SLP internal analysis and SWOT Analysis

Introduction Resource Based View is a modern day management tool that is used in crafting company’s strategy using the available resources and distinctive capabilities. One of the ways of achieving this is the use of Economic Values Added (EVA) or the Economic Rent (Connely, 2010). The EVA is gotten by subtracting the firm’s Net Operating Profit After tax (NOPAT) from the multiplication of the firm’s cost of capital by the firm’s capital i.e. NOPAT – (CAPITAL * COST OF CAPITAL).Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on SLP internal analysis and SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A firm’s competitive advantage is therefore determined by its ability to use the available resources and utilize the core competencies to achieve targeted objectives (Barney, 1991). This paper discusses the various resources and competencies that an organizational can use to achieve compet itive advantage over other firms. Sources Ensuing are two sources that offer information about these resources and competencies that provide a foundation for the formulation of a firm’s strategy. https://www.marketingteacher.com/swot-analysis/. This source highlights on how the firm’s management can use the internal analysis to ensure that it formulates strategies that are based on the internals strengths of a firm. Examples these internal factors are resources such as human capital, patents, skills, goodwill and physical resources such as equipment and buildings. The disadvantage of this source is that the firm only uses internal environment to formulate the strategy ignoring the external environment which presents conditions that a business operates in. https://fba.aiub.edu/Files/Uploads/MGT110043.pdf. In his book, Henry presents the resource based view as a management tool for strategy formulation. Distinctive capabilities are useful in a firm’s competitivene ss since the competitors are unable to duplicate them. The limitations of this source are that it looks at the firm which is established and has heavily invested in research and developments thus have acquired competencies in the specific operation area. Small firms are therefore not able to use these types of resources. Resources Resources are the inputs that a company uses in all the functional areas of its operations to produce the desired output and thus achieve the set target (Comeford Callaghan, 2011). Financial resources ensure that a firm has adequate amount of liquid cash to carry out the operations as well as finance the expected investments. This keeps the firm’s value high since its equity is not composed of large amounts of debt.Advertising Looking for coursework on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Human resources are other important organizations physical resources that ensure that the firm’s operations are of high quality. A workforce that is highly competent will make sure that the firm’s products are of high quality and also the firm employs efficient production methods resulting in low production costs. Technical resources are intangible resources which enhance a firm’s products quality. Advanced technical knowledge in the production process ensures that the firm’s products are preferred over the competitors since they are of superior quality (Barney, 1991). This therefore acts as an important resource that will form a basis of customer loyalty hence boosting a firm’s profitability. Intellectual resources are resources that a firm has acquired through research and development. These include patents and copyrights. Patents ensure that a firm possesses the exclusive right over certain means of production (Barney, 1991). A firm considers patents as important assets since it is able to employ unique production methods to achieve better results than the competitors. Goodwill is resources which a firm bears that make provide a competitive advantage over others. It may be in form of location, first mover advantage or customer loyalty. Goodwill usually puts a firm at a better state than the competitors and usually results in customer loyalty. It is therefore important in formulation of the firm’s strategy since it will ensure that firm strategic location and actions that will make it favorable over the competitors. A firm’s reputation ensures that it bears goodwill and this acts to foster the customer loyalty on the products. Architecture is the ability of a firm to bear different structures and networks that ensure it is well positioned to take on the competition provided by the other market players. Innovation gives a firm the ability to come with new products that are more appealing to the ever changing consumer tastes and preferences. A firm that is able to come up with new products will alwa ys enjoy a competitive advantage since its products will address the consumers presents tastes and preference.Advertising We will write a custom coursework sample on SLP internal analysis and SWOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The Resource Based View is therefore and important management tool that is used to formulate a company’s strategy using the internal environment analysis. An internal environment will always provide the controllable parameter that an organization can manipulate to achieve its set targets and objective. References Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management , 99-120. Comeford, R., Callaghan, d. (2011). Environmental, industry, and internal analysis. London: Prentice Hall. Connely, D. (2010). Strategy for Internal Environment. Henry, A. (2007). The Internal Environment of an Organization. London: Oxford University Press. This coursework on SLP internal analysis and SWOT Analysis was written and submitted by user Kaylynn Hebert to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

20 Criminology Research Paper Topics on Criminal Behavior

