Les Nuits DEte - 2052 Words

Amy Shuford 5 April 2011 Music History II Research Paper – Les Nuits d’Ete Dr. Christina Reitz An Analysis of Hector Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’Ete Born in 1803, in the village of La Cà ´te-Saint-Andrà ©, France, Hector Berlioz produced some of the most invigorating and exciting music of the Romantic period (Holoman, 1, 6). Romanticism primarily focused on subjectivism, therefore people were concentrating more on their emotions and spirituality and less on logical explanations for the problems of humanity. Those of the Romantic period valued nature and depended upon the creativity of artists in order to gain a deeper and different outlook on the world, one that was not strictly rational. Of all the Romantic art forms, music, especially†¦show more content†¦The tonal tension portrays the anger and confusion that the character is experiencing. During the beginning of the movement, the vocal line is given much freedom for expression because the accompaniment is mainly comprised of block chords entering on each beat. As the emotions of the character intensify, the energy of accompaniment is also enhanced by repeating chords by use of compound eighth notes. The emotion of the vocalist and orchestra continues to increase because the vocalist makes their way to their high/head register to sustain notes to portray their anguish while the orchestra is playing arpeggiated chords set rhythmically to thirty-second notes. The movement ends with the vocalist sustaining and the orchestra arpeggiating the dominant (V) chord to leave the listener with a sense of unsettlement and discomfort (Berlioz, Les Nuits d’Ete). L’Absence (Absence) is the fourth movement and is very contrasting to Sur les Lagunes by means of emotion and tonality. The character singing is in a stage of grief when one may deny the occurrence of the death. The singer repeatedly pleads â€Å"Reviens, reviens ma bien aimee,† which literally translates to â€Å"Return, return my beloved.† Though the text is saddening, Berlioz set the song in the key of F # major which provides a bright and elevating sound. The accompaniment is minimal in this movement because itShow MoreRelatedThea 1016562 Words   |  27 PagesBerlioz (1839/2008, Disc 1, Track 1). This music creates an intense atmosphere, which is very compatible with this plot. The ball at Capulet’s is accompanied by â€Å"Romà ©o et Juliette, Symphonie dramatique, Op. 17, 3à ¨me Partie: Nuit sereine - Le jardin de Capulet silencieux et desert Les jeunes Capulets sortent de la fà ªte, passente en chantant des reminiscences† by Hector Berlioz (1839/2008, Disc 1, Track 6). This music helps create a magnificent and high-class atmosphere. The music that I choose for Romeo

Effective Advertising An Effective Advertisement

INTRODUCTION The main purpose of any advert is to make the advertised product sell more. Therefore, any advertising producer will do everything possible to ensure that he or she ends up with an effective advert. An effective advert in this context is one that will sell out a product or even services through fulfilling promises made about it. For that reason, an effective advertising will have to adhere to the following characteristics. They include, creativity, hard-hitting, memorable, clear, informative and distinctive (Dahl 167). It is through adherence to these features that some of the worldwide products like Coca-cola have managed to stand out among others. This explains another fact about effective advertising, which is brand establishment. For example, when an individual mentions the term beverage in any context, Coca-cola will be among the first things to pass through the minds of people. This is because of the branding made about it through advertising. Consequently, effective advertising can also be used to promote sales of inferior products (Hahn, Davis and Magill 141). On the other hand, for an advertisement of a product or service to be effective as intended, the media and the format through which the advert is conveyed matters a lot. This is because advertisement of some products can only be effective when they are conveyed either through print, some through television or even radio broadcasts. Among the types of advertisements that advertisers use include,Show MoreRelatedAdvertising : An Effective And Efficiency Advertisement1742 Words   |  7 Pagesis not an easy job. Advertising products to costumers needs a careful and detail thought, where we have to plan every single aspect to maximize the result and reduce ineffective advertisements. According to Kotler Amstrong (2016, p474) states promoting is the nonpersonal presentation of information, which is normally paid for and typically convincing in nature about products, services or ideas by distinguished patrons through the different media. In addition, advertising has three essential objectivesRead MoreTypes Of Media Advertising On Business Essay1093 Words   |  5 PagesTypes of media advertising There are nine types of media advertising. They are: 1. Direct mail advertising Direct mail advertising is one of the most oldest and traditional form of advertising. In this method, the content or the message which has to be delivered to the buyer is sent by post by the seller. It is not necessary that the buyer and the seller should be in different places in order to follow this type of advertisement. This process contains a lot of procedures and steps which the sellerRead More2.09 writing and effective concusion1669 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Graphic Organizer: Part 1 Topic: Technology Questions to research: Are advertisements aimed at teenagers effective? And, are they ethical? My Response: Most advertisements aimed at teenagers are effective, but usually are not ethical. Most marketers have many ways of gathering information on teenagers spending habits and what is most important to teens. With this information they’re able to create advertisements that will appeal to most teens and create profit. Many people argue that someRead More2.08 body paragraph Essay1613 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Advertisement Chart    How does the ad use  logos? How does the ad use  pathos? How does the ad use  ethos? Does the ad seem effective to you?   Explain your reasoning. Your favorite   electronic device   The video uses logos by saying that the IPhone 4s has 8 megapixels and all new optics which makes it more than the leading competition.         The video uses pathos by saying siri is an amazing assistant that listens to you and understands you when you need her.         