Advantages and Disadvantages of Education

Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services130 Knowledge is power and for those reading this article, at least a basic level of that power of education has been accessible. However there are instances in the world where the distribution of education is skewed. The advantages and disadvantages of education although seemingly quite clear can be explored to quite a detailed level.It is usually the benefits of education that are extolled from time to time and there is much strength in that argument since the one thing that separates man from animals is the ability to advance knowledge and expertise from one generation to the next. On the other hand some may argue about the difference between ‘having an education’ and ‘possessing knowledge’. Here we try and develop a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of education keeping in mind all points of view. Advantages of EducationHuman Capital – To build upon the previous point, when looked at from a macro perspective, an educated population provides a more valuable human capital base to the economy. A developed economy has maximum concentration of jobs in the tertiary sector which requires a highly skilled work force which has expertise in specific fields. For instance the most developed country in the world, the USA has the most skilled human resources with maximum efficiency. Also, developing countries which adopt tried and tested technologies from other nations require skilled engineers, technicians and managers who can put it to good use.This can only be achieved by providing quality education to the population at a primary, secondary and higher secondary level. Broadens perspective – This is one of the key advantages of education. Even if we consider economic benefit of education but its most important contribution that it helps in changing minds of people. Education makes people understand other cultures, religions, pl aces and culture. It helps gain understanding of what the world is all about. This very important if we see from perspective of developing nations which are plagued by old notions.In countries such as India girl and boy child are differentiated. Even worse women are considered cause of girl child while science tells that it is the other way round. Similar old style dogmas exists everywhere in the world and the only way to eradicate them is proper education. Hones potential – An education provides individuals with the ability to develop their potential to a much greater extent. Exposure to different fields and interests allows a person to choose between a number of options and hone in on the one field that they have the ability to excel in.This also helps develop interest in a number of other non-academic fields such as art, culture, music, all of which are important to have a wholesome life. It improves interaction between people and results in more efficient exchanges. Bette r job prospects – The conventional way of proceeding in life through the ages has been in four stages: childhood and education, putting knowledge to work by obtaining a career, raising a family, growing old and retiring from the daily conundrums of life.The logical step after the initial childhood years is to attend an educational institute and gather as much knowledge and information as possible for a better life in the future. This helps in developing a better base for securing a career later thus advancing the individual into the next phase of life. This helps in providing the basics such as food, water and shelter as well as a host of other needs. Thus, a better education will ensure higher returns and subsequently a better quality of life.Dispels inequality – For individuals who do not have a wealthy or fortunate background, the provision of quality education puts them at the same footing as the vast majority of job seekers allowing them to rise from their present level. This phenomenon, also known as distributive justice, helps in reducing inequalities, both economic and social, in society. The importance of education has been recognised by the international community as can be observed by the Right to Education Act which has been in existence since 1952 in the European Convention on Human Rights and obliges all signatories to guarantee the right to education.The United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 guarantees this right on a global scale. These facts display how seriously countries the world over have taken the aspect of education to be. Especially for developing countries, improving the quality of life of its population through education and all its subsequent effects is of utmost priority and has indeed been undertaken on a large scale by all such countries. Disadvantages of EducationThough it is widely accepted that education is essential for the growth and development of an indiv idual, the medium through which this is carried out can vary from one place to another. Some societies may be of the opinion that education can be transmitted just as well through unconventional media as it is through schools, colleges and other education institutes. In olden times knowledge was passed on over generations through learning on the job and elders’ stories; a formal route of attending school and college was not stressed upon. Here we explore some of the disadvantages of education.Status symbol – These days a quality education has become a means for discrimination. As if the regular economic and social barriers weren’t enough, now the level of education and place from where it has been obtained, have become valid grounds for looking down upon people. As has been claimed by an Ivy League graduate himself, an elite education has its own inadequacies. The atmosphere in which these ‘elite’ students are instructed and taught brings upon most a sense of false achievement and superiority which widens the chasm between members of society.People who attend other less prestigious schools are regarded with disdain and the entire concept of self-worth is derived from the grade or CGPA system. People are judged by the numbers they carry around – GPAs, ranks, grades which may not be a wholesome representation of who they are or what their potential is. Although it is no crime to nurture excellence, refraining from making it a criterion to judge people on is important. Restricts ideas – Some forms of education blindly impose ideas upon young minds instead of teaching them to think for themselves.The whole purpose of an education is to allow the learner to apply themselves to think bigger and better. However a faulty education system can do more harm than good in this respect. It can be argued that those without a formal education are more ready and equipped to handle a dog eat dog world. They may have gathered their knowledge from experience for which there is no substitute. Hence, unless the mode of education is wholesome and nurtures all aspects of an individual’s personality, it may not be as advantageous as expected.After exploring both aspects of the argument, it is safe to say that the advantages and disadvantages of education point toward one direction. Though it has its drawbacks, if implemented correctly, an education system is very helpful in improving the quality of human life. It helps in transmitting knowledge, skills, customs and values, all of which are essential in the development of an individual. Thus, this discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of education have led us to the conclusion that the importance of education far outweighs its negatives. ï » ¿Advantages and Disadvantages of Education Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services130 Knowledge is power and for those reading this article, at least a basic level of that power of education has been accessible. However there are instances in the world where the distribution of education is skewed. The advantages and disadvantages of education although seemingly quite clear can be explored to quite a detailed level.It is usually the benefits of education that are extolled from time to time and there is much strength in that argument since the one thing that separates man from animals is the ability to advance knowledge and expertise from one generation to the next. On the other hand some may argue about the difference between ‘having an education’ and ‘possessing knowledge’. Here we try and develop a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of education keeping in mind all points of view. Advantages of EducationHuman Capital – To build upon the previous point, when looked at from a macro perspective, an educated population provides a more valuable human capital base to the economy. A developed economy has maximum concentration of jobs in the tertiary sector which requires a highly skilled work force which has expertise in specific fields. For instance the most developed country in the world, the USA has the most skilled human resources with maximum efficiency. Also, developing countries which adopt tried and tested technologies from other nations require skilled engineers, technicians and managers who can put it to good use.This can only be achieved by providing quality education to the population at a primary, secondary and higher secondary level. Broadens perspective – This is one of the key advantages of education. Even if we consider economic benefit of education but its most important contribution that it helps in changing minds of people. Education makes people understand other cultures, religions, pl aces and culture. It helps gain understanding of what the world is all about. This very important if we see from perspective of developing nations which are plagued by old notions.In countries such as India girl and boy child are differentiated. Even worse women are considered cause of girl child while science tells that it is the other way round. Similar old style dogmas exists everywhere in the world and the only way to eradicate them is proper education. Hones potential – An education provides individuals with the ability to develop their potential to a much greater extent. Exposure to different fields and interests allows a person to choose between a number of options and hone in on the one field that they have the ability to excel in.This also helps develop interest in a number of other non-academic fields such as art, culture, music, all of which are important to have a wholesome life. It improves interaction between people and results in more efficient exchanges. Bette r job prospects – The conventional way of proceeding in life through the ages has been in four stages: childhood and education, putting knowledge to work by obtaining a career, raising a family, growing old and retiring from the daily conundrums of life.The logical step after the initial childhood years is to attend an educational institute and gather as much knowledge and information as possible for a better life in the future. This helps in developing a better base for securing a career later thus advancing the individual into the next phase of life. This helps in providing the basics such as food, water and shelter as well as a host of other needs. Thus, a better education will ensure higher returns and subsequently a better quality of life.Dispels inequality – For individuals who do not have a wealthy or fortunate background, the provision of quality education puts them at the same footing as the vast majority of job seekers allowing them to rise from their present level. This phenomenon, also known as distributive justice, helps in reducing inequalities, both economic and social, in society. The importance of education has been recognised by the international community as can be observed by the Right to Education Act which has been in existence since 1952 in the European Convention on Human Rights and obliges all signatories to guarantee the right to education.The United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 guarantees this right on a global scale. These facts display how seriously countries the world over have taken the aspect of education to be. Especially for developing countries, improving the quality of life of its population through education and all its subsequent effects is of utmost priority and has indeed been undertaken on a large scale by all such countries. Disadvantages of EducationThough it is widely accepted that education is essential for the growth and development of an indiv idual, the medium through which this is carried out can vary from one place to another. Some societies may be of the opinion that education can be transmitted just as well through unconventional media as it is through schools, colleges and other education institutes. In olden times knowledge was passed on over generations through learning on the job and elders’ stories; a formal route of attending school and college was not stressed upon. Here we explore some of the disadvantages of education.Status symbol – These days a quality education has become a means for discrimination. As if the regular economic and social barriers weren’t enough, now the level of education and place from where it has been obtained, have become valid grounds for looking down upon people. As has been claimed by an Ivy League graduate himself, an elite education has its own inadequacies. The atmosphere in which these ‘elite’ students are instructed and taught brings upon most a sense of false achievement and superiority which widens the chasm between members of society.People who attend other less prestigious schools are regarded with disdain and the entire concept of self-worth is derived from the grade or CGPA system. People are judged by the numbers they carry around – GPAs, ranks, grades which may not be a wholesome representation of who they are or what their potential is. Although it is no crime to nurture excellence, refraining from making it a criterion to judge people on is important. Restricts ideas – Some forms of education blindly impose ideas upon young minds instead of teaching them to think for themselves.The whole purpose of an education is to allow the learner to apply themselves to think bigger and better. However a faulty education system can do more harm than good in this respect. It can be argued that those without a formal education are more ready and equipped to handle a dog eat dog world. They may have gathered their knowledge from experience for which there is no substitute. Hence, unless the mode of education is wholesome and nurtures all aspects of an individual’s personality, it may not be as advantageous as expected.After exploring both aspects of the argument, it is safe to say that the advantages and disadvantages of education point toward one direction. Though it has its drawbacks, if implemented correctly, an education system is very helpful in improving the quality of human life. It helps in transmitting knowledge, skills, customs and values, all of which are essential in the development of an individual. Thus, this discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of education have led us to the conclusion that the importance of education far outweighs its negatives.