20 Criminology Research Paper Topics on Criminal Behavior If you are tasked with writing a research paper on the field of criminal behavior, there are many areas of study and theories for behavior which you can use as a topic. However, picking criminology research paper topics is still somewhat tricky given the massive amount of data out there. That being said, below is a list of 20 criminology research paper topics which you might find useful when writing your next paper: Why the Examination of Criminal Behavior Helps to Handle and Prevent Crimes How Criminologists can Reduce Types of Crime with Criminal Behavior How Criminologists can Reduce High Levels of Crime Studying Criminal Behavior The Validity of the Rational Choice Theory Why Rational Choice Theory is Invalid The Relationship between Social Disorganization Theory and Social Learning Theory How Prison Encourages Social Learning Theory The Validity of Social Disorganization Theory Why Social Disorganization Theory is Invalid The Relationship between Social Control Theory and Social Disorganization Theory How Social Control Theory is Influenced by Social Disorganization Theory The Validity of Self-Control Theory of Crime Why Strain Theory is Invalid The Validity of Social Learning Theory Why Social Learning Theory is Invalid The Scientific Validity of Labeling Theory The Influence of Evolutionary Rewards on Violent Crime How Mental Illness Encourages Criminal Behavior Harmful Brain Chemistry: How the Brain can Increase Crime The Biology of Criminal Behavior: Whether or Not it is All in the Genes Aren’t those interesting criminology research paper topics? Well that’s not all because this great piece of material is also accompanied by the criminology research paper facts and also a guide on this very topic and paper genre. Below you will find an example essay written on one of the topics from that list. Sample Research Paper: The Validity of Self-Control Theory of Crime The self-control theory of crime is a criminological theory which focuses on individual self-control as a factor behind the commitment of crimes. This theory suggests that people who weren’t parented for before they reach the age of 8 have less self-control compared to those who were parented well at the same age. However, there are correlations between levels of self-control and the impulse for criminal conduct. Originally this theory was developed by two criminologists but today has been subject to theoretical debate and other empirical literature which has expounded upon the ideas purported in this theory and claimed it to be limited in terms of understanding criminal behavior. Originally the theory of self-control was an idea stemming from bonding theory. This theory of self-control was based upon the observation of the behavior and age. By 1990 this theory had gained popularity because of its empirical observations.   The two theorists behind this idea recorded that self-control was an important factor behind people who commit crimes. Individual’s self-control is something which improves with age but can be influenced by socialization, the loss of control one might say, and changing biology as a result of hormonal development. Additionally, criminal acts might be short-sighted or opportunistic. This theory shares similar attributes to the theory of ego depletion. One which focuses on the idea that people are more highly motivated to satisfy their immediate desires and pleasures around. This theory can be traced to aspects of self-control from a psychological perspective.   It was Freud who established the idea of self-control through the reality principle and the pleasure principle. These two principles referred to the each person’s desires for immediate gratification and the ability of each person to delay that gratification. Individuals have to learn the necessity of delaying gratification, something which they are taught by their parents as they grow up. Part of the reason they must delay gratification was because of the obstacles they face in real life. Somebody wants to immediately have cash or a random purchase have to delay the gratification of that purchase based upon whether or not they have cash in their bank account. They cannot impulsively make a purchase if they dont have the money now or can acquire the money through illegal means. This is something which is taught by parents and based upon the self-control theory, taught by the age of 8.   Those individuals who are not effectively parented and are not taught that they must delay gratification based on the reality of their situation, are significantly more prone to committing certain crimes in order to obtain that gratification. Following these basic principles the idea of self-control refers to the ability of each person to delay immediate gratification in order to reach bigger goals. This can be compared to the idea of a child who wants money for candy but rather than stealing that money and enjoying immediate gratification from the candy, they delay that gratification so that they can stay out of jail and achieve all of their goals they have in mind which might later on lead to a lot of candy. This theory presents a loss of control and characteristic for criminal behavior something which can be acute or chronic.   Acute low self-control means that it is not typical of the individual and it is something which happens only once. This might happen when a child is incredibly hungry and chooses to steal a piece of candy due to the hunger, something which they would not normally do. But chronic low self-control is when an individual participates in such activities regularly, something which becomes a central component to their life. In addition to this, a some supporting theory states that self-control reduces in large groups and in large communities more so than in the individual. This is something colloquially referred to as peer pressure, in which an individual who might normally not exhibit low self-control is influenced by the loss of control of the individuals around them which leads to participation in group criminal activities. While this theory does have a strong foundation in psychology it is clearly not comprehensive enough to thoroughly understand and mitigate the high risk of criminal behavior.   It has been argued that the major weakness to this is the fact that self-control was not defined separately from the tendency to conduct crime. By not doing this individually, the authors suggest that low self-control and a propensity to engage in criminal activities are one and the same. References: Culliney, T.W. Notes On Predatory Behavi Our In Rhinacloa Forticornis (Hemiptera: Miridae ).  Curr. Agri. Res. Jour  2.1 (2014): 01-04. Web. Hagan, Frank E.  Introduction To Criminology. Print. Kudlac, Christopher S.  Fair Or Foul. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger/ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print. Lee, Jason W and Jeffrey C Lee.  Sport And Criminal Behavior. Durham, N.C.: Carolina Academic Press, 2009. Print. Walsh, A and Jonathan Bolen.  The Neurobiology Of Criminal Behavior. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2012. Print. Wasserman, David T and Robert Samuel Wachbroit.  Genetics And Criminal Behavior. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Print. Yaffe, Gideon. In Defense Of Criminal Possession.  Criminal Law and Philosophy  (2014): n. pag. Web.

Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Safety - Essay Example All this has contributed to an overall shift to the working and safety patterns in Britain as there has been a massive increase in temporary, agency and contract working, together with an inflow of migrant workers both from within and outside the EU. Also there has been an increase in the use of public places and thus safety issues become focal and form a large part of government planning and policy.(Booth 1992) There is an increased need for interference by the relevant health and safety law enforcement authorities and in Britain the Health and Safety Authorities deal with these activities which range from workplace concerns,nuclear plants,power plants,and offshore installations to colleges and manufacturing factories.However every year many thousands of workers suffer injuries at the work place.(HSE statistics 2007). The laws have been updated to give the workers/labour force protection by focusing on sector specific laws. The Health and Safety Act 1974 alone extended protection public sector employees working in local government, hospitals, education and other services. It also imposed duties on self-employed people and on the designers, manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and materials and those affected by their duties.The past several decades have seen many tragic sagas like that of the Piper Alpha oil installation explosion, the Clapham train crash and the Kings Cross fire which created large health and safety issues.(Booth 1992). The Health and Safety Commission has thus played a seminal role in the management of the health and safety regulation in Great Britain by looking after health and safety in nuclear installations and mines, factories, farms, hospitals and schools, offshore gas and oil installations, the safety of the gas grid and the movement of dangerous goods and substances, and many other aspects of the protection both of workers and the public. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is a part of a century long safety tradition in Britain and it set up new institutions and provided for the progressive replacement of all safety law which was then in place.The Act also provided for the setting up of two main institutions .Firstly the Health and Safety Commission(which consists of ten people who are appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport, LocalGovernment and the Regions). HSC makes arrangements to secure the health, safety and welfare of people at work, and the public, in the matters of making new law and conducting inquiries.The Employment Medical Advisory Service run by it advises people on health and safety

Phase 2 Weekly Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phase 2 Weekly Discussion - Assignment Example The fundamental benefit of organizational project management is to facilitate understanding of the organizational processes that influence the capability to mange the delivery of projects. This paper intends to answer questions such as how project management is viewed within organizations, what the value can be brought by project management into the organization and what barriers that might exist amid the field of project management. This paper examines these questions in relation to tier application to the HLR Inc (Harry & Schroeder, 2000). How is project management viewed within organizations? Not all the firms view project the same. Some believe tat it is a way of achieving goals while other firms perceive project management as a hazard. Project management being a specialized field, which needs expert demonstrated knowledge in particular sections of business of appraising and pointing out specific project risks with an intent of reducing portentous threats and capitalizing in ever y prospect that would benefit the project (Deeprose, 2002). Essentially, project management is under valued skill by majority of the project managers. This is because it is dependent on diverse opinions based on the area of work. This contributes to the first perspective, which regards project management as an underrated aspect within some industries, but certainly in industries such as, HLR Inc, it remains a central element in the overall managerial process and strategy implementation intended to achieve the organizational goals (Deeprose, 2002). It is noted that diverse opinions and perspectives define the organizational project management but the convergent position leads to its recognition as a fundamental aspect in organizations. Numerous organizations remain static but those that have embraced the dynamism have implemented rapid restructuring demanded by the milieu conditions. The dynamic conditions can be technology advancements, increased completion and scramble for control of the limited natural resources. It is imperative to note that the organizational structures form critical consideration before initializing any project because; this aspect will affect the whole process (Harry & Schroeder, 2000). The general perspectives include that of organizations being either project driven or driven by non-project. Examples of project driven organizations are the industries and aerospace where the entire task is characterized by the projects in consideration. This study observes that, three organizational structures exist. They include traditional, matrix and project driven. The functional hierarchy such as HLR Inc. may not be sufficient for the project management because, there is no consideration of the dynamism in the global arena (Deeprose, 2002). It is realizable that, the functional structures embraced in the HLR Inc, may not be sufficient. The functional structure characterized by insufficiencies to comply with the dynamic structure embraced by the glo bal players in the market. It is imperative to note that a project management needs to be sold within the organization’s borders. In addition, consideration of the matrix perspective, it is notable that, the matrix perspective has a dual effect in decision-making (Harry & Schroede

Access Control and Different Types of Access Control

Access Control and Different Types of Access Control 2.3 what is an access document of a local area network (LAN)? Lets have a look on record   which are equivalent to a client control in the archive it will tell us who has the confirmation and approval to enter into any server , or we can explain in as simple as smple wording to the one approved individual know the client name and secret key . take an example   in an office assembling just the approved supervisor will have entry to open the official and those which cannot be shared by others information. We can also use access control and different types of access control are :- Accountability Authorization Authentication Accountability: Information and logs are taken into account which use such components so that these systems can be identified. These components wouldnt be viewing regularly they cannot be maintained in a sufficient way. Authorization: Those operation which are happening in a system can be identify by the authorization policy. Lots of latest operating system can applied authorization policies as a group of allotment which are varied different types of access. Authentication: In this control we identify the users identification so that we can identify that the person who is accessing the system is authorised person. 