My First Grade Classroom At Tatnuck Magnet Elementary School

I spent five hours observing a classroom but it felt like spending time in a new world. I observed a first grade classroom at Tatnuck Magnet Elementary School in Worcester, Massachusetts. This was my first opportunity to watch and comprehend a classroom environment with a teacher’s mindset. It was an eye opening experience, I was beginning to see the classroom in components: teaching methods, lesson plans, philosophies, and common core requirements. Listening for how to give directions rather than follow them is just one example of my changed focus while in the classroom. Due to my schedule, I observed the first grade class on three separate days during the morning to afternoon part of the school day. There were roughly fifteen students, a diverse group which included various ethnicities and personalities. I feel that I was lucky in being assigned this class because it was extremely dynamic and I got to witness many activities and strategies in a couple hours. Throughout this observation report I will most likely quote phrases the teacher said as I found them to be key tools when dealing with a situation. For the purpose of maintaining confidentiality in this report, I will change the teacher’s name to Ms. Mallard and also create names for any students mentioned hereafter. Firstly, the actual classroom setting was filled with materials and vibrantly colored. One wall was made up of windows with shelving space all along the lower half. The windows let in wonderful

In the Heart of the Sea Free Essays

Nicole Hart HIST 2300- Christopher Trobridge Writing Assignment One October 16, 2010 â€Å"In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whale ship Essex† In order to understand the ramifications of an event such as the sinking of the Essex one needs too understand the community that produces the crew. Nantucket was an island community much more than the literal sense of word. The islanders of Nantucket saw themselves differently than the rest of the word. We will write a custom essay sample on In the Heart of the Sea or any similar topic only for you Order Now They learned the skills of whaling from the original Wampanoag tribe. They were Quakers with a stoic sense of standards and community. The whale men from Nantucket saw themselves as superior to most other sailors of that time period. Hardship and perseverance were virtues held by the whale men and the women. The women ran the town while the whale men were at sea for years at a time. This type of work ethic and fortitude, and the worlds desire for oil, combined to make â€Å"the village of Nantucket one of the richest towns in America. † â€Å"In the Heart of the Sea† It also created a close-knit community with a few very successful and influential families that married with each other maintaining a strong central hierarchy. The sinking of the Essex directly affected the community of Nantucket but it was also far reaching to the rest of the country. America was growing as a Nation and its consumption of oil was expanding. The events of the Essex were not only interesting to sailors of the world but also to the mainlanders that consumed the oil. America in the eighteenth century and the early nineteenth century were considered â€Å"†¦a consumer revolution. † â€Å"Of the People† No one knew this fact better than the owners of the whale ships. They understood that whale oil was a commodity to be sold. In order to harvest it at a profit they had to balance their expenses. Every mate on a whale ship received a fraction of the profit that the whale ship would return with the oil it found. The more responsibility a sailor had on a whale ship, the larger his cut. Every expense, food, gear, clothing, water had to be factored in of doing business. For example the captain received the largest share, due to him having the most responsibility, while Thomas Nickerson’s share was the experience he received at a young age on a whale ship plus the room and board that he would receive for two to three years. A situation that occurred early in their journey was a foreboding of things to come. Weeks into there journey the Essex experienced a â€Å"Knockdown†, a knockdown is a severe weather event that led to damage of the Essex. Captain Pollard was slow to respond to the weather issue at hand. The result was damage to half of their whaleboats that they used to harpoon whales. After the damage was done Pollard felt it would be best to return to Nantucket to replenish the ship with a new compliment of whaleboats. First mate Owen Chase convinced the Captain to proceed on with the whale boats they had with hope of getting more whaleboats of the coast of Africa. This dynamic exposed the type of sailor Captain Pollard was and the type of sailor first mate Chase was. Captain Pollard was proving to be â€Å"a Captain that had the skills of a first mate and first mate Owen was showing to have the skills of a Captain. † â€Å"In the Heart of the Sea. † These two personalities would continue to show