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How to Make the Toyota Brand Greater Than It Is Today Research Paper

Essays on How to Make the Toyota Brand Greater Than It Is Today Research Paper The paper "How to Make the Toyota Brand Greater Than It Is Today" is an excellent example of a research paper on marketing. The report contains brief and basic background information on Toyota. This helps in understanding the core purpose, mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the company. It also aims to understand what strategies Toyota has been using all these years. This is with the sole aim of identifying if the strategies are working or not. It provides a platform for the formation of ideas on how to make the Toyota brand greater than it is today. This is in line with emerging competitors, especially from the United Arab Emirates. Toyota's brand is one that has evolved over the years. This is from the day that it was created to the current date. What is to be observed is the fact that Toyota realizes the need to employ organizational behavior and change. There is a need for organizations to employ change every day. The world has new expectations every day. This is the reaso n that propels Toyota to ensure that they have embraced new techniques of operations. This is with the aim of ensuring customer satisfaction. Toyota’s strategies have undergone metamorphosis to ensure reduced competition. Marketing strategies that are customer based are hard to fulfill. Toyota has ensured that it has taken time to critically analyze the market. Analysis of the market has enabled them to know what the consumers want. They have then included the consumers’ wants and needs into one package. The package comes in very many colors, designs, and shapes. They have then mastered the art of where to place themselves. This gives them a clear cut picture of what they should receive for every purchase of their goods. The team that manages the Toyota brand has taken the time to understand the market. This is the sole reason why the brand is very popular all over the world. This is the reason why competitors are having a very rough time catching up.  IntroductionTh e global trends require an aggressive business environment. Many companies are struggling to stay afloat. Those that do not have the proper channels to stay afloat have collapsed. This is with issues of bankruptcy, insolvency, and foreclosure. Toyota is one brand that has undergone tough times. It did not sit back and magically get to where it is. After its inception, a lot has been put in place to ensure that it is where it is today. Employees have gone through constant training to be able to understand the goods that they produce. Managers have undergone training to ensure that they have the knowledge to manage their employees. Toyota realizes that without efficient and effective managers, even the best laid out strategies can never work.Armed with this thought, Toyota ensures that everyone contributes to the strategies created. Once the strategies have been created, it is essential for everyone to understand them. It is only after their understanding can they be applied in a succ essful business context.

Perception and Decision Making Free Essays

It is impossible to live a life that does not involve the abstract concept of perception. Perception is essentially how people perceive information in relationship to their personal environment and then form a set of beliefs or opinions from said perceptions. In the business world, management is required to make decisions. We will write a custom essay sample on Perception and Decision Making or any similar topic only for you Order Now While a great deal of the decision making process would appear to be based on empirical facts, the reality is that perception of fact as opposed to actual fact is often the barometer used to make decisions. Because different individuals may have different perceptions on the same issue, it becomes very important for managers to base their decisions on critical thinking and facts so as to avoid the potential problem of making decisions on perceptions that are not entirely accurate. The idea that â€Å"true† reality is never truly graspable by humans’ sensory and cognitive equipment goes back at least to the works of Plato. There is, for instance, the distinction between appearances and reality. Show a three-year-old a red ball beneath a green filter and he will typically say that the ball is black, even though he had previously been given the ball to examine. Understanding of this appearance-reality distinction seems so necessary to everyday life that it is hard to imagine a society in which normal people would not acquire it. But the lesson is relatively new historically, such as the lesson of perspective in painting, or the intentional designing of optical illusions (such as the Ponzo illusion), or in the differing testimonies of eye-witnesses of the same event. The fact is that we all do not perceive the same things alike. (Kearl) If there was one caveat about perception, perception is not necessarily reality. Perception is a person’s interpretation of reality that may or may not be completely accurate, if it is accurate at all. Because of this, it is important for management to  ascertain reality, as opposed to a perceptual reality or a problematic situation might be the result. What sets great leaders apart is their ability to manage perceptions. What people observe or assess as your ability to be a leader and your effectiveness becomes their perception, which in turn becomes reality. Perceptions that are not manages become rumors, then gossip, then backbiting, which leads to destruction. Unmanaged perceptions become a reality that was not intended. Perception management requires asking questions and getting feedback from others†¦ For example, oftentimes, management will ask other