2.4 explain the procedure to shut down the server in a   local area network (LAN) ? Lots of working circumstances which depend on upon PCs to put everything in order keep them joined with an area framework for security reasons and straightforward record advertising. For fast organization , different affiliation asset are accessible on the Internet, one of them being automatic Shutdown. This is very light application arranged for managing a PCs essentialness alternatives from a parts.. To do this task first of all we have to install this software, after that the icon on desktop is created . If you want to shut down the server then we have to select the option shutdown, in the application log we can get the time and message as well. We can add two or more computers, if you want to do settings you can log off the individual computers. if you want to shut down the system and turn off the power. The system must support the power off feature. The principle two capacities let you either kill or restart a PC of your decision. Whats more, you can choose more PCs from the rundown and decide to execute that for every one of them without a moments delay. Furthermore, in the event that you right tap on a thing from the rundown, an amazing measure of alternatives get to be accessible. We can also create a new group in remote shutdown , in this first   we have to click on add computers then name the new group and click on OK button.Contingent upon how you need to utilize the application you can exploit a wizard to populate your rundown with PCs associated with the same system. As a matter of course the rundown is discharge so you can completely redo as per needs. You can likewise include PCs physically either by name or IP address, with the likelihood to choose from the ones accessible through LAN. In the remote shutdown we can also use privacy, after creating new group we have to go to credentials and click on the following user and we can set a new user name and password   . the benefit of this is that whenever we will turn on our server it will show that icon. Reference for software :- http://www.softpedia.com/get/Network-Tools/Misc-Networking-Tools/LanShutDown.shtml 2. PC auto shutdown PC Auto Shutdown helps you naturally shutdown, power off, reboot, sleep, suspend or log off PCs at calendar time you determines. It can close down PCs at calendar time when no client is signed on or when PCs are in suspended force protection mode. It issues you distinctive approaches to timetable the shutdown occasion for your needs, for example, every day, week by week and just once. Amid the shutdown, it can clean up Recycle Bin, makeshift records, IE reserve, IE treats, IE history, IE auto-complete passages and late report rundown to enhance framework execution and secure your protection. In the pc auto shutdown we have different options like general, hotkeys , timer, sound , clean up , log and about . in this we can configure the countdown duration time before a shutdown event is activated and we have to chose the different options . If we are not registered we can registered it and if we select the option we can click OK button. In the timer option we have title , status, shutdown event, activation time , frequency , we can fill up these things and we can add it and edit it as well. In the clean up option we can clear different directories like recycle bin , clear temporary files of windows , clear temporary files of internet explorer , clear cookies of internet explorer , clear address bar history of internet explorer , clear recent documents lists etc. We can also setup password for the privacy whenever we will open our server we have to fill up that password. If we want that option we have to click on enable password protection and click OK button. In the log we can log all the shutdown events for tracking purpose . and also view log file and empty log files. Reference for software :- http://download.cnet.com/PC-Auto-Shutdown/3000-2344_4-10399335.html 3. D shutdown :- DShutdown is a helpful stand-alone application intended to empower you to effortlessly set a period for your workstation to close down. DShutdown bolsters, past established shutdown alternatives, additionally a progression of specific choices relating unadulterated shutdown (as the power after hold up alternative, that causes a constrained, however clear, shutdown), and relating screen capacities (as the choice to shutdown a PC when an application end, helpful toward the end of pressure of a few records. In the D shut down we have different options and types to shutdown like log off , shutdown , power off, reboot and stand by , we can   also disable LAN adaptor we can wake up , write log file , we can alsoset alarm clock . we can also do sound advise in D shutdown . There are different general options in d shutdown like auto start , set default , sound on start , save settings on exit , different ports client server. We can also set timer in D shutdown   and after that we can enable timer. To shutdown we have to select the shutdown option   and after that we hav to select total CPU and we can also set timer . Reference for software :- http://www.softpedia.com/dyn-postdownload.php/b1758a3606787c71dd5840b71b6b8224/55498a82/8435/0/1

Japanese Identity Essay -- Japan Culture History Essays

Japanese Identity Throughout its history, Japan has striven to define its national identity not by its own means, but by those predefined by foreign, and most recently, Western powers. Despite legends of the island archipelago being created by the sun goddess Amaterasu, Japan seems to have consistently maintained a indecisive self-image with respect to its neighbors. In the past, China had represented the pinnacle of culture and technology and had tremendously influenced other surrounding countries in Asia and in the world. Indeed, Japan owes its written language to imported and adapted Chinese characters. Without question, China remained for a long time the most influential force upon Japan. However, island nation maintained a rather precarious self-identity: How could a country like Japan, which was supposedly created by the gods and therefore a divine nation, consider itself the apex of the world, given China’s tremendous influence and power? Could Japan truly consider itself the greatest l and in the world if China, or Chugoku in Japanese, literally meant â€Å"the central country?† For this reason, Japan never truly accepted a position of â€Å"belonging† to Asia. That is, despite a considerable amount of imported culture, Japan was still somehow inherently different from other Asian countries. So, if Japan does not â€Å"belong† to Asia, does it belong to some other amorphous collection of nations, namely Europe or the West? Certainly in the modern post-WWII era Japan has seen phenomenal economic growth, even to the point of threatening the US as the primary global economic power during the height of the â€Å"bubble economy.† Some credit this success to the changes implemented during the US occupation. Undoubtedly without US assistan... ...th can be seen walking around in some of the most bizarre looking clothing. I once saw a young girl wearing a swan dress not unlike the one worn by Bjork. I have seen some of the worst â€Å"fashion faux-pas,† with severely conflicting colors, completely mismatching styles of the top, bottom, and shoes, makeup seemingly done by a five-year-old. As one might like to hope that these styles were mistakenly created by the individual, it is clear that they are intended, whether for shock value or for personal satisfaction. It seems as though in places such as Harajuku, the more â€Å"unique,† the better. While Miyake seemed to have far reaching consequences for Japanese identity on the international level, Kawakubo’s constant questioning of societal norms helped foster individual deviations, thereby creating a new identity which, ironically enough, is not limited to or by itself.

