The Preferred Format For Clinical Health Information

The preferred format for clinical health information is Health Level Seven (HL7) Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) for both Personal Health Record (PHR) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR). It is XML-based format identifies the encoding, configuration, and semantics of a clinical file. Blue Button+ Direct implementation ensures ease of transmission of medical records to a third party by the health care provider or patient. Direct uses SMTP, S/MIME, and X.509 licenses to maintain security, data reliability, privacy and verification of sender and receiver. Additionally, it meets the requirements for Meaningful Use (MU) Stage 2 of View, Download, and Transmit (VDT) that is required for certified electronic medical record (EMR)†¦show more content†¦PHRs can contain medical information from the patient, whereas an EHR contains medical records, medical history, patient demographics, medications, vital and weight, and diagnosis. Some PHRs are obtainable by covered entities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. The HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to these types of PHRs. However, in the cases where PHRs are not offered by HIPAA covered entity, it becomes the responsibility of the PHR vendor to establish privacy policies and follow any laws that may apply protecting the data in the PHR (HHS, 2003). HIPAA covered entities are regulated by the Privacy Rule on how they access the PHR to enter health information. Furthermore the Privacy Rule oversees the use and disclosure of an individual’s protected health information (PHI) and EHR, gives individuals certain rights to their health information, and requires the cover entity to appropriately safeguard health information. Covered entities may hire a third party entity, as a business associate, to administer the PHR and its related tasks. The covered entity must ensure that the information will be appropriately safegu arded by the business associate through a contract or agreement. The business associate nor the covered entity can release information for any

Summary Of Great Expectations - 1612 Words

Kaylee-Anna Jayaweera Mr. DiGiulio Honors Freshmen English 7 November 2014 Life by Chance, Gentleman by Choice In this novel, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Pip is a common boy whose expectations arise once he encounters an immensely â€Å"rich and grim lady† (Dickens 56) who appears as a â€Å"wax-work and skeleton seem(ing) to have dark eyes that only moved (to) look at (Pip)† (57). This first simple encounter sparks a collection of decisions and manipulations that kickoff the plot to the story. This all pulls to the theme that life is a pure game of chance –just as cards are to the game of poker - it is how you take advantage of those opportunities that define your character. This benefit of chance can be seen through the view of Pip and Miss Havisham due to their differences in social rising, ambitions, respect for the world around them, and their actions towards each other. Pips social rising is one of great luck and coincidence, but can be most credited to the hard work of the one and only Abel Magwitch (Provis/Mr.Campbell). This can be seen when Pip encounters Magwitch for the second time and realizes he is his benefactor, Magwitch states, â€Å"As I giv you to understand just now, I m famous for it. It was the money left me, and the gains of the first few year wot I sent home to Mr. Jaggers—all for you—when he first come arter you, agreeable to my letter (345). This identifies the fact that Magwitch has spent his whole life earning money for Pip so he may prosper inShow MoreRelatedSummary Of Great Expectations Notes 1905 Words   |  8 PagesJoseph Slovick Mr. Alsedek 535-02 1 February 2016 Great Expectations Notes Chapters 1-3: The narrator introduces himself as Philip Pirrip, or ‘Pip’ for short; the man in question effectively gave himself this name when he could not pronounce his real name as an infant, managing only Pip. 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This paper is a summary of an interview with such manager in a Human Resource Department that provides a brief introduction of the manager, job status, introduction and brief description of the workplace, and the summary of the interview questions and manager’s response. I recently interviewed Nichole McIntyre, a Senior Generalist at Saint Anthony Hospital. LocatedRead MoreNursing Reflective Paper : Nursing1093 Words   |  5 PagesI started the nursing program is because I look up to Annie a lot and she showed me so many different perspectives on how to look at people, different situations, and the way you handle things. I thought that it would be a great interview session to see if Annie’s expectations were the same as the nursing reality. Annie had said that when she was in school she thought that outside of the clinical setting she would mostly be doing â€Å"head to toe assessments and giving medications.† I completelyRead MoreAcuscan Executive Summary 3995 Words   |  4 PagesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY TO: Cliff O’Connor, CEO AcuScan, Inc. FROM: VP of Organizational Development SUBJECT: Observations and Recommendations for Optimization Project DATE: June 30, 2008 Purpose and Scope of Document The purpose of this document is to provide a basic overview of the current status surrounding the AcuScan Optimization Project. This document will provide a brief background and summary of the current situation, and then provide key points relating to the underlying issues. ThisRead MoreEssay about Ab299 Final Project1533 Words   |  7 Pages07/09/2011 Executive Summary This section provides an overview of your findings. 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In this lesson, we will discuss some teaching strategies for teaching EBD students. !!!Lesson Summary http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-strategies/5-tips-for-handling-ebd-k !!!The Student with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in the Classroom As teachers, we likely notice that students with __Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD)__ find it difficult to control

Organizational Structure in White Memorial Hospital †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Structure in White Memorial Hospital. Answer: Introduction Organizational structures define the way tasks in an organization are allocated and organized within the hospital. Lim (2017) suggests that it defines the management pattern in the organization highlighting different levels of hierarchy in the organization and the relationship between each of them. This structure is used in most organizations but it carries strengths and limitations. Organizational Structure in White Memorial Hospital One strength of the structure is that it allows for specialization where people with similar skills and roles are grouped thus improving efficiency and performance. Such employees hone themselves thus leading to an in-depth knowledge and skill development (Ahmady, Mehrpour, Nikooravesh, 2016). Healthcare professional are allowed to specialize in one area of the healthcare system and perfect their skills thus making them better. The hospital reaps these benefits through increased service delivery that is realized in the number of satisfied patients. Productivity is increased since the health professional work in functional specialized areas. For example, each professional with particular specialization is paired with a colleague in the same area to improve results since they can consult on issues (Johatch, 2014). When healthcare organizations use efficiency as a strategy for their output, the benefits are increased patient handling time which in turn leads to customer satisfaction and increased productivity. The functional nature of the structure allows communication from one level of the organization to another. Since subordinates report to their superiors, it makes it easy for communication to flow from one level of the organization to another (Rabbinz, 2012). Further, departmental communication in functional units is easy since employees understand each other and the specialization language that they use to communicate with each other. Weber believed that when the structure is organized in a bureaucratic structure, it becomes easy to manage communication since the chain of command is a straight line that allows easy flow of communication. Another strength that the structure presents to the organization is balancing workload between different departments in the organization. By grouping similar tasks, the facility can balance work between different departments by ensuring that those with similar tasks work to achieve the best results (Lim, 2017). For example, when nurses coordinate themselves, they can distribute tasks amongst themselves thus making it easy for them to achieve the required targets. When employees are organized in functional groups, workload are also organized along that line in the hospital thus creating an easy flow of tasks between departments in the facility. However, the functional approach has management challenges since it is a rigid way of managing the organization. Too much bureaucracy creates bottlenecks that make it difficult for the organization to manage organizational change (Corkindale, 2011). There is also the challenge of coordinating the departments since despite the fact that employees are grouped in functional units, they observe a chain of command that makes it difficult to coordinate different. Bottlenecks are part of the rigid nature of the structure since they delay decision making (Bai, Feng, Feng, 2016). In turn this whole process delays decision making since consultations have to be made. The structure has been criticized for failing to work in emergency situations. Hospitals like White Memorial Hospital handle different levels of emergency especially as the upgrade takes place. Such situations call for the health profession in charge to make life saving decisions based on professional standards without having to consult higher authority (Bai, Feng, Feng, 2016). The nature of the structure and mode of operation denies such opportunities to practitioners since they have to follow the right channel of command and ensure that they seek approval from their supervisors before making a decision that they were sure it was right. Therefore, the traditional structure delays critical decision making without giving a damn on the magnitude of the situation that the junior employee is facing. The individual decision making in this form of organization is limited since practitioners have to rely on decisions that come from above them. Since the chain of command is what is used to drive organizational activities, each line supervisor makes the decision through seeking authority from above (Ghorbani, Noghabi, Nikoukar, 2011). The rigidness of the structure does not allow healthcare professional to improvise solutions that may apply to situations that they are handling but rather they rely on superior decisions which may delay action. The Importance of Vision, Mission and Goals to the Hospital The mission statement of an organization defines the purpose that the organization exists for through defining the direction that the organization takes. In the case of White Memorial Hospital, the mission statement defines the role that each plays towards realizing the intended goal that the hospital exists for. Through the statement to provide quality, every employee in the hospital understands that quality defines every activity that they engage in and determines the way they relate with patients and how their needs are met (Corkindale, 2011). Through the mission customers understand how the organization aims to serve them. They may sometimes include values that the organization also exists for. Through values, the mission aligns employees with the organizational structure of the organization by determining how decisions are made. The vision of the hospital further describes the purpose by defining what the hospital seeks to look like in future. Latif, Baloch, Khan (2010) suggest that it gives direction for employee behavior and provides them with the required aspiration when handling clients. It gives a perspective of corporate values that are followed by employees for a given period which ranges between five to ten years. For example, the vision of the hospital is to provide care that responds to the changing needs of the community which is a focus in the future. Organizational goals are plans that the hospital seeks to achieve within a period. They exist as internal measures that the organization uses to gauge its performance about other organizations. Goals are described as SMART since they need to be set within a given timeline after which they are reviewed to determine if they have been met or not (Maduenyi, Oke, Akintude, 2015). The role of goals in an organization is thus providing focus to employees on the priorities that they need to set within the healthcare facility. For example, for the case of White Memorial Hospital the goal is to develop high performing multidisciplinary teams within the specialist services to provide high-quality services. Employees within the hospital have to prioritize their projects and activities that they engage in to determine how they relate and affect the hospital goal. The Matrix Organization structure Another structure that can work well for the hospital is the matric structure which groups employees based on both function and product. This structure allows teams of employees to work to accomplish a task by taking advantage of different strengths of decentralization forms (Laslo Goldberg, 2008). For example, in a healthcare setting, a doctor cannot work alone without the support of other practitioners like nurses and physicians who run other processes that lead to the doctors room. Since hospitals like White Memorial Hospital receive patients in different conditions, a rigid structure may not work well since patients have to be attended to sometimes base on the need. As such this structure offers the best environment for healthcare teams to organize themselves according to available tasks and the personnel within the facility thus achieving better results in the healthcare system. One advantage that this structure presents is the reduction of the rigidness of the traditional functional structure. Under the matrix, decision making is simplified and innovation can be achieved since groups are organized along task that exist (Galbraith, 2008). The structure allows rapid creation of large-scale project structures is easy and tasks can be completed in a much faster rate as compared to other structures. Further, Tran Tian (2013) adds that the structure allows the hospital management to integrate project objectives with functional objectives of the organization. As the teams work, they establish their own objectives that are aligned towards the functional needs of the organization. Each team is independent and exists to achieve the short term objective that has been set. In every matrix group, employees come and organize tasks using the available resources to meet organizational goals. Once the goal has been met, the team can break up or they can continue existing for future projects. When teams are organized along the matrix system, they are motivated with a sense of high morale and team spirit. The structure creates an element of teamwork that allows employees to work with each other for a specific task (Bai, Feng, Feng, 2016). Unlike in the case of the functional structure where employees are organized in functional specialized groups, here employees form working teams that have the best brains fitting the job description. However, the structure has been criticized as increasing complexity in the organization through creating lower structures that need to be managed. This may be termed a two boss problem which makes managing of team difficult (Elsaid, Okasha, Abdelghaly, 2013). Top managers will have a hard time managing the whole organization and smaller teams that exist at the lower matrix level. Conclusion The organizational structure used by an organization determines the way tasks are organized and shared in the hospital. The traditional functional structure has strengths that can be applied to improve service delivery and productivity in the facility. However, the weaknesses of the structure make it difficult for individual decision making since they have to rely on upper management to pass the decision down the structure. With this structure the hospital can align its mission, vision and goals based on the structure in the organization to increase productivity, service delivery and customer satisfaction. References Ahmady, G. A., Mehrpour, M., Nikooravesh, A. (2016). Organizational Structure. 3rd International Conference on New Challenges in Management and Organization: Organization and Leadership, (pp. 455-462). Dubai. Bai, W., Feng, Y., Feng, L. (2016). Organizational Structure, Cross-Functional Integration and Performance of New Product Development Team. 13th Global Congress on Manufacturing and Management, (pp. 621 629 ). Corkindale, G. (2011, February 11). The Importance of Organizational Design and Structure. Havard Business Rerview. Elsaid, N. M., Okasha, A. E., Abdelghaly, b. A. (2013). Defining and Solving the Organizational Structure Problems to Improve The Perfoamance of the State for Environmental Affairs. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publication, 3(10). Galbraith, J. (2008). Designing Matrix Organizations That Actually Work: How IBM, Procter Gamble and Others Design for Success. San Francisco, Jo: Jossey Bass. Galbraith, J. R. (2008). Designing Matrix Organizations That Actually Work: How IBM, Procter Gamble and Others Design for Success. Jossey-Bass. Ghorbani, M., Noghabi, J. T., Nikoukar, M. (2011). Relationship Between Organizational Structure Dimensions and Knowledge Management (KM) in Health Organization. World Applied Sciences Journal, 12(11), 2032-2040. Jacobides., M. G. (2007). The inherent limits of organizational structure and the unfulfilled role of hierarchy: Lessons from a near-war. Organization Science, 18(3), 455-477. Johatch, M. (2014). Organization theory. Mehban publications. Laslo, X., Goldberg, A. (2008). Resource allocation under uncertainty in a multi-Project Matrix environment: Is organisational conflict inevitable? International Journal of Project Management, 26, 144-156. Latif, K. I., Baloch, Q. B., Khan, M. N. (2010). Structure, Corporate Strategy and the Overall Effectiveness of the Organization. Abasyn Journal of Social Sciences, 5(2). Lim, M. (2017). Examining the literature on organizational structure and success. College Mirror, 43(1), 16-18. Maduenyi, S., Oke, A. O., Akintude, M. (2015). Impact of Organizational Structure on Organization Performance. International Conference on African Developmental Issues, (pp. 354-359). Rabbinz, S. (2012). The basics of organizational management. Cultural research office. Tran, Q., Tian, Y. (2013). Organizational Structure: Influencing Factors and Impact ON a Firm. American Journal of Industrial and Business Management, 3, 229-236.