themselves later in there journey after the Essex had sunk. When the Essex was rammed and destroyed by the sperm whale, the crews Nantucket heritage served them well. The officers of the Essex were able to maintain order and stifle any panic by the crewmen. They devised a strategy that first mate Chase had championed. Once again Captain Pollard’s initial plan was shelved for fist mate Chase’s plan. The remaining twenty-crew members of the Essex were split into three twenty-five foot whaling boats. Captain Pollard, First mate Chase, and Second officer Hendrix were in charge of the three boats. Even in this situation, a strong sense of the Nantucket community was resident in the division of each boat. The majority of the Nantucketers ended up in Captain Pollards boat. A few of the remaining Nantucketers ended up in First mate Chase’s boat and the majority of African American sailors ended up in second mate Hendrix’s boat. First mate Owen Chase proved to be a relentless advocate for hope. Thomas Nickerson saw another side of First mate Chase when their journey first began by seeing how curt Chase was to the crew. On the island of Nantucket Owen Chase was a gentlemen but at sea Chase took a role of being very demanding and wanting things done correctly. After the sinking of the Essex the crewmembers were struggling with the situation they were in and Chase changed his method of handling of the crew. When Chase saw the crew was losing spirit he showed a more â€Å"maternal† side. This change in attitude was critical in the survival of the crewmembers that made it. The events that led to the cannibalism of crewmembers of the Essex were presented differently to Captain Pollard’s boat and first mate Chase’s boat. Captain Pollards and Hendrix boat became separated from Chases boat. The African American crewmembers having a low body fat content and a mineral deficient diet became prone to death before the Nantucket crewmembers. As the African American crewmembers died the living crewmembers consumed them. When there only living crew members left on Pollards boat they resorted to drawing lots to see who would give up their life as food and who would kill that sailor. On first mate Chase’s boat one of the sailors passes and the elect to consume his body. It appears that cannibalism was a common event that occurred in these situations. To this day human beings get presented with this dilemma, such as the plane crash in the Andes. As for me I would rather chose death than the consuming of my mates. Spending months at a time with these men I would feel as though I was eating a family member and would rather wait for death than eat a fellow mate. Although I would have the pressure of supporting my family and wanting to return home, eating a human being I believe would be a lot easier said then done. In the grief that Captain Pollard experienced having to eat his nephew then facing his Aunt would be something I don’t think I could endure or ever live with. For Nantucket and the men involved in whale hunting it is more than just a hunt. It was a way of life, a way of survival, and the entire focus of a town. This novel contained more than just the story of the ramming of the Essex, it was more of a story of the hardships faced, the dedication that comes with the job of whaling, and the raw emotions of the men involved. This novel proved the importance of whaling in that time period to not only Nantucket but to the entire Nation, and how it foreshadowed how our economy would be today. Lastly to end with the mission of the Nantucket Quakers â€Å"†¦to maintain a peaceful life on land while raising bloody havoc at sea. † This was their life, their survival and it now is their history. Works Cited James Oakes, Michael Mcgerr, Jan Ellen Lewis, Nick Cullather, Jeanne Boydston. â€Å"Of the People: A history of the United States. † New York: Oxford University Press. Nathaniel Philbrick. â€Å"In the heart of the sea:The tradgedy of the Whaleship Essex† New York: Penguin Books, 2000. How to cite In the Heart of the Sea, Papers

Global Business Biotechnology Company

Question: Discuss about the Global Business for Biotechnology Company. Answer: Introduction: When a country decides to move in to the global market, various considerations have to be taken in to account while conducting the operations. The International Operations Manager has the important task of investigating the risks and challenges that the Company will face in the foreign country. International business can be defined as the financial and business activities of the firms across borders earning it the name cross-border business (Cavusgil 2014). Companies engage in gaining the foreign customers and launching synergetic relationships with stakeholders in the foreign land (Cavusgil 2014). Whenever a Company wants to penetrate global market to extend its business, it becomes necessary to carry out investigations regarding the current status of the market, the opportunity of bagging profitable stakeholders, the available consumer base and so