The video uses ethosRead MoreEuropean Advertising vs. American Advertising Essays872 Words   |  4 Pages------------------------------------------------- European Advertising vs. American Advertising ------------------------------------------------- Research Paper ARS 230 The main aspect of advertising is to ‘get more bang for the buck’, to make it aesthetically pleasing to the eye and gain the viewer’s attention. Throughout the years, advertising has varied in many ways from catchy slogans to iconic logos. Some may say there is nothing wrong with a little healthy competition, but what if oneRead MoreWhy Are Print Advertising Obsolete? Essay1290 Words   |  6 PagesWhy is print advertising obsolete? Nowadays, people get so many different types of advertisement such as a print advertisement, TV, and the Internet from companies. A few examples of print advertising are newspapers, magazines, or the Yellow Pages. Print advertising used to be the best choice for advertising products because it helps customers understand the products clearly and then they share it to others. However, with the development of Internet, print advertising has not had a massive impactRead MoreSex in Advertising1358 Words   |  6 PagesSex in Advertising I chose sex in advertising for my research topic because I do not know about it well, even though a lot of sexual images and texts in advertisements. When I was a little kid, I often surprised by ads with sexy woman. Even now, I sometimes have my eyes glued to such kinds of advertising. I wonder that there are some physiological reasons why people pay attention to sex images. Also, learning about sex in advertising is useful for my career because I want to work for an advertisingRead MoreMobile Advertising Is A Beneficial Way For Promoting A Business1295 Words   |  6 PagesAnyone who owns a mobile device has experienced an advertisement popping up on their screen, interrupting their routine. But certain people wonder if these advertisements serve their purpose in being effective? There have been studies proving that mobile advertising is a beneficial way to promote a business. With the growth of social media, there are tons of advantages and some fixable disadvantages stated i n â€Å"A More Effective Way to Advertise the Distance Education Programmes: Mobile Marketing ApproachRead MoreSnickers Advertising Essay1093 Words   |  5 PagesSeptember 2017 Why Snickers Continues to Set the Pace for Chocolate Advertisements Thesis: The Snickers advertisement is effective because of the good positioning of the text and image, use of good contrasting colors, and easy analysis. I. Snickers’ position of the text and image, complement each other, thereby making the advertisement very effective. A. Snickers advertisement’s positioning of the text and image, make the advertisement very breathable, easy to read and process, since the image doesRead MoreEssay about The Effectiveness of Sex Appeal in Advertisement661 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effectiveness of Sex Appeal in Advertisement Sex is everywhere. Its in every magazine, on every television station, and in every movie. Sex appears in advertisements for everything from shoes to food to computers. It is understandable why advertisers use sex appeal since it sets their ads apart from the countless others. Ads with sex can be more memorable, but sometimes too much sex overpowers the ad, drawing attention away from the brand. Overdone sex appeal can offend the target

Nursing admin Free Essays

Possible Causes a. In order to Improve the process In dealing with this specific Incident changes must be made to implement a new process in order to better deal with these situations in the future. The first step would be to develop a team that is specifically trained to handle these emergent situations. We will write a custom essay sample on Nursing admin or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each member should have a specific role designated to them to know their specific tasks that should be handled during the emergency response. Once the team is developed, special training should be given to better educate the team members In dealing with these patients. Once each member Is confident In their training and knowing their role, the team will be ready and prepared to handle any future situations. B. To organize a team that would be the first responders for all emergent situations, the team would include a leader, facilitator, recorder, time keeper, and team members. The leaders would be the primary URN and primary physician on the given case. The facilitator of this team would be the ICC nurse. The recorder and time keeper would be the same person being one of the unit staff members, not necessarily a URN but could be the charge nurse or resource nurse. The team member included could be the respiratory therapist who could help assists with necessary task if not preoccupied with a respiratory distress patient. In addition to these team members, I would include a security officer to be present and on standby for these patients that are combative and a possible threat to themselves or others. In this specific case the security team could have helped assist with the patient leaving the scene. C. Unfortunately, the staff Is currently uneducated on how to deal with these types of patients and incidences. This is causing them to have negative attitudes towards the patient’s only rather accelerating the behavior of the patients. The staff does not know the correct steps to take in order to diffuse the situation. By not knowing what to do, there is too much lag time creating too much time for the situation to further escalate. Another problem that added to the situation escalating was having no security guards present at the time of Incident, causing opportunity for the patient to escape the hospital and disappear. D. Patient arrived at DE due to possible stroke Admitted with lack of knowledge of cause of symptoms Rapid response due to patient outburst Staff responds with negative attitude and lack of knowledge on how to address Mr†¦ X Mr†¦ X flees the hospital County police find Mr†¦ X at home Mr†¦ X admitted to same acute unit Staff avoids Mr†¦ X e. As stated previously in â€Å"letter a†, to improve the process and decrease the risk of this situation happening again a team should be implemented who is specifically trained in dealing with these situations. The emphasis should be placed on training and education for the staff and team members so this situation of staff not knowing how to respond or deal with this patient, will not happen again. A unit protocol should also be set in place, so that the staff does not have questions regarding how to deal with these patients in the future when this situation reoccurs. AAA. Improvement Plan In order to best be prepared in case this situation should happen again, a plan should be developed and in place so there is no questions as to whom should respond and what tasked should be taken. First there should be a team established and trained to be prepared for these situations. At the first sign of an emergent situation arising, the primary nurse should notify the charge nurse of events are age overhead so the entire team is alerted immediately. All of the members of the team should rapidly respond to the page and report to the location of the incident. Once all assemble the team members should assume their roles, the leaders would be the primary URN and primary physician on the given case. The facilitator of this team would be the ICC nurse. The recorder and time keeper would be the same person being one of the unit staff members, not necessarily a URN but could be the charge nurse or resource nurse. The team member included could be the respiratory expiratory distress patient. And the security team should be present and close in