Kodak Company SWOT Analysis

Introduction Kodak Company was founded by George Eastman 133 years ago. It replaced the glass photographic plates with a roll of film that was simple to use. The Kodak Company was guided by principles of mass invention at a low price, quality, continuous innovations, thorough marketing and global supply (Rupert, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kodak Company SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Eastman worked hard towards firm establishment of the company by coming up with the operation strategies and business guiding principle which was, â€Å"nothing is more important than the value of our name and the quality it stands for† (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). This was a strong pillar which Kodak Company has been standing on and has seen its success through marketing of quality products. By 1963, Kodak company had became the industry standard and by 1981, it had invented other products su ch as cameras, medical imaging and graphical arts which made the profits to rise to US$10bn in 1981 (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Kodak operates in three segments; digital and film imaging segment which provides customer oriented traditional and digital products as well as photographic services, health segment which provides analogue products such as chemicals, processing equipments, medical films and digital products. Graphic communication segment manufactures inkjet printers, document scanners and digital image systems. All the products were aimed at the commercial print market (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). This paper will assess what went wrong in the Kodak company that led to it’s under performance to appoint of filing for bankruptcy protection. The evaluation will concentrate on the Kodak case study based on article â€Å"Kodak falls in the creative destruction of digital† (Rupert, 2011). The paper will give an analysis of what affected the Kodak Compa ny by considering the political, economic, social and technological factors. The paper will conduct the SWOT analysis so as to determine the current state of the company as well as the opportunities that the company can venture into in order to expand both locally and internationally.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What went wrong? For years Kodak Company had dominated in photography industry but it has not managed to stay at the top due to the current market trends. It failed to invent its own innovations of digital cameras which are dominating in the market today. Kodak stocks have continued to fall for the last ten years by 95% and it has continued to be listed low as it shares traded at $47 (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). The company has experienced losses for the last three years with the latest been $222 million in the third quarter of 2011. It failed to invest in digital market and instead focused on traditional film and clinical supplies. It also ventured into printers where it ranks fifth among the major suppliers with a 2.6% market share. Kodak was the first company to invent digital camera but it failed to invent in its innovations which made it to succumb to the digital revolution. This made its products lack market and was overtaken by other companies. Kodak failed in innovating digital cameras and assumed that people would continue to print photos (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Kodak Company failed in its strategic planning when it failed to research on the current market opportunities and customers’ needs. Instead it reinvented in manufacturing of printers in order to â€Å"capitalise on its reputation as the best company for film printing†. This was due to lack of creativity and flexibility of its executives to move with the current market demand. They feared that the digital cameras would overtake their main pro duct that is, chemicals. This has left the company with no option but to file for bankruptcy protection. Today Kodak’s company assets are worth $5.1bn while its debts totals are $6.8bn thus the company is already operating at a loss.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Kodak Company SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Kodak competitors invested in the digital cameras and even advanced in technology such that Kodak’s digital cameras were as not as good as for competitors. This made the company lose its reputation as the best one in the photography industry (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Though Kodak had enough staff, it failed to invest and uphold technology thus it is to be blamed for its own down fall. It was â€Å"unable to adopt transition into the 21st century† because it was caught up in storms of technology, economic and social change. Today, people have resulted to use of cell phones in taking photos and videos. Many mobile phones have a 5-megapixel resolution which has dominated the market by becoming the key factor in customers’ decision making. The society has changed from using photos for personal memories to photo sharing through social networking (Guardian, 2011). PESTEL Analysis Political Kodak was impacted by some political issues concerning the organisational change. The US copyright law has put in place strict rules that hinder photo printing and their sales. The law states that all photo businesses should not print or release digital images without a copyright release. This has hindered the Kodak Company which specialises in photography more than digital images from thriving because images taken by amateur photographers may not have their professional images in print. This affects Kodak which embarked on photo printing to maintain its reputation (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Economic Kodak has faced increased competition d ue to an increase in the number of substitute products Such as smart phones and Iphones. Other factors that determine competition level include the presence of global distribution system, prices charged on various products and facilities and any other innovation that may come into the industry. Over the years, the photo and image industry has been undergoing a considerable change. This has been due to increase in competition internationally and the change toward global supply sequence. The end users play a major task in terms of choice of suppliers and in decision making of products which is changing from being operational to being strategic (Tan Tiong, 2005).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, increasing demand for digital cameras caused a decline in traditional film camera sales in 2002. Also photo prints made out of traditional films reduced by 700,000. Digital camera sales dominated the market due to its declined prices which made it more affordable for the consumers. This resulted in high demand for digital cameras thus Kodak had no market for its products. The world is under recession out of the financial crisis which hit it at the end of 2007 (Campbell Craig, 2005). This affected most industries especially those who were not stable financially for example, Kodak since the more economically developed a nation can be, the more helpful it is in making the industry to achieve its objectives behind attaining direct marketing (Tan Tiong, 2005) Social change Lifestyle trends and consumer preferences affect the business’s performance. For instance, men have been shown to purchase digital cameras more than women. To ensure that all customers are satisf ied, the company has to provide extraordinary services that match with the society demands (Neild Carysforth, 2004). Consumers are using digital cameras to send images to electronic mail for social net working and thus Kodak Company should have moved with the social trend. This ensures that it is able to retain its customers and attract new ones. Kodak failed to move with the society change from traditional photos which were used for personal memories to digital images used for social networking. Kodak retained the tradition of printing photos while society has changed to storing digitally taken images on-screen viewing. The demographic composition changes with time and so the industry has to keep on revising its strategies to ensure that all customers are satisfied. For instance, the increased number of youths and teenagers are for digital cameras which the Kodak failed to invest in. This makes the company miss the rising market for digital cameras thus low revenues in return (Gri ffin, 2011). Technology The world is adopting technology in its processes of doing things. There is development of computers in different sectors of business (Campbell Craig, 2005). Imaging industry has not been left behind as it has come up with digital cameras. Kodak was the first to innovate the first digital camera but they failed to invent it because they feared it would not thrive. Technology is a critical aspect of the business environment for the industry. Use of internet has led to high demand for digital cameras. All the electronic companies are developing their own technologies with advance means for attracting global customers. This has posed a great competitive pressure on the electronic retail market and same on the retail companies such as Kodak (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Internet has contributed greatly in making cameras communication devices as many people are using phones that have cameras. Technology development in cameras brought about increase in opera tional costs as it requires highly skilled staff for production of equipments and marketing. Kodak felt threatened with development of digital technologies because of its core chemical processing business. Kodak failed to venture into digital cameras and this has contributed greatly to its down fall (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Environmental Environmental factors have also affected the performance of the Kodak Company. This is because the company has been affected by the green issues due to its production of chemicals that are a hazard to the environment. This has affected construction of digital products by the Kodak Company (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Legal Joint-ventures have helped in the attempt to minimise its exposure in being a multinational company to the influences of national legal environments (Campbell Craig, 2005). SWOT  Analysis Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Kodak Company. Strengths. Kodak Company had a strong foundation as it was the first company to invent digital cameras so it would be easy to invest in its own innovation (Campbell Craig, 2005). Kodak has a strong brand name and good reputation among customers for it has been in the market for long (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). It’s well known for quality products thus with innovation of digital cameras it can succeed (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). weaknesses Low profit margins due to lack of innovation in the current market trends of digital cameras which have led to Kodak making losses (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Lack of a well thought future market strategy. Though they did invent the first digital camera, they failed to take risk and invent in it and instead have ventured to chemical processing (Guardian, 2011). The company is already bankrupt because its debts exceed its revenue so no banks can offer loans (Guardian 2011). Opportunities. Emerging international markets due to rise in leisure activities tha t require digital cameras such as holidays and social net working (Greiner, 1998) Increased economy development as demonstrated by rise in per capital income. This has led to many people willing to own a digital camera (Pahl Richter, 2009). Increasing technology advancements that still require research and innovation. Kodak can take advantage and invent more advanced digital cameras (Pahl Richter, 2009). Increased industrial development whereby imaging has become an important aspect in communication thus increasing market opportunities (Fine, 2009). Threats. Industry rivalries whereby companies disagree on the quality standards of products and services (Pahl Richter, 2009). Effects of economic recession of 2007(Pahl Richter, 2009). There is stiff competition in imaging industry thus Kodak must keep up to the market trend for example, entry of Fuji Company (Gavetti, Henderson Giorgi, 2005). Strong government regulations (Fine, 2009). Emergence of substitute products such a s smart phones (Fine, 2009). Conclusion Kodak Company had dominated in photography industry but it has not managed to stay at the top due to the current market trends. It failed to invent its own innovations of digital cameras which have dominated in the market today. This was caused by poor strategic planning for future market opportunities and poor management. Kodak Company also experienced storms of technology advancement in the industry because many companies developed superior digital cameras that made the Kodak digital cameras loss market. Political environment also contributed to the down fall of Kodak as it emphasised on regulations of printing images. Kodak failed to embrace the digital technology as society trends changed to digital images and social networking. Reference List Campbell, David J. Craig, Tom, 2005. Organisations and the business environment. Butterworth-Heinemann, UK, p 130-140. Fine G, 2009.The SWOT Analysis: Using Your Strength to Overcome Weaknesses , Using Opportunities to Overcome Threats. CreatSpace, New York, p163-185. Gavetti, G., Henderson, R. Giorgi, S, 2005. Kodak and the Digital Revolution (A), Harvard Business School, HBS Press, UK, p 222-228. Graetz, F. et al, 2002. Managing Organisational Change, John Wiley, UK, p 156-170. Greiner, L.E, 1998. Evolution and Revolution as Organisations Grow. Harvard Business Review, UK, p188-193. Griffin R, 2011. Fundamentals of management. Cengage Learning, London, p 233-38. (Rupert N, 2011).Kodak falls in the ‘creative destruction of the digital age’. Retrieved from www.guardian.co.uk. Neild, C Carysforth, C, 2004. BTEC First Business. Heineman, UK, p 74-89. Pahl, N Richter, A, 2009. SWOT Analysis- Idea, Methodology and a Practical Approach. Grin Verlag. London, p 106-130. Tan, V. Tiong, N.T, 2005. Change Management in Times of Economics Uncertainty, Singapore Management Review, First Half Vol. 27 Issue 1, p 88-103. This essay on Kodak Company SWOT Analysis was written and submitted by user Raegan Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Positive Behavioral Supports