employees for a â€Å"report† on a new hire. This is a terrible idea because second hand information can often be skewed and it is best for management to make decisions based on first hand experience rather than second hand experience, yet managers will repeatedly make such an extremely foolish error. Consider the following: a manager asks an employee how a new hire is performing. The employee speaks very badly about the performance of the new hire so the manager fires the employee. This is based on a perception of the new hire based on second hand information that has been deemed accurate. However, not all is what it seems. When the new hire is fired, something comes to light that turns out to be very embarrassing to management. The employee who provided the poor evaluation of the new hire turns out to have based the negative report not on the truth, but rather on discriminatory biases. The terminated employee later files EEO complaints and lawsuits against the company, all of which proves to be incredibly embarrassing to the management, if not costly. What was the root cause of this disaster? Management drew a perception of the employee that was not based on reality. Because there was no first hand data that shaped the perception, the perception that was shaped was one that was not based in reality. In short, perception is utterly useless if it is inaccurate because it will lead to decisions that come from a thoroughly flawed perspective. If the perception is harmful, then what good can possibly come from it? This importance for the empirical assessment of facts in the decision making process works on both an internal and external level, as it is important that management decisions provide customers with what the customers actually want. Again, the need for proper feedback plays a great factor in this. In other words, it is of absolute paramount importance for management to understand what their customers want. Again, there will be a perception as to what customers want vs. what they actually want. If management becomes single minded and focused on what customer’s want and that perception is inaccurate, the results can be cataclysmic. Nothing more famously illustrates this problem more that the total failure of â€Å"New Coke† in the 1980’s. Believing that the public was more interested in Pepsi because of its sweeter taste, the Coca-Cola Company believed that the public would be willing to accept a new type of Coke that would taste similar to Pepsi. This was one of the most insanely inaccurate perceptions of consumer desire in history! In reality (not perceptually!), the public was not interested in a form of Coca-Cola that tasted like Pepsi nor did Coca-Cola do itself any favors by essentially  communicating that Pepsi had a superior product. The campaign was a complete and total disaster and it was the result of poor perception of the consumer market on the part of Coca-Cola. So, what is a manager to do when it comes to making sure that perception and proper decision making go hand in hand? Arguably the most difficult and critical step in the decision making process is to identify and clarify the problem or issue. Pressed for time and feeling a sense of urgency, governance leaders often rush through this step. An incomplete diagnosis or assessment restricts a boards’ capacity to expand options and select the most appropriate one. Without proper attention paid to this step, boards may come up with a solution that fails to address the etiology of the problem. (Scott) Again, the key to making a proper decision is to manage perception and the key to managing perception involves staying properly informed. If anything, a flawed perception is one that is based on limited or inaccurate information as seen in the case of new Coke or in the hypothetical case of the terminated employee. Ultimately, decision making will always be based on personal perceptions, but the more informed a manager is, the closer the manager’s perception will be to actual reality and not aligned to ignorance or flawed logic. While this seems like an academic point, managers can often approach a problem with blinders on based on personal biases in the decision making process. Regardless of what decision one makes, it will fall into the category or either a good decision or a bad decision. If flawed, then management must face the consequences. Bibliography Kearl, Michael. (DB) â€Å"Social Factors Shaping Perception and Decision Making.† Retrieved February 17, 2007 from http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/socpsy-5.html Russell, Jefffrey. (2001) â€Å"Are You Managing Perception?† Retrieved February 17, 2007 Scott, Katherine Tyler. (2006) â€Å"The Dynamics of Decision Making.† Retrieved February 16, 2007 How to cite Perception and Decision Making, Essay examples Perception and Decision Making Free Essays Decision making occurs when one chooses a choice among reasonable alternatives. Perception is a very important component of the decision making system.   In a psychological perspective perception can best be described as the process of inquiring, processing, and organizing information necessary to make a decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Perception and Decision Making or any similar topic only for you Order Now    Or in other words perception can be scene as one’s thoughts on a situation.   When one is in the midst of a decision making situation they need to evaluate all factors involved and make a decision, which will hopefully be reasonable and satisfactory.   Decision making is a unique tool that is inquired over the course of time.   Students can learn about logic, philosophy, and psychology.   They can understand the concepts behind decision making, but they must first have the opportunity to make important decisions themselves to fully understand the process (Randall, 2004, pp. 10-24). A leadership expert Anthony Robbins said â€Å"as a manager, however, your decision not only effects yourself but all the employees on your team.   