proximity. The team leaders should be taking control of the situation by giving verbal orders of steps necessary to diffuse the situation. The respiratory therapist should be taking care of oxygen and breathing treatments if necessary and assisting the team with any other necessary tasks. The unit staff member who is designated as the recorder and time keeper should be taking detailed notes of each task and order that is being carried out. Each team member should be all hands in throughout the entire mime until the situation is diffused or the primary MD orders for the team to discontinue treatment. Since the team has been thoroughly trained, their attitude will be more accepting of the patient and they will be proactive with approaching the patient due to the fact that they know which steps to take and skills in handling these patients. Once the situation in diffused and handled, the recorder should chart all the details that occurred during the response and the team should debrief regarding how things were dealt with and improvements that could be made. AAA. Implementation In order to implement this plan, a team must be developed that is specifically trained to handle these emergent situations. Each member should have a specific role better educate the team members in dealing with these patients. The members should be educated in detail regarding the plan and how to carry it out. It should be clear to all individuals on what their specific role is and each task they are responsible to implement. AAA AS. Plan Measurement Evaluation of In order to measure and evaluate if the plan would be effective a â€Å"mock† emergency could be staged in order to gage and evaluate how the team members react and successfully carry out the process. To be measurable, the response time could be recorded in order to evaluate how long the team takes to respond to the emergency and how long it takes to secure and safely treat the patient. Evaluations on each team member could be done and reviewed in order to make further corrections if necessary. After each emergent situation a debriefing could be held to discuss the outcomes and areas that need to be improved in order to better the process each time. B. Unit Protocol 1). No staff member should approach the patient by themselves, always have second staff member present at all times. ). At first sign of behavioral outburst, call security team in for backup. 3). Call team overhead to alert all members at first signs of emergency, in order to initiate first steps of the developed process. 4). Never attempt to restrain the patient before or during behavioral episode without consulting MD first. 5). Do not risk putting yourself in way of harm of physical danger if patient in combative, a llow security team or police office to handle extreme cases of behavioral episodes. How to cite Nursing admin, Papers

Potential Growth For UAE and Saudi Arabia

Question: Discuss about thePotential Growth For UAE and Saudi Arabia. Answer: Introduction The potential output describes what the economy is able to generate when entire resource including labor force, technology, natural resources, and equipment are utilized completely. It can as well describe the amount of GDP which a country can achieve upon appropriate employment of the resources (Darrat 2014). A country which is producing at potential output is operating at its full employment. It can as well mean an economic activity level whereby the AD along with AS are consistent with a stable rate of inflation. It is utilized by people who make policies when estimating inflation, and utilize it as an output degree where an increase or decline in prices remains needless (Squalli 2012). The calculation of the rate and level of growth of potential output and consequently comparing it with outcomes with witnessed patterns will help people get the measure of spare capacity grade in economy. In this paper, such concepts as capital accumulation production function, and total factor productivity are used to showcase the level of potential output that can be accomplished by Saudi Arabia and UAE in the next 20 years and key factors. The United Arabs Emirates practices open economy that has a greater per capita income alongside a substantial yearly trade surplus. UAEs fruitful energies at economic divergence have declined the share of GDP anchored on gas and oil output to twenty-five percent (Darrat 2014). Right from the oil discovery in UAE over thirty years ago, the nation has gone through a prominent transformation from a penurious area of small desert princedoms to a contemporary status with a high living standard (Squalli 2012). The government has surged expenditure on creating jobs as well as infrastructure enlargement besides opening up utilities to higher private sector engagement. The UAEs free trade regions offering one hundred percent overseas possession alongside zero taxes thus enticing overseas investors (Squalli 2012). The strategic plan for UAE for next 20 years emphasizes economic diversification and more jobs opportunities creation for nationals via enhanced education alongside escalated sector employment (Darrat 2014). The production function mechanism speaks to the supply side and indicates the link between factor inputs and output. Potential output is denoted by a combination of factors including inputs, capital, and labor, multiplied by total factor productivity. The Cobb-Douglas specification describes the production firm give as Yt=AtLt-1Kt . Yt is actual output in period t, Lt-labor employed as input, K-capital stock, A-TFP, and -share of capital in the national economy (Darrat 2014). The efficiency in labor and capital utilization is linked to improvement in TFP thus leading to higher output. TFP remains observable; and calculated by taking out contribution of capital and labor to actual output. At= Yt/ tLt-1* Kt. This method remains the best of statistical methods because it overrides drawbacks of statistical approaches (Darrat 2014). The potential growth from the Cobb Douglas function method for Saudi Arabia is 4.5% while that of UAE is 5.6% for oil-GDP growth while the non-oil growth is 6.1% and 7.0% respectively for the next 20 years. Capital accumulation describes the profits a company utilizes to enhance the base of its capital. It involves the acquisition of additional assets which can be utilized to establish extra wealth or which shall appreciate in value (Manama 2016). The UAE and Saudi Arabia have the potential of GDP growth basically for both non-oil potential growth and oil potential growth. Both UAE and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed sturdy growth over the previous decade due to high oil prices alongside expansionary fiscal policy by respective governments for development of economy. References Darrat, A.F., 2014. Are financial deepening and economic growth causally related? Another look at the evidence. International Economic Journal, 13(3), pp.19-35. Manama, B., 2016, April. Economic Diversification in Oil-Exporting Arab Countries. In Annual Meeting of Arab Ministers of Finance. Squalli, J., 2012. Electricity consumption and economic growth: Bounds and causality analyses of OPEC members. Energy Economics, 29(6), pp.1192-1205.

