Is the new SAT really the PARCC in disguise

In the spring of 2015, when the College Board was field testing questions for rSAT, a student made an offhand remark to me that didnt seem like much at the time but that stuck in my mind. She was a new student who had already taken the SAT twice, and somehow the topic of the Experimental section came up. Shed gotten a Reading section, rSAT-style.   Omigod, she said. It was, like, the hardest thing ever. They had all these questions that asked  you for evidence. It was just like the state test. It was horrible.   My student lived in New Jersey, so the state test she was referring to was the PARCC.   Even then,  I had a pretty good inkling of where the College Board was going with the new test, but the significance of her comment didnt really hit me until  a couple of months ago, when states suddenly starting switching from ACT to the SAT. I was poking around the internet, trying to find out more about Colorados abrupt and surprising decision to drop the ACT  after 15 years, and I  came across a couple of sources reporting that not only would rSAT replace the ACT, but it would replace PARCC as well. That threw me a little bit for a loop. I knew that PARCC was hugely unpopular and that a number of states had backed out of the consortium, but still†¦ something smelled a little funny about the whole thing. Why would states allow PARCC to be replaced by rSAT? They were two  completely different tests†¦right? I mulled it over for a while, and then  something occurred to me:  Given that any exam that Colorado administered would have to be aligned with Common Core (or whatever it is that Colorados standards are called now),  it seemed reasonable to assume that the switch  from PARCC to rSAT could only have been approved if the two tests werent  really that different. At that point, it made sense to actually look at the PARCC. Like most people in the college-admissions test  world, I had really  had no reason to look at the PARCC  before; state tests were uncharted territory for me. Luckily, PARCC had recently released a broad selection of 2015 items on its  website   more than enough to provide a good  sense of what the test is about. After a modicum of fruitless  hunting around (not the easiest website to navigate!), I managed to locate the eleventh grade sample ELA questions. When I started looking through them,  the overlap with rSAT was striking. Despite some superficial differences, the similarities between the two tests were impossible to miss. Even if there were some differences in the lengths of the passages and way in which the questions were worded, the two tests were definitely cousins. Close cousins. I asked a couple of other  tutors about the Math portion, and they more or less concurred not identical, but  similar enough. On one hand, that wasnt  at  all surprising. After all, both are products of Common Core, their development overseen by Coleman and Co. As such, its hardly surprising that they embody  the hallmarks  of Colemans, shall we say, heavy-handed  and amateurish idiosyncratic  approach to analysis of the written word. On the other hand, it  was quite surprising. The PARCC, unquestionably, was developed as a high school exit test; the SAT was a college entrance test. Why should the latter  suddenly bear a strong resemblance to the former?   Just as interesting as what the tests  contained was what they lacked or at least what they appeared to lack, based on the sample questions posted on the PARCC website. (And goodness knows, I wouldnt want to pull a Celia Oyler and incur the wrath of the testing gods.) Consider, for example, that both rSAT and PARCC: Consist of two types of passages: one literary analysis passage  and several  informational texts, consisting of science/social topics but, apparently, no humanities (art, music, theater). One passage or paired passage from a U.S. historical document. Focus on a very limited  number of question types: literal comprehension, vocabulary-in-context, and structure. Remarkably, no actual ELA content knowledge (e.g. rhetorical devices,  genres, styles) is tested.   Rely heavily  on two-part evidence questions, e.g. Select  the answer from the passage that supports the answer to Part A vs. Which of the following provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?  The use of these questions, as well as the questionable definition  of evidence they entail,  is probably the most striking similarity between rSAT and PARCC. It is also, I would argue, the hallmark of a Common Core test. Considering the number of Standards, the obsessive focus on this one particular skill is quite significant. But more about that in a little bit.   Test simple, straightforward skills in bizarrely and unnecessarily convoluted ways  in order  to compensate for the absence of  substance and give the impression of rigor, e.g. which detail in the passage serves the same function as the answer to Part A? Include texts that are relatively  dense and include some advanced  vocabulary, but that are fairly straightforward in terms of structure, tone, and point-of-view: claim, evidence; claim, evidence, etc. There is limited  use of they say/I say, or the type of  sophisticated rhetorical maneuvers (irony, dry humor, wordplay) that tend to appear in actual college-level writing.  That absence is a notable  departure from the old version of the SAT and, contrary to claims that these exams test college readiness, is actually  misaligned with college work. Here Id like to come back to  the  use of two-part evidence questions?  Why focus so intensely  on that one question  type when there are so many different  aspects of reading that  make up comprehension? I think there are a few major reasons: First, theres the branding issue.  In order to market Common Core effectively, the Standards needed to be boiled down into an easily digestible set of edu-buzzwords, one of the most prominent of  which was EVIDENCE. (Listening to proponents of CCSS, you could be forgiven for thinking  that not a single teacher in the United States indeed, no one anywhere had ever taught students to use evidence to support their arguments prior to  2011.) As a result, it was necessary to craft a test that showed its backers/funders that it was testing whether students could use  EVIDENCE. Whether it was actually doing such a thing was beside the point.   