Introduction Education 50 years ago was not what it is like today. Schools today are confronted with a vast amount of issues. Within those issues are student achievement, school violence, lack of parental support, and behavioral concerns within the school community and in the classrooms.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Positive Behavioral Supports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bowen (n.d.) found that various studies have shown that students who act up in school express a variety of reasons for doing so. Some think that teachers don’t care about them and others don’t want to be in school at all while many don’t consider goal setting and success in school important anymore. Despite these hurdles, students agree that discipline is needed in schools. One high school student stated: â€Å"If there were no discipline, the school would not be distinguished from the street.† Bennett (1999) states that most surveys show that Americans complain that too many schools are disorderly, undisciplined places. How much are students really learning when the main focus in our schools today is student behavior and discipline? Many different programs have been presented to schools in efforts to help alleviate some of the discipline problems found in schools and in the classrooms. PBIS (2009) states that â€Å"a major focus for current policy and systems change efforts in education is the extent to which states are investing in practices and procedures that are supported by rigorous research evidence.† Positive Behavior Support (PBS) is a research-based theory that supports the idea that a student’s behavior can be changed if a full understanding of the child is gained. Through positive interventions students are able to reduce the negative behavior and increase the more desirable one. This literature review will examine the literature related to Positive Behavior Su pport, its foundations and the advantages and disadvantages of implementing PBS.Advertising Looking for thesis on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Origins of Positive Behavior Support Positive Behavior Support is relatively new to the scene of school reform because it was mainly known as behavior modification for special education students who displayed difficult behaviors. The origins of PBS can be traced back to the theory of Applied Behavior Analysis, an expansion of the operant conditioning theory first developed by B.F. Skinner, the American psychologist. A survey performed by Frey (2006) of four hundred teachers revealed that teachers felt that operant conditioning was effective at managing behavior of both groups and individual students. Positive Behavior Support: A Three Tier Continuum It is important to express that like academic forms of instruction, students also require different levels of behavioral inte rventions and different types of support in order to do well in school. Positive Behavior Support focuses on three key levels within a continuum, according to Nelson, Hurley, Synhorst, Epstein, Stage Buckley (2009) the first tier entails â€Å"universal interventions that are expected to prevent the onset of problem behavior in a majority of children altogether and to sustain improvements in child outcomes by the selected and indicated interventions.† This level is known as universal because it delineates school-wide behavioral expectations for all students along with consistent consequences for unwanted behaviors. Level two also known as tier two is mainly for students who still continue to demonstrate problem behavior after tier one was implemented. Tier two on the continuum focuses more on small group interventions. A study done by McIntosh, Campbell, Carter, Dickey, (2009) examined the effectiveness and differential effects of a tier two daily behavior intervention. Thi s study was conducted over an eight week period and the samples were 36 students. The findings confirmed that the amount of office referrals lessened after small group and targeted interventions were established.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Positive Behavioral Supports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The final tier consists of a more personalized or individualized intervention. Lewis, Colvin, Sugai (2000) state that â€Å"approximately 5% to 7% of the students will require highly individualized behavior support.† Challenges Faced While Implementing Positive Behavior Supports Weinberger (2009) conducted a study using a mixed methodology that identified the strengths and limitations of the implementation of Positive Behavior Supports. Via surveys, case studies focus groups, and behavioral data of students. The study revealed that although student behavior did not improve, the implementation of PBS wa s successful because it was able to identify specific information needed to provide individual interventions to students. A study carried out by Guthals (2009) expressed that there is no evidence of direct correlation between student achievement and the implementation of PBS. Data pertaining to the study was collected through optional surveys completed by school principals concerned about the immense number of office referrals and discipline problems in the classrooms taking a toll on student learning. While direct correlation between what was intended to be tested, the relationship between student achievement and the implementation of PBS, the surveys conveyed that administrative stress level had decreased after the implementation of PBS. Today’s schools must address the behavioral needs of all students at a number of different levels (Mogan-D’Atrio, et al 1996). First, there must be schoolwide efforts that teach positive communication and social interaction skills, a nd develop positive school routines designed to prevent behavioral issues throughout the school day (Fishbaugh Furshong, 1998; Scott, 2001; Taylor-Greene et al., 1997). Second, in conjunction with schoolwide efforts, classroom norms and routines can be established by educators, in collaboration with their students, to create a sense of caring and community in the classroom.Advertising Looking for thesis on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Third, behavioral issues must be addressed at the individual student level for students who have more intense, ongoing behavioral challenges. Addressing issues of school safety at the individual student level takes place through the creation of positive behavior support plans (Sailor et al 2007). Advantages of Implementing Positive Behavior Supports In light of increasing frequency and intensity of disruptive behaviors in schools nationwide (Martin, Lloyd, Kauffman and Coyne, 1995), policymakers and school practitioners are increasingly considering the benefits of teaching and supporting pro-social behaviors to decrease disruptive behaviors and increase academic success. Urban schools, in particular, face challenges with limited resources and large numbers of students, many of who are living in poverty or violence-prone environments (Netzel and Eber, 2003). Traditional, and more reactionary, school discipline procedures (e.g., those that rely on punishment and exclusion) are general ly ineffective in either reducing challenging behaviors or increasing desired behavior (Mogan-D’Atrio, Northrup, LaFleur and Spera, 1996). One promising alternative, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), is a school-wide approach that promotes social competence through a system of behavioral support wherein expected behaviors are defined, taught, and rewarded. Schools implementing PBIS establish a continuum of proactive, positive discipline procedures for all students across all settings. Universal school-wide strategies are intended to facilitate success for 85-95 percent of the students (Mogan-D’Atrio, et al 1996). The National Conference of the Hamilton Fish Institute On School And Community Violence while targeted small group or individual interventions are designed for the types of students for whom universal strategies have not been successful (5-15 percent (Mogan-D’Atrio, et al 1996). Last, for the one to seven percent of students who hav e chronic and intensive needs across multiple settings, a wrap-around approach is implemented (Eber, Sugai, Smith, and Scott, 2002).Several studies have demonstrated positive effects of PBIS, with some recent research showing success in urban settings. For example, Netzel and Eber (2003) report a 22 percent reduction in suspensions after one year of universal level implementation (e.g., teaching school-wide rules and recognizing and acknowledging appropriate student behavior) in an urban elementary school. Further, Netzel and Eber report a number of encouraging outcomes during the 1st full year of school-wide PBS implementation, including a 20 percent decrease in office discipline referrals, 23 percent decrease in â€Å"time-outs,† and 57 percent decrease in short-term suspensions. Few studies, however, have demonstrated the impact of PBIS in urban settings across a number of different variables and over a number of years. Managing Disruptive Behaviors through Positive Behavi or Supports Misbehavior in K-12 schools hurts every participant. Te misbehaving student is often sequentially moved into more academically impoverished environments; other students are distracted, and teachers are forced to become disciplinarians (Sandomierski, et al 2007). Furthermore, a costly administrative infrastructure; including the very valuable and very limited time of the school principal; is monopolized to deal with discipline problems. A third grader acting up in class does not act up because s/he was born a â€Å"bad kid† (Sailor et al 2007). Most likely, s/he has not yet learned the social skills appropriate to that setting, or there is something in the classroom setting, or a learning disability, or a family issue that interferes with his or her ability to behave properly (Sandomierski, et al 2007). Unfortunately, school discipline systems focus more on punishing kids than on giving them the skills, training, and incentives to behave properly. Behavioral remedi ation, where it exists, typically takes the form of a fifteen-minute weekly visit to a school counselor. Just as if the student was trying to learn math by scheduling a fifteen-minute weekly chat with a math teacher, the system tends to fail the students (Sailor et al 2007). Research points to the benefits of systems that teach and support positive behavior, rather than simply punishing negative behavior. By adopting a positive behavior support (PBS) system, individual schools, districts, and states have dramatically reduced office referrals and suspensions, increased on-task academic time, and made students, teachers, and parents more satisfied with the school. Positive Behavior Support systems have been implemented by a large number of school districts and states, including North Carolina. Vermont is currently implementing PBS. Discipline referrals and suspensions often drop 40-60% over the first two years that the program is implemented (Sandomierski, et al 2007). Principals may save six full workdays worth often-minute visits over the course of a year. In schools with severe behavior problems, teacher satisfaction under PBS may increase by 60%, leading to a more experienced, stable staff. When a third grader misbehaves, it represents not a personal failure, but a failure of the systems around him to equip him for the setting he is in. We can stop this failure by shifting the focus to preventing misbehavior, rather than just punishing it. Providing serious behavioral support to students pays off by reducing distraction and improving academic outcomes, reducing costly referrals to special education, and letting teachers and principals do their job rather than spend all their time on discipline (Sailor et al 2007). Rather than being transferred into special education or punished to the point of dropping out, students with behavior problems are put on a path to social and academic success. Positive behavior support programs in a school may employ a three-tier model. The first tier is a low-intensity, school-wide misbehavior prevention program involving things like certificates of recognition for such pro-social behaviors as picking trash and putting it in the trash can. These programs are targeted to build the skills of the majority of students (80-85%) who have 0-1 office referrals. The second tier of students (10-15% with 2-5 office referrals) typically have significant behavior problems and require intervention, such as group sessions with school psychologists to learn appropriate behaviors, just as they would learn any other skill set in a classroom setting. Te goal of these sessions is to help them emulate their better-behaved classmates, rather than imitating those with more severe behavioral problems. Te third tier (typically 5% with 6+ office referrals) suffers from severe behavioral problems, requiring individualized interventions. Conclusion Results indicate that implementation of universal Positive Behavior Support (e.g., teac hing behavioral expectations, rewarding positive behaviors) in Year 1 and beginning targeted level intervention (targeting small groups of students with two to five behavior referrals for small group interventions) in Year 2 leads to positive changes in one of the two schools examined. Specifically, Addison School demonstrated overall decreases in ODRs, as well as decreases in the most frequent problem behavior and locations over the first 1.5 years of implementation (Sandomierski, et al 2007). These latter two are particularly noteworthy, as they exemplify the successful use of data to target problematic behaviors and contexts. Classroom referrals were specifically targeted in Year 2 through the addition of classroom management training for teachers. Problematic behaviors on the bus were specifically targeted that same year through the addition of bi-monthly bus driver training breakfasts. Teacher ratings on our surveys showed some positive changes across the two years as well, wit h teachers generally rating the existence of negative behaviors lower in Year 2, while pro-social behaviors were rated more highly, although it should be noted that only one of these differences reached statistical significance. Findings further suggest the need for full implementation of the PBS model. These schools are relatively strong in universal level implementation, but are still in the beginning stages of implementation of the targeted level, and have not yet begun intensive-level intervention. These latter two levels are important in decreasing referrals from the most chronic misbehavers, and intervention here would likely have a much greater impact on overall referrals as well as the schools’ â€Å"triangle† profiles and teacher perceptions of both student behavior and effectiveness of the intervention. This finding is consistent with teacher concerns as noted in focus groups and in survey results. Furthermore, given time needed for full implementation of the model, as well as systems-change research indicating that three to five years are necessary to implement full school change (Sandomierskiet al 2007), an evaluation of the effectiveness of such school-wide interventions should additionally allow for a minimum of three years of data. References Eber, L. Sugai, G. Smith, C. and Scott, T. M. (2002). Wraparound And Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports In The Schools. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 10, 136-173. Frey, S. (2006). Teachers and Operant Conditioning. Retrieved from ERIC database. Guthals, J. The Relationship Between Positive Behavior Supports, Student Achievement, Severe Problem Behavior, And Administrative Stress. Ed.D. dissertation, University of Montana, United States — Montana. Lewis, T., Colvin, G., Sugai, G. (2000). The Effects of Pre-Correction and Active Supervision on the Recess Behavior of Elementary Students. Education Treatment of Children, 23(2), 109. Retrieved from Academic Sea rch Premier database. McIntosh, K., Campbell, A., Carter, D., Dickey, C. (2009). Differential Effects of a Tier Two Behavior Intervention Based on Function of Problem Behavior. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11(2), 82-93. OmniFile Full Text Mega database. Martin, K. F., Lloyd, J. W., Kauffman, J. M., and Coyne, M. (1995). Teachers’ Perceptions Of Educational Placement Decisions For Pupils With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 20, 106-117. Mogan-D’Atrio, C., Northrup, J., LaFleur, L., and Spera, S. (1996). Toward Prescriptive Alternatives To Suspensions: A Preliminary Evaluation. Behavioral Disorders, 21, 190-200. Nelson, J., Hurley, K., Synhorst, L., Epstein, M., Stage, S., Buckley, J. (2009). The Child Outcomes of a Behavior Model. Exceptional Children, 76(1), 7-30. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. Netzel, D. M. and Eber, L. (2003). Shifting From Reactive To Proactive Discipline In An Urban School District: A Chan ge Of Focus Through PBIS Implementation. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 5, 71-79. PBIS. March 2009. Is School-Wide Positive Behavior Support An Evidence-Based Practice? (2009). Web. Ps@?under, M. (2005). How Effective Is School Discipline in Preparing Students to Become Responsible Citizens? Slovenian Teachers’ and Students’ Views. Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 21(3), 273-286. Retrieved from ERIC database. Sailor, W., Stowe, M. J., Turnbull, R., III, Kleinhammer-Tramill, P. J. (2007). A Case For Adding A Social-Behavioral Standard To Standards-Based Education With School-Wide Positive Behavior Support As Its Basis. Remedial and Special Education, 28, 366–376. Sandomierski, T., Kincaid, D., Algozzine, B. (2007). Response To Intervention And Positive Behavior Support: Brothers From Different Mothers Or Sisters With Different Misters? PBIS Newsletter 4(2). This thesis on Positive Behavioral Supports was written and submitted by user Tinley Forbes to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Free At Last