Sun Yat-Sen University Essay Example

Sun Yat-Sen University Essay This article was downloaded by: [Sun Yat-Sen University] On: 02 June 2013, At: 05:15 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Accounting Education: An International Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www. tandfonline. com/loi/raed20 Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum Bob Gammie , Elizabeth Gammie Erica Cargill Published online: 05 Oct 2010. To cite this article: Bob Gammie , Elizabeth Gammie Erica Cargill (2002): Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum, Accounting Education: An International Journal, 11:1, 63-78 To link to this article: http://dx. doi. org/10. 1080/09639280210153272 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www. tandfonline. com/page/termsand-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Accounting Education 11 (1), 63–78 (2002) We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sun Yat-Sen University specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Personal skills development in the accounting curriculum B OB G A M M I E* , E LI Z A BE TH G A M M I E and ER I C A CA R G I LL The Robert Gordon University, Scotland Received: July 2001 Revised: September 2001 Accepted: October 2001 Abstract Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer suf cient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. For over a decade, a number of employers have been sounding warnings to the higher education sector that a ‘skills gap’ was emerging at the employer/graduate interface. This paper highlights one strategy that attempts to facilitate the development of transferable and managerial skills in an undergraduate accounting degree. Using a stakeholder approach the adequacy of current in-house provision, and a comparison of this with best practice in the sector, was undertaken. Analysis of the ndings resulted in the conclusion that skills development using an embedded delivery approach was insuf cient. Likewise, a dedicated skills module in Year 1 was also inadequate and an appropriate course needed to be developed and incorporated as a core module in Year 2 of the programme. The result of this has been the creation of a module entitled Business Enterprise Skills. Keywords: graduate skills, dedicated module Introduction and relevant literature Today’s challenging economic situation means that it is no longer suf cient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. Graduates are being asked to display far more than subject-speci c knowledge. They need to provide evidence that skills development activity has occurred during their higher education experience. Harvey et al. (1997), concluded that: . . . employers . . . no longer recruit simply on the basis of degree status. A degree might be necessary or desirable but employers are looking for a range of other attributes when employing and retaining graduates. (Harvey et al. , 1997, p. 63) The UK Government has also acknowledged the requirement for graduate skills. The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education reported in 1997 that all institutions should, over the medium term, identify opportunities to increase the extent to which programmes help students become familiar with work and help them re ect on such experience (Dearing Committee, 1997). The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) (1997) has identi ed that employers frequently emphasize the importance of key * Address for correspondence: Bob Gammie, Aberdeen Business School, The Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7QE, UK. E-mail: r. [emailprotected] ac. u k Accounting Education ISSN 0963–9284 print/ISSN 1468–4489 online  © 2002 Taylor Francis Ltd http://www. tandf. co. uk/journals DOI: 10. 1080/0963928021015327 2 64 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 skills in preparing people to be part of a exible and adaptable workforce. They further emphasize the part they have to play in the employability of individuals throughout their working lives. It is evident that the nature of accounting has changed considerably, largely because the organizational, economic and technological context in which this type of work is conducted has changed, in many cases, beyond recognition (Cooper, 1998; Adamson et al. , 1998). This is set to continue, and will manifest itself in many ways, perhaps most obviously through intensi cation of work practices. This has already radically changed the skills that accountants need in order to be effective in the changed context in which they have to operate. Worrall and Cooper (1997; 1998; 2001) argue that individual and business survival, and business and national competitiveness, will depend on how quickly and how well UK decision-makers develop new skills. A key question in this type of research is – who is the best judge of what future skills accounting graduates are likely to need? Nationally, and internationally, a number of studies have been performed to ascertain exactly what skills the employers want to see included in the graduate pro le (e. g. Nicholson and Moss, 1990; Abbott, 1993; AGR, 1995; CAES, 1997; O’Brien, 1997; Williams and Owen, 1997; Fallows and Steven, 2000). The overall feedback suggests that the following ‘groups’ of skills were the most sought after; communication, problem-solving, personal and interpersonal skills, responsibility and organizational ability. Williams and Owen (1997) found that the most common perceived graduate qualities are an ability to learn, intelligence, ideas and imagination, and good communication skills. Lewis and Gill (1999) further articulate much of the current thinking in this area: Transferable skills and key skills are simply code words for the kind of capability now being sought; ‘adaptability’ and ‘ exibility’ are indications of the kinds of disposition now required. These meta-skills . . . enable persons to deploy effectively a repertoire of generic and more speci c skills (Lewis and Gill, 1999, p. 1). Essentially employers have stated that they want students to be able to think laterally (Holmes, 1995a). They require students familiar with a problem-based approach to a situation and to take with them into employment the ability to come up with creative and original solutions. Personal and interpersonal skills encompass both communications and team work dynamics, thus the requirement for team players, as well as team-leaders (Holmes, 1995b). The ability of an individual to work successfully as an individual, or as a member of a group, forms an integral part of the graduate skills pro le (Rozien and Jepson, 1985). Graduates are expected to have a sense of ‘appropriateness’ for the ways in which they respond