As Ive written about before, it is flat-out  impossible to truly test this  skill in a multiple-choice format. When students write papers in college, they  will be asked to formulate their own arguments and to support them with various pieces of information. While their professors may provide a reading list, students will also be expected to  actively seek sources out in libraries, on the Internet, etc., and they themselves  will be responsible for judging for whether a particular source is valid and for connecting it logically and convincingly to  their own, original argument. This skill has  only a  tangential relationship to even AP-style synthesis essays and almost zero relationship to the ability to  recognize whether a particular line from paragraph x in a passage is consistent with main idea y. It is also very much  contingent upon the students understanding of the field and topic at hand. So what both the PARCC and rSAT are testing is really not whether students can use evidence the way theyll be asked to use it in college/the real world, but rather whether they can recognize when two pieces of information are consistent with one another, or whether two statements expressed different ways express the same idea. (Incidentally, answers to many PARCC evidence question pairs can actually be determined from the questions alone.)   The problem is that using evidence the way its used in the real world involves facts, but facts = rote learning, something everyone agrees should be avoided at all costs.   Besides, requiring  students to learn a particular set of facts would be so politically contentious as to be a non-starter (what facts? whose facts? who gets included/excluded? why isnt xyz group represented†¦? And so on and so forth, endlessly.) When you  only allow students to refer back to the text and never allow them  make arguments that involve anything beyond describing  the words on the page in fanciful ways, you sidestep that persnickety little roadblock. Nor, incidentally, do you have to hire graders who know enough about a particular set of facts to make reliable judgments about students discussions  of them. That, of course, would be unmanageable  from both a logistical and an economic standpoint.  Pretending that skills can be developed in the absence of knowledge (or cheerily acknowledging that knowledge is necessary but then refusing to state  what knowledge) is the only way to create a test that can be scaled nationally, cheaply, and quickly. Questions whose answers  merely quote from the text are also extraordinarily easy to write and fast to produce. If those questions make up half the test, production time  gets a whole lot shorter.   The result, however,  is that you  never  actually get to deal with any  ideas that way. You  are  reduced to stating and re-stating what a text says, in increasingly mind-bending  ways,  without ever actually arriving at more than a glancing consideration of its significance.  If high school classes become dedicated to this type of work, thats a serious problem: getting  to knock around with ideas that are a little bit above you is a big part of getting ready to go to college.   You  cant even do a good old-fashioned rhetorical analysis because you dont know enough rhetoric to do that type of analysis, and acquiring  all that rhetorical terminology would involve rote learning and thus be strictly  verboten anyway. The result is  a stultifying mish-mash  of formal skills that tries to mimic something kinda high level, but that ends up being  a big bucket of nonsense.   There is also, I think, a profound mistrust of students baked into these tests. A friend of mine who teaches high school tells me that the administrators at her school have, for several years now, been dogging the teachers with the question how do you know that they know? Translation:  what  data have you collected to prove to the powers that be that your students are appropriately progressing toward college and career readiness?  In addition to vaguely mimicking a high-level skills, forcing students to compulsively justify their answers in multiple-choice format gives those powers that be quite a lot of data. There also seems to be  a latent fear that students might be  trying to pull one over on the their teachers, on the administration pretending to understand  things when theyre actually just guessing. That, I suspect, is a side-effect of too many multiple-choice tests: when students actually write things out, its usually a lot clearer what they do and dont understand. But of course its a lot harder to reduce  essays to data points. Theyre far too messy and subjective. So the result is to try to pin students down, force them to read in ways that no one  would possibly read in real life (oh, the irony!), and repeatedly prove that they understand that the text means what it means because it says what it says  There is something almost pathetic about the grasp for certainty. And theres something a good deal more pathetic about teachers who actually buy into the idea that this type of low-level comprehension exercise is  some sort of advanced  critical thinking skill that will magically make students college ready.   But to return to my original point: one of the most  worrisome aspects of the whole discussion about the SAT and the PARCC in regards to the state testing market is that the former is presented as a genuine alternative to the latter. Yes, the SAT is a shorter test; yes, its produced by the College Board rather than Pearson (although who knows how much difference there is at this point); yes, its paper-based. But its  really just a different version  of the same thing. The College Board is banking on the fact that the SAT name will deter people from asking too many questions, or from noticing that its just another shoddy Common Core test. And so far, it seems to be working pretty well.