FREE AT LAST â€Å"Free at last† an extract from â€Å"incidents in the life of a slave girl (1861) written by Harriet Jacobs (1813-1897) describe how Jacobs struggled all her life to become free. This narrative written during the civil war record’s a pattern of horror and abuse as to stun modern readers. This narrative reflects the state of slaves and their families at that time. Family is those who earn for each other and share both happiness and sorrow. Many features of an individual are characterized or influenced by his or her family. Thus a happy person is a person with a happy family. When we visualized a family we see a father, a mother and their children. If the father or mother is missing there is something wrong. It’s like drinking soup with no salt. Jacobs shows clearly that she is from a matriarchal family. Her father is not with her because he is not a slave of Dr. Flint but a slave of a different family. Mr. Sawyer the white father of Jacobs’ two children also could not be a significant part of their family. So, there isn’t any dominant male who is supporting the family. There is a strong emotional flow in the story, which presents the pain and grief of having a matriarchal family that was not common at that time. Jacobs’ grandmother Molly plays an important role in their matriarchal family. In the narrative there is no sign of molly’s husband, may be he is dead or has left her. She is old and alone but she is not a slave. Thus, she has greater liberty. Molly too has to suffer the consequences of being a part of a matriarchal family. She has been defrauded of the hard earnings she had loaned. May be this would not have happened if there was a male in the family. Molly can be considered as the head of the family. She takes the responsibility of raising Jacobs ‘children. Jacobs... Free Essays on Free At Last Free Essays on Free At Last FREE AT LAST â€Å"Free at last† an extract from â€Å"incidents in the life of a slave girl (1861) written by Harriet Jacobs (1813-1897) describe how Jacobs struggled all her life to become free. This narrative written during the civil war record’s a pattern of horror and abuse as to stun modern readers. This narrative reflects the state of slaves and their families at that time. Family is those who earn for each other and share both happiness and sorrow. Many features of an individual are characterized or influenced by his or her family. Thus a happy person is a person with a happy family. When we visualized a family we see a father, a mother and their children. If the father or mother is missing there is something wrong. It’s like drinking soup with no salt. Jacobs shows clearly that she is from a matriarchal family. Her father is not with her because he is not a slave of Dr. Flint but a slave of a different family. Mr. Sawyer the white father of Jacobs’ two children also could not be a significant part of their family. So, there isn’t any dominant male who is supporting the family. There is a strong emotional flow in the story, which presents the pain and grief of having a matriarchal family that was not common at that time. Jacobs’ grandmother Molly plays an important role in their matriarchal family. In the narrative there is no sign of molly’s husband, may be he is dead or has left her. She is old and alone but she is not a slave. Thus, she has greater liberty. Molly too has to suffer the consequences of being a part of a matriarchal family. She has been defrauded of the hard earnings she had loaned. May be this would not have happened if there was a male in the family. Molly can be considered as the head of the family. She takes the responsibility of raising Jacobs ‘children. Jacobs...

