms Bartlett, C.A., Ghoshal, S. and Beamish, P.W., (2008). Transnational management: text, cases, and readings in cross-border management. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies. Retrieved February 26, 2013 Competitive Challenge Nike, Retrieved February 26, 2013, From http://www.ukdissertations.com/dissertations/business/competitive-challenge-nike.php Paresh Ashara, (2012). Nike:Marketing Strategies. Retrieved February 26, 2013, From http://www.slideshare.net/PareshAshara/nike-12906460 Porter, M.E., (1998). The competitive advantage of nations. The Free Press, New York: NY. Retrieved February 26, 2013
Friday, January 17, 2020
Johannine Literature Essay
Five books in the New Testament are said to have been written by John. But there are arguments that say that not all three letters of John were written by the same author. It is so because the word Church (Ecclesia) does not appear in the forth Gospel and in 1 and 2 John. Another challenge to the Johannine ecclesiology is offered marked opposition to outsiders, whether to the world, Jews, Christians. Has the association of Johhanine Christians become a sect? Meaning a religious group that broke away from an established larger religion. Scroggs argues that the whole early Christian movement was sectarian for it met the following characteristics of a sect. Sect seeks to restore traditional beliefs and practices in doing so rejects many of societies values but not in a threatening manner. 1,It emerged out of an agrarian protest movement 2,It rejected many of the realities claimed by the establishment of wealth, of religious institutions of theological intellectuals. 3,It was egalitarian 4,It offered special love and acceptance within 5,It was a voluntary organization 6,It demanded total commitment of its members 7,It was apocalyptic. With this understanding of sect, the Christian community known to us through the forth Gospel and Johannine Epistles was a sect as part of the larger Christian sectarian movement. Relationship with the letters Style, tone, thought indicates that they are from the same author. A,Intimacy with God and sinlessness. B,Keeping the commandment. C,Brotherly love D, Eschatology 1,Concept of sin. Sin plays an important part in the teaching of Jesus in John’s Gospel. The approach of sin is slightly different from the synoptic eg John 1:29 . 1 Jn1:5, sin is also linked with ignorance of God. Sin as alienation from God 5:24 Sin as unbelief 15: 22-24 Sin as ignorance Sin as mortal 3:16, 1Jn 2:25 Sin as universal 1Jn 1:8, 2:16 Sin as lawlessness 2,Humanity of Jesus, Jn 1:14 The word became fresh, 1 Jn 1:1, heard seen touched of the word. 3,Sinlessness of Jesus, 8:44,48, 1Jn3:5 1Jn 2:1 Jesus the righteous 4,Messia,1:41, 11:27 confession of Martha. 5,Lord, Johhannine does not use the word much until after the resurrection. 6, Son of God, His main purpose is that his readers may believe Jesus as son of God, sent by the Father, Love of the father to the son, Dependance of the son to the Father, Exclusive revelation of the father ( He alone has seen the Father 6:24). 7,Jesus as the Logos: This is different from the synoptic. John emphasizes that Jesus was the word The word is the image of God The word as God’s first born In the gospel John does not discus the Virgin Birth, there are no references to this, no birth narratives. In the place of the birth narratives he includes a prologue which focuses on the incarnation of the Logos. Origin of Johannine community Despite the diversity of the community there are significant agreement on at least two stages in the Johannine development. Early period the community consisted of Jews whose belief in Jesus involved a relatively low Christology . Later appeared high Christology which brought Johns community into sharp conflict with the jews who regarded this as blasphemy. This caused friction. Issues between the followers of John Baptist and Johhannine community, issues of the beloved disciple who the fourth gospels makes him the hero in the community, distress in the community over this beloved disciple. It made the community distinct because the claim to posses the witness of the beloved disciple enabled them to efend their peculiar insight in Christology and ecclesiology. High Christology: Significantly cleansing of the Temple is placed at the beginning and only starts with hostility. John starts where others finish with. Jesus passes over Samaria and wins the whole village to believe that he was the saviour of the world. According to Acts 8:1-25,It is indicated that it was years after resurrection of Jesus that Christianity was brought to Samaria by Hellenist preacher Phillip. The followers of John the Baptist had conflicts with the Samaritan followers after their conversion, they were rejected by the Jews.
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