Grammar school Essay

From 1834, the year of emancipation of slaves in Dominica and the other British West Indian colonies to 1845, the popular education that was existent was really religious education. The concept of a state system of education in the West Indies emerged in Britain in 1833 as part of the act to emancipate slaves in British custody. Prior to that, the masses of the people had practically no formal education. In Dominica, from 1834 onwards, the British subsidized primary education through grants but basically, education was imported and promoted mainly by missionaries. The content of education was divorced from the interests and needs of the masses and the community. Emphasis was on the classics and the arts. There is little doubt that the churches original interest in education was the creation of influential educated elite. In practice, their interests were denominational, especially seen in the establishment of secondary schools. Proposed educational policies depended greatly on the availability of funds, which were always insufficient. Therefore, changes and reforms were minimal. The newly elected legislative councils and their leaders gave little support. In reality, education, in practice was for a privileged minority. The populace remained virtually ignorant and illiterate. The pre-emancipation society was therefore not in any sense an educated one. Where slaves received any instruction at all it was of a religious nature provided by the church at long intervals. The authorities had no aims or standards; hence there was no system of formal education. It was against this background that the British Imperial Government incorporated an education grant in the 1833 Act of Emancipation to assist in the educational development of the Negroes. Establishing schools for the masses was provided for by the Act, which included grant money from the imperial government to provide education in the ex-slave colonies. This grant money is known as the Negro Education Grant. It was regarded as an urgent matter. The total grant amounted to a mere ? 30,000 per annum for five years for all the BWI of almost one million people. The decision to allocate the grant was executed through the local legislatures and the religious bodies. The grant was decreased each year and ended in 1845. The denominations were offered financial help to build schools, and later to assist in the payment of teachers’ salaries as the best means of developing a system of education. Dominica’s share of the Grant amounted only to ? 600 to be spent on 14,000 ex-slaves. This amount was very insignificant and was spent mainly by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPCK). After two years it became apparent that the desired and intended results were not forthcoming because of the many difficulties faced. Some churches were unable to accept more grants because they could not bear the recurrent expenditure on their schools. In August 1837, the grant was switched to pay one-third of teachers’ salaries instead. This was insufficient, and the societies did not expand their operations further. As the expected expansion did not materialise the imperial government was disappointed. Hence, the union of the imperial government, local legislatures and the churches could not fulfil the early ambition to create a viable education system. Thus, in 1841, the imperial government started to withdraw the fund. The Mico trustees who had done the most protested, but to no avail. In 1845 it came to an end, and so the burden fell on the West Indian legislatures and workers to increasingly support the education of their own children. In Dominica, the drive towards education for the masses was assisted by the local legislature, thus complimenting the work done by charities and the churches so that by July 1840, Dominica had 20 schools, 10 teachers, 1,086 pupils and total average attendance was 750. The British Imperial Government gave two main reasons for ending the NEG: 1. English workers were said to be worse-off than West-Indian workers 2. The Baptists were said to be prospering – although they had refused all aid Both claims were false. The churches lacked both money and resources. The British felt in the case of Dominica that the Catholic Church could not and would not provide appropriate education. They therefore supported alternatives to church schools. They decided to provide secular schools and to withdraw grants to the church schools. This was strongly opposed until a compromise was reached. The main success of the period of the NEG was the idea of popular education. The Provision of Secondary Education in Dominica: Providers and Gender Issues From the foregoing, one can appreciate the fact that the provision of education was a task that involved the participation of several providers or stakeholders: The British Imperial Authority, the Local Legislature or Assembly, the Church (especially the Catholics) and the Charities (especially the Mico Trust). Prior to emancipation, the provision of education was the responsibility of the churches and the charities. Education was very limited and very few benefited. In reality, what ever was taught was basically religious education. With the passage of the Act of Emancipation, an attempt was made to establish popular education. The NEG thus provided the needed funds for this purpose but eventually ended in failure. These funds were channelled through the bodies mentioned above, especially through the charities and the churches. By 1868 the main providers were mainly the state (the Local Legislature) and the church. It must not be forgotten that the vast majority of the population were Catholics and therefore co-operation and compromise between the two bodies were of paramount importance. By that date, the majority of primary schools belonged to the state i. e. 18 out of 33 (54%). This was unique, for no other West Indian society had such participation by the state in educational provision. In the case of secondary education, the provision was by the Church (Catholic). The first establishment for the provision of secondary education was the Convent High School (CHS) in 1858. This was exclusively for the children of the local elite. The children of the rural peasantry and the working classes were excluded. The state provided some funds for the school. But there were no secondary education provided for the masses. It is again unique to Dominica in that early period that post-primary education was being provided only to