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - Coursework Example Anne Catherick is â€Å"the woman in white† in the book (Pykett, 40). She is mentally ill and is locked up in a psychiatric hospital. She has a striking resemblance to her sister Laura Fairlie. She escapes from the asylum. It is after the escape that she meets with the main character in the story Walter Hartright on his way to work at the Limmerage House. Laura also falls in love with Walter when he moves to Limmerage House in Cumberland to work as a drawing master. She is however bound to her secretive and mysterious husband Sir Percival Glyde, who at times assaults her, but even the law cannot protect her. Glyde tells his best friend Count Fosco of the resemblance between Laura and Anne. They come up with a scheme switch Laura’s identity with that of her sister Anne after Anne’s death. The plan succeeds, and Glyde then inherits Laura’s marriage settlement worth 20,000 pounds. When Walter returns from Honduras, he is determined to restore Laura’s real identity. While doing his researches, Walter discovers that Glyde was a con. His title and property were illicit. Glyde suspects Walter is about to discover his secret. He tries to destroy the registry entry to hide his secret. In the process, the church burns down and Glyde dies in the fire. Walter confronts Laura’s mother and learns that Anne and Laura have the same father. Fosco tries to flee from the country, but Walter catches him and forces him to write a confession that can enable him restore Laura’s identity. Their son becomes the heir of Limmerage. (Pykett, 127). As seen through the experiences that Anne, Laura and other female characters go through in the book, Wilkie Collins paints a picture of a society that mistreats and oppresses women just because of their gender. Women undergo many forms of mistreatments including assaults by their husbands to denial of the rightful inheritances by their male siblings. Through the book, the writer paints a

Discussion based on Abhijit Banejee and Esther Duflo's readings Assignment

Discussion based on Abhijit Banejee and Esther Duflo's readings - Assignment Example Living under such harsh conditions make it difficult to have access to the basis necessities of live, which puts a question mark on their ability to survive. The available evidence on this is not complete in many ways. However, some new researches have recently added a sufficient amount data on this huge part of the global population, which provide enough information to form an understanding on how the poor people live their lives. The assigned report details of a survey that was conducted in 13 different countries (Banerjee and Duflo). In addition, they have added two surveys, which were conducted in India (Udaipur District), which is one of the poorest districts of India. It is understood that there is a strong association between poverty and malnutrition. The poor has few real choices to make. Their earning is barely enough to fulfill their basic needs and therefore, they are majorly underfed and weak. The authors also highlight that one of the major reasons for the poor to spend the lowest on their food is that they often give more importance to other obligations or activities rather than for acquiring food. The study by authors indicates that the poor spend a lot on alcohol and tobacco in different countries such as Papua, New Guinea, and India. According to the survey, Udaipur tops the list of being on the poorest districts of India, which spends highest on festivals. People feel an obligation to spend a large amount of their budget on occasions like weddings, funerals, and other religious festivals. They choose to spend more on non-food items and festivals than on food. Moreover, the extremely poor rarely spend on entertainment. Another interest ing finding from the study reflects that these people do not seem to be as hungry as one may expect. It is a common understanding that the poor will always search for ways to fulfill their food needs in the least expensive way.

Case 11-1 Let There Be Light Lampshade Company Assignment

Case 11-1 Let There Be Light Lampshade Company - Assignment Example This is arrived at by dividing the volume of the packaged box by the volume of one intermodal container (Wood, & Murphy, 2011). The amount got is multiplied by the number of Shades that are contained in each package boxes which in this case for the style C is 10. Again it is should be noted that the considerations made here are after the looking into the possible cost benefit analysis in terms of full truck load and the less than truck load issues n the shipments. The total costs of delivering style A shades are $ 13,512. This is disintegrated into package cost which is $ 1632, the cost of manufacturing of the shades which is $ 10,880, the cost of transporting each container which stands at $ 1000. All these are encompassed into one whole shipment cost of $ 13, 512. The delivery costs for the style B shades stands at $ 21,885.60. This is split into package cost of 1305.60; there is also the cost of shades manufacture which stands at $ 19,580 and lastly the container shipment cost which is $ 1000 (Wood, & Murphy, 2011). Thirdly the delivery cost of the style C shades stands at $ 42,126.40. This is divided into three sets of costs which include; the package costs which stands at $ 1958.40, there is also the cost of manufacturing the shades which stands at $ 39168. The cost of shipment of the container follows with the tune of $ 1000. It is imperative to note that as these calculations are presented, there is high inculcation of the fact that there is a high level of opportunity cost that have been forgone in order to come up with such solutions. This entails the restriction on the amount of pound that should not be exceeded when transporting a shipment of container across the ocean. This has created the impediment for the use of the container especially the containers that will have the style C shades (Chopra, and Meindl, 2013). As it stands now, the limit has to be set on the amount of shades that should be transported for the

Analysis of the core competences of PepsiCo

Analysis of the core competences of PepsiCo PepsiCo is an organization that has been known for its marketing and distribution prowess. This section is dedicated to analyzing the core competences of PepsiCo and evaluating their effect on the strategy adopted by the organization. Tangible Resources In this section, we analyse in detail, the tangible resources of PepsiCo under the following heads: Financial Resources PepsiCo has a strong financial backbone to support its aggressive marketing strategies, promotional campaigns and social activities. It works in collaboration with various governments in the countries that it operates and has operational ties with various civic authorities. Its capacity to generate finances is showcased by the fact that it could raise 31.37 billion rubles from a Ukrainian juice manufacturer, WBD which it acquired last year  [i]   Organisational Resources- PepsiCo recently revamped its organizational structure in an effort to handle the double digit growth prospects. It has three broad units, each of which looks after a sizeable business. The CEO of the company Indra Nooyi is known to be a flamboyant leader. She is known to lead by delegation and empowerment. This increases the loyalty of the employees towards the organization  [ii]  . Physical Resources PepsiCo has state-of-the-art manufacturing plants at three locations in India  [iii]  . In addition to this, it has 37 bottling plants, of which 17 are owned by PepsiCo. These are spread all over India, which help in increasing the reach of its products and ensuring timely delivery. Technological Resources PepsiCo tries to keep itself abreast of the latest technological developments. In a recent step taken, it has added hydrogen injected trucks to its delivery fleet in Canada  [iv]  . This was done as an effort towards increasing the fuel efficiency of its fleet and reducing emissions. Intangible Resources We look at the various intangible resources held by PepsiCo under the following heads: Human Resources PepsiCo attracts some of the best minds in the industry. By providing them enough financial and non-financial motivation and handing them challenging tasks to perform, they keep their employees satisfied and loyal to the organization. Innovation Resources The pace of innovation in functional foods and beverages division in PepsiCo has picked up since 2002. PepsiCo is second, after Kraft in this industry with 101 innovations since then. Some competitors are outspending PepsiCo on RD investments by nearly two to one margin  [1]  . But PepsiCo has been making good use of every dime spent on the RD as is seen from the number of innovations vis-à  -vis its competitors. Reputational Resources In a study conducted , it was seen that Pepsi as a brand enjoys a good reputation with the customers. They like it for its distinct taste. The study also pointed out that the brand name of Pepsi is certainly a force to reckon with. The quality perception of the product is generally high. However most of the customers see it as a drink second to Coke. One area wherein PepsiCo scores over its rivals is the social initiatives like contract farming and positive water balance. Due to this, it has a very strong reputation with its suppliers. Capabilities PepsiCo as an organization, has survived strong competition from its more established rivals like The Coca Cola Company , Nestle among others due to the following capabilities that it has:  [v]   Muscular Global Brands and Consumer Goodwill Over the years, PepsiCo, with its portfolio of global brands, has built platforms for growth. Its highly focused portfolio offers many of the worlds best-known foods and beverages-brands of enduring appeal. The portfolio includes 15 brands that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Thats more than any other food and beverage company. Pepsi leads the parade with $15.6 billion in annual sales. The company has been successful in entering into licensing ventures with other well-known names, such as Starbucks and Lipton, and has had huge success with global promotions by linking with globally recognized brands. Robust Technology/Manufacturing Platforms PepsiCos global brands are supported by sophisticated technology and manufacturing platforms. These platforms include the science of nutrition, food and beverages, process and manufacturing, and packaging. Each of PepsiCos divisions contributes to the knowledge and technology platforms, creating an institutional knowledge base that can be shared across divisions. Such sharing of best-practice knowledge creates a competitive advantage, because it allows PepsiCo to differentiate its products from competitors, and promotes innovation in products and processes. It is also a significant growth advantage: cross-fertilization between divisions allows for the creation of new products that can be brought to market. The various process and manufacturing platforms allow PepsiCo not only to improve existing products and packages, but also to create entirely new ones. Equally important, innovation gives retailers a great reason to feature products promin ently Global Footprint PepsiCo employs 137,000 people in 200 countries. Including the bottling system and other partners, it generates some $39 billion in revenues, of which 35% comes from outside North America. The company has nearly 700 manufacturing facilities worldwide, 2,100 distribution centers and 70,000 routes. In addition to its presence in North America, PepsiCo has leadership positions in Mexico, the U.K., and the Middle East. It is investing significantly in creating momentum in the critical emerging markets of China and India. In the Indian subcontinent, Pepsi Beverages International (PBI) has more than 45% market share of carbonated soft drinks (CSD). FLI also has a strong global presence, with sales in 44 countries supported by 71 manufacturing plants outside North America, as well as 62,000 associates and 22,000 routes outside North America. In many countries, it enjoys greater than 30% market share. While 61% of PepsiCos salty snack revenues come from North America, Latin America contributes 18% of revenues, Europe/Africa contributes 17%, and Asia contributes 4% Core Competencies PepsiCo enjoys the stature of the dominant force that it is in various segments of the food and beverage industry due to its famed distribution systems. PepsiCo goes to market through a distribution network of extraordinary strength and flexibility. This is a core competency as it satisfies all the four criteria of sustainable competitive advantage i.e., it is a valuable capability, rare, costly to imitate and non-substitutable. The reason why is it so is explained below. The goal of the distribution channel of PepsiCo is to put its products within easy reach of the consumer. Because practices and customs vary by market, and because retail customers have different needs, PepsiCo has several successful models for service that it uses around the world. Direct store delivery Direct store delivery (DSD) systems are at the heart of this network. Through these systems, PepsiCo takes its products directly to tens of thousands of distribution outlets, from the tiniest convenience stores to the largest warehouse outlets. Pepsi and its bottlers personally take products into stores and set them on the shelves, helping to ensure that products are fresh and that fragile items such as chips are handled with care. It also allows PepsiCo to merchandise its brands for maximum visibility and appeal. PepsiCos systems can move new products into national distribution quickly-sometimes as quickly as a week. And because representatives call on retail customers so frequently, they know very quickly how a new product is selling. At the same time, DSD provides financial benefits to retailers. Since Pepsi handles the products and merchandising, retailers save on labor. And because these products typically are sold and restocked every few days, while retailers pay for them on 30-day cycles, Pepsi adds to a stores cash flow. In fact, PepsiCo contributes more than any other manufacturer to the revenue growth, profit growth and cash flow of the big U.S. retailers. In international markets, PepsiCo is able to adapt its distribution to reap the benefits of traditional DSD-particularly the merchandising capabilities and the reach into many retail outlets-without the costs that would burden a young or subscale business. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Broker-Warehouse Distribution- For some of PepsiCos products, traditional broker warehouse distribution is more economical and just as effective as DSD. According to this system, third-party distributors move PepsiCos products to stores, and store employees stock the shelves. This system works best for non-impulse products such as Gatorade, Quaker Oats, Tropicana Twister, or Capn Crunch cereal, which are neither fragile nor highly perishable. PepsiCos merger with Quaker dramatically expanded the companys broker-warehouse distribution capabilities, adding the large and efficient warehouse system used for Quaker and Gatorade products. To leverage that strength, PepsiCo has combined that system with Tropicanas. Additionally, the Quaker-Gatorade system is used for certain Frito-Lay snacks that are better suited to warehouse distribution. Vending and Foodservice-Every year, consumers buy more snacks and beverages from vending machines and the foodservice companies that serve stadiums, office buildings, colleges, and similar venues. By combining the capabilities of Frito-Lay, Tropicana, and Quaker, it has created one of the biggest vending and foodservice sales forces in North America, a 600-person team that already generates well over $1 billion in annual sales.