on. Predictions regarding the future condition of the market in the particular market which the Company has chosen to settle in are also made and accordingly decisions are taken (Cavusgil 2014). International business ventures can run in to various kinds of risks and challenges which it might not face in its own homeland. Successful business venture also depends to a great extent on the Government legislations, policies and tariffs of the foreign country (Cavusgil 2014). Background to the Company: Figure 1: Logo of Giaconda Limited Source: (www.giacondaltd.com) As per the official website of the Company, Giaconda Limited was established in the year 2004 for the commercialization of therapies and drugs for gastrointestinal diseases and disorders (Giaconda 2016). The drugs were prepared by Professor Borody at the Centre for Digestive Diseases Pty Ltd. The Giaconda products were prepared keeping in mind the hitherto ineffective gastrointestinal drugs in the market. Hence the products developed in the Centre for Digestive Diseases proved to be triumphant in the Australian market. Originally, the Centre was based in Sydney in the year 1985 by Professor Borody who is one of the foremost specialists in the treatment of gastrointestinal industry (Giaconda 2016). Giaconda, as per the official website, boasts of 20 granted patents and 19 patents have already been applied for. Giaconda is mostly dependent on the innovative investigations conducted in the field of gastrointestinal diseases (Giaconda 2016). The Executive Director and Chief Executive Off icer is Mr. Patrick McLean while the Chief Medical Officer is Professor Thomas Borody M.D. Trevor Moore is the non-executive Director and Marcus Conner is the Company Secretary (Giaconda 2016). Giacondas mission is to become a pioneer in the path breaking therapies for GI diseases as well as help in the generation of profits keeping the best interests of the stakeholders in mind (Giaconda 2016). Analysis of risks and challenges: Investment in foreign ventures comprises both financial, cross cultural risks as well as additional opportunities. The financial risks that are associated with a global market include foreign exchange risk and political risks (Wild et al. 2014). Consequently, the reliability and continuity of a venture in foreign country depends on a number of variables. The volatile nature of the exchange rate occurs due to the sudden depreciation (or appreciation) which in turn affects the sales and revenues of the Company in the foreign market. Political risk materializes in the event of a government changing its policies which adversely impacts foreign companies in the country (Wild et al. 2014). Investigations have categorized the different risks faced by foreign companies in alien land under four subheadings. These are shown in the form of a diagram below: Figure 2: Risks in International business Source: (as created by the author) Giaconda Limited is attempting to launch itself in a foreign country to increase its global reach. The two countries chosen by the Company are South Africa and China both of which possess prospective markets for gastrointestinal products. The responsibility of the International Operations Manager is to analyze the four kinds of risks that the Company is likely to experience in the foreign market. Cross cultural risk: South Africa China Cultural differences South Africa consists of a medley of people from different ethnic, cultural and linguistic groups. Differences in customs and traditions between the two countries are much more apparent in case of South Africa (Sahistory.org.za 2016). China is notable for its traditional and ethnic outlook which is the countrys main source of pride and strength. Once a Celestial Empire, the Chinese culture also stands as a contrast to the progressive minded Australians. Negotiation patterns The Company would look for relatively easier negotiation patterns in the foreign country for its business transactions. The people of South Africa are friendly and they speak from the heart. Hence negotiations can be dealt with frank honesty with the South Africans. The Chinese are conservative and are inclined to be indifferent to foreign companies in the market. They are generally more favorable towards the China based companies. Decision-making styles The South African tend to take decisions quickly and unflinchingly. The Chinese are prone to take time before taking any kind of decision and reaching a conclusion. Ethical practices The South Africans are usually lenient when it comes to ethics and standard business practices. The Chinese are very conscientiousness in their dealings, whether it is in life in general or in business. Figure 3: Cross Cultural risks Source: (as created by the author) Commercial risk: South Africa China The commercial risks in South Africa have increased in the past year due to the depreciation of the African currencies. However, the rate of stabilization has increased in several South African countries like Ghana and Kenya. In the 2016 survey conducted by