girls when this gender was marginalized in the rest of the W. I and in Britain itself. Even today, in 2000, over 65% of secondary school students are girls. The figures for the Clifton Dupigny Community College, University of Technology (Jamaica) and University of the West Indies are roughly the same. In the case of Dominica, male marginalisation has had a long history, contrary to popular opinion. Due to mounting pressure and clamour for secondary education for boys and the children of the masses, the state established the Dominica Grammar School (DGS) on the 16th of January 1893, with a registration list of 25 boys under the headmastership of one tutor, Mr. W. Skinner (M. A – a graduate from Catherine’s College, Cambridge, England). It was to be run as a government school, with the aim to provide higher education for boys. The building being used was a personal gift from Mr. Dawbiney, a respectable Jamaican who had settled in the island. The DGS remained a boy’s school until 1972. This occurred at a time when the number of girls selected by the Common Entrance Examinations far surpassed that of boys. The first DGS girls came from the CHS and the WHS. The total number of girls on the roll for that year totalled 34 out of a total of 560 students. Thus a reluctant but necessary era commenced in that year – the DGS becoming a co-educational institution under the headship of Mr. J. K. Gough (B. Sc; Dip. Ed. from Scotland). In that same year there were 14 Dominican staff members who were university graduates. Not to be outdone by the Catholics, the Wesleyan Society (Methodists) following the tradition of their rivals, opened the second high school for girls in the island, the Wesley High School (WHS) in October 1927. By that year, 80% of the students accessing secondary education were girls. This again was a unique situation second to none in the W. I. This further marginalized the boys given the restrictive and limited nature of access at the time. At this juncture, it is necessary to appreciate the great effort expended by the churches in the provision of secondary education in the island of Dominica, albeit for denominational reasons. In 1932, the Christian Brothers (Catholics) opened the second educational establishment providing secondary education for boys, the Saint Mary’s Academy (SMA). By that year educational provision was roughly equal for both genders with boys now having the slight edge, notwithstanding the fact that the girls were doing better in entrance and scholarship exams. There were insufficient spaces available. An entrance examination would soon be rigorously applied to ration out, select and match the number of students to the available supply of places. This state of inequitable affairs became unbearable as the girls were now being marginalized in favour of boys who were securing less ‘passes’ than girls in the exams. In other words, the selection was a function of available places. The two boys’ schools had more places than the two girls’ schools. Therefore, fewer girls were selected although their average scores were higher than that of boys who secured places. In the1972/1973 school year, the Labour government of Mr. Edward Oliver Leblanc took the bold step to make the DGS co-educational. This occurred at a time when the number of girls who had succeeded at the Common Entrance Examinations far surpassed that of boys. Since then, girls have kept on increasing the education gap or divide to the extent that in Dominica and the West Indies this problem of ‘male marginalisation’ and ‘male underachievement’ and the like, have now become so serious that it threatens the whole concept of male patriarchy. The year 1972 has been regarded as a milestone in Dominica’s educational history as far as secondary education is concerned. From that year all new secondary schools have opted to become co-educational with the exception of the Saint Martin’s Secondary School in 1988. Another important milestone in our educational history is the year 1971. For the first time, secondary educational provision moved out of Roseau with the establishment of the co-educational Portsmouth Secondary School (PSS). This greatly reduced the cost burden to parents in the northwest, north and northeast of the island, who, hitherto had to make tremendous sacrifices to provide education for their children in the capital, Roseau. By 1974, the Common Entrance Examinations as a selector of educational life chances was psychologically so devastating to pupils that those who were not selected felt that they were ‘rejects’ and ‘failures’ with no hope or future. It was against this backdrop that a group of concerned persons headed by Ms. Jean Finucane-James decided to provide a ‘second chance’ to those pupils that was not based on a selective exam. This co-educational school was named the Dominica Community High School (DCHS). Apart from the PSS, the early 1970s were characterised for having secondary education concentrated in the capital city of Roseau. The ‘70s was a period of political upheaval. In August 1979, Hurricane David struck and the island was devastated: 43 deaths, massive destruction of crops and the forest, wildlife was decimated, schools and the social and economic infrastructure was destroyed. The economy came to a standstill. Educationally, the students suffered greatly. A large number of students from the northeast could not attend the Roseau schools. In the aftermath of the hurricane, two schools were opened in the northeast: St. Andrew’s High School (SAHS) in 1979, located in Londonderry which is run and operated by the Methodists and in 1980, the Marigot Foundation High School (MFHS) headed by Mr. Martin Roberts, a former Methodist minister. The last named school was eventually renamed the Marigot Secondary School (MSS) when in 1999 it passed over to the state. These two schools are co-educational institutions. In this catchment area the Common Entrance Exams consistently selects more girls than boys. In the 1980s four schools were established. In 1981, the Seventh-Day Adventists began to provide secondary education. The Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School (SASS) is located in the Portsmouth suburb of Granvillia. It is a co-ed school. In that very same year the co-ed St. Joseph Campus of the DGS was opened which later became a separate entity as the St. Joseph Secondary School. In 1996 it was renamed the Isaiah Thomas Secondary School. In 1988, two government co-ed secondary schools were established from