to people and to the tasks in hand. Employers desire graduates who are ‘self-con dent but recognize their own limitations’ (Harvey and Bowes, 1998). In a survey of small- and medium-sized enterprises, Harvey and Bowes (1998) noted that ‘employers want graduates to make an early contribution when starting employment’. This ability to handle responsibility and exhibit leadership potential is a widely sought after skill on a national level. Harvey and Bowes’ (1998) ndings indicated a preference for individuals who can display that they have the potential for leadership in a work environment. Previous effective leadership experience intimates a good team-worker, listener and motivator, and someone who has already shown himself to be worthy of the respect of his team. Organizational ability, for example, time keeping, effective planning Personal skills development 65 Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 and strategic thinking are mandatory for the competitive graduate marketplace. Along with foreign language skills and ICT competencies these ‘meta-skills’ (Barnett, 1998) constitute the reported areas of skill de cit within the modern graduate pro le. The arguments put forward in relation to the demands and requirements of employers should not be accepted unchallenged. It is perhaps stating the obvious to make the point that all recruiters would like the graduates they take on to be as ready to contribute to the pro tability of the organization in as short a time period as possible. The logic is straightforward, the more ready the HE sector makes the individual to achieve work competency, the less time and resource the organization need to devote to achieving this. There is obviously a balance to be struck and it is equally evident that the more that the HE sector provides then the greater the extent to which the prospective employers will ask for. Indeed, the HE sector has a far wider remit than providing students with work-based skills, and it has to satisfy a range of stakeholders (Stewart and Knowles, 2001). Thus, feedback from employers must be analysed in this light; they are a group that is potentially never satis ed. Indeed, their requirements may be transient in nature as business conditions alter. It is important to consider in this light which skills should be incorporated within the education process and which should be facilitated outside the academic curriculum (Nabi and Begley, 1998). As Stewart and Knowles (2000) and Gubbay (1994) point out, universities are not surrogate employment and training agencies and, in an already squeezed curriculum, the clear bene ts of skills development have to be identi ed to substantiate their inclusion. Notwithstanding the above, it is evident from the literature that a range of transferable skills are essential for students leaving university and entering the world of work. Thus, part of the HE function in producing graduates is to provide them with the attributes necessary to be able to operate professionally within the environment required for the ‘learning age’ or ‘learning society’. This is entirely consistent with the Dearing Committee (1997) which noted that: . . . institutions of higher education [should] begin immediately to develop, for each programme they offer, a ‘programme speci cation’ which . . gives the intended outcomes of the programme in terms of: c the knowledge and understanding that a student will be expected to have on completion; c key skills: communication, numeracy, the use of information technology and learning how to learn; c cognitive skills, such as an understanding of methodologies or ability in critical analysis; c subject speci c skills. ’ Aim and context The aim of this paper is to examine from the perspective of relevant stakeholders a number of issues. It will examine the current provision in relation to skills development, question whether further development is required and, if so, what is the most appropriate model to facilitate this. The research has been undertaken within Aberdeen Business School (ABS), part of The Robert Gordon University. ABS maintains close links with industry, commerce and the 66 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 public sector, the intention being to ensure, as far as possible, that the courses offered are tailored to the needs of graduate employers. In addition, the operation of thick sandwich degree programmes are central to the School’s portfolio, with students on the Accounting and Finance degree undertaking 12 months paid placement within an accounting environment during the third year of their studies. Current provision takes the form of a dedicated module in Year 1 of the undergraduate accounting degree. This is core to the programme and is awarded credit points accordingly. This is consistent with other provision across the sector where skills development falls almost exclusively within the boundaries of the rst year of degree studies. The question that has been posed in relation to this asks – is it realistic to expect students at the end of Year 1, to have reached a point where they take full responsibility for their skills development? Stewart and Knowles (2000) also suggested that consideration should be given to examining the requirement for modules at a higher level which dealt both academically and practically with the notions of careers, career planning and career development. This is a key feature of this paper: it looks beyond rst year studies and attempts to clarify and construct a model for skills development and enhancement in students’ second year of study. Methodological approach There is a number of stakeholders involved in this area and, if substantive progress is to be made in the development of enhanced skill levels, appropriate research needs to be undertaken to nd out what needs to be done and how this is best achieved. A number of groups were identi ed as being relevant – graduate employers, placement employers, Year 4 students who have completed a placement in the third year of their degree, current placement students, current provision elsewhere, and nally the views of the Course Team. Thus, a multifaceted approach was taken in an attempt to generate meaningful data from all the relevant parties. Approaches included a discussion forum, interviews and questionnaires. The intention here was to inform the argument from as many perspectives as possible to avoid simply appearing to be at the call of graduate employers and meeting their every demand. It is clear that their opinion is of relevance but this cannot be allowed to overshadow all others. Thus, in data analysis the Course Team was very much aware of the need for a balanced analysis and to take