Samuel Gander

Samuel Gander Mr. Dunham English 102 April 25, 2012 Farming On a Whole New Level Although people have worked in agriculture for more than 10,000 years, advance in technology assisted with maintaining and protecting land, crops, and animals. The demand to keep food affordable encourages those working in the agriculture industry to operate as efficiently as possible (Newman & Ruiz, pp. 33-47). Almost all people and companies in the industry have many acres of land they must maintain, and it is not always feasible for farmers to take frequent trips around the property to perform basic tasks such as watering soil in the absence of rain.The number of people-hours required to water soil manually on several thousand acres of land might result in businesses spending thousands of dollars in labor and utility costs. If the irrigation process is automated, sensors detect how much rain has fallen recently, as well as whether the soil is in need of watering. The sensors then send this data to a c omputer that processes it and decides when and how much to water. In addition to keeping the soil moist and reducing maintenance costs, computer also can utilize sensor to analyze the condition of crops in the field and determine whether pests or diseases are affecting the crops.If sensor detects pests and/or diseases, computers send a notification to the appropriate individual to take corrective action. In some cases, according to Brewster, the discovery of pests might trigger a pesticide to discharge in the affected area automatically (Agriculture: Expanding and Growing). Many farmers use technology in a daily basis to regulate soil moisture and to keep their crop pest free. With technology, farming can be much more convenient and efficient. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Barton states the many automated home irrigation system also are programmable and use rain sensor (pp. 67-73)

Social Media and Sports

Has social media’s impact on the professional sports world been positive or negative? Social media has made a massive impact on our culture. One of the areas that has not been affected is professional sports. In today’s world, professional sports teams and players from around the world use social media to connect with their global fan bases. Sports teams attempt to build a larger, stronger fan base by engaging fans through social media sites. Additionally, social media sites allow professional athletes to increase their marketability.However, they can also severely damage their career, personal life, and their ‘brand’ if they do not handle their social media interactions with care (Van Schaik). Twitter and Facebook allow teams and players to be interactive and personal with fans. They can use these platforms to not only deliver basic team news updates, but to share information about autograph signings, charity events, or ticket specials too. One of the most important aspects of any sports team is that they have a loyal, growing fan base that feels like they are valued and appreciated. Therefore, these fans will stand by their team through thick and thin.Social media provides the perfect opportunity for that. Sports teams and athletes are becoming more and more efficient at using social media to create a positive impact on their team and their fan’s. One of the positive impacts of social media on professional sports is the ability to share news and information with fans through it. Social media websites are beginning to replace sports radio and cable networks as the dominant places to find the latest breaking sports news. It seems more and more sports fans are turning to the internet for the latest sports news, updates, and information about their favorite teams or players.More specifically, fans are utilizing social sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In fact, fans are 10 times more likely to check Facebook or Twitter for their sports news than sports radio. Also, an overwhelming 81% of fans prefer the Internet for their sports information over any other platform (Blakley). Fans just are checking social media before or after the games either. More than 80% of fans interact via social media while watching games (Altobelli). I can attest to these statistics because I am one of this growing majority. There are a few reasons I choose to use the Internet and social media for my sports news nstead of sports radio or TV. First off, with social media and the Internet I am able to find information about my favorite player or team instantly. With TV or sports radio, you basically have to take the information as it is given. For example, ESPN chooses to focus on teams from major cities like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Very rarely will I be able to find daily updates on an injured Minnesota Twins player by watching Sportscenter. Instead, I can click on over to the Minnesota Twin’s Facebook page or Twitt er and find daily injury updates. Another upside to social media in this situation is that it is up to the minute information.Most sports radio shows or cable networks discuss what happened yesterday in the sports news world. Social media is constantly updating so there is a plethora of new information always streaming. Lastly, I prefer social media over the other forms of sports news because they are readily available to me. Sports radio and ESPN are not always as mobile as I would like. I am not able to take Sportscenter into the car with me. Also, I do not have a reliable sports radio station to listen to in my area. At times I can get KFAN from the Twin Cities, but not on a consistent basis.Therefore, any sports radio news updates come about once an hour and are quite brief. Additionally, I spend a lot of time at my girlfriend’s cabin during the summer months. At her cabin, they only have a few basic local channels. ESPN is not available. As a result, I turn to social med ia and my cell phone for sports news. Rarely do I miss a beat because of the efficiency and accuracy of the social media websites. Social media has already made a giant impact on how sports information is shared with fans. It is only going to keep growing as technology spreads and more fans get familiar with smart phones and tablets.Another way social media has affected the sports world is by bringing fans closer to the game. As a sports fan, I can agree that fans always want to feel closer to the game. That is why people still pay ridiculous ticket prices to attend ball games instead of watching them on TV in the comfort of their living room. Fans have an urge for that connection and closeness. They want to feel apart of the game. Social media sites provide teams and players the unique ability to directly connect with their fans. It used to be the closest you got to a favorite player was a post-game radio interview.Now, you can follow them on Twitter and have rare insight into thei r everyday world. Players use sites like Facebook and Twitter to give fan’s a behind the scenes look at what happens at home, in the locker room, and on the sidelines. Social media gives pro athletes the chance to interact and share data with fans in a way that was not possible in the past. Fans used to only know about a player from what they read in the paper or saw on TV (Van Schaik) . Now, fans can find out what their favorite player ate for breakfast or what music they are listening to.Fans have yearned for this kind of accessibility for years and now it is becoming a reality. I actually have friend’s that make it a daily ritual to check their favorite player’s Twitter. Actually, being able to follow players and coaches is probably the biggest reason why I created a Twitter in the first place. I love the inside look into their personal lives. It is very cool when you find out how much you do or do not have in common with them. One of the highlights of my Twi tter career was when I tweeted Kevin Love after a Timberwolve’s game and congratulated him on his performance and the team’s win.A few minutes later, I received what is called a â€Å"retweet† from Love basically saying thank you. I was blown away. It meant a lot to me to know that Kevin Love took thirty seconds out of his life to tell me, some nobody fan, thank you. It is almost as if social media has taken the place of autographs. Before, you wanted players’ autographs, now you want players to say something back to you on Twitter (Blakley). Social media is a great way for athletes to communicate and engage with fans. It allows players and teams to share information with them before it has been filtered by the news media.Twitter and Facebook have been instrumental in raising the profile of athletes in every sport. It allows them to give a personal perspective on all aspects of the competition, seemingly unhindered by various PR and marketing machines. Wh ile the majority of social media’s impact on professional sports has been positive, there is definitely a negative side that should be discussed. In the early age of social media, some sports leagues had trouble regulating player usage of it. People who grew up long before the Internet age govern most sports.This creates a problem when they try to tackle the issues surrounding sports and social media (Westhenry). First off, there was the problem with players actually posting on Twitter immediately following and even during their games. League officials found social media to be a distraction to their player’s. Accordingly, the NBA and NFL implemented policies that limited when players and staff could use social media. The NBA’s policy bans the usage of social media from 45 minutes before tipoff until after the players have fulfilled their other media duties following the game.The NFL stretched it to 90 minutes before and after games (Westhenry). The other major i ssue surrounding social media and sports is controlling what athletes post or say. Athletes are and should have the freedom to share their personal opinions and ideas through social media. In fact, it should be encouraged for them to do so. Like I’ve stated before, fans have a desire to feel connected with players and love that â€Å"uncensored† feeling. However, if not handled with care, social media has the potential to seriously damage a player’s private life, athletic performance, and possibly their career.All it takes is a split second of poor judgment and one senseless social media posting for a major incident to occur. Many athletes fail to remember the impact their social media activity can have. Others fall victim to the dangers of being provoked by obnoxious fans. When athletes dispose of their frustrations and anger online without thinking over the consequences, the results are rarely good (Van Schaik). While there are numerous examples of this happen ing, I will only share a couple. To begin with, we can look at the case of Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back Rashard Mendenhall.He posted controversial comments on his Twitter following the death of Osama bin Laden that caused him to lose an endorsement contract. Mendenhall had previously stirred up a controversy when he posted his opinion about the 9/11 attacks (Westhenry). More recently, there was the case of San Antonio Spurs forward Stephen Jackson. He was fined $25,000 for threatening another NBA player via Twitter (â€Å"Jackson Fined for Tweet about Ibaka†). Countless athletes fail to learn from the lessons of others. It is frustrating to me as a fan to see player after player get in trouble for something they said on a social media site.Many athletes fail to recognize the importance of their social media channels to their sponsors and their teams. Also, some seem to think that because they are using social media that it permits them to forgo traditional media p rotocol (Van Schaik). An athlete’s words reach far beyond just their fans and followers. They impact colleagues, friends and their family. One foolish tweet can instantly turn into a scandal with the capability to damage the athlete, their team, and their sponsors (Van Schaik). A big component here is sponsors. Many sports superstars are actually brands in themselves.They represent their team, league, city, fans and sponsors. It is important to note that while some of their income comes from their sports contract, a lot of their money comes from being a public figure (Van Schaik). Creating the wrong headlines and wrong type of publicity can cost an athlete not only thousands in fines, but millions of dollars in sponsorship money too. Every single athlete has to be aware of the social media pitfalls and consequences. While many stars have been forgiven for their online troubles, the problem is that the commonness of such mistakes is growing.If the trend continues, it will sure ly damage the positive impact that these communication platforms have had on professional sports (Westhenry). I feel that the best way for the sport’s world to handle these issues is through education and guidelines. Social media is still in its infancy. Therefore, leagues and teams must educate their players on social media and how to use it. As social media becomes a larger part of everyday life for millions of people around the world, people will also become more educated about how social media works. This will help alleviate some of these issues (Westhenry).Lastly, leagues and teams need to develop a social media code of conduct for their athletes. For example, if a player would get suspended for cursing or ranting at a team press conference, they should have the same consequences for a social media outburst. If they would get fined for complaining about officials to a TV camera, do the same if they complain about them on their Twitter (Westhenry). Like I stated before, t he more athletes and sports teams use social media, the more educated they will become. With a little common sense, some education, and a few regulations, these negative social media issues will fade away.Sport’s fans love social media. This can be illustrated by the millions of followers athletes have on networking sites. Moreover, athletes themselves seem to truly love social media. It allows them a platform to step away from the normal interview cliches and really have some freedom in what they say. Sites like Twitter and Facebook allow fans to get to know their favorite athletes on a deeper, more personal level. The increasing use of social media in the professional sports world can have a substantially positive impact on a player and an organization.While there is criticism surrounding its usage, the positives are overwhelming. There is no doubt that sports has and will continue to benefit from social media. Works Cited Altobelli, Diana. â€Å"The Rise of Social Media i n Professional Sports. † 1 SEO. N. p. , 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. . Blakley, Julie. â€Å"Sports and Social Media. † Postano. N. p. , 7 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. . â€Å"Jackson Fined for Tweet about Ibaka. † NBA. com. N. p. , 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 012. . Van Schaik, Thomas. â€Å"Professional Athletes on Social Media: Why Some Get Fans and Others Fines. † Sports Networker. N. p. , 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2012. . Westhenry, Rowanne. â€Å"Sports Stars on Twitter: Marketing Geniuses or Massive Twits? † Bleacher Report. N. p. , 12 Oct. 2012. Web. 20 Dec. 2012. .