what were formerly Junior Secondary Programmes: the Goodwill Secondary School (GSS) and the Grand Bay Secondary School (GBSS). In that same year, the Catholic–run St. Martin’s School for girls upgraded its technical/vocational wing into a fully-fledged secondary school called the St. Martin’s Secondary School (SMSS). With the opening of these new schools and the continued use of the Common Entrance Exams the gender balance continue to be in favour of girls to the detriment of boys. In October 1994 the Nehemiah Christian Foundation headed by Mrs. Rhoda George opened the Nehemiah Comprehensive School with 60 boys and girls. The school is located in Jimmit, Mahaut. In the financial year 1995/96 the government entered into a loan agreement  with the World Bank to fund the Basic Education Reform Project (BERP). One of the three main objectives of the project was to expand access to secondary education. Under the project, this objective was fulfilled in the co-ed Castle Bruce Secondary School (CBSS) in 1998. TABLE I DOMINICA: Academic Secondary Schools, 2002/03 |School |Year Founded |Boys |Girls |Total |Status | |Convent High School | | | | | | | |1858 |0 |493 |493 |Assisted | |Dominica Grammar School |1893 |518 |281 |799 |State | |Wesley High School |1927 |0 |287 |287 |Assisted | |St. Mary’s Academy |1932 |420 |0 |420 |Assisted | |Portsmouth Secondary School |1971 |402 |435 |837 |State | |Dominica Community High School |1975 |79 |46 |125 |Assisted | |St. Andrew’s High School |1979 |233 |292 |525 |Assisted | |Marigot Secondary School |1980 |86 |59 |145 |Assisted | |Isaiah Thomas Secondary School |1981 |312 |393 |705 |State | |SDA Secondary School |1981 |108 |87 |195 |Private | |St. Martin’s Secondary School |1988 |0 |306 |306 |Assisted | |Goodwill Secondary School |1988 |380 |262 |642. |State | |Grand Bay Secondary School |1988 |334 |343 |677 |State | |Nehemiah Comprehensive School |1994 |64 |73 |137 |Assisted | |Castle Bruce Secondary School |1998 |266 |291 |557 |State | |Orion Academy |2003 | | | |Private | |Total | |3 202 |3 648 |6 850 | | Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs, 2002/03 The School Curriculum Several factors impinge on the development of the curriculum in Dominica: slavery, colonialism, politics, economics, religion, socio-cultural biases, parents, teachers and the learners themselves. In the pre-emancipation era the curriculum that existed was of a religious nature. The society was largely illiterate and ignorant. There existed no notion or idea of popular or mass education. With emancipation in 1834, the rudiments of a system of education began to take shape. The limited curriculum was non-scientific and bookishly academic based on rote and memory teaching and learning. By 1868, as the primary system took root the three r’s were taught namely reading, writing and arithmetic. The system that was taking shape was one that would provide labourers and servants and no more. At the secondary level, the curriculum catered for the children of the elite: Maths, Science, Geography, English, Greek, and Latin. The colonial powers and the local legislatures controlled the educational system. In other words, the ruling elites/classes decided who should be taught, what should be taught, when, how and where. The entire process from start to finish was decided for the learner. In 1899, Agriculture was being promoted as a subject to be taught so that the learner would become an agricultural labourer or worker on an estate or join the ranks of the impoverished peasantry. So agricultural schools were encouraged. In this way the islands would remain as sources of primary agricultural produce. When the British abolished the local legislatures and imposed direct crown colony rule the curriculum again was being used as a tool to keep the masses in their place. It limited them to learn the basics and agriculture. Attempts were made to improve education at the end of the First World War (1914-1918): salaries to teachers, payments by results and attempts at compulsory education. The West Indian Conference in Dominica in 1932 urged the region to struggle for compulsory education among other things. This failed. In 1957, the ministerial system was brought to Dominica with some exercise of authority by the house of assembly. But power still lied with the British parliament. Budgets could be passed, but had to be approved by Britain. In 1967, Dominica became an associate state with Gt. Britain. All internal matters were under local jurisdiction, but foreign affairs, trade and defence resided with Gt. Britain. Dominica could now influence and shape educational progress, but very little happened. The primary system continued to develop. The high schools became stagnant. The last one to be established was in 1936 (SMA). Thirty-seven years passed before the next one, the PSS was established. By 1978, the curriculum at the primary was now being driven by the Common Entrance Examinations to the detriment of all else. The same thing could be found at the secondary schools. The entire curriculum was driven by foreign external examinations. The foreign element was removed in 1985 when we switched from the Cambridge and London GCE ‘O’ Levels to the regionally based CXC examinations. But the GCE ‘A’ Levels still continue to dictate the curriculum at the post-secondary level. In 1998, CXC began to test pilot its own ‘A’ Levels known as CAPE, which will soon replace the English-based GCE ‘A’ Levels. The School Curriculum and Examinations The CXC and the GCE curriculum dictate the locus and focus of secondary education in Dominica. These exams cater for the 30-40% of the ability range of secondary students. The entire curriculum was driven by foreign external examinations. The foreign element was removed in 1985 when we switched from the Cambridge and London GCE ‘O’ Levels to the regionally based CXC examinations. But the GCE ‘A’ Levels still continue to dictate the curriculum at the post-secondary level. In 1998, CXC began to test pilot its own ‘A’ Levels known as CAPE, which will soon replace the English-based GCE ‘A’ Levels. The HSC, LSC and GCE dominated the curriculum of secondary schools since the 1880s. The failure rates were very high at both the ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels. It was also a drain on the scarce resources of the region. The minimum of 5 ‘O’ Level subjects were required to move into the sixth form and five subjects were needed of which 2 must be at ‘A’ Level for university entry. The Caribbean