The United States Prison System Essay - 1562 Words

Within this paper, you will find a comprehensive review of the United States prison system, and why it needs to analyzed to better support and reform the people of this country. I plan to persuade the other side (politicians and society) into seeing that the way the prison system is now, is not ethical nor economical and it must change. We have one of the world’s largest prison population, but also a very high rate of recidivism. Recidivism is when the prisoners continuously return to prison without being reformed. They return for the same things that they were doing before. So, this leads us to ask what exactly are we doing wrong? When this happens, we as a nation must continuously pay to house and feed these inmates. The purpose of a prison needs to be examined so we can decide if we really are reforming our inmates, or just continuing a vicious cycle. What is the true purpose of prison besides just holding them in a cell? There must be more we can do for these hopeless mem bers of society. The Prison System in the United States: Is it ethical? As of 2016, the United States has one of the highest prison populations of men in women in state, federal, private penitentiaries in the world. Not only is it the highest, but it is a constant revolving door for those who do their time, but continue to come back into the system for either short term or long term sentences. This trend has been continuous for many years and nothing has changed. Yes, some states have tried toShow MoreRelatedThe United States Prison System996 Words   |  4 PagesSince the 1980s, the United States prison population has quadrupled to 2.4 million inmates; with nearly half of the inmates in federal prison serving time for drug offenses. The majority of America’s general population has been hoodwinked into believing that the prison system helps prevent crime, but the side effects of mass incarceration is like spilling gasoline on a burning car. The side effects of fabricating additional prison complexes for the sole purpose of preventing crime will continue toRead MoreThe United States Prison System1215 Words   |  5 Pages The United States prison system incarcerates more people per capita than nearly all European countries, and roughly two-thirds of those inmates that are released will be arrested again within three years (Ward et al, 2015). Some facilities have relatively successful programs that cut down on the recidivism numbers. However, the majority of prisons are focused on punishment and make no efforts at rehabilitation. Something in the American justice systems needs to change so that the cycle can be brokenRead MoreThe United States Prison System Essay1927 Words   |  8 PagesThe United States prison system struggles eminently with keeping offenders out of prison after being released. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than third of all prisoners who were arrested within five years of released were arrested within six months after release, with more than half arrested by the end of the year (Hu ghes, Wilson, Beck, 2001). Among prisoners released in 2005 in 23 states with available data on inmates returned to prison, about half (55 percent) had eitherRead MoreReforming The United States Prison System940 Words   |  4 Pages1/19/2016 Reforming the United States Prison System The United States is the largest jailer in the world. With only 5 percent of the world s population and a disproportionate 20 percent of the worlds prison population the United States also has the highest incarceration rate in the world (Chamman). In fact one in every one hundred and ten adults in the United States will be incarcerated. Many of these adults will return to prison later in their life (ACLU). The Prison Crisis has become a recentRead MoreThe United States And The Federal Prison System3063 Words   |  13 PagesToday in the United States a land that claims to be the freest nation on the face of the Earth more people will wake up inside of a federal/state prison or a county jail cell than in any other country on the planet. As of 2012 this figure was a staggering 2,228,400 (jail 744,500; prison 1,483,900) add in to this the additional sum of just over 5 million people on parole (851,200) and probation (3,942,800) giving us a grand total of over 7 million citizens under some level of Federal or State supervisionRead MoreOvercrowding And Its Effects On The United States Prison System1178 Words   |  5 Pages Overcrowding prisons are an issue that has been influencing the United States prison population for decades, however what is the true significance of overcrowding. As indicated by Jeff Bleich (1989) â€Å"the term overcrowding is repetitive, since crowding already refers to a higher level of social density than is desired†. An overcrowded prison is a shocking condition that causes outrage and dissatisfaction among detainees (Haney, 2014). 