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Perhaps because the free-response section of the AP Language and Composition exam is worth more than the multiple-choice section, some teachers spend much more time preparing you for free-response than multiple-choice. While it's great to be prepared for the essays, this might leave you feeling like a lost and confused lamb when it comes to the AP English Language and Composition multiple choice section. But never fear, the guide is here! This guide will give a brief overview of the AP Language and Composition multiple-choice section, the eight question types you can expect to see on the test, three preparation strategies, a slate of AP practice question resources, and finally some tips for success on test day. The Multiple-Choice Section: An Overview Section I of the AP English Language and Composition test is the multiple-choice section. This section will have 52-55 questions testing you on how well you can read and understand nonfiction passages for their use of rhetoric. On the exam, you will be presented with four to five nonfiction passages. You will receive a bit of orienting information at the beginning of this passage, for example "this essay originally appeared in a major national newspaper in the 1980s." Each passage will have about 10-15 questions associated with it. The AP Lang multiple choice section is worth 45% of your total exam score. You will receive one point to your raw score for every question you answer correctly. However, as on other AP exams, your raw score will be converted to a scaled score from 1-5. But what's actually on the multiple-choice section? The next section explores what kinds of questions you can expect to actually be asked on the exam. The 8 Types of Multiple-Choice Questions There are eight kinds of multiple choice questions on the AP Language exam. In this section, I'll go over each type, provide an example question, and walk you through answering it. All of the example questions come from the "Course and Exam Description." You can find the original passages these questions are referring to there as well. Type 1: Reading Comprehension As you might expect, reading comprehension questions are about testing if you understood the passage on a concrete level: what does this particular sentence mean in a literal sense? And so on. You can usually identify them from phrases like "according to" and "refers." To succeed on these kinds of questions, your best strategy is to go back and re-read the part of the passage the question is asking about. Do so carefully, and when you then answer the question, focus on what the passage is actually saying outright. Don't infer on reading comprehension questions! Example: Let's go back and look at Lines 23-26 to answer this question: "But ‘books are not about schedules,' author Stephanie Nolen argues; rather, they are ‘about submerging yourself...about getting consumed.'" To return to the question, what is her "primary criticism of book clubs," then? Well, she says, "books are not about schedules." So, they shouldn't have to be a scheduled-in obligation. The only answer that choice that resembles what she actually says in the passage is that the problem with books clubs is that they (A), "are too programmed." Type 2: Implication This question style moves beyond basic, concrete reading comprehension into the realm of implication. Implication is what the author seems to say without actually coming out and saying it directly. However, even though the answer may not be written out clearly in the passage, the question will still have a clear correct answer based on textual evidence. You can identify implication questions from phrases like "best supported," "implies," "suggests," and "inferred." As for reading comprehension questions (and indeed, all multiple-choice questions on the AP) turn and look back at the relevant part of the passage before you answer. Then ask yourself: Which interpretation put forth by the answer choices does the passage *most* support? Example: First, we need to find where in the passage names for hurricanes and tornadoes are discussed. We can find this in lines 14-17: "A tornado, although more violent than a much longer lasting hurricane, has a life measured in minutes, and weathercasters watch it snuff out as it was born: unnamed." What answers about why tornadoes are unnamed and hurricanes are named are at all supported by this line? Choice (A), "there are too many of them," is clearly incorrect as the line says nothing about the frequency of either weather event. Choice (B) says, "their destruction is not as great as that of hurricanes." This is a trap! You may know based on your own knowledge that hurricanes generally incur much greater damages overall than tornadoes, but the passage doesn't say that. You have to choose an implication that is actually supported by the passage, and the passage doesn't say which causes more destruction. Choice (C) says "they last too short of a time." The passage does say that hurricanes are "much longer lasting" and that the life of a tornado is "measured in minutes." This could be a reasonable answer, but let's make sure it's the best one before we select it. Choice (D) says "they move too erratically to be plotted" and Choice (E) says tornadoes "can appear in any area of the world." It doesn't matter if either of those statements is true since the question asks what the passage implies, and the passage does not discuss either their movements or where they appear. Thus, (C) is the answer most supported by the passage. It's a trap! Don't be fooled. Type 3: Overall Passage and Author Questions Overall passage and author questions want you to identify key, overarching elements of the passage or author's views, like the purpose of the text, the author's audience, the author's attitude toward the subject, and so on. These questions are identifiable because they won't refer back to a specific place in the text but will instead ask general questions that apply to the entire excerpt. These questions can be a little more difficult to answer than those where you can look to a specific place in the text to answer your questions. You'll really need to have an overall impression of the passage based on its overarching details. It might be helpful to jot down a couple overall impressions of the excerpt right after you read it, to refer back to when faced with overall passage questions. Example: This passage is about the rise of book clubs. The first paragraph gives examples to demonstrate that book clubs have become a popular phenomenon. The second discusses book club backlash and some book club guides. The third paragraph asserts that book clubs are positive and sharing literary experiences is a good thing. Which of the answers fits with the passage? Answer (A) can be eliminated right away because there is no personal narrative. Answer (B) can also be eliminated because the passage begins with an example about Oprah, not any "empirical" (numbers-based) data. Answer (C) can be eliminated because the passage never introduces any questions related to the practice of book clubs. Choice (D) could be good- the first two paragraphs give mostly description, and the third and final paragraph gives an evaluation. Choice (E) doesn't fit because there is no initial condemnation of "the practice" (i.e. of book clubs). So (D) is the correct answer. Type 4: Relationships Between Parts of the Text Another question type will require you to identify or describe a relationship between two specific parts of the text. This could be paragraphs or shorter line segments, or a specific part of the passage compared to the rest of the passage or the passage as a whole. My advice for answering these questions is similar to my advice for most questions- go back and read the parts of the passage in question! You may want to jot down an overarching impression of what each part of the text is accomplishing or saying as you do, which should help you compare them and identify the relationship. Example: Because this passage is only two paragraphs long, this question is essentially asking us about the relationship between the first and second halves of the passage. What is the main idea of each of the sections? Well, the first paragraph describes essentially what makes a strong writer. The second paragraph establishes that Carlyle is "such a writer" and then discusses some of his works and why they are important. When we look at the answer choices, what matches up best with our main idea descriptions? Clearly (A), which describes how the first paragraph describes the strengths of a writer (which we know Carlyle has based on the topic sentence of the second paragraph), and the second describes Carlyle's "legacy." What kind of relationship do the parts of the text have? Type 5: Interpretation of Imagery/Figurative Language This type of question is concerned with the underlying meaning or implication of imagery or figurative language used in the excerpt. What is the author trying to accomplish with this particular phrase or this metaphor? Again, it is critical that you go back and read the part of the passage that the question refers to, or you will be completely lost on these questions (more so than on most others). You may want to re-read a few lines before and after as well so you can get a sense of the imagery in context. Example: For this to make sense, we need the entire sentence the "acorns" appear in: "It is an idle question to ask if his books will be read a century hence: if they were all burnt as the grandest of Suttees on his funeral pile, it would only be like cutting down an oak after its acorns have sown a forest." What could this mean? Well, acorns come from oak trees and make more oak trees. So this must refer to something that comes from Carlyle and is somehow a replication of him or his works. The best choices if we think about that, then, would be (A) his children, or (C) the ideas in his books. However, since the passage doesn't mention anything about his children that would be an irrelevant detail and can't be what the acorns represent. So the answer must be (C). Type 6: Purpose of Part of the Text These questions will ask you to choose the answer that best states the purpose that a given part of the text serves in the piece. What is the author hoping to accomplish with this specific example/sentence/device? These questions can usually be identified because they will ask specifically about purpose or function of a specific moment. To address these questions, you will need to, of course, re-read the part of the text in question. Think about what point the author is trying to make in that specific moment, and how that would serve their larger argument. All parts of a given text will serve the larger argument if they are well-constructed, so if it seems like an interpretation of the text presented in the answer choices doesn't work with the main argument, eliminate it. Example: These lines read, "You may meet a man whose wisdom seems unimpeachable, since you find him entirely in agreement with yourself; but this oracular man of unexceptionable opinions has a green eye, a wiry hands, and altogether, a Wesen, or demeanor, that makes the world look blank to you, and whose unexceptionable opinions become a bore; while another man who deals in what you cannot but think ‘dangerous paradoxes,' warms your heart by the pressure of his hand, and looks out on the world with so clear and loving an eye, that nature seems to reflect the light of his glance upon your own feeling." This sentence is really overwhelming, so let's try to break it down and re-write it in a simpler way. "You might meet a man who seems wise because he agrees with you, but this man might eventually become a bore; while a different man who presents challenging ideas may warm your heart and eventually convince you." This fits into the larger argument because Carlyle is the writer who presents challenging ideas, and this piece is in praise of Carlyle and his legacy. Let's go through the answers and see which choice fits best. Choice (A) describes a contrast between a writer who reinforces reader viewpoints and one who challenges them. This sounds like it could be right- let's keep it. Choice (B) describes an analogy between kinds of people and types of writing they prefer. There's no analogy in these lines, so we can eliminate (B). Choice (C) says that these lines challenge the idea that writers modify their ideas to appeal to readers. But since this passage overall refers to Carlyle's legacy and doesn't give any indication that he modifies his views to appeal to readers, so we can eliminate it. Choice (D) doesn't even refer to writers, and Choice (E) doesn't work because the lines say nothing about good and evil. So (A) is the best answer choice. Good and evil? Aren't all these questions evil? Type 7: Rhetorical Strategy For these questions, you'll need to identify the specific rhetorical strategy used by the author in the specific place in the passage. Essentially, you'll be identifying the particular argumentative "move" that the author is deploying to try to convince the audience of their position. Example: The passage identified in the question says: "The character of his influence is best seen in the fact that many of the men who have the least agreement with his opinions are those to whom the reading of Sartor Resartus was an epoch in the history of their minds. The extent of his influence may be best seen in the fact that ideas which were startling novelties when he first wrote them are now become common-places. And we think few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good. There are plenty who question the justice of Carlyle's estimates of past men and past times, plenty who quarrel with the exaggerations of the Latter-Day Pamphlets, and who are as far as possible from looking for an amendment of things from a Carlylian theocracy with the ‘greatest man', as a Joshua who is