cognisance of all perspectives. Graduate and placement employers An examination of employers’ requirements needed to be contextualized within the environment in which the university is situated. Thus, although a number of generic skills have been identi ed, it was believed to be important to engage as many employers in the dialogue as possible. To this end a debate incorporating graduate and placement employers entitled ‘Graduates of the Future’ was held with the general aim being to elicit views on the potential for undergraduate course improvement. More speci cally, we sought to try and determine the changing requirements of accounting graduates, from the view of those who have in the past recruited Business School students – be it at graduate level, or for the one year period of industrial placement. The latter is often a student’s rst noncasual work experience; hence it is important that students possess suf cient knowledge and skills to operate in the current business environment described above. Personal skills development 67 During the discussions, frequent use was made of terms such as ‘practical skills’, ‘transferable skills’ and ‘nous’. It became evident that the main area in which employers felt there was room for improvement in our degree programmes was in the development of these ‘softer skills’. The focus was on skills that make new graduates immediately productive in the work environment and which are therefore most attractive to potential employers. Post-placement students Feedback was generated from students via post-placement questionnaires. Views were sought from 66 Year 4 undergraduate students on, inter alia, how well prepared they felt themselves to be when entering the work environment. The results con rmed the employers’ views: that although students believed they had the theoretical skills required at this stage, they felt ill-equipped in transferring these skills into the practical work situation. Provision within other universities Before embarking upon a possible solution to the above issues, information was sought from other UK Business Schools eliciting information on the teaching of the skills identi ed above, with a view to drawing on examples of best practice. A questionnaire was designed and distributed, using the BABSIP (British Association for Business Studies Industrial Placements) mailbase, to which 18 member institutions responded. The questionnaire examined current methods of placement preparation and teaching practical business skills, the adequacy of any provision, together with examples of good practice. (i) Current methods of placement preparation The majority of the respondents (67%, n 5 12) prepared students for their rst work experience with time slotted into the curriculum, with only 28% (n 5 5) of the sample running a speci c module for the purpose. The remaining respondent did not provide any preparation for placement within the curriculum, although it did undertake some extracurricular activities. Although 56% of respondents (n 5 10) felt that they had suf cient time allocated to them within the timetable to provide adequate preparation for placement, the number of hours of preparation considered suf cient by these respondents varied enormously from 10 hours to 150 hours of preparation. The 8 respondents who did not think they had suf cient time for placement preparation cited between 0–12 hours for this purpose. It is also interesting to note that all the respondents who indicated that they do not have suf cient time allocated to adequately prepare their students are dealing with over 150 students annually. In contrast, ve of the ten respondents who consider themselves to have adequate preparation time are dealing with fewer than 150 students, with two of these in the 0–50 students category. This may suggest that co-ordinating a successful programme becomes less manageable as student numbers increase – an important point in the context of the Aberdeen Business School provision, where annual student placement numbers exceed 250. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 68 Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 (ii) Teaching of practical business skills There appears to be a variety of teaching methods used for the development of practical business skills and preparation for placement by other Business Schools. The vast majority of institutions (77%, n 5 14) used one-to-one interviews, although two respondents admitted there was insuf cient time to see every student on a one-to-one basis and that interviews tended to be by request only. Other delivery techniques were used to supplement these interviews. One-third (n 5 6) of the respondents simply used lectures for the delivery of material and it is unsurprising that each of these respondents also stated that they had insuf cient time for placement preparation. The remaining respondents who undertook some preparation of students (n 5 11) used a combination of lectures and seminars. The ‘other’ methods cited by four respondents included: presentations by returning students, mock assessment centre, drop in sessions, video interviews with feedback provided. (iii) Examples of good ractice Several examples of good practice were offered and this generated some interesting ideas including: c c c c c use of professionally produced videos to teach interview techniques use of role-play involving groups of students carrying out mock interviews mock interviews conducted by post-graduate or 4th year students specializing in Personnel Management full day dedicated to placement preparation with visiting employers, former placement students, placement staff and academic staff all offering input focus groups to polish applications to certain companies, career-planning assignment, using the Careers Service produced ‘PROSPECT’ interactive computer package One BABSIP member admitted that a business skills module had been piloted this year but that it was unlikely this would be implemented due to a lack of resources. Table 1 further splits the analysis into those respondents who felt that they had adequately prepared students for placement, with those who did not. The table reveals that the majority of respondents are covering each of the identi ed skills. However, only 56% (n 5 10) of the respondents covered all of the skill areas highlighted and these were in fact the same group who were of the opinion that their placement preparation was adequate. These were predominantly covered within the hours timetabled for placement preparation but, if not, were covered elsewhere in the curriculum. This nding would appear to add weight to the argument for running a dedicated placement preparation/skills development module. The remaining 