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There are over 2 million people in the U.S. prison system exceeding that of any other nation and represents 25% of the world’s prisoners (The Sentencing Project, 2016). According to Prison Policy Initiative, African American communities are the most impacted with African American men representingRead MorePregnant Behind Bars And The United States Prison System2060 Words   |  9 Pages Pregnant Behind Bars Men and women in the United States prison system face an adversity of challenges in many aspects of their lives. One area where incarcerated individuals face a hardship is the access to healthcare they receive while they are imprisoned. Access to screenings, check-ups, medications, and treatment for diseases may be limited. Women are particularly vulnerable to inconsistent healthcare if they are pregnant while in prison. They may not receive all the necessary prenatal orRead MoreEvaluating Credibility And Its Impact On The Society Of The United States Prison System1980 Words   |  8 Pagessupport their information, verifiability to see if it still holds context, and organization/professionalism of the source. All of these are important to evaluate the credibility especially when dealing with a controversial topic like the United States prison system where a person might have an agenda of leading the reader to a certain position on the topic. Criteria for Evaluating Credibility There are a variety of elements that should be examined when evaluating these sources. Trying to determine

Traditional Japanese Weddings - 2106 Words

Traditional Japanese Weddings The Japanese marriage system and wedding ceremonies have many traditional aspects which are incorporated into both the celebrations leading up to and including the actual wedding day. However, overall, the practices are more formalized and structured than those in Western culture. For example, traditional arranged meetings are common in Eastern culture and the parents of the bride and groom have a great influence on the marriage, whereas in Western culture many marriages are formed through two individuals meeting on their own accord. Traditional Japanese wedding ceremonies are more elaborate in ceremony, dress, and are more formal than those in the West. This paper strives to study different aspects of the†¦show more content†¦* â€Å"Kombu † or â€Å"konbu† is edible kelp given to wish the couple many happy and healthy children. * â€Å"Shiraga† or hemp are strong fibers that are used to symbolize the wish for strong family ties. Shiraga also means white hair. Hemp is therefore used to wish the couple many years of happiness in their future. * â€Å"Suehiro† is a fan that opens from end to end and is given as a wish for happiness and a bigger and better future. * â€Å"Yanagi-daru† is a wine cask. However, money may be given in place of the wine cask for the purpose of purchasing sake wine. * Money In addition to these gifts are Sake casks that are used to represent a vow for obedience and gentleness in marriage (â€Å"Japanese Marriage†). Fig 1: Sake Casks (Kruzick) Wedding Date Most Japanese weddings occur in the spring or fall, often on Sundays or national holidays. The date of their wedding is decided by using an astrological calendar traditionally used to pick specific days of the year for special events called a koyomi. Taian, which is translated as â€Å"the day of great peace†, is the most popular day for weddings. Many weddings occur on the same day in Japan because of the popular use of the koyomi. Attire The wedding attire in Japanese culture is based on tradition. The bride’s makeup will consist of white face paint and red lips. Her hair is in a traditional style called bunkin-takashimada with ornateShow MoreRelatedThe Pros of a Western Wedding over a Traditional Shinto Wedding1227 Words   |  5 PagesMany couples that come from a Japanese background are starting to prefer more of a western wedding than a traditional Shinto wedding. There are several reasons for couples prefer a western than Shinto wedding because they have a different views on marriage. In Japanese traditional wedding both style and culture are involved and that has been known for many years. There are two major differences between a Shinto marriage and western marriage. When a couple is in love and they decide to get marriedRead MoreDating and Marriage in Japan Essay1125 Words   |  5 Pagesmarriage customs are different from country to country; Japan, in particular has very unique dating and marriage procedures. Japan is a located in Southeastern Asia. The Japanese tend to share some very different ideas concerning dating and marriage. However, some of our beliefs and morals have spread into the culture of the Japanese. Nevertheless, Japan holds strong to their roots and their unique culture. Similarly, we tend to narrow our beliefs on their ideas as looking through another paradigm fromRead MoreAsian Wedding Cake Essay867 Words   |  4 PagesAsian wedding cake: Weddings are an integral part of all cultures. The customs and traditions of the different culture vary from each other. Similarly Western weddings are quite different from the Asian weddings. A wedding cake is a very significant tradition of the Western weddings. Although not so significant, but the tradition of wedding cakes at Asian wedding is increasingly becoming popular. As such the Asian wedding cakes are baked in exquisite designs and delicious taste. Meaning: TheRead MoreCultural Weddings3169 Words   |  13 PagesA wedding is the marriage rite in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift, and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayersRead MoreJapanese Kimono787 Words   |  4 PagesThe  kimono  is a traditional form of clothing worn by Japanese women and men. There are many different forms of Japanese kimono. The word kimono