was influenced by educational and curriculum developments in North America and Europe, especially Britain. Revolutionary curricular changes in maths and science were being undertaken in the USA as a result of the Russian success in Sputnik I. In the U. K, the Nuffield Foundation invested heavily in a science development project. In 1969-70, the West Indian Science Curriculum Innovation Project (WISCIP) began at St. Augustine, UWI, and Trinidad. It was a new approach with emphasis on enquiry and experimentation, understanding and constructive thinking. This was introduced in the DGS and the other high schools of the time. During that same period ‘New Mathematics’ was introduced in the schools’ curriculum. All five of the secondary schools in Dominica adopted it. The Convent High School had their first ‘O’ Level candidates in 1971, and the DGS in 1972. Results in all Caribbean schools were not so good at first because of the unfamiliarity with the new approaches and topics such as inverses, identities, algebra of sets and matrices, decimalisation and metrification, vectors, inequalities and topology. At first most of the schools used the School Mathematics Project (SMP) books, but these were replaced by the Joint Schools Project (Caribbean edition) series, as part of the CEDO/UNESCO/UWI Caribbean Mathematics Project. The CXC was established in 1972 to serve the Commonwealth Caribbean. The process took over 10 years. The CXC was to replace the GCE exams. It would develop syllabi, conduct exams and issue certificates. This was a form of asserting cultural and intellectual independence from our colonial past and from Britain. Politically, the Caribbean has eschewed integration. There was the West Indian Federation as colonies of Britain (1958-1962). It ended in failure due to insularity, nationalism and dependency. With independence, the nations can dictate their educational goals and match these to national needs. In Dominica, we have not had a long history of educational reforms established in law. In 1949 an Education Act was passed to regulate and govern the sector. This was changed in 1997 when the new Education Act was passed. This was part of an attempt to harmonise education legislation in the Eastern Caribbean. In 1995 the Basic Education Reform Project was launched (BERP). The Project had three main objectives: 1. to strengthen the management and planning capacity of the Ministry, 2. to enhance the quality of education, and 3. to expand and conserve school places. Economically, we live in an interdependent world, a global village. We are partners bargaining from a position of weakness. Unequal terms of trade, onerous foreign debts, trade deficits and balance of payment problems deplete our resources so that our educational budgets are severely constrained. In general (1999 – 2004), Dominica spends about 17% of its recurrent budget on education, 1-2% on materials and supplies and about 80% on personal emoluments. New Curriculum Developments. Primary schools follow a curriculum, which has recently been reviewed by the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU). Schools have been provided with curriculum guides for English Language, Mathematics and General Science for Grades K to 6. Curriculum guides for Social Studies, Mathematics, Science and English Language were to become available in September 1999 for grades K to 6. A curriculum guide for Social Studies has been prepared for Form 1 at the secondary level. Workbooks for Grades k to 3 for English were to have been made available from September 1999. In addition a curriculum guide for Health and Family Life covering primary and secondary age ranges is being monitored and supported in schools. A draft national policy for this was presented to Cabinet in August 1998 but has not yet been officially approved. The CDU has planned to review Music, PE, Art and Craft, and Agriculture in 2001 as well as to start writing and production of support materials for pupils and teachers. The revised primary schools curriculum appears to be appropriate at the national level. The main problem appears to be in its delivery. The main need at the primary level for curriculum development is in relation to adapting the teacher’s guides for multigrade teaching and provision of differentiated activities for all subjects and all classrooms. Dominica does not have a National Curriculum and therefore, the curriculum de facto is determined by each school and in practice is closely related to the requirements of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) other external examinations and higher ability students. A balance needs to be struck between the academic and practical skills education in the secondary sector in any future national curriculum. The Ministry of Education has outlined the following process to arrive at the promulgation and implementation of the National Curriculum (NC): National Curriculum Committee (NCC) established in school year 1999/2000 NCC reviews existing curriculum: locally and regionally Under the NCC, Subject Teams and Subject Areas are established Development of Syllabi, and Curriculum Guides in Core Subject Areas Curriculum Training of Staff/Subject Team Members Resource Provision First Draft National Curriculum in Core Subject Areas Review of Draft Curriculum Development of Curricula in other subject areas. Establishment of National Norms and Standards for all subjects Piloting of National Curriculum in a cross-section of schools Promulgation of National Curriculum by Minister of Education Use by all schools of the National Curriculum as of September 2003 The Secondary Education Support Project (SESP) had been working with the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU) to write and pilot a revised curriculum for Forms 1 to 3 in the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, incorporating activities for average and below average ability pupils. Drafts of curriculum guides for Form 1 have been completed and were made available to schools in September 1999. All the guides for the four core subjects were made available in 2001. The CDU also has completed work in Music, Art, Craft, and Agriculture. However, the major curriculum need resides in the consideration of a curriculum which will meet the needs of all students – academic, technical/vocational, aesthetic, spiritual, moral and for citizenship and fulfill the ambitions set out in the 1997 Education Act. This would be especially so when Universal Secondary Education is achieved.