For this reason, it is important to strengthen your own decision making skills and prepare for a time when your decisions will shape the events of many peoples lives† (â€Å"Making Decisions†).   In the simulation as the newly promoted manager I had the opportunity to assist the senior manager in very important decisions including reprimanding an employee, a hiring situation, to create an employee evaluation system, and look into an ethical dilemma which could make or loss millions of dollars for the company. Each of these situations requires perception to take a route to the final decision making process. â€Å"Management in organizations today is largely people management. If people are the important asset, effectiveness is related to: ââ€"   how managers perceive the individual ââ€"   how people relate to one another ââ€"   how we get maximum contribution ââ€"   how we go about changing from a situation which is seen to be ineffective to one that ensures high standards of performance†(Randall, 2004, p. 46). Today we will evaluate the situations these three situations and examine perception in the decision making process and how the perception from a new managers viewpoint could effect these decisions (â€Å"Making Decisions†). The first situation involved Mark, a long term employee who had been tardy for work for the past week.   There were many different decisions that could be made to come to a conclusion about Mark’s tardiness including, bring this to the attention of Mark’s coworker and ask their thoughts on the situation, checking Mark’s employment records, check all employee time records, speak with Mark individually, or take this to Sarah for advice. In this instance I believe it is best to speak to Mark by himself and see what is going on. Bringing undesired attention to an employee by a manager is never a good route to go so this should be avoided at all costs. Also taking a trivial problem to a manager can be looked down upon.   At this point after one week of tardiness sneaking a peak at the records might be helpful but going straight to the source is the best decision as we all have personal issues that arise.   Plus by informally addressing Mark you are letting him know he can come to you and that you can see eye to eye on some matters.   It is important to build relationships with employees (â€Å"Making Decisions†). The decision to hire the interviewee, Berk, is an important decision for the company.   Berk carried himself well during the interview, had enthusiasm, and similar skills to those needed in the near future.   Although Berk did a great job in the interview all of his abilities and skills need to be evaluated to ensure he is right for the position.   In this situation I perceived Berk as highly intelligent and skilled.   I did not look further to realize his skills are not what the company needs.   I let my impression of Berk steer my perception of his eligibility for the job in a positive way.   This is important to not in decision making situations.   Perception may not always work in your favor (â€Å"Making Decisions†). Creating an employee evaluation system as a reward system is a great idea.   Employee evaluation should include job performance, attitudes, helpfulness, dedication, and team work abilities.   The perception of how valuable an employee is to a company can be skewed for many reasons.   The creation of an effective evaluation system will greatly contribute to seeing employees for what they truly achieve for the company.   I believe that this six step system will greatly help reward the best employee (â€Å"Making Decisions†). The last decision is one of ethical nature.   An employee has come to me to let me know she has secretly obtained the designs of our biggest competitor.   If we take the designs we will have the opportunity to create something better and make more money than our competitors.   The downfall is getting caught.   This will cause a multimillion dollar lawsuit and will destroy the company as we know it.   Although the idea of making lots of money is very attractive it is necessary to take a breath and step back to evaluate this situation. Perception is very important in this decision making process as perceived success and wealth can ultimately alter a reasonable persons decision making abilities. All aspects of the perceived or likely consequences of acting on this offer need to be taken into consideration before a decision can be made (â€Å"Making Decisions†). There are ten values the core of ethical understanding; â€Å"caring, honesty, accountability, promise keeping, pursuit of excellence, loyalty, fairness, integrity, respect for others, and responsible citizenship. When put into practice, these values generate widely recognized virtues that provide benchmarks for ethical decision making† (Guy, 1990, p. 17). Perception constitutes everything necessary to make a decision.   Perceived values and prior experiences help give one insight into the types of decisions they choose to make.   Perception of situations can be influenced in either positive or negative ways.   Having a mentor such as Sarah giving constructive feedback with each decision helps my views on each situation become clearer.   Managers make decisions based on perception of people, influences, and support system around them.   Perception of all of these concepts is vital. References Guy, M. E. (1990). Ethical Decision Making in Everyday Work Situations. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=15127472 Randall, J. (2004). Managing Change, Changing Managers. New York: Routledge. Retrieved March 25, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=od=107489181 â€Å"Making Decisions in Business Situations.† Western International University. 26 Mar. 2007 http://corptrain.phoenix.edu/wiu/mgt340/launch01.html. How to cite Perception and Decision Making, Essay examples