literally as known as clothing, and up until the mid 19th century it was the form of dress worn by everyone in Japan. Between 30 and 100 days after a child is born, the parents, siblings, and grandparents visit a shrine together to report the child’s birth. The baby is dressed in a white under-kimono. On top of that kimono, the baby wears a brightly colouredRead MoreConsumer Behavior Analysis1461 Words   |  6 Pagesaround the globe, and an Ipod that could also be used as a phone was just what everyone was asking for. There was, however, one country that Apple really wanted to conquer. Apple joined with Softbank Corp. in Japan to market the Iphone 3G to the Japanese populous (Kane, Sept) . Softcorp was the third largest mobile provider in Japan, and the Ipod and Apple Computers were extremely popular in Japan, so Apple predicted incredibly brisk sales in the technology-savvy country (Kane, Sept) . 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Animal Farm by George Orwells - 792 Words

Animal Farm Animal Farm was written by George Orwell, a British political novelist who loved to criticized governments and their abuse of power on their population. Animal Farm is a book that attacks the Communist Soviet Union, which is achieved through references to communist leaders. The story took place on a imaginary farm owned by Mr. Jones somewhere in England where a respected pig named Old Major assembled the farm animals to tell them about a dream he recently had in which all animals lived together in harmony without humans beings to oppress them. He taught them a song called â€Å"Beast of England† in which his dream is lyrically described. The animals greet Old Major visions with great enthusiasm. Unfortunately Old Major died three days later, but three young pigs named Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer formulate his vision into a philosophy called animalism. After old major was buried the principles of animalism were painted on the side of the barn in gigantic white letters. At first, many of the animals find the principles of Animalism difficult to understand; as they have grown up believing that Mr. Jones is their proper master. Revolution would come soon as one day the farmer lost money in a lawsuit and becomes lazy and neglectful. One day, Mr. Jones goes on a drinking binge and forgets to feed the animals. Nearing starvation the cows break into the store shed and the animals begin to eat the grains. Mr. Jones and his men discovered the transgression and begin toShow MoreRelatedAnimal Farm And George Orwell By George Orwell1034 Words   |  5 Pages Eric Arthur Blair, under the pseudonym of George Orwell, composed many novels in his lifetime that were considered both politically rebellious and socially incorrect. Working on the dream since childhood, Orwell would finally gain notoriety as an author with his 1945 novel Animal Farm, which drew on personal experiences and deeply rooted fear to satirically critique Russian communism during its expansion. Noticing the impact he made, he next took to writing the novel 1984, which similarly criticizedRead MoreAnimal Farm By George Orwell1397 Words   |  6 PagesAn important quote by the influential author of Animal Farm, George Orwell, is, â€Å"Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism.† George Orwell, a Democratic Socialist, wrote the book Animal Farm as an attack on the Communist country of Russia (â€Å"The Political Ideas of George Orwell,† worldsocialism.org). He had a very strong disliking of Communism and the Socialist party of Russia. However, he insisted on finding the truthRead MoreAnimal Farm, By George Orwell1545 Words   |  7 Pagesallow because an this elite institution of people often use this gear to dominate and oppress society. In George Orwell’s story, Animal Farm, Orwell demonstrates that education is a powerful weapon and is a device that can be used to at least one’s benefit. Living in a world where strength is a straightforward to benefit, the pigs quick use education to govern the relaxation of the animals on the farm to serve themselves worked to their advantage. This story in shows the underlying message that   firstRead MoreAnimal Farm By George Orwell944 Words   |  4 Pageslegs(Orwell 132). He carried a whip in his trotter(Orwell 133). In the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell, animals have the ability to talk and form their own ethos, Animalism. Animal Farm is an intriguing allegory by George Orwell, who is also th e author of 1984, includes many enjoyable elements. More knowledge of the author, his use of allegorical elements, themes, symbols, and the significance in the real world, allows the reader to get more out of this glance into the future. George OrwellRead MoreAnimal Farm, By George Orwell876 Words   |  4 Pagesrebellious animals think no man means freedom and happiness, but they need to think again. The animals of Manor Farm rebel against the farm owner, Mr. Jones, and name it Animal Farm. The animals create Animalism, with seven commandments. As everything seems going well, two of the animals get into a rivalry, and things start changing. Food starts disappearing and commandments are changed, and the power begins to shift. Father of dystopian genre, George Orwell writes an interesting allegory, Animal FarmRead MoreAnimal Farm by George Orwell1100 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction: Widely acknowledged as a powerful allegory, the 1945 novella Animal Farm, conceived from the satirical mind of acclaimed author George Orwell, is a harrowing fable of a fictional dystopia that critiques the socialist philosophy of Stalin in terms of his leadership of the Soviet Union. 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Because of the pigs’ use of broad language, and the implementation of these tactics they are able to get away with avoiding laws, and are able to convince other animals into believing untrue stories that are beneficial to the pigs. The firstRead MoreAnimal Farm, By George Orwell1212 Words   |  5 PagesShe stood there over the dead animals thinking to herself what have we come to? We try to become free but we just enslave ourselves to a so called superior kind. Napoleon killed the animals in front of the whole farm and said that this was to be the punishment for the traitors. Snowball was known as a traitor now and anyone conspiring with him would be killed. Snowball and Napoleon both represent historical characters during the Russian revolution in 1917.Snowball who was one of the smartest pigs

Essay on Francis Bacons New Atlantis - 1512 Words

Francis Bacons New Atlantis Francis Bacon was the founder of the modern scientific method. The focus on the new scientific method is on orderly experimentation. For Bacon, experiments that produce results are important. Bacon pointed out the need for clear and accurate thinking, showing that any mastery of the world in which man lives was dependent upon careful understanding. This understanding is based solely on the facts of this world and not as the ancients held it in ancient philosophy. This new modern science provides the foundation for modern political science. Bacons political science completely separated religion and philosophy. For Bacon, nothing exists in the universe except individual bodies. Although he did not offer a†¦show more content†¦Science conquers chance and determines change thus creating a regime permanently pleasant. Bensalem, meaning perfect son in Hebrew, has shunned the misfortunes of time, vice and decay. Bensalem seems to combine the blessedness of Jerusalem and the pleasures and conveniences of Babylon. In Bacons NEW ATLANTIS, the need for man to be driven does not exist. Scarcity is eliminated thereby eliminating the need for money. But thus, you see, we maintain a trade, not for gold, silver or jewels... nor for any other commodity of matter, but only for Gods first creature which was light (Bacon, 437). This shows a devotion to truth rather than victory and it emphasizes the Christian piety to which the scientist is disposed by virtue of his science. As man observes and brings the fruits of his observations together, he discover likeness and differences among events and objects in the universe. In this way he will establish laws among happenings upon which he can base all subsequent action. Bacon realized that sometimes religious ideas and the discoveries of nature and careful observations were contradictory but he argued that society must believe both. The NEW ATLANTIS begins with the description of a ship lost at sea. The crew lift up their hearts and voices to God above, who showeth his wonders in the deep, beseeching him of his mercy (Bacon, 419). Upon spotting land and discerning natives the sailors praise God. When a boarding party comes to theirShow MoreRelated Francis Bacons Scientifically Revolutionary Utopia Essay1077 Words   |  5 Pages Francis Bacon’s Scientifically Revolutionary Utopia nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The New Atlantis is a seventeenth century depiction of a utopia by Francis Bacon. In this novel, Francis Bacon continues on More’s utopian ideas. Unlike More, however, Bacon relied on societal change via advancements in science and ones own awareness of his environment rather than through religious reforms or social legislation. 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Strategic Global Management Free Essays

Multiple-choice Chapter 6 Which of the following is not true for a capability? A) it cannot be traded B) it changes over time C) it can be easily described in detail D) it can improve value Which of the following is not a necessary condition for the effective implementation of a pay for performance system? A) employees must be able to control the pace of production B) there should be a lower bound on product quality C) managers should receive a high bonus for the piece rate work of their employees D) team members should have roughly the same preferences for effort Which of the following is not an activity in the value chain? A) outbound procurement B) marketing C) technology development D) operations Chapter 7 A key assumption underlying theories of vertical integration is: A) Opportunistic behavior B) Suppliers and buyers have the same size C) Suppliers and buyers are located in the same country D) Firms are boundaryless In the strategic sourcing framework, firms vertically integrate when A) the firm’s need to control and its ability to perform an activity are both high B) there is high uncertainty surrounding the transaction with the supplier C) the need to control and the ability to perform the activity are uncorrelated D) the supplier has invested in high technology 14. The two most studied types of uncertainty that influence vertical integration decisions are: A) exchange rate and volume B) labor cost and technological C) material cost and labor cost D) volume and technological The standard theory of vertical integration over the industry life cycle states A) vertical integration occurs primarily in the early and late stages B) vertical integration increases in the shakeout C) vertical integration increases throughout the life cycle D) vertical integration decreases over the life cycle Chapter 8 Which of the following is generally a motivation for the formation of technology partnerships among large firms? A) coalition formation in the context of standards competition B) sharing complementary technologies C) interfirm learning of process innovations D) all of the above In which industry are partnerships based on patent sharing prevalent? A) data communications B) semiconductors C) biotechnology D) pharmaceuticals When does the ability of a potential partner to cooperate effectively become apparent? A) when it promises to follow the rules of the alliance B) when it is certified by an appropriate agency C) when the network of partnerships in the industry develops D) all of the above Chapter 9 A nationally segmented industry is one in which: A) country specific advantage and firm specific advantage are both high B) country specific advantage is high and firm-specific advantage is low C) country specific advantage is low and firm specific advantage is low D) none of the above Which of the following promote technological spillovers within a region? A) managerial transfers B) labor pooling C) regional associations D) all of the above Porter’s diamond model contains which of the following factors? A) technological spillovers B) cultural constraints C) export policies D) demand conditions Chapter 10 Which types of new business will a corporation’s financial capital contribute the most to? A) larger businesses in mature industries B) smaller units in growing industries C) larger businesses in growing industries D) smaller units in mature industries Diversification paths of firms in the same industry vary across countries because: A) the resources and capabilities of the firms in the same industry differ systematically across countries B) countries differ in the institutions that present diversification opportunities C) countries are located in different geographical locations D) the firms’ top management teams differ systematically across countries When an acquisition announcement occurs, acquisition targets often tend to: A) Enjoy a positive stock reaction B) Suffer a negative stock reaction C) Maintain their stock price D) Outsource more Chapter 11 Traditionally, firms that have grown through unrelated diversification have faced which of the following problems? A) the businesses were managed to support short-term corporate financial goals B) the complexity of the business portfolio exceeded corporate management’s capability C) there was no enduring economic rationale at the level of operations for the business units to be in the same corporation D) all of the above A transfer using a mandated market price is most effective when the downstream unit A) is attempting to establish its market position based on a cost advantage B) is attempting to establish its market position based on a value advantage C) has already achieved a dominant market position D) has failed to achieve a dominant market position Vertical integration, as represented among profit centers in a multi-business firm, is A) always superior to transactions in the market B) never superior to transactions in the market C) not necessarily superior to transactions in the market D) none of the above Open questions Describe the two key strategic motivations for international expansion? Why do multinationals emerge? How have Zara’s practices and policies regarding its boundaries contributed to its growth and performance? What was the source of tension between Stephen Davies and Christopher Carson in the BRL Hardy case? What are its strategic implications? How to cite Strategic Global Management, Essay examples

Class Conflict in South Africa free essay sample

South African society is however still facing inequality that is increasing rapidly, this inequality is caused by political, social and economic factors. This essay will compare the Weber and Marx theories of class as well as relate these theories to the present day class divisions of South Africa. Weber’s theory of class is one where class as well as status causes conflict. Society is divided into four main classes these classes are divided by status rather than wealth and the conflict caused by this ‘status’ can be due to various factors. Things such as education, lifestyle and consumption can distinguish status within a Weberian society. Life chances are also regarded as status in a Weberian view as those who did not receive life chances that someone else received will immediately view that person as having a higher status than they do, this example is prolific in the novel by Rhampele whereby people who escaped township living were frowned upon by the people who remained behind. Marx’s theory of class struggle is slightly different to Weber’s in the sense that class division is based on exploitation rather than status, exploitation being the control that the bourgeois have over the working class, this control is maintained