Iphone 5C price decision Essay

The fist factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is by considering costs. For instance, since Apple Inc. wants to maximize its profits through establishing new products, the price should be set at the point where marginal revenue equals to marginal cost. We know that iPhone 5C is in the perfectly competitive market, the company can reach its maximum profit at equilibrium at X* and P*. To determine the price, Apple Inc. needs to do the marginal analysis. According to profits (Ï€) equals to total revenues (TR) minus total costs (TC), which is Ï€=(P*X)-(fixed cost+variable costs per unit *X), X is the number of units sold by Apple Inc. Of course, manager needs to ask several departments and contractors to know the cost of their product and services. From online websites, I get to know that producing a 16Gbyte iPhone, total BOM and Manufacturing Cost is about $173.45, for a 32Gbyte iPhone 5C is approximately $182.85(which accounts only for hardware and manufacturing costs and does not include other expenses such as software, licensing, royalties or other expenditure)(Andrew, 2013). The manager can differentiating the fixed costs and variable costs based on cost behavior, and plug those numbers into the equation and get an equation between Ï€ and X. then differentiate the equation and set it to zero, the manager can get the number of units when profit maximizing. Finally, plug X into assuming demand function, the manager can get the price and make a decision. But, in the real world, it is not easy to implement the marginal analysis method. So, managers usually try to combine cost-based approaches and market-based approach to make a profit satisfying approach, for example full cost-plus target profits, variable costs-plus percentage markup can both assess to pricing decision. However, the common and basic factor for the methods is costs. The second factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is product line and competitors. Strategy analysis is the company needs to consider about the Competitors as well as the whole industry, and then assess to firm’s plan. We can figure out that the competitions in the smartphone market are quite intense, there are numerous competitors and are almost equal size, such as Samsung, Microsoft. So, Apple Inc. has to investigate the cost leadership and the unique producers in order to make a competitive price in the smartphone market. The website take the example of Moto X, which has 18 kinds of colors and the functions are really similar to iPhone 5C (Darren, 2013). The price of Moto X is $599, so the manager should decide a lower price than it to gain a competitive advantage. In particular, the competition is not just from the external market, we know that Apple Inc. promoted iPhone 5C as well as iPhone 5S at the same time. To iPhone 5C, the manager needs to consider about the plastic case, which is $42 less than the metal case cost of iPhone5S (Ben, 2013). So manager should also compare the 5C’s price to 5S. It is an important thing to keep secret of the product’s price before they coming out. The manager of Apple Inc. can survey the expected price of the public, or conduct some historical sample tests before making the final price decision. The third factor that important in the pricing decision of iPhone 5C is the manager should estimate the demand. Assume that we are suffering a financial crisis, most people don’t have extra money to pay for new electronic devices. They have already owned iPhone 5 or iPhone 4S and do not want to pay for another similar product. Then the manager should decrease the price of iPhone 5C to fit for people’s expectation of low pricing, using the profit margin per unit to trade for higher quantities. As I mentioned above, the estimation of demand function is also important in the marginal analysis. In order to estimate the demand, the manager should also make market survey to analyze the targeted customers. According to Pew Internet’s report, Teens and Technology 2013, 37% of U.S. teenagers now own a smartphone (which compares to 23% in 2011). And the increases of U.S. wireless carriers’ family data plans, intensive the parents to buy smartphones for their kids (Jason, 2013). Because the iPhone5C is colorful, has proper functions and easy to control, it must a first-choice for kid’s cellphone. Aimed at attracting teenagers group, the Apple Inc. manager should make the price to a certain level. What’s more, we also have to consider whether buyers are sensitive to price. In economics, we call it price elasticity of demand, which means the percentage change in the numbers of units sod to the percentage change in the price of the product. Assume most people are price sensitive, if the price of iphone5C is much higher than they expected, they will not buy it, which decreases demand a lot. So, listen to the public opinions on price is quite important. Before iphone5C facing to the public, a lot of individuals forecast that the selling price should be low enough to satisfy the low-end customers needs. Somebody was kidding that iPhone 5C is iPhone for China or iPhone for cheap. Apple Inc. wants to occupy more market percentage in developing countries, so they advertised that to make a colorful low-end smartphone. However, the price of iPhone 5C is not as low as we expected. The data shows after releasing the iPhone for 72 hours, both in China, Australia, U.S., the sales of iPhone 5S is almost 4 times compare to iPhone 5C. Especially, the graph says in the â€Å"target† country China, where the 5s is outselling the 5c five to one (Christopher, 2013). So I think the price of iPhone 5C is not reasonable. There are several reasons to explain iPhone 5C price is not appropriate. Firstly, compare to iPhone 5S, people claim 5C just looks an iPhone 5 with a candy-colored plastic shell. According to a report published by UBS, the same memory for 16 Gigabyte iPhone, 5S costs $213 in materials, whereas a 5C costs $156IPhone 5S has metal shell, Touch ID fingerprint scanner, more advanced A7 chipset, Motion Coprocessor and True tone flash for camera. The different price due to plastic case of $42 and finger print sensor of $7. However, the price of iPhone 5C is only $100 less than iPhone 5S. The UBS also estimates the gross margins of iPhone 5S is 45-55% and for iPhone 5S is 48-54% (Ben, 2013). As a rational consumer, I will buy iPhone 5S instead of iPhone 5C, since 5S has much more functions, which is not at a so much higher price. Secondly, the factors of competitor also have huge effects. Samsung is the key part for apple to make its â€Å"retina display† screen, as well as apple use Sony’s sensor in its camera. We know that Samsung and Sony are competitors. Apple Inc. is hiring, relying and paying them. But if someday, Samsung or Sony stop providing essential parts to apple, what will happen? I think Apple Inc. has to produce all manufacturing parts by themselves under a big amount of fixed cost, which will have a big effect on Apple’s price decision. Thirdly, the price of iPhone 5C is not as low as rumored. It brings the question to us, who exactly is Apple targeting? We know that Samsung has galaxy series, which with large-screen and liked by fashion people and developing markets. In china, there are a lot of really cheap phones under 1000RMB, those phones have varieties function and beautiful looking. So when Apple Inc. can really open the market to low-end customers? The price decision and targeting customer is not clear and accurate. I am kind of thinking there must be some sailing strategy when apple promoted 5C and 5S at the same time, with a huge cost performance in my opinion. Maybe Apple Inc. just wants to stimulate the sales of 5S, after people comparing these two products.

Women S Roles In World War One

These women worked primarily with gunshot wounds and gas victims. The Fad's would have to keep wounds clean, distribute painkillers, and inject these painkillers into men's wounds. The Fanny however had a much more undesirable job. Fanny's would have to clean and disinfect rooms that housed wounded soldiers. â€Å"Some of these volunteers even recalled having to get rid of bodies from the hospital. † (www. Sachem. Du/Erlenmeyer) Not only did these women have to clean the soldier's wounds, but on occasion had to clean the soldiers themselves. Although volunteering as a FANNY seemed unlikable, the women were happy to help aid the grateful soldiers.Other jobs that women did included land work. One group of women were The Women's Land Army. The Women's Land Army worked to bring in the harvest and maintain the farms. Anything that could be done by hand by the WALLA was done by hand in order to save fuel. Since the need for WALLA workers was so high, recruiting officers never thorou ghly checked women's ages. Girls at the age of only 14 were accepted after lying that they were 18. Although the job was tough, â€Å"women were only paid 18 shillings a week. 12 of these shillings would be devoted to food and board, leaving only 6 shillings for women to spend for themselves.Considering a pair of pantyhose cost 3 shillings, they did not have much. † (www. Sachem. Du/Erlenmeyer) Not only did women take over jobs to help the war effort, but they also went out and â€Å"contained† for the U. S. Soldiers. â€Å"They would provide entertainment, hand out food, cigarettes, and sweets, and sewed buttons back on uniforms. † (WV. Www. Warranted. Com/ hoosegow) Women would sing and dance for the soldiers to keep their spirits up. But not only did they sing and dance, but also gave lectures and read poetry. The soldiers would look forward to seeing the women perform for them.It would give them hope even when things were going wrong. A soldier described Sar ah Wailer's performance saying â€Å"I shall never forget as long as I live the blessed white dress she had on the night she recited to us. We had not seen a white dress in years. There we were all ready to go into the line, and there she was talking to us like a girl from home. It sure was a great sight, you bet. † (War And Gender: How Gender Shapes the War System and Vice Versa) In order to raise awareness for the war and show their support, women began campaigns to help the war effort. One campaign in particular was the White Feather Campaign.In this campaign, women would go around and hand out a white feather to any healthy looking man, trying to shame him for being a coward. At that time a white feather was a symbol Of unfulfilled civic duty and receiving a white feather showed the women's disappointment in that man for not going to serve his country. The point of this campaign was to shame men into going to fight. Although in many cases it proved successful, women soon stopped the White Feather Campaign because people spoke out against it. After World War One women were looked at differently. Men realized that they could actually work and take responsibility.

The National Institutes of Health and The Centers for Disease Control Research Paper

The National Institutes of Health and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Research Paper Example The efficient work of the organization can be exhibited by the implementation of laws by the nations regarding driving safety such as seat belt laws, child safety seat legislation and licensing laws. This was only because of the active collection of data by the CDC about the motor vehicle crashes in United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). CDC also helps the healthcare facilities and the government to tackle the leading causes of death in the United States and also the causes of disability. It promotes safe and healthy behaviors among the communities and also introduces disease detectives and public health workforce to combat the emerging diseases. National Institute of Health is a government organization that works toward achieving new and up-to-date knowledge of living systems and the application of the new discoveries and researches for the enhancement of human health, reducing illness and improving the environment. NIH fosters basic researches and helps in new and interesting yet applicable researches that can be used for the prevention and treatment of health-related problems. NIH also aims to improve the country’s economy by improving the health and the associated sciences. This is only possible with the successful outcomes achieved by the investments in public research (National Institutes of Health, 2013).

Dicussion questions Modular 7 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dicussion questions Modular 7 - Assignment Example Because of this, several measures have been set to balance these somewhat conflicting values. When the patient’s mental competence is in question, the patient’s rational ability (the ability to make sound decisions) will be examined. Secondly, the medical staff will have to ascertain the patient’s performance competence (whether or not the patient is able to make decisions and to perform skills in a manner that is commensurate with specific external standards). Physicians may also analyze the patient’s reflective competence, as a way of determining the patient’s ability to formulate and evaluate his or her own internal values and standards in relation to his actions and decisions. When the absence of mental competence is obvious, it becomes inevitable that the patient’s next of kin is involved. It is the next of kin that is to append his or her signature in order to authorize medical intervention. At times, the standpoint taken by the patient may be weighed against the gravity of his or her medical condition. For instance, physicians cannot just honor a tetraplegic patient’s whimsical request to be disconnected from the ventilator (McLean, 2009). Coma is a medical state characterized by unarousable unresponsiveness. In this state, the patient is not aware of both self and surroundings. Though a coma persists for at least an hour, comatose patients begin to come around after 2-4 weeks. A patient may progress from being comatose to being vegetative. On the other hand, when a patient opens his or her eyes without being aware of self and the environment, he or she is in a vegetative state. This means that the vegetative state acts as a transition to further recovery. When four weeks elapse without the patient having recovered, the patient is said to be in a persistent vegetative state. When six months elapse since the onset of the vegetative state, the patient is considered to be in a permanent vegetative state. When a patient is still in a

Readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Readings - Essay Example Future philosophers Jeffery Reiman concludes that the existing systems of justice could be the best system in the world if its ideology is used wealthily and therefore cooperation is needed from the people to put this unjust social order in order. Yes by the Paul G Cassel, a District could Judge in United States argues that on the basics of this Miranda Rule, the warren court criminal procedure juris Prudence rays extraordinary and unparalleled chains over the police department which is our important social department The police strongly objected the rule as it is obstructing the investigative proceedings. Even cartoonists ridiculously sketched the law and its practices. A 120-page report was also made suggesting to over rule and abandon Miranda Rule. Also the law holds god to only those who are innocent of any crime. But what is the need to respect a criminal. These anti social elements observe the least. These can be some intermediate rule by which the doubtful respect is to kept under Miranda rule Stephen J. Shhulhofer agrees to the rule and had a opinion. He assets that US require Miranda protection to accused victims. According to him the rule has to be regarded as a compulsory constitutional requirement, which doesn’t cause any potential damage to criminal which effective enforcing the law. Yes Akhil Reed Amar Yale law professor argues that the execution of law is resetting in wrongful acquits and erroneous convictions. As the reliable evidence is excluded from the traits, it is becoming easy and helping guilty ones. While the rule is leaving a throbbing experiences on this innocent defendants. Answer is No from Michigan law professor, Yale Kamisar who is feeling contended with this constitution are together in an agreement so that there is no place to illegally obtained evidence. The court doesn’t require passing any orders for lawless activities in the act of enforcement of

Nursing leader DIX Dorothea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing leader DIX Dorothea - Essay Example well recognized for her patient advocacy in struggling to improve the condition of a mental asylum and jails, in North America and Europe (Parry, 2006). Dix quitted her career as a schoolteacher at the age of 24-years, and began to explore her second career as a nurse at the age of 39-years (Parry, 2006). She was not a nurse by profession, but the situation allowed her practice as a nurse since the present nursing practices were not yet developed. She became one of the pioneers of the modern nursing, and introduced the key value that drives the provision of quality nursing care through patient advocacy. Her nursing career was inspired, in 1841, when she visited the Cambridge House of Correction to teach Women inmates’ Sunday class (Dolan, 1968). The scenes and conditions she witnessed, in this correctional center were nearly identical to the scenes in â€Å"mental health† facilities she had visited throughout Europe and North America. She discovered that mentally ill patients shared the same facilities with prison inmates who are usually confined in enclosed and filthy spaces, without proper clothing, and sexually and physically abused (Dolan, 1968). From her personal experiences as a mentally ill patient, she decided to challenge how inmates and mentally ill patients are treated, in the court. She filed a number of lawsuits where she won many cases. Her first plan was to improve care for the mentally ill patients and condition of jails throughout Massachusetts. Dix played a number of significant roles in the establishment and expansion of more than 30 hospitals for the mentally ill patients (Parry, 2006). She is a renowned activist in international and national movements that advocated for the rights of the mentally ill patients, and challenged the notion that people with mental problems cannot be helped or cured. She also criticized the harsh and neglectful practices and conditions the mentally ill patients are subjected to, and these include painful physical

RESPONSE PAPER#4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

RESPONSE PAPER#4 - Essay Example ction of the poem the poet discovers some new vision about the world and this alters the scenario completely and changes our perception about everything gradually. The poem holds two implications juxtaposed but held by a string of tension. The first message is that of a life almost suffocated by the mechanisms working around us and the second message pertains to the innovative commentary that he makes and where he even incorporates himself. (Christensen, 212) He attempts to destroy the trend of life centering on Delphi but also creates a kind of myth and epic out of his vision. For instance in the reading itself the poet talks about the notion of delaying and not being able to respond to situations on a timely basis. For instance if a sailor is always being obedient and cannot take any decisions by him then simple things like crossing a wet deck would involve a hesitation and hence the action would get delayed. He describes himself to be indistinguishable as a Greek in particular bec ause he has been picking up more western habits almost like an American who is usually a compilation of multi cultural practices – â€Å"No Greek will be able to discriminate my body. An American is a complex of occasions themselves a geometry of spatial nature† (Olson, 148). At the end of the section of The Maximus in the reading the poet wants the city of Gloucester to change. The poem makes an effort to build the context around the city of Gloucester. The poem itself incorporates the four characteristics of city-states across different cultural backdrops. There is a definite definition of a city, which is usually surrounded by walls and water. A city-state normally thrives to become economically self-dependent and a basic idea about sharing linguistic cultural and historical elements. At last, every polis is governed independently by its self-elected authority. The poet here urges Gloucester to change its rule or polis. The poet urges the readers to change and shed the previous

How can maths promote cultural development in primary schools Essay

How can maths promote cultural development in primary schools - Essay Example Cultural development has become a critical part of social development for the UK which is why policy makers nowadays are keen on developing it at the grass root level. In education, this refers to activities, curriculum and teaching practices to mediate cultural conflict at the primary school level such as Key Stage 1 and 2. The central role of education in cultural development, according to Ofsted (2004), is inherently linked with enabling the young people to recognize and explore cultural assumptions, values, and traditions, and embrace culture within contemporary values, attitudes and social perspectives. It emphasizes the "appreciation of inter-dependence of different cultures" and thereby helps in mitigating racism challenges.Mathematics, a core curriculum subject in primary school, is a logic based subject which manifests in social interactions, structures and relations. According to Lerman (2001), mathematics develops social consciousness; it promotes interpretation of concept s and knowledge, in a constructive manner. Unlike other subjects, mathematics induces empirical practices. Instruction and development starts from the first day of a child's life, and continues throughout his/her life. Learning situations create practice. From this perspective, cultural tools and meta-cognitive tools jump start development processes. For example mathematics classrooms can be used as the place for introducing values attached to visual structuring (shapes), combining data, and calculating quantity.

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation Dissertation

Job Satisfaction Perceived Efficacy Correlation - Dissertation Example Population and Sample The population for this study included all 139 South Dakota public school special education administrators, including full-time, part-time, and mixed responsibility special education administrators. The information used in the study was gathered from the South Dakota Department of Education 2010-2011 Educational Directory. Data Collection Data collection included the use of three separate surveys. Paul Spector’s Job Satisfaction Survey was used to collect job satisfaction data. Chen, Gully, and Eden’s New General Self-Efficacy Scale was used to collect perceived self-efficacy data. Finally, a researcher-developed demographic survey was utilized to collect demographic data. The survey was posted electronically and all 139 public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota were invited to participate via email. Names and email addresses of special education administrators were gathered from the South Dakota Department of Educ ation 2010-2011 Educational Directory. A cover letter (see Appendix G) with instructions on how to access the electronic survey was sentto all public school special education administrators in the state of South Dakota, via email. ... The invitees completed 35 useable surveys, accounting for a study response rate of 25.2 percent. Demographics Selected demographic characteristics of the study respondents are presented in Table 4.1. The two largest groups of respondents were aged 36-50 and 50 and over, with each category making up 40 percent of the respondents, while those aged 35 or younger represented 20 percent of the respondents. The majority of respondents were female, representing 71.4 percent. It is important to note that all demographics were computed using the responses provided by respondents. Not all respondents completed all questions. Masters Degrees represented the highest level of education for 40 percent of respondents, which was the largest group. Those holding a Bachelors Degree accounted for 22.9 percent of the respondents. Both the Education Specialist and Doctorate degree each represented 20 percent of the respondents. The current certification question allowed respondents to check all that appl ied so that some respondents selected multiple current certifications. The largest number of respondents, 57.6 percent, responded that their current certification was Special Education Director. Pre-K-8 Principals accounted for 11.4, while 7-12 Secondary Principals comprised 6 percent of respondents. Similarly superintendents also accounted for 6 percent of respondents. One respondent selected Superintendent and Special Education Director, one respondent chose PK-12 Principal, Superintendent, and Special Education Director as his or her current level of certification, one respondent chose PK-8 Principal and Superintendent as his or her current level of certification, and one respondent selected PK-8 Principal, Superintendent and

Trip itinerary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trip itinerary - Assignment Example In this ethnically diverse category, most of the people have attained college education level and are professionals who are urbanized. The average age of people in this category is less than 55 years and families may or may not have children. In terms of lifestyle, people in the American Dreams Segment like to visit zoos, watch entertainment TV and read Tribune. In addition, people in this category shop at Kaiser Pharmacy and are able to afford vehicles such as Volkswagen Tiguan signifying their income levels. The itinerary summary involves a planned tour to Oklahoma from Houston by road. In Oklahoma, the family, which consists of two parents with an average age of 48 and 50 years and two children, aged 18 and 20 years will visit several places including zoo parks. The family will also look for an accommodation in Candlewood Suites where they will be retiring for the three nights of their tour in Oklahoma. In addition, the family will also have a chance to carry out shopping activities in Outlet Shoppes and visit Yellow Rose Theatre for entertainment. This itinerary is relevant for this segment because there is enough time to drive from Houston to Oklahoma City considering that the family has a compact Volkswagen Tiguan SUV that is able to carry enough luggages for the four members and can withstand the long journey of about 1500kms to and from Oklahoma from Houston. In addition, travelling to the museums, theatres and shopping in areas around Oklahoma City is within the family level of i ncome. The family will organize necessary luggage including clothes and essential utilities for use in Oklahoma. The family will make sure to have enough money to cater for all the expenses including motor vehicle gasoline since the journey to and from Oklahoma is by road. After being prepared for the trip, the family will start the journey at 0700Hrs from Houston using their Volkswagen Tiguan SUV. The journey from Houston