44% (n 5 8) all covered CV writing and interview skills within their speci c placement preparation but the remainder of the skills, if covered at all, tended to be covered on an ad hoc basis through the rest of the curriculum. Course team analysis of in-house placement preparation and skills development The Course Team also critically examined the current provision of skills development, and the preparation provided for the students about to undertake their rst working experience. Four areas (Table 2) that are central to the education of an undergraduate student were identi ed. Each of these areas requires development throughout the entire undergraduate Personal skills development Table 1. Skills identi cation Adequate (10) Skill CV writing Interview skills Job search skills Time Management Writing in business Practical research skills Presentation skills Team Working/dynamics Using IT in business Career planning Company culture Oral communication skills Health Safety Placement* 10 10 10 4 3 3 4 6 1 8 4 1 10 Curriculum – – – 6 7 7 6 4 9 2 6 9 – Not Adequate (8) Placement* 7 8 6 – – – 0 – – – – – 2 Curriculum – – – 2 0 2 – 4 3 – – 2 1 69 Total 17 18 16 12 10 12 10 14 13 10 10 12 13 Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Includes extra-curricular activities. experience. It was evident that the development of ‘softer’ skills was a central theme. Considerable effort had already been made by the Course Team to embed into the curriculum, throughout the duration of the programme, activities that would develop these skills. In addition students received speci c placement preparation activities which were extracurricular but compulsory for all students embarking on a placement. This included lectures from the Placement Director on the role of the placement within the respective degrees, together with the requirements for the completion of the relevant placement documentation. A Placement Away Day was also organized with advice on CV and interview preparation, and at which employers and post-placement students provided feedback on their experiences. Finally each student had a one-to-one interview with a member of the placement unit to discuss his/her career aspirations. Current placement student views Once analysis of the BABSIP questionnaire had taken place, one-to-one discussions with selected students followed up on some of the ideas generated. Five students who were currently out on placement were interviewed. The purpose of these interviews was to address some of the issues, which arose from the BABSIP questionnaire and to seek the students’ views on what they believed would improve their work performance and subsequent employability. Current Year 3 Undergraduate placement students were interviewed as the authors were of the view that they would easily recall their feelings of six months earlier when they commenced employment. They should therefore have opinions as to the skills they needed at that time but which perhaps they did not have. The students chosen to take part were all working in positions considered by the authors to be particularly demanding and challenging. The interviews took place on a one-to-one basis in the course of routine placement visits. Each student was asked the same set of questions although the interviews were informal and discussion was encouraged. 70 Table 2. Programme level learning outcomes Speci cation of the set of knowledge and understanding to be acquired in a particular programme at each level Key transferable Communication process skills that and presentation students are skills expected to develop Higher-cognitive Application (use skills that of knowledge and students are understanding in expected to actual situations) develop Knowledge and understanding that the students are expected to develop Knowledge (description of facts; criteria; de nitions; classi cation; data organizations; principles and theories) Numeracy and IT skills Understanding (preparation and demonstration of understanding of knowledge) Gammie et al. Learning skills Interactive and group skills Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 Analysis (breaking down complex situations into component parts) Synthesis (combining elements to form new, coherent systems) Evaluation and problem solving (forming value judgements based on clear criteria and formulating solutions to actual problem situations) Subject-speci c skills that students are expected to develop Speci cation of the subject/ discipline related skills that students are expected to develop over the course of the programme of their studies The initial discussions focussed on the 13 skill areas examined in the questionnaire in an attempt to identify where the current preparation programme is strong and where it is weak. All ve students mentioned interview skills, career planning, oral communication skills and business writing as areas in which they would have bene tted from more assistance prior to entering the work environment. In discussions as to how these skills may be taught, the students favoured interactive sessions in addition to lectures and this was reinforced by the fact that they had little memory of their own pre-placement preparation which consisted of two one-hour lectures. Three of the students suggested that presentations by employers would have given them more information about what employers were looking for and what to expect once in the work environment. All the students agreed that they had not been fully aware of the career options available to them prior to their placement year and they felt that more information about types of organization and career options would be useful to students in the future. Finally, the Personal skills development 71 students were asked how long they had been working before they considered themselves more of a help than a hindrance to their employer. The responses ranged from three to six months, which is in line with the research undertaken in the AGR (1995) Report. Although a light-hearted question, the guidelines provided by the students can be used as a benchmark against which future course developments can be evaluated. The way forward The evidence from the above research provided a balanced view from a number of stakeholders. It appeared that the Business School was not doing enough to repare students for their rst work experience. It suggested that a dedicated module in this area was the most app ropriate way to facilitate student development. There was a strong view that, for the module to be seen as integral to the overall degree, it should form part of the curriculum, be formally assessed and receive the appropriate academic credit. The module entitled Business Enterprise Skills