to smite the wicked (and the stupid) till the going down of the sun. But for any large nature, those points of difference are quite incidental. It is not a theorist, but a s a great and beautiful human nature, that Carlyle influences us." So which of the rhetorical strategies in the answer choices makes the most sense? Choice (A) says the author berates Carlyle's opponents. This doesn't seem accurate- while she mentions those who disagree with him, she doesn't berate or insult them. Choice (B) says she acknowledges but discredits other arguments. While, again, she acknowledges that there are those who disagree with Carlyle, she doesn't really mention their specific arguments or discredit them. Choice (C) suggests she claims most people don't recognize Carlyle's genius. This can't be right; she says "few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good" and describes how many of his ideas are now "commonplace." Choice (D) says she cites facts. She doesn't- she gives examples of his works and describes reactions. Thus, choice (E), which says she gives examples that reflect his influence, is correct. This is the best choice as the passage repeatedly emphasizes that even those who don't agree with him are affected by his thoughts. Type 8: Style and Effect The last question type asks you about stylistic moments in the text and the effect created by those stylistic choices. Essentially, what does the author accomplish by making that particular stylistic choice? To address these questions, re-read the sentence or moment in question with an eye for how it sounds and feels. Don't just think about what it says- what does it evoke? Example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" The stylistic choice in question is the italicization of "nothing, nothing." We may notice that this mirrors the italicization of "writer." Italics generally indicate emphasis- so what's the effect of emphasizing "writer" and "nothing, nothing"? Be careful here, because it might be tempting to choose (B) - indicate a sarcastic tone. This kind of emphasis is often used to communicate sarcasm. However, that doesn't fit with the rest of the passage, or the fact that she "dropped her pen in despair" just before. The best choice is (A), that it emphasizes her frustration. With the eight question types addressed, we can move on to more general strategies to prepare to take the multiple choice section of AP Language and Composition. You are the general of your own AP preparation army! How to Prepare There are several key strategies you can use to prepare yourself to rock the multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam. #1: Read and Engage With Nonfiction A key prep strategy is to read nonfiction of all different types, particularly nonfiction that argues a position or advances an agenda of some kind. When you read, you should work on identifying and understanding how the author makes use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. Ask yourself: What is the author's argument? What evidence do they use to support their position? What is the nature of their evidence- anecdotes, statistics, illustrative examples? What rhetorical techniques and strategies do they use to build their argument? Are they making particular kinds of appeals? Is their argument strong? If yes, what makes it strong? If no, what makes it weak? Constantly considering these questions as you read will help you learn to analyze passages quickly and informally, which is an essential skill for answering multiple-choice questions focused on rhetorical analysis. #2: Learn Rhetorical Terms and Strategies In order to analyze works, of course, you need to know rhetorical terms and strategies. You will undoubtedly learn many techniques and strategies from your teacher, and you should definitely review those before the exam. You can also check out my essential list of 55 AP English Language terms you need to know. Make sure you aren't just memorizing the terms and the definitions, but that you can actually identify all of the techniques at work in the things you read! #3: Practice Answering Multiple-Choice Questions To succeed on the multiple-choice section, you need to practice answering multiple-choice questions! This will help you get familiar with the feel of the multiple-choice section and identify any gaps in your understanding. The next section will suggest tons of sources for practice multiple-choice questions. A whole pile of practice questions! Practice Question Resources There are a variety of practice test resources you can use to hone your multiple choice skills. The best multiple-choice practice resources come from the College Board. This is because they write the AP exam, so their practice questions are the most like real AP multiple-choice questions. Unfortunately, there are not as many official resources for the AP Language and Composition exam as there are for some other tests. However, once you run out of official College Board practice questions, there are still some unofficial resources that you can use for multiple choice practice. In this section I'll go over both. Official Multiple-Choice Resources The College Board offers both complete released exams and sample multiple-choice questions. Complete Released Exams Complete official exams are a great resource if you can find them, because they will have complete multiple-choice sections for you to practice with. Unfortunately, the College Board has not released any official previous exams for AP Language and Composition, as they have for many other tests. You may, though, still be able to find complete official exams from past years by Googling "AP Language complete released exam" or similar variations on that. You might also ask your AP teacher if there are copies of old AP exams you can use for practice. They often have access to past exams and may be able to loan them to you. Sample Questions From the "AP Course and Exam Description" The AP Course and Exam description for AP Language and Composition includes 50 sample multiple-choice questions. This is actually only two questions short of a complete multiple choice section, so this a pretty sizable collection of questions to add to your practice bank. Better get a safe so you can put it in the bank! Unofficial Multiple-Choice Practice Resources There are tons of sites out there offering free multiple-choice practice questions and quizzes for the AP Language and Composition exam. But they aren't all created equal! In this section I'll highlight just several of these resources that are most worth your time. For an even more comprehensive list, see my list of all practice tests available for AP Lang and Comp. College Countdown Complete AP Language Practice Test This site has a complete unofficial practice test. You can ignore the essays for the purposes of multiple choice practice. The wording of questions on the multiple-choice section aren't exactly the same as on a real AP exam, but the tasks are very similar and the passages are well-selected. This is a great source for sample multiple choice questions once you run out of College Board official options. McGraw-Hill AP Practice Quiz McGraw-Hill, an academic book publisher, offers this free 25-question multiple-choice "diagnostic quiz." It has difficult, well-written multiple-choice questions that really look and feel like real AP questions. The passages do open in another window, which is slightly awkward and annoying, but the questions are so good that it's worth it! The quiz is supposed to be 25 questions, but you could theoretically get more than 25 questions from this resource since every time you open a new test window you get a subset randomly selected questions from a question pool. Albert English Language Practice Albert has a decent number of small multiple-choice quizzes that offer practice questions analyzing the rhetoric of various notable nonfiction passages. The style of the questions is a little more informal and to the point than genuine AP questions published by the College Board, but they are still good practice for answering multiple-choice questions about rhetorical techniques deployed in a passage. So when you've exhausted your other resources this is still a solid multiple-choice practice question source. In order to answer questions, you need to sign up for a free account. It then costs "credits" to answer questions. You can both buy additional credits and earn credits for answering questions correctly, so if you are good at answering questions, you can use this service for free pretty much indefinitely! Otherwise I don't really advise buying credits since there are frankly better paid resources available (like review books). Review Books Most review books also have practice multiple-choice questions designed to mimic College Board questions and are a good resource when you've used all of your official and unofficial free questions. However, not all review books are of equal quality, and some have questions that are downright poor quality. Be sure to look at reviews and flip through the book to check out its questions and how they compare to College Board questions before buying if you can. As a starting place, Barron's and the Princeton Review are usually reliable review book sources. You might need a nap after you do all of these questions. Test Day Tips Here are four key strategies to help you succeed on the multiple choice section on test day. Interact With the Text When you are initially reading a passage, do some preliminary marking up! Underline things that seem particularly significant, like a thesis statement or major shift in the text. Make notes of motifs or confusing sentences. These marks will help you familiarize yourself with the text and navigate it when you come back to answer the questions. Identify Main Ideas Once you finish reading a passage through, quickly jot down the main idea/argument of the piece, the author's purpose, and the intended audience. This will help you answer overarching passage questions. Additionally, preemptively identifying these points before addressing the questions should help make many of them more clear and help you keep the passage framed in your mind as you work through questions. Always Re-read Never rely on your memory when the question is about a specific place in the text: always go back and read the line in question. If the answer still isn't clear once you've consulted the text, read a little bit around the specified line for more context and clarity. Eliminate Off-Topic Answers An easy trick to eliminating wrong answers for many questions is to simply identify answer choices that are clearly off-topic. At a first pass these might not be obvious, since they may use a word or phrase from the passage and will sound stylistically similar to the other choices. But a closer look will reveal that the answer has nothing to do with the paragraph or passage topic! Here's an example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" We might see the words "writing" in answers (C) and (D) and think they are on topic- after all, Ellen Terry wishes she "were a writer." However, the very point of the sentence is that she is not a writer. So does it make sense for the effect to have to do with writing parts for actors or how to succeed at writing? No! Those answers are completely off-topic. A highly professional and profound production of Hamlet. Key Takeaways The multiple-choice section of AP Lang and Comp has 52-55 questions and is worth 45% of your exam grade. There are eight types of questions you can expect to see on the AP Language and Composition multiple choice exam: Reading comprehension Implication Overall passage and author questions Relationship between parts of the text Interpretation of imagery/figurative language Purpose of part of the text Rhetorical strategy Style and effect The multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam can be challenging for students who are more used to literary close-reading than rhetorical analysis. However, you can learn to succeed! Here's how to prepare: Read and engage thoughtfully with nonfiction so you can identify essential rhetorical elements quickly and thoroughly. Learn rhetorical terms and strategies and both how to identify them in other works and how to use them in your own writing. Practice for the multiple-choice section! There are a number of resources, both official and unofficial, where you can get practice AP language and composition multiple-choice practice questions. There are some official resources from the College Board and some unofficial free online resources, though you should always be careful to thoroughly investigate unofficial material for quality. Once it's time for test day, here are four strategies to succeed on the multiple-choice section: Interact with the passages as you read them for the first time. Identify the main ideas- the author's purpose, argument, and audience- right after the first time you read the passage. Always go back and re-read the part of the passage in question- don't rely on memory! Watch out for answer choices that are clearly off-topic and eliminate them! Ready like a freshly baked muffin! What's Next? If you need more help with AP Language and Composition, we have a total list of practice tests and a complete guide to the exam. In addition to our guide to AP Lang terms, we also have several more detailed articles about specific literary devices that might prove helpful. We recommend reading through our posts on point of view, tone words, personification, and the literary elements you'll find in every story. For analyzing poetry and poetic prose, we have specific articles on assonance and iambic pentameter, with explanations and examples of each. Taking other APs? See six tips for acing your AP exams, our five-step AP prep plan, and our guide to finding the best AP practice tests. Wondering if you can retake AP exams? We have the answer! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: