Special Admissions High Schools in New York City: Unequal Opportunites for Everyone :: Free Essays Online

Special Admissions High Schools in New York City: Unequal Opportunites for Everyone As a teenager growing up in New York City a major part of your life is the high school that you attend. New York City is filled with high schools, public, private, and parochial. Within the public school system in addition to "regular" public schools there are also special admission and magnet schools. Although these schools are all technically part of the same system, there are very great differences and disparities between them. As a student at a special admissions public school I was very aware of the problems that existed at my school, but also took for granted the advantages my school had over "regular" public schools. Our ceiling was falling down, we had no windows or ventilation, and we had teachers that didn't teach, but we also had a computer network, beautiful grand pianos, small classes, a Jazz Chorus that took a trip to Europe, AP courses, and a ridiculous number of graduates attending Ivy League universities. Some of the "regular" public schools might have had windows, but that was really the only advantage, after that we had them beat by quite a lot. I grew up across the street from two high schools. One of them, Fiorello Laguardia High School, is a special admissions public school for students who are gifted in the performing or visual arts. The student population at Laguardia is relatively diverse with students of all races attending, although the majority of the students, as at all of the NYC special admissions high schools, is white and Asian. The other high school, Martin Luther King jr. High School is a "regular" public high school. The population is almost entirely African American and Hispanic with a very small minority of Asian students. In Manhattan, as in many areas of New York City, where one attends high school has little to do with where one lives. Almost everyone takes some combination of busses and/or subways every morning and afternoon. Because of this, the problems cannot really be blamed on districts. The disparities between schools has much more to do with who attends the school than where the school is located and the income of the population of that area. Technically, according to Marty Schwartzfarb, an educator in the New York City Public school system, all of the high schools run by the New York City board of education are supposed to be receiving exactly the same amount of money per student.

Standardized Testing in Schools

Standardized tests are administered in all schools across the U. S. in lieu of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. According to these laws, schools have to administer standardize tests to qualify for various types of licensing and grants. For instance, a certain percentage of the students in public schools must pass the standardized tests to be allowed federal support and funding for that particular school. If the results of the standardized tests are not at par, the school does not get funding. At the same time, many students have to take high-stakes standardized tests to get into various colleges/universities of their choice. If the students do not do well on such tests, they are denied admissions. The thing to note about these standardized tests is that they are not reliable and they contain various biases in them. Many people have criticized how such tests do not contain relevant information that can be found in the course syllabus and they test students on impractical levels. Others believe that standardized tests provide results based on very few parameters that do not reflect the students’ real intelligence. Looking at the various researches and opinions of critics, we find that standardized testing is not an effective measure of gauging students’ intelligence, and they should not be used in schools. For example, one of the biggest reasons standardized testing is not effective is because of the subjectivity that can be found in such tests. For instance, Williams (2005) speaks of how many of the standardized tests are gauged by computers. These computers look at the essays input and they provide the results after running certain algorithms that measure certain aspects of the essay, such as structure. Williams (2005) presents a very interesting fact of how some of his colleagues and even he himself used an online website to generate essays about a subject and fed that into the testing machine. The essay that was generated was completely gibberish but was constructed properly according to the rules of grammar. For instance, the essay was supposed to be about standardized testing, but it speaks of how governmental officials and monarchs use the system. The testing machine, however, said that the essay was very well written. This is because the essay followed rules of grammar impeccably, even though it did not make any sense. This shows how standardized testing can be extremely ineffective, as they are mostly being gauged by computers that assess their structure and not their contents. Another problem with standardized tests is that they do not take into account the syllabus that students learn all year round in their classroom curriculum (Rosengarten, 2002). This means that it makes what children are being taught in classrooms as being useless. Children are taught a different syllabus in class, and they are expected to prepare for a test that tests them on other criteria. This causes two problems: one, that the children are being given two different types of education, and two, teachers are not sure what to teach their children. They must teach the children the regular coursework, however, they also must make sure that the children pass the standardized test so that they can receive the federal funding and grant, as per the No Child Left Behind Act. Many people have criticized this act. According to his act, each school must administer standardized tests to its students so that all schools can be gauged on a similar platform (United States Department of Education, 2001). If the students attain a certain level of score on these tests, the public schools are given the federal funding and grant; however, if the school fails, the grants are withdrawn (Diorio, 2008). This is why most of the schools pressure their teachers to prepare the students in such a way so that they ace the standardized tests (Smyth, 2008). This can be problematic. Another problem with standardized testing is that when teachers prepare the students for the standardized tests, they neglect and ignore the subjects that the students will not be tested on. For example, most of the standardized tests focus on mathematics and English skills more. This is why to help students pass the standardized tests, teachers’ pay more attention to these subjects and other subjects, such as science, humanities, history, and art are ignored. Children are getting a skewed education that is tailored to fulfill the federal mandate. Moreover, as noted earlier, most of the standardized tests test students on knowledge that is not part of their syllabus. This results in teachers preparing the students to take the test and do well at it, instead of providing a homogenized form of education that benefits students across all the different subjects. This also means that students can effectively remain lazy and not study all year round and only prepare themselves to take the standardized tests at the end of year to pass their grades. This is also not good, as the students are not being given the proper way of being educated, which should be consistent all year round and not focused on passing one test at the end of the year. Furthermore, standardized tests are also not effective because they contain various biases (Se Queda, 2011). This is because the standardized tests are designed to be administered to a large population that has to take the same test. All the students are required to answer the test in the same manner. This can be problematic, as the U. S. has a very diverse student population from various social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds (Scholmerich et al, 2008). Placing them all on the same level and playing field is giving advantage to some of the students while making it more difficult for others. For instance, children from different parts of the country would have different sets of skills. For example, a child raised in a big city, such as New York City, would have completely different mindset and set of skills than a child who was raised in a small town, such as Fort Pierce, Florida. This has to do with cultural dynamics and the way that children are taught, treated, and raised in different surroundings. Each of these children would respond in different ways to various educational questions because of their differences in the way that they were raised. Standardized tests do not account for such differences, as the same test is administered in the same manner for all students. At the same time, children with disabilities, e. g. blind children, are also mandated to take standardized test under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In such cases, the questions are read out aloud to the children and they have to speak out their answers (National Council on Disability, 2008). However, the No Child Left Behind Act ignores the blind children and gives them a null score Mefford, 2009) since they cannot read, which means that the standardized tests are skewed and biased. Additionally, many critics have voiced their concerns over how standardized tests should not be allowed because they are unfair. Such critics talk about how the questions â€Å"require a set of knowledge and skills more likely to be possessed by children from a privileged background. The discriminatory effect is particularly pronounced with norm-referenced te sts, where the imperative to spread out the scores often produces questions that tap knowledge gained outside of school† (Kohn, 2000). At the same time, since the standardized tests contain various patterns that students can be taught, various parents can help their children get the proper preparation so that they can pass these tests. This means that the rich and better off people tend to have the ability to provide their children with private tuitions, helping them prepare specifically for the standardized tests so that they can do well. This is another bias that can be seen in the standardized tests, as those who are able to afford to get specific education and preparation for the standardized tests are able to get better scores. This goes against the true reasons for the standardized tests, which is to gauge the students equally across the same platform. Clearly, the rich have an advantage, as they can afford to be specifically prepared for the test, giving them better scores not because they are more intelligent but because they could pay enough money to tailor their preparation exactly for the test. Another reason standardized tests are ineffective is because they tend to measure superficial thinking rather than the deep thinking of the students. Many scholars have indicated the difference between active thinking and superficial thinking, in that active thinking occurs when students ask many questions about their course, coming up with questions themselves and then linking their current coursework with what they have learned in the past. Superficial thinking occurs when students tend to copy down the answers, do a large amount of guesswork and do not ponder on the more difficult aspects of the curriculum. Research has shown that students who get higher scores on their standardized tests are usually those that indulge more in superficial thinking rather than active thinking. Even though some of the students who indulged in active thinking were also able to get high scores, the correlation between superficial thinking and high scores on standardized test is a positive one. This is another reason standardized tests can be seen as being ineffective, as they tend to measure the wrong kind of things; instead of measuring the students who do active thinking, they favor superficial thinking, which is not good. Thus, we find that standardized tests are ineffective for many reasons. Standardized tests test students on a set of knowledge and skills that they are not usually taught in their coursework. This is why many of the teachers tend to teach students how to pass standardized tests instead of teaching them the proper syllabus. To do this, the teachers have to cut down on other subjects, such as art, and sometimes even take the recess time from the children’s daily timetable. Students can also suffer because many subjects that are not paid attention to help children in building their moral and social learning. At the same time, standardized tests tend to be biased against certain portions of the society, as some students are able to do well on them because of their social backgrounds. Children belonging to rich parents also benefit, as they are able to afford tuition and materials that have been designed to prepare them specifically to get good scores on standardized tests. Finally, it has been found that standardized tests measure superficial thinking more than active thinking. All of these reasons depict why standardized testing is wrong and that it should be replaced with other forms of testing that are more homogenized and work to test the students across relevant parameters.ReferencesDiorio, G. L. (2008). â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001†. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://ehis.ebscohost.com Henry, P. (2007). â€Å"The Case Against Standardized Testing.† Minnesota English Journal. 39-71. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.mcte.org/journal/mej07/3Henry.pdf Kearns, L. (2011). High stakes Standardized Testing and Marginalized Youth: an Examination of the Effects of on those who Fail. Canadian Journal of Education, 34(2). Kohn, A. (2000, September 27). â€Å"Standardized Testing and Its Victims.† Education Week. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/staiv.htm Mefford, D. (2009, October 01). â€Å"Why Was No Child Left Behind a Failure?† EduBook. Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www.edubook.com/why-was-no-child-left-behind-a-failure/15467/ National Council on Disability. (2008). â€Å"The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,† Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from http://www.ncd.gov Rosengarten, D. (2002). â€Å"Standing up to standardized tests.† Dollars and Sense, 232: 6 Scholmerich, A., Leyendeker, B., & Citlak, B., Ulrike,C., Jakel,J., (2008). Assessment of Migrant and Minority Children. Journal of Psychology, 216 Se Queda, m. (2011, February). Biases in Standardized testing. Persephone Magazine retrieved October 26.2012 Smyth, T. S. (2008, January/February). Who is No Child Left Behind leaving behind? Clearing House, 81, (3). United States Department of Education. (2001). â€Å"No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 for Elementary and Secondary Education,† Retrieved on November 7, 2012 from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html Williams, B. (2005). â€Å"Standardized students: The problems with writing for tests instead of people.† Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49, (2): 155.

Risk Management Plays a Vital Role in Healthcare...

Risk managers are a vital lifeline in the healthcare organization. If this organization had an active risk manager in place, many of the events leading up to the infant losing its life could have been prevented. There are many steps that a risk manager must take once a risk is identified, this paper will walk through the steps that are required after the risk happened. A risk manager plays an important role with the events in this infant case study. Risk managers hold a wide variety of responsibilities that include: risk identification, risk control, risk financing, claims management, policy review, safety, security, corporate and regulatory compliance, accreditation compliance, mandatory event reporting, and worker’s†¦show more content†¦Once the root cause analysis and action plan have been prepared and submitted to The Joint Commission, they will decide if the plans are adequate. If the determination that an event is reviewable under the Sentinel Event Policy occurs more than forty five calendar days following the known occurrence of the event, the hospital’s response will be due in fifteen calendar days. If the hospital has failed to submit a root cause analysis within an additional 45 days following its due date, its accreditation decision may be impacted (Sentinel Events, n.d). Once a sentinel event takes place, the next step is to perform a root cause analysis. Root cause analysis is a systematic process used to address problems or non-conformance to identify the source of the problem. A root cause is the underlying breakdown or failure of a process when resolved, prevents the problem from recurring (Connelly, 2012). As soon as the event happens the root analysis should begin and should include everyone involved. The team should list in chronological order all the steps related to the error. A cause and effect diagram is useful to visualize the steps that lead up to the event. After identifying the root cause, the team can develop prevention measures and plans for evaluation known as the action plan. The analysis should provide a solution that prevents futureShow MoreRelatedRisk Management Program For New Employees1144 Words   |  5 PagesThe risk management program in any business, especially in a health care organization is an integral part of its day to day operation. The purpose of the risk management department is summed up by Kavaler Alexander (2014), â€Å"†¦a program designed to reduce the incidence of preventable accidents and injuries to minimize the financial loss to the institution should any accident or injury occur† (p. 5). 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Even the best plans often need corrections and adjustments particularly in the implementation phase, therefore project leaders or managers need to anticipate possible challengesRead MoreInformation Technology And Legal Issues1692 Words   |  7 PagesInformation Technology and Legal Issues Technological advancements continue to expand worldwide, transforming businesses as it develops, especially in the health care industry. Technology plays a significant role in health care including patient intake, monitoring of data, order entry, and self-care strategies. Handheld devices such as iPhones and iPads as well as Android smartphones and tablets are replacing traditional monitoring and recording systems. Innovations in telemedicine allow patientsRead MoreKaiser Permanentes Role For The Care Delivery Process1562 Words   |  7 PagesKaiser Permanente is one of the most prominent health care organizations in the Nation; they do everything such as offer top notch healthcare technologies, great emergency services, excellent physicians, pharmaceuticals, laboratory needs, and hospital services. Due to their every growing organization, they are always looking for great employees to bring on board and develop into their lifelong career. According to Kaiser Permanente Careers (2014), â€Å"There is a reason you choose to bring your career

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Tradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson - 1774 Words

Easily regarded as one of America’s most beloved short stories, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson, leaves readers with excitement and perhaps a small sense of doubt. Doubt could be an aspect of the reader’s mind due to the gory fact of the cultural tradition in the small farming town of the story. Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† displays the theme of unwavering ritualistic tradition and the use of symbolism throughout the story. This means the village is unable to move past their tradition while symbolism is shown through character’s names such as Old Man Warner and Tessie and through various objects in the story like the stool and the black box. However, another reason tradition stays could be the possibility of superstition.†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Pack of young fools† (Jackson 76, par. 8-9). These quotes display the contrasting attitudes between other villages and Old Man Warner’s. Even as sick as i t sounds, the lottery brings the townspeople together because they are connected by one common goal. And even though such an action as detestable as the lottery continues to happen, the townspeople want to hold onto something blindly because it has been passed down from generations. In this town the goal is the killing of an innocent soul (DiYanni 1, 5). Most of the townspeople believe it is a rash and dumb idea to do away with the lottery, proving that their view of human life is vastly distorted. They let their viewpoint be distorted because the lottery was such â€Å"as matter of fact† to them, and the lottery provides them with some sort of closure and a sense of fulfillment. The village is unwilling to move past their traditions because it has been a part of their society for so long. Sometimes people do things not because they agree with, or know exactly what they are doing, but for the reason that the tradition has been in tact for so long. Even though multiple surrounding towns have banished the lottery from their Almanac, Shirley Jackson’s short story village continues to hold true to their unwritten law. For no solidified reason, the village cannot move past what has been passed down by their ancestors. The reason why the town will not move on is yet to be completely determined,Show MoreRelatedTradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1229 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tradition; it is the back bone of every culture and civilization. It is what keeps the beliefs, philosophies, and activities of societies alive, to be passed down from generation to generation. However not all traditions are practiced with pure intentions.   Some activities become so routine, people don’t know a life outside of them. Societies become so accustomed to â€Å"tradition† that they will participate in pastimes without   questioning the ethics or morals of the situation. UltimatelyRead MoreIgnornance of Tradition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1014 Words   |  5 Pages Tradition, defined as the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction. (Tradition) Tradition is a core trait of humanity, from the time before recorded history to present, humanity has followed traditions or customs that have been passed down from generation to generation. More often than not communities all over the world blindly follow these practices with little regard to who startedRead MoreThe Meaning of a Tradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson574 Words   |  2 PagesShirley Jackson wrote many books in her life, but she was well known by people for her story â€Å"The Lottery† (Hicks). â€Å"The Lottery† was published on June 28, 1948, in the New Yorker magazine (Schilb). The story sets in the morning of June 27th in a small town. The townspeople gather in the square to conduct their annual tradition, the Lottery. The winner of the lottery will stoned to death by the society. Although there is no main character in the story, the story develops within other important elementsRead MoreTraditions in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay576 Words   |  3 PagesThesis: After a long period of time passes people forget the true meaning of their traditions by slowly disregarding as the years pass. I. The first part of the traditional ritual that is changed is the chips of wood. A. Chips of wood, Mr. Summers had argued, had been all very well when the village was tiny... B. Its perceived as though there is no regard to how the ancestors of this village put on the lottery. II. The second part of the traditional ritual that is changed is the recitalRead MoreTradition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay1769 Words   |  8 PagesTradition in â€Å"The Lottery† There are many things that people do every day without questioning why they do them. These are our habits and traditions, and though for the most part they are unimportant they can be a crucial part of our culture and our interactions with each other. Sometimes there are traditions that can cause harm or are morally unacceptable. What should be done in this case? Edmund Burke, a nineteenth century politician and author, argues that it is best to stick with traditionRead MoreTraditions in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson Essay464 Words   |  2 Pages Shirley Jacksons story, The Lottery is about a group of towns people who meet every year on the 27th of June. On this day a stoning takes place, as it washes away the sins of everyone that lived in the village. However, should the tradition of the stoning be changed when it becomes your time? On this day every year the people of the village began to gather in the square, around ten oclock (Jackson) to prepare for the stoning. This event would take about two hours as there wereRead MoreEssay on â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson: A Brutal Tradition608 Words   |  3 Pagesthe oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people,† capturing the main message of the short story â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson, perfectly, because of the themes of peer pressure and tradition present throughout the story. In this story, the people of a small village gather for their annual tradition, a lottery, in which one person is picked at random out of a box containing each of the villagers’ names. The village, which is not specifically named, seemsRead MoreTradition Stays Put in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson1053 Words   |  4 PagesTradition Stays Put Easily regarded as one of America’s most beloved short stories, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson, leaves readers with excitement and perhaps a small sense of doubt. Doubt could be an aspect of the reader’s mind due to the gory fact of the cultural tradition in the small farming town of the story. Shirley Jackson’s â€Å"The Lottery† displays the theme of unwavering ritualistic tradition and symbolism. This means the village is unable to move past their tradition while symbolismRead More Theme of Tradition in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lottery by Shirley Jackson Americans day after day live much of their lives following time-honored traditions that are passed down from one generation to another. From simple everyday cooking and raising children, to holidays and other family rituals, tradition plays a significant role on how they go by there everyday lives. In Shirley Jacksons short story, The Lottery, the citizens of a small farming town follow one such tradition. A point is made regarding human nature in relationRead MoreTraditions in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner1176 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the world there have been bazaar rituals or traditions that don’t usually happen in the United States. To us it may seem wrong and cruel but to those countries seems to be the right thing to do because that is what they believe in. Some countries do their rituals or traditions like every single year. Most of them are somewhat similar or different but still have the same aspect. There are many people who still follow these traditions or try to escape to another place so they can be free

Bud Shaw’s Back Yard Burgers A Company Analysis Free Essays

Bud Shaw is the current Vice President for Administration and Support Services in Back Yard Burgers, Inc. However, until 2007, he held the position as Vice President of Corporate Operations Services. (â€Å"People Search Results,† 2008) Shaw has been successful in the business due to his determination and perseverance to perfect his craft. We will write a custom essay sample on Bud Shaw’s Back Yard Burgers: A Company Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now His excellence may be attributed to his flexibility in terms of carrying out and accomplishing roles and responsibilities that are granted to him as one of the highly-revered leaders of Back Yard Burgers. For instance, his capabilities to shift from operations to administration reveal his litheness as one of the people in charge over the business organization. Perhaps, the aforementioned trait, coupled with good education, steadfastness, thirst for more knowledge and opportunities for enhancing skills, rationality and open-mindedness, and the ability to take on various roles and responsibilities, contributed to his success as part of Back Yard Burgers Inc. The most important thing, however, is his dedication to carry out his job excellently, if not perfectly. His ingenue as once a leader in the operations service has catapulted Back Yard Burgers Inc. to success as he was able to lead operating services which directs majority of the functions and operations of the organization. At present, his undertakings cover a more extensive scope as he is second in command in the area of administration and support for Back Yard Burgers Inc. Shifting to the dimensions of Back Yard Burgers Inc. , the organization over the years has proven to be successful in its field, which is under the leisure industry operating under the context of restaurants cafes. Back Yard Burgers Inc. specifically operates as one of the leading fast-food and quick-service restaurants in the United States. The organization was established in 1987 Lattimore Michael with the assistance of investors. The success of Back Yard Burgers Inc. has launched it to obtain a position as one of the top fast-food and quick service restaurants. In fact, its top competitors are highly established food service organizations, such as Burger Kind, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s. (â€Å"Back Yard Burger’s Inc. ,† 2008) Back Yard Burgers Inc. operates fast-food restaurants built in several states in the country, and it is also an active franchiser of the brand. Majority of Back Yard Burgers restaurants are concentrated in the south and the Midwest. It has over 170 fast food restaurants built in numerous states in the nation, including Tennessee, Mississippi, Illinois, Texas, Arkansas, Vancouver, Kentucky, North Carolina, Nebraska, Missouri, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Connecticut, to name a few. Franchising is at the heart of the success of the company as it sets the backdrop of growth for Back Yard Burgers Inc. (â€Å"Company Search Results,† 2008) Therefore, to obtain more profit, the organization is looking into expanding more through strengthening the area of franchising and providing quality services for its costumers by improving Back Yard Burger’s menu. As of the moment, the organization has launched new product offerings – the Mushroom Swiss, which is a gourmet burger (made from Black Angus Beef, sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tomato), and the Chicken Sandwich available in new traditional or Chipotle (made from chicken tenderloins, Chipotle pepper sauce, lettuce, and tomato). (â€Å"New Products,† 2008) Costumers will be expecting other additions to Back Yard Burger’s menu, with inventive food recipes that will capture their taste. As for individuals who are interested to franchise the Back Yard Burger line, the organization is opening its doors for them as a means to augment return of investment and added income. Geographically speaking, Back Yard Burger’s has no determined plans to expand into specific areas or states. The organization does, however, allow interested parties to franchise Back Yard Burgers to fill up a request form where they can state on which area they are planning to establish the planned franchise. (â€Å"Franchising,† 2008) Back Yard Burger’s will be looking into the matter in order to determine the feasibility of establishing a franchise in stated areas. Currently, the organization is operating in twenty states – Tennessee obtaining the most establishments with thirty nine stores of Back Yard Burgers to date. The success of Back Yard Burgers Inc. as a fast-food and quick-service restaurant is mainly attributed to the attractiveness of the industry under which it operates. Food is basic commodity, an item that never goes off the consumer’s list of necessities. Organizations that establish themselves through food servicing will never fail to attract consumers, as long as it positions itself in the corporate arena as one of the best. Moreover, our modern society has adapted to changes brought about by technology fostering the need for fast servicing of consumers. This kind of modern life fits well with the concept of fast-food and quick-service restaurants as they are able to grow with the demands of modernity. On the other hand, the unattractiveness of the fast-food and quick-service as an industry sets the potential risks and threats to any organization operating under this field. This is attributed to competition and diverse consumer population. It will be difficult to maneuver an organization which operates under an industry with loads of competition, and established organizations at that. There are so many fast-food chains and quick-service restaurants that are highly popular, such as McDonald’s, which plays down an organization’s competitive advantage. Another unattractive feature is the nature of the consumer population. A diverse consumer population necessitates the innovativeness of organizations to present a menu that is new, but at the same time appealing to them. It is a great challenge which requires much time and effort. However, with the company culture of Back Yard Burgers Inc. , it is perceived that it will be able to weather all these challenges. The organization does not only focus on profit, but is also sensitive about the need to satisfy its consumers and society as well through corporate social responsibility. Moreover, the organization is working hard to accomplish its mission by nurturing the development of its employees – the human capital – who are expected to carry out the goals and objectives of Back Yard Burgers Inc. through excellence and quality service. (â€Å"Mission,† 2008) References â€Å"Back Yard Burgers, Inc. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Hoover’s Inc. Website: http://premium. hoovers. com/subscribe/co/profile. xhtml? ID=ffffchrskrxrsfhjfh â€Å"Company Search Results. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Hoover’s Inc. Website: http://premium. hoovers. com/subscribe/search/simple/company/index. xhtml? query_string=Backyard+Burgerswhich=companypage=1search_x=43search_y=3 â€Å"Franchising. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Back Yard Burgers. Website: http://www. backyardburgers. com/www/41_37_0. cfm â€Å"Mission. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Back Yard Burgers Inc. Website: http://www. backyardburgers. com/site/mission. cfm â€Å"New Products. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Back Yard Burgers. Website: http://www. backyardburgers. com/www/38_29_0. cfm â€Å"People Search Results. † (2008). Retrieved October 29, 2008, from Hoover’s Inc. Website: http://premium. hoovers. com/subscribe/co/people/bio. xhtml? ID=chrskrxrsfhjfhOID=1958540 How to cite Bud Shaw’s Back Yard Burgers: A Company Analysis, Papers

Storm From The East - The Mongol Horde Invasion free essay sample

An analysis of the Mongol Horde invasion. To understand a present-day culture one must look to its past, its formation and foundation. In the case of modern day Russia, the author contends that the domination and repression imposed by the Mongol Horde forever changed the course of the Slavic people. Specifically, he believes that there was a great impact upon the cultural makeup, the arts and architecture, and the development of science and technology. An examination of Proto-Rus and its evolution is essential in understanding the formation of modern Russia. From 862 -1237 AD, the first proto-Russian political entity was founded by Rurik in the vicinity of Novgorod in 862 AD, when the Varangians had controlled many of the trade routes leading from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea by way of lakes and river. All Russian leaders for the next 700 years would descend from Rurik. In 880-882 AD, another Varangian named Oleg assumed rule of Kiev, which quickly became the political center of the territory known as Kievan Rus (Lawrence 1993). We will write a custom essay sample on Storm From The East The Mongol Horde Invasion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The city of Kiev rose in importance in an era known as the Golden Age of Kiev until the 13th century, when Kievs stature as the political center of the Russian Empire declined rapidly owing to variety of factors, such as familial infighting and the Mongol invasion. The lasting achievements of the Kievan Rus era were the Christianization of Russia following the Eastern Orthodox faith and the formulation and acceptance of the Cyrillic alphabet (Ragsdale 1996).