was therefore introduced as one of eight core subjects within the second year of the four-year Scottish degree programme. This module therefore had to replace a module that was already offered as the maximum number of modules in any one year is restricted to eight. After lengthy consideration it was decided to sacri ce the second year economics module as it was felt that one year of economics study was probably suf cient for accounting students. The paper will now outline how the development of the module proceeded. Initial development concentrated on an analysis of the Level Learning Outcomes, which are one level down from the Programme Level Learning Outcomes contained for the Accounting and Finance course in Table 2. The purpose of this was to identify exactly what the degree was attempting to achieve. The next phase was to locate where in the course these outcomes were being achieved. Subsequent to this it was clear to the development team what skills were not being fully addressed and where gaps were evident. Thus, the creation of the Business Enterprise Skills module had a clear vision at the outset of exactly the issues it was attempting to resolve. Thirteen themes were identi ed and are listed below and in Table 1. A number of studies (DfEE, 1997; Nabi and Begley, 1998; CAES, 1997) have attempted to classify skills into certain categories. The attribution of labels to a group of skills did not seem particularly relevant in this context, and no weighting was given to each to suggest a hierarchy of importance. c c c c c c c c c c c CV writing interview skills job search skills time management writing in business practical research skills presentation skills team working using IT in business career planning oral communication skills Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 72 c c health and safety company culture Gammie et al. Downloaded by [Sun Yat-Sen University] at 05:15 02 June 2013 The rst stage in the creation of the module itself was to identify the aim of the module. In this particular context this can be subdivided into the short-term, which in this instance is to prepare students for their rst work experience, usually the placement, and also as a basis for further training and re ection within the student’s placement organization. It is envisaged that skills should be continually developed through on the job training and planned organizational experience. Indeed, the development of business skills is seen as a continual ongoing process throughout the career of the current day professional. Thus, if solid foundations can be laid at an early stage, this can only be for the bene t of the individual and future employers. An important point to note at this juncture is the underpinning that all students will have in this area before they arrive in Year 2 of the respective programmes. It is evident that the Business Skills module in Year 1 has been a success, based on feedback received. However, as we have seen from the research undertaken above, it has left students a little short in a number of key areas. Identi cation of the learning objectives of such a module is an imperative task if a coherent framework is to be created. The intention was to address the 13 key skill areas identi ed. However, to provide a pragmatic and transparent set of achievable learning outcomes, the Course Team restricted the learning outcomes to a total of ve. A consequence of this is that the learning outcomes had to be suf ciently broadly framed to cover the key skill areas but detailed enough to ensure that the objectives are speci c, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (Ellington and Earl, 1996). A summary of the Business Enterprise Skills module can be found in Table 3. The rst column identi es the skills that the course team highlighted as requiring attention within the module. The second column then maps how the course content addresses each of these requirements, with the third column indicating how the content is delivered to the students. The nal column focuses on how each of the necessary skills is assessed. Student contact and delivery The student interviews and questionnaire suggested that interactive seminars and workshops would be more effective than lecture situations. However, consideration must also be given to the constraints upon academic modules imposed by the university. This means that a balance must be struck between formal delivery of information in lecture format and participative classes. The university standard is for each module to be allocated 150 hours in total, although this is t

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Systematic review and metaanalysis Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Systematic review and metaanalysis - Thesis Example Uman (2011) further goes on to appreciate the fact that systematic review and meta-analysis have the same stages and outlines the eight steps that are similar in nature when employing the two methods in reviewing any given studies. Uman (2011) concurs with O’Rourke (2007) that the distinction between the two terms is ambiguous in a way. However, both point the description and definition of the two terms based on the historical background upon which they were founded. They go on to acknowledge the similarity in the steps as well as the fact that meta-analysis is a step in systematic review. It is critical for scholars to understand the historical, premises, and pitfalls of systematic reviews and meta-analysis in addition to the methods of conducting meta-analysis. O’Rourke (2007) traces systematic reviews and meta-analysis back to the 17th Century when a French Mathematician named Blaise Pascal came up with methods of dealing with the games of chances that were involved in gambling. He further asserts that this was the time when the quantitative approaches were applied in the field of science acknowledging the various observations that started to emerge. As he points out, the mathematical approaches now allowed the astronomers to compare and merge various observations. O’Rourke (2007) goes on to point the contributions of Laplace and Gauss in the development of the systematic reviews and meta-analysis. This could then be the turning point in the 20th Century when statisticians merged the idea in addressing the questions of similar caliber that arose from clinical results. He appreciates the role played by British statistician Karl Pearson who was able to combine various observations from different clinical trials. Pearson did th is by regrouping study observations into larger groups while considering the small groups too (ORourke, 2007). Additionally, the author states that the reasoning Pearson had was not very clear