The Evolution of Alternative Rock free essay sample

While it isnt as concentrated or specific as other genres like hip hop or classical music, alternative music encompasses a wide variety of artists and songs over cascades, most Of which could be subcategories into grunge, metal, punk rock, progressive, new wave, and even MO or folk rock. Alternative rock has fueled the creative spirits of not only artists but fans as well, from beatniks, to non-conformists, all the way up to todays hipster nation.Its nearly impossible to define it as a movement simply because there is no one concrete belief that all artists and supporters share; alternative rock simply focuses on the power of individuality. B. Historical Background Though its popularity heightened in the asss and continued to remain popular through present day, alternative rock was in fact born in the 1 asss alongside many progressive anti-establishment art, music, literature and activism. This began the cultural classification known as underground music. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of Alternative Rock or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The seeds of what was to become alternative rock today were sown in this new underground music scene, filled with hippies that rocked out to anything but the ordinary. Most of this music during that time coincided with what was going on with the word the Vietnam War and the Cold War. While most was in some way, shape or form political in nature, this music was simply weird. During the 1 asss, young people devoted themselves to artists and songs that stood out among the rest.And though legendary bands like The Beetles, as well as American artists like Bob Dylan and Janice Joplin became household names at this point in time, they evolved beside the controversial LSI inspired musicians like The Doors and 13th Floor Elevators. It was these artists that revolutionized the industry by breaking the mold; it was psychedelic rock that gave way to what we now refer to as alternative rock. Being awfully progressive for its time, psychedelic rock offered a totally ewe perspective to the use of these so called mind-expanding drugs and arguably launched the popularity at the time.Because so many young people enjoyed this music and dollied people like Jim Morrison of The Doors and Jim Hendrix, the use of such drugs was sensationalists, and this alternative lifestyle was often blindly supported. Unfortunately, times like these will never get a full consensus on how influential music like this was on the minds of young people and generations of artists to come. There are those that lived it, who swear by spiritual and artistic enhancements these drugs offer, and here are those who might say that all this movement did was breed a doped up army of youths with eclectic tastes in music.Whatever ones standpoint may be, there is absolutely no getting away from the fact that the events leading up to the asss as well at the creation of LSI and psychedelic rock paved the way for a n ew contemporary movement in rock n roll. C. Artist/Movement Profile Seeing as alternative rock encompasses many genres of music including progressive, new wave, grunge, etc. , it is nearly impossible to choose just one that stand out among the rest. Indeed there are several in every generation that stand out and transform peoples thinking.Its often been said that everything been done already; you just need to figure out how to do it differently. That being said, there is one band that most people today associate with modern alternative music: Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band currently consists of off ending members, vocalist Anthony Kiddies and bassist Michael Flea Bellary along with a longtime member drummer Chad Smith. Guitarist John Franciscan quietly left the band on good terms in late 2008, but n January 2, 2010, Josh Cliffhanger was announced as Fruitcakes replacement.Based out of Hollywood, CA, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have overcome countless trials and tribulations as they dealt with personal issues such as drug addiction and untimely death among band mates, all the while topping the charts and trying to keep their laid back, Social persona. Though it may have seemed that the band often appealed to and even promoted the hard-partying, slacker lifestyle, the band branched out as they gained popularity, and proved that they could hook even the sunniest of audiences.Many would even be surprised to hear that the Red Hot Chili Peppers was built from collaboration between Flea and Kiddies during their college years, after performing in a KISS-inspired hard rock group that varied greatly from the sounds of what we now recognize as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Together, they found out that Kiddies lyrics and Fleas music combined perfectly, and took a leap of faith in evolving their sound. After this fateful collaboration, Kiddies and Flea decided on the name and recruited former band mates While Slovakia as the guitarist and Jack Irons as the drummer.Finally, they rounded he LA club circuit, pulling stunts that playing these local shows nude (except for tactically placed socks) and making a name for themselves until being signed by MME Records in 1 984, debuting their self titled album with a new drummer and guitarist, as Irons and Slovakia decided to hang back and focus on their original band (a rather foolish decision on their part). After several notable guitarists, 10 albums produced, and over 53 million sold, the Red Hot Chili Peppers continue to thrive as one of the worlds most successful musical Time and time again, since their first self-titled album in 1984, roofs. Heave continuously succeeded in doing it differently. Heavy on the bass, RICH draws much of their influence from funk of the sasss, rap, California pop, giving them a recognizable, eclectic sound. Being from California, original band mates Kiddies and Flea founded the Red Hot Chili peppers on what they new and loved, which was their home. While there are many that have come before them who dollied the essence of California, such as the Eagles of the Beach Boys, it was the combination of so many other genres and sounds that helped the Red Hot Chili Peppers gain notoriety.While not explicitly dark, the Chili Peppers often centered their music on the many vices of California, and looked at the sins and the sinners lurking around every palm tree that the Beach Boys failed to point out. In songs such as Clarification, from the album Stadium Arcadian, they sing about how Hollywood isnt all flashing bulbs and innocent fame. Lyrics in the song include, Space may be the final frontier/But its made in a Holly. Voodoo basement and, earthquakes a re to a girls guitar/ Theyre just another good vibration/And tidal Waves couldnt save he world/From Clarification. Though clearly a product the this volatile environment they are describing in this song, it is surely interesting to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers offer a different perspective on this land dipped in gold. It is seemingly through their contempt towards the corruption of their beloved tinsels that they reach ordinary audiences. By showing they are disconnected from Hollywood big wigs, cocky directors and a business that is nearly impossible to break into, there is an air of realism that most superstars simply cannot grasp.And while the Red Hot Chili peppers are far from being an Indies or garage band any longer, they appeal to similar audiences and have always remained true to themselves. D. Artwork analysis The Red Hot Chili Peppers, as stated previously, as a unique blend of many genres such as funk, punk rock, pop, rap and California-inspired hard rock. If youve ever listened to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, youd know that it is almost impossible to describe their sound simply because there is no one defining feature. The only analogy that would remotely make sense is when a child scribbles with every different color crayon on a piece of paper; except when she is done with her scribbling, a masterpiece emerges. For lack of a better word, the Red Hot Chili Peppers is this masterpiece. While their sounds cannot be described as beautiful in a traditional sense, it is their bill ¶y to create unparalleled and unusual harmonies that sets them apart from other bands. One of the great things about the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as many other bands that have been around for a long time, is that their sound has evolved over time.Not only have they become more comfortable with themselves over the years, theyve settled into their thrones as kings in the contemporary music scene. This day in age, no one wants to listen to music that talks about living in a perfect world because we dont. The world wants music we can relate to and thats what the Red Hot Chili peppers have provided us with in songs like Cla rification as well as Otherwise and countless others that are artistic representations of being human, moving on, and living in an imperfect world. The band is often known for and recognized y its logo, which is a simple, thick red asterisk with 8 points.While I wish could go on and on about its deeper meaning or how it was based off of some sort of ancient symbols, Flea reluctantly admits in an interview that the asterisk was simply a spur of the moment decision on the bands part. Although it certainly did its job of sticking in the minds of audiences, the only thing the asterisk represents is the millions of dollars the band has made over the past 26 years. All this being said, Red Hot Chili peppers is only one band in a sea of so any other greats, as well as new and emerging alternative rock bands every. Here from New York City to Los Angels. Over the past few years, alternative rock has undoubtedly become my favorite type of music. Was never one for pop music, and I especially detested the ever-popular hip-hop scene; it just wasnt for me. Being musically inclined all my life, I have a great appreciation for the previous generation and how the music of the asss and asss shaped the music I grew up with. I also learned that while new didnt always mean better, old didnt always mean best. And in short, this was the riving concept behind the now very popular alternative music scene.What makes this musical movement so eternal is that new, creative minds are always finding new ways of reinventing the music that inspires them. Such can be said about local artists just starting out, like 20 year old Joe Filename, lead singer of the Long-Island based band Allies. When asked who he found most influential in this movement, he too mentioned the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as Nirvana, Incubus and Led Zeppelin, and that people were drawn to them because, they stayed true to themselves, their bizarre and trance selves. I believe those bands caught on because people are attracted to weird. Ultimately, agree.Each musicians individuality and creativity is what gets them noticed, rather than selling out which has caused many to shun other bands such as Wheeze, Green Day and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. While on the other end of the spectrum, once completely unknown bands such as Fun. And Young the Giant have reached stardom over the past few years due to their overtly different sound, good publicity, and in this day in age, a hell of a lot of luck. E. Conclusion With such a wide following spanning over several generations, and with so many different types of music to account for, its just about impossible to judge the success of alternative music.

Emotion On Stage essays

Emotion On Stage essays What is an actor if she cannot relay to the audience the depth of her character? Convincing an audience that the character truly feels and responds comes from the art of being in touch with ones own feelings and senses. In her book Respect for Acting, Uta Hagen perfectly illustrates the importance and mechanics of keeping in touch with your senses to better live in the mind of your character. In the chapter 3 Substitution, I learned that it is important to flesh out my character after I have found my identity. If I cannot directly relate to my character, I must find substitutions to fully become the character I portray. I learned that if I have difficulty finding a substitution for my act it is because I am trying to be too literal. This is often a tendency of mine. I have to remember all the emotions I as the character feel at that moment. I can say, I want you to leave, but while that is true, deep down inside I want that person to stay. I have to realize the total motive of my character, which will produce the reaction I must have. In chapter 4, Emotional Memory, Hagen describes the response to my substitution as finding the emotional recall. Finding the right sensation that I want produced means that I have discovered the correct substitution. Ignoring all my substitution will rob me of the emotions I must feel and deliver as the character. I can use the its as if... method that The Handbook describes. I have to find the substitutions that stir me, the ones that will draw a reaction from me. Sense Memory in chapter 5, explains the physical responses that I have while I am in character. The body does not lie and my non-verbal messages through action will tell whether or not I am truly in full character. I must fully understand the task at hand as the character in order for my physical actions to take part in the moment ...

Should You Really Trust College Ranking Lists

Should You Really Trust College Ranking Lists SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Since the U.S. News World Report college rankings list debuted in 1983, college-bound students and their parents have become quite enamored with college ranking lists. While the U.S. News list may be the most well-known, there are a plethora of college ranking lists out there. All use slightly different criteria to rank colleges and all claim to be the best and most reliable. However, should you trust any of these lists? Should you use them when deciding which college to attend? Do they provide any valuable information? In this article, I'll answer those questions. I'll let you know how much you can trust college ranking lists. Furthermore, I'll explain the pros and cons of these lists and how to use them to your benefit. How Are College Rankings Determined? Most ranking lists use a combination of objective statistics and subjective opinions based on survey responses to compile their rankings. Objective Numbers That Influence the Rankings These are the most common statistics used by the most popular college ranking lists that help determine the rankings. Retention: Some lists use the freshman retention rate, the percentage of students who return for their sophomore years, to help to determine their rankings. The logic behind using this statistic is that if a student is happy with a college and receiving the necessary support, then she will return for her second year. Also, lists use the 6-year graduation rate, the percentage of students who graduate within 6 years. If a college is providing quality instruction and nurturing its students, then the vast majority should be able to graduate within 6 years. Class Size: US News measures the proportion of classes with less than 20 students and the proportion with 50 or more. The idea here is that very small and large classes are indicative of having more resources. Also, students in smaller classes receive more attention and personalized instruction. Faculty Salary: The reasoning for using this metric is that schools that pay their faculty most generously are able to attract the best professors. Student-Faculty Ratio: If there is a low student-faculty ratio, then students can possibly get more attention and there will be more opportunities for students to interact with professors. SAT/ACT Scores: Schools with higher average standardized test scores are seen as being more selective and having more academically capable students. Percentage of Students That Graduated in the Top 10% and 25% of Their High School Classes: Colleges whose students all graduated near the top of their high school classes are judged positively for having the highest caliber of student. Acceptance Rate: The logic behind using this number is that if a college admits only a very small percentage of its applicants, then those that it does admit are likely to be the best and brightest. Average Spending Per Student: US News calculates spending per student by using the average spending per student on instruction, research, student services, and related educational expenditures in the most recent two fiscal years. Spending on sports, dorms, and hospitals doesn't count. If a college is spending more per student on education, then you may be able to assume that its students have more educational resources and quality instruction. Alumni Giving Rate:The alumni giving rate is the percentage of graduates who gave to the school, usually within the last year or two. According to various studies, the alumni giving rate is a measure of student satisfaction. However, I enjoyed my experience at Stanford, but I don't donate to my alma mater. Maybe somebody from Stanford will read this and I'll stop getting incessant letters and phone calls asking me for my money. Financial Aid: Some lists measure the average amount of financial aid awarded and others measure the percentage of financial need that is met. Better colleges should have the resources to enable all qualified students to attend regardless of financial need. US News also measures how satisfied students are with their financial aid, but that is a much more subjective rating. Salary of Alumni: The logic behind using average alumni salary in college rankings is that colleges that provide an excellent education and can offer good professional connections will have alumni with high salaries. Opinions That Influence The Rankings Academics US News World Report relies heavily on "undergraduate academic reputation" in its rankings. The academic reputation of a school is determined by how top academics and administrators at other colleges assess its academics. US News also surveys counselors from high schools to rate the academic programs of colleges to help determine "academic reputation." Princeton Review conducts a survey on how hard students work and how much they get back for their efforts to assess academics. Quality of Life Most college ranking lists assess the quality of life at a college through student surveys. Princeton Review grades quality of life through student assessments of "their overall happiness; the beauty, safety, and location of the campus; the comfort of dorms; the quality of food; the ease of getting around campus and dealing with administrators; the friendliness of fellow students; the interaction of different student types; and the quality of the school's relationship with the local community.† For the first time this year in its rankings, Forbes used a student satisfaction survey on Facebook where students were asked how satisfied they were with their school from 1-5. Obviously, the logic behind using quality of life measurements in rankings is that students should be happy if they're attending a good school. Pros of College Ranking Lists Discover New Colleges College ranking lists can introduce you to colleges that may be a good fit for you. I think this is probably the most valuable thing about these lists. Many students are not as familiar with smaller, well-ranked schools. Seeing these schools on ranking lists can provoke a student to research them, apply to them, and maybe even attend a school he would not have previously considered. For example, schools like Harvey Mudd and Williams are excellent schools that may not be as prestigious or have the same name recognition as Harvard or Yale, but they consistently rank very highly in college ranking lists. Provide Extensive Data for You to Compare Schools In one ranking list, you can see the average class size, high school GPA, or SAT/ACT score for many different colleges. These lists can offer you a resource for numerical comparisons. If you're considering a few different colleges, you can refer to a rankings list to compare the available statistics for each school and that may help you narrow down your list of colleges to apply to. Give You an Idea of What Others Think While the rankings can be disputed and these lists are subjective, college ranking lists do provide some insight into the reputations of different colleges. Graduate schools and employers often consider the reputations of different schools when they make decisions. Going to a #12 vs. a #20 school will probably have little impact on those decisions; however, going to a #12 vs. a #200 school could. Learn What You Need to Do to Be a Qualified Applicant Many of the ranking lists give you the average high school GPA, standardized test scores, and the percentage of students who graduate in the top 10% and 25% of their high school classes. From these numbers, you can determine what you need to do to make yourself competitive for admission to a specific school. If you want to have a decent shot at getting into a certain college, your numbers should compare favorably to those of the average student there. Cons of College Ranking Lists Some of the criteria used to evaluate colleges are highly subjective. For US News World Report, top academics and high school counselors answer survey questions about other schools' academic programs. Are they well-informed enough to have educated opinions on the academic programs of colleges they may have never worked at nor attended? Are they just relying on hearsay and the reputations of these schools to answer these questions? Similarly, some quality of life assessments may not account for natural variances in opinions. If the campus of a school in a rural environment is ranked as beautiful, that means little for the student who prefers urban environments and would find the rural campus unappealing. Some of the criteria used to rank schools may have no real impact on your educational experience. The rate of alumni giving and selectivity of a school will probably not impact the quality of instruction you'll receive at a particular college. Students can get too focused on the rankings instead of figuring out which school is the best fit for them. There's probably not much difference in the quality of education at a #5 school vs. a #10 school. The #10 school may be a much better fit for a student who could excel academically at both. Finally, colleges are very motivated by the rankings. They'll convince students who have little chance of getting accepted to apply to increase their selectivity rating. They'll spend countless hours and tremendous resources hitting up alumni for money to up their alumni giving percentages. Perhaps these schools could improve their academic programs or support services if they allocated their resources without regard to college rankings. College ranking lists can be both good and bad. What Do Some College Experts Think? Generally, in my research, the "experts" on record seem to have echoed some of my sentiments about college rankings. Jeffrey Brenzel, Dean of Admissions at Yale from 2005-2013, believes that college ranking lists are of limited value to students: The formulas used to rank schools are based on factors that in themselves are often irrelevant to individual students. Their composite scores reflect alumni giving rates, student-to-teacher ratios, median SAT scores, persistence to graduation, admissions selectivity and other data that provide little information about specific program strengths, honors programs or the general way in which the school lifts and supports student aspirations. The simplicity and clarity that ranking systems seem to offer are not only misleading, but can also be harmful. Rankings tend to ignore the very criteria that may be most important to an applicant, such as specific academic offerings, intellectual and social climate, ease of access to faculty, international opportunities and placement rates for careers or for graduate and professional school. Colin Diver, former Dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and former President of Reed College, also wrote of his dislike for ranking lists. He wrote positively of Reed's decision to not submit information to US News World Report for its rankings list: For ten years Reed has declined to fill out the annual peer evaluations and statistical surveys thatU.S. Newsuses to compile its rankings. It has three primary reasons for doing so. First, one-size-fits-all ranking schemes undermine the institutional diversity that characterizes American higher education. The urge to improve one's ranking creates an irresistible pressure toward homogeneity, and schools that, like Reed, strive to be different are almost inevitably penalized. Second, the rankings reinforce a view of education as strictly instrumental to extrinsic goals such as prestige or wealth; this is antithetical to Reed's philosophy that higher education should produce intrinsic rewards such as liberation and self-realization. Third, rankings create powerful incentives to manipulate data and distort institutional behavior for the sole or primary purpose of inflating one's score.Because the rankings depend heavily on unaudited, self-reported data, there is no way to ensure either t he accuracy of the information or the reliability of the resulting rankings. However, some college admissions experts do see some value in the ranking lists. Lynda McGee is a college counselor at Downtown Magnets High School, ranked as a gold medal high school by US News interestingly enough. Like I previously mentioned, she states that college ranking lists can help introduce you to excellent colleges: Many factors go into college rankings, including alumni donations and how other institutions perceive them. Take that into account when you start to think that school #1 must be much better than school #20. What the rankings can do is introduce you to great schools you may be unfamiliar with. So check out those rankings, but remember that you will find an excellent education up and down the list. Keep in mind that while you may not find many representatives from colleges to speak positively about ranking lists, in general, hundreds of colleges routinely brag about their rankings and prominently display them on their websites and in their brochures. Colleges tend to care about these rankings, and they know they matter to students, their parents, and influence popular opinion. Rankings matter to many people. Final Word on Whether You Should Trust College Ranking Lists Don't trust the exact ranking. The #5 school isn't necessarily better than the #10 school in any given list. Use ranking lists to find colleges you may have not previously considered. Focus on the factors that are important to you in a college when looking at a ranking list. You want to go to a college that is a good fit for you. Use the objective available statistics like average high school GPA and SAT/ACT score to compare colleges and determine what you need to do to be a qualified applicant. College ranking lists do provide a rough idea of how colleges are perceived in the academic and professional worlds. What's Next? College ranking lists should only be one of many resources you use in your college search. Make sure you know how to choose a college. Also, look at the best college search websites. Finally, as you're deciding which schools to apply to, learn about reach and safety schools. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Conservation focusing on Animal Extinction Essay

Conservation focusing on Animal Extinction - Essay Example People engaged in the fight for conservation, in a worthy and patriotic cause, most often try to sully their reputation by opposition, and the dramatic fervor of such opposition has constituted a major liability. It is also important to recognize that conservation neither arose from a broad popular outcry nor centered its fire on the private corporations which have often supported conservation policies. "Conservation, above all, was a scientific movement, and its role in history arises from the implications of science and technology in modern society. Conservation leaders sprang from such fields as hydrology, forestry, agrostology, geology, and anthropology It is from the vantage point of view of applied science, rather than of democratic protest, that one must understand the historic role of the conservation movement." (Hays, 1999, p 2). Therefore, conservation issues have historically offered topics of debates and one of the ongoing political controversies in the United States sinc e 1977 has been the debate concerning oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). ... Debates over conservation issue concerning drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have a pertinent role in the understanding of Hays's view that one must understand the historic role of the conservation movement from the vantage point of view of applied science, rather than of democratic protest. The debates over this conservation issue have been in place ever since President Jimmy Carter approved a bill in 1980 for the approval of the Congress to allow drilling in ANWR. It has been one of the most-widely used issues as political device, by both the Democrats and the Republicans. The major argument against the drilling in the 1002 area of ANWR is that it would potentially harm the natural wildlife in the area, especially the calving ground of the Porcupine caribou, whereas the supporters of oil exploration in the region highlight the amount of economically recoverable oil, relating to the world oil markets. The major arguments in favor of oil drilling in the 1002 area of ANWR underlie some basic assumptions about 'Nature' and economic growth and the debates concerning the topic illustrate that the wise use of natural resources may be either technical or largely political. According to the supporters of oil drilling in ANWR, it could radically lower the price of oil, which can lead to a major economic boom, and it can be effective measure to lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil, particularly in the Middle East. As opposed to the arguments of the critics of the procedures, they maintain that drilling could be done without disrupting the sanctuary or damaging the environment. Similarly, it can considerably help the