because the bourgeois have control over the means of production. Marx views the free trade of capitalist economies as ‘exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusion, it has substituted naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation. ’(Marx, Karl and freidrich `engels (originally 1848), The communist manifesto, chapter 1, â€Å"Bourgeois and Proletarians’. This is a very crude depiction of Marxism, whereby the capitalist system is viewed as the machine that the bourgeois use to exploit social labour. The Marxist theory is one that is best described as conflict between two classes, which results in collective action mainly from the subordinate group. The similarity between Marxist theory and Weber theory is that they both say that whoever owns the means of production is in the driving seat of society with the bourgeois running the government and nationalization being the main priority of the ruling class in order to maintain power. The introduction of apartheid saw the polarisation of south African society on a social scale, this was followed by a polarization on an economical scale whereby black mine workers were being exploited by white bourgeois for cheap labour. Although this exploitation took form in an economic capacity it still correlates with Marx’s suggestion that class division is a division based on relationship rather than assets. The industrial revolution was a good example of this whereby black mine workers were identified by number rather than name, giving one the impression that they were viewed as commodities rather than people. The formation of trade unions also hastened the splitting of the classes as it showed that the black population recognized that they were being exploited. The Weberian understanding of class in south Africa is different to that of Marxist understanding, it’s structured into four class categories which I believe Is more fitting to South African society of today as it more accurately represents the economic and social positions of the population. Apartheid in South Africa is viewed by Weber as the time of an emerging African middle class, â€Å"this middle class was well educated. This well educated middle class suggested that that all the â€Å"decent people† were educated†(Jeremy Seekings, 2008. Lecture notes. ) The mindset that the emerging middle class adopted about those who weren’t educated is a good example of status division within a class of people. Whilst at the same time these educated African middle class looked down on those who weren’t so fortunate, so did the uneducated view the emerging middle class as outcasts. This mindset toward one another is difficult to catergorise into class or status but it does say that education was recognized as inequality within African society under the apartheid regime. The post apartheid regime carried some of the characteristics from the past and still today the educated middle class African people are viewed by their uneducated counter parts as traitors etc. Is this now a division of status or class? There are also other factors that could influence such thinking patterns within communities, such as cultural traditions of witchcraft and patriarchy. Society after apartheid is one that is difficult to categorise, education, tradition as well as material wealth all contribute to class and status division. Class and status are also defined by the workplace, the workplace was structured by apartheid and this structure still affects the workplaces of today. The article by Karl von Holdt suggests that because black labourers were marginalized under the apartheid regime it instilled a mindset in them that they are inferior. This mindset has prevented black society from uplifting itself out of poverty and it has also resulted in the ridicule of people who have managed to better themselves. Segregation in the workplace at the high veld steel mill resulted in the deskilling of the black population; this deskilling hampers the black community even today. The deskilling has put a ceiling on the level at which a black worker can progress, ultimately defining status and class. From my own experience working in hotel close to where I live, it is very evident that the employees who are natively from south Africa seem to have a mindset that there is a limit o what they can achieve and a ceiling to the level that they can rise to, this contrasts greatly with the mindset of the workers who are from other African countries like Congo, Malawi etc. The employees from these foreign African countries don’t seem to have limitations to what they can succeed I personally believe that apartheid was a mould which shaped the African working class into what it is today and can be blamed for the lack of ambition that is found in the majority of the working class black population. South African society has become a cosmopolitan of classes, it is difficult o pin point the exact problem that society in South Africa has but it is clear that both Weber and Marx contribute to a better understanding of class struggle within South Africa. Referencing Von Holdt, Karl , 2003. Transitions from below. University of kwazulu Natal Press. Ramphele, Mamphela, 2002. Steering by the stars. NB publishers. Marx, Karl and freidrich `engels (originally 1848), The communist manifesto, chapter 1, â€Å"Bourgeois and Proletarians’ Seekings, Jeremy. 2008 Lecture notes.