the Risk Frontiers, the exchange rate has been considered as the greatest commercial risk in South Africa. Another risk that comes up in the survey is related to the economic uncertainty (Commercial Risk Africa 2016). The regional as well as political variances that the countries face in the sub continent have an important impact on the dynamics of the market. Corruption has also topped in the list of commercial risk as different tiers of the business is dependent on bribery to get their work done (Commercial Risk Africa 2016). Conversely, the anti-corruption campaign has been launched in the countries to promote international business in South Africa. The business operation and strategies are on the way to be improved owing to th e active participation of the big players in South African market. The recent year has seen the market in South Africa as a bright spot for investment albeit a bit risky (Commercial Risk Africa 2016). As per the survey conducted by World Bank on Doing Business Well which lists the countries where foreign companies find it easy to invest, China ranked 84 (Doingbusiness.org 2016). China is known for its closed economy with the domestic companies getting more opportunities to innovate and prosper. However, the Chinese Government has placed several restrictions in large areas of the country. In China, chops are used as stamps which are legally binding for any company to operate in the country. The loss of such chops may lead to commercial risk for the foreign company in China. China, the worlds second largest economy, poses other risks for foreign business as well (Doingbusiness.org 2016). According to the Business Insider, the economic growth in China is not real. The fixed asset investments explain the large chunk of Chinese economy. The high speed of the growth of the economy is planned by the Central government though in reality the growth does not exist (Reckoning 2016). Figure 4: Commercial risks Source: (as created by the author) Country risk: South Africa China The political risks at South Africa are very high for the foreign company to invest in the market. The political disturbance in the country will intensify in the coming years which are sure to scare away investors from coming to invest. The economic growth has grown only by 1.3% in the year 2015 (Sabc.co.za 2016). The control of the Government on the market is also a growing concern for the investors. The license created for the company needs the creation of an official who can be corrupted and bribed in to getting any legal work done. The interventionist nature of the government has been the chief reason behind the decadent growth of the country (Cato Institute 2003). The political risks in China comprise the political unrest currently existent in the country. The economic reforms resulting in staff turnover, wide gaps between the haves and have nots, industrial accidents have led to social unrest. In such an event, the government is forced to take strict steps which endanger supply chains and investor confidence. Further, the legal protections are not applied properly to the industries. The public sector undertakings still constitute about 40 percent of the economic activity of China and hence private, foreign companies face stiff competition (Harvard Business Review 2006). Figure 5: Country risks Source: (as created by the author) Currency risk: South Africa China The currency of South Africa, rand, has depreciated which has caused the economy to weaken. As a result, the South African assets have come under pressure (Bloomberg.com 2015). The exchange control regulations are mainly regulated by the South African Reserves Bank. The South African currency is subjected to flexible exchange rate regime which denotes that the currency rate is determined by the market forces of supply and demand (Fatima Bhoola 2016). The Chinese currency, Yuan, is considered to be the worlds 4th most used currency for cross border transactions (International Business Times 2015). However, the switch from the currency to RNB is complicated. Additionally, the depreciation of the Chinese Yuan has been predicted to cause upheaval in the market (International Business Times 2015). This issue will seriously impact the foreign investment in the country. Figure 6: Currency risks Source: (as created by the author) Selected country: The analysis and discussion of the various risks that the Company is going to face in the global market have brought to light the current market conditions of the two countries South Africa and China. When it came to South Africa, the risks multiplied in different domains like exchange rate, security systems and most importantly, the system of bribery to get things done (Bloomberg.com 2015). The political as well as the commercial risks in the country South Africa may prove to be detrimental for the growth of foreign companies like Giaconda in the market (Bloomberg.com 2015). Hence, China has been selected as having the best market for pharmaceutical industry. Opportunities: Conversely, the market of China has shown promises regarding the foreign investments being one of the greatest economies of the world. China boasts of low debt level, soaring savings rate, mounting domestic expenditure and strong work ethic (Reckoning 2016). The foreign direct investment has reached $136 billion and showed a growth rate of 6 percent (English.gov.cn 2016). The other associated factors that have helped in proving China as a good place for investment are improved infrastructure, logistics industry and high quality human resources (English.gov.cn 2016). The state owned enterprises in China do enjoy a favorable climate to prosper and earn huge profits; however, the new reforms of China have ensured that there were enormous opportunities for the foreign investors to help in the economic transition of the country (Jiangang 2015). Hence Giaconda Limited can reap benefits if the Company shifts to the Chinese market and engages itself in business transactions with the same. Mode of entry into the foreign market: Modes of entry into the international market can be defined as the various channels which are utilized by the Company to gain entry into the foreign market. According to Impullitti et al. (2013), the productive firms are those who are able to survive in the foreign market after a considerable period of time. The companies generally perform differently after entering the foreign market owing to the various factors depending on which the companies thrive. There are several modes through which the Company can enter the foreign market. In case of Giaconda, the proposed mode of entry that would benefit the Company is Green field investment (Luu 2016). The Green field investment is the process through which the parent company establishes its business operations in a foreign country through construction of distribution hubs, offices and staff quarters. The Green field investment acts as a form of foreign direct investment (FDI) where the company gets to build a business from the scratch. Th ere are multiple advantages in choosing this form of mode of entry in the foreign market (Luu 2016). First of all, the control of the parent company over the company established in the foreign country is greater than the control it would have had in case of franchisee or licensing. The parent company will also have greater power over the in-house staff and the commitment of the company to the market (Luu 2016). Opportunities for the specific mode of entry: In case of Giaconda Limited, the Chinese market can prove to be a prospective place for selling the gastrointestinal drugs and therapies. The economic growth in China has shown to be increasing which forecasts well for the progress of the Company. The Centre for Digestive Pty Ltd can build its own plant in China where the cases of inflammatory bowel diseases among the Chinese. The gastrointestinal diseases were once rarely found in China; recent years have shown such cases to double (American Association for the Advancement of Science 2015). Giaconda can use this opportunity of opening its own laboratory and train its own set of skilled medical officers and research assistants to commercialize their latest inventions in bowel infections. Giaconda will have full control over the Chinese plant where it can operate freely while maintaining compliance with the government legislations and policies. Apart from the prospective market, in terms of the perfect destination for Green field inve stment, China ranks second lagging behind India only by a few points (The Economic Times 2016). The growth of the economy and the stability in the foreign exchange rate will act as good motivators for the Company to invest in this country. Conclusion: Giaconda Limited is a leading name in the field of gastrointestinal drugs and therapies. The Company has commendable reputation in Australia and the drugs produced and commercialized under the vigilant supervision of Professor Borody and his skilled team of experts have achieved unprecedented success. When the Company decided to penetrate into the foreign market, the International Operations Manager had to analyze the risks and challenges that the Company will face in the foreign land. When the marketing conditions and the risks were evaluated in both South Africa and China, it was discovered that the Company will benefit on opening its own plant in China where the economy has promising signs for growth and development. The current exchange rate, the government rules and regulations and the strongly knit market policies of the country have proved to be advantageous for reaching out to the masses of the country. When it came to choosing a definite mode of entry to the Chinese market, Green field investment has been chosen. The advantages of this particular form of Direct Foreign Investment will prove to be profitable for Giaconda. The rising cases of gastrointestinal diseases in China will also help in increasing the consumer base of the Company. References: American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2015. Surge in gastrointestinal disease spurs US-China collaboration.Science,348(6238), pp.983-984. Bloomberg.com. 2015. South Africa Says It May Act on Currency If Risks Worsen. [online] Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-08-24/south-africa-s-central-bank-may-act-on-currency-if-risks-worsen [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Cato Institute. 2003. South Africa's Greatest Obstacle Is too Much Government. [online] Available at: https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/south-africas-greatest-obstacle-is-too-much-government [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Commercial Risk Africa. 2016. Risk Management Survey. [online] Available at: https://www.commercialriskafrica.com/cra/cra-grf-africa-2016/ [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Doingbusiness.org. 2016. Doing Business 2015 - Going Beyond Efficiency - World Bank Group. [online] Available at: https://www.doingbusiness.org/reports/global-reports/doing-business-2015 [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. English.gov.cn. 2016. China still attractive to foreign investors. [online] Available at: https://english.gov.cn/news/top_news/2016/01/28/content_281475280035640.htm [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Fatima Bhoola, U. 2016. How a weaker rand hurts S.Africa. [online] Cnbcafrica.com. Available at: https://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/southern-africa/2016/01/25/explainer-how-currency-markets-work-and-why-the-south-african-rand-is-falling/ [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Gov.uk. 2016. Overseas Business Risk China - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-china/overseas-business-risk-china [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Harvard Business Review. 2016. Hedging Political Risk in China. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2006/11/hedging-political-risk-in-china [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Impullitti, G., Irarrazabal, A.A. and Opromolla, L.D., 2013. A theory of entry into and exit from export markets.Journal of International Economics,90(1), pp.75-90. International Business Times. 2015. China Yuan Value Vs US Dollar: Drop To Continue For Chinese Currency Amid Economic Slowdown, Economists Say. [online] Available at: https://www.ibtimes.com/china-yuan-value-vs-us-dollar-drop-continue-chinese-currency-amid-economic-slowdown-2097246?rel=rel1 [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. International Business Times. 2015. Chinese Yuan Is Now Fourth Most Common Global Payment Currency, Behind US Dollar, Euro, British Pound. [online] Available at: https://www.ibtimes.com/chinese-yuan-now-fourth-most-common-global-payment-currency-behind-us-dollar-euro-2128912 [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Jiangang, W. 2015. SOE reforms provide opportunities for foreign investment. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/china-watch/business/11980699/china-soe-reforms-foreign-investment.html [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Luu, H.N., 2016. Greenfield Investments, Cross-Border MAs, and Economic Growth in Emerging Countries.Available at SSRN 2742034. Moran, T.H., 2012.Foreign Direct Investment. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Reckoning, T. 2016. China Risks And Opportunities. [online] Business Insider. Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/china--risks-and-opportunities-2011-2?IR=T [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Sabc.co.za. 2016. SABC News - Political risks may derail South Africas economy:Monday 6 June 2016. [online] Available at: https://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/1548c7004d094f29aa8bea93fd523eaa/Political-risks-may-derail-South-Africas-economy-20160606 [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Sahistory.org.za. 2016. Race and ethnicity in South Africa | South African History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/race-and-ethnicity-south-africa [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Shenyunperformingarts.org. 2016. An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Culture | Shen Yun Learn Resource. [online] Available at: https://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/learn/article/read/item/uXrrqgyDZPo/introduction-traditional-chinese-culture.html [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Southafrica.net. 2016. South Africans the 'friendliest people in the world'. [online] Available at: https://www.southafrica.net/blog/en/posts/entry/friendly-south-africans1 [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. The Economic Times. 2016. India replaces China as top FDI destination in 2015: Report - The Economic Times. [online] Available at: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/finance/india-replaces-china-as-top-fdi-destination-in-2015-report/articleshow/51932057.cms [Accessed 22 Sep. 2016]. Wild, J., Wild, K.L. and Han, J.C., 2014.International business. Pearson Education Limited.