The Skillful Teacher Essay Example for Free

The Skillful Teacher Essay Introduction There has been a great deal of change taking place in the field of education over the past few years. It seems that every time we turn around a new approach is being heralded as the best in terms of teaching and helping students to excel. Most of these works come and go, as they more often than not, involve fads of sorts. With books like â€Å"The Skillful Teacher† by Stephen D. Brookfield and â€Å"Teaching Tips† by McKeachie there is hope that we can find the teacher that we always wanted to be within us. In Brookfield’s book we see a personal approach to teaching students and an approach that not only takes the students into account, but also the teacher. In McKeachie’s book we find many helpful tips that we can take into the classroom, no matter what the age of the student. In the following paper I will share with you some of the things that I have learned from these books and how I can utilize them in the classroom. Experiencing Teaching. Brookfield essentially asks the reader, the teacher, to look at teaching, to examine what they love about teaching, perhaps why they got into teaching, and use that knowledge as a foundation for the process. Brookfield offers suggestions, but seems to primarily rely on the intelligence and passion of the reader for the development of their own unique vision as it involves teaching. Learning is not a predictable and stable reality. There are rhythms to learning and students, as well as teachers, will often find themselves at a point where they are essentially stagnating as they have reached a level of burn out to some degree. Brookfield does not ignore these realities but presents the reader with ways in which to provide new motivation for learning, new motivation that helps students, and teachers, out of established patterns. Brookfield’s method of a textbook in a narrative form is a novel idea for future teachers who can gain more from a â€Å"story† than a theory book. I found the section on muddling through to be enlightening. As teachers we never know what is going to happen in a classroom on any given day so the best we can do sometimes is muddle through and hope that we make the right decisions. As a teacher I find myself doing this sometimes but I thought it was because I havent been teaching very long. I had no idea that there were actually teachers out there that have the same. Brookfield states that â€Å"this is going to be an opinionated, some would say polemical, book† (p. 3). I believe at this point in our career, when we are either teaching or getting ready to teach the opinions of those who have experience are more helpful to us than the theory that we learn. Real live experiences tend to stick in our mind better than a theory or formula that we might be able to incorporate into the classroom. Brookfield points out how important it is to gain the trust of the students. The teacher is, after all, the teacher, not the student. The teacher’s position, in this respect, can be very fragile if the students do not trust the teacher to do their job well, but also maintain an intelligence that is above the students to some degree. If a student does not trust that the teacher knows what they are doing, they will not listen to what the teacher presents. The example that Brookfield used (p.4, 5) regarding how to get students to open up and actually take part in a discussion is a breaking point for all teachers. This information will be helpful to me in â€Å"ALL† future classes. As an instructor at the college level, the only way that I know if my students understand the material that I have given them is an open discussion of the material. Unfortunately at times the silence is deafening. While I understand that Brookfield’s work primarily addresses adult students, college students many of the things that he mentioned can apply to students of any age. Again, this is an important aspect of teaching and learning for a student who feels motivated to become involved in discussions will feel that they are part of the process, that they are part of the teaching process. And, along the way they, as well as the other students, learn more than they thought they would. As Brookfield points out, too often students are not approached as though they were adults, a reality that Brookfield sees as very damaging to the teacher and learning process. Bearing this aspect in mind we see this first chapter as intriguing and very enlightening for college students do not need to be forced to learn, as though they were children. Students need to be approached as adults, from a teacher who is an adult and who is passionate about the entire learning process. Brookfield admits that emotional problems, emotional outbursts will occur while teaching. He does not avoid these realities, but addresses them and provides many helpful perspectives a teacher can take in dealing with such. Feedback Since some students really do have a hard time with open discussion in the classroom the one minute paper is a tool that can be utilized to find out if the teacher is actually getting pertinent information across to the students. We all know that students shake their heads in agreement so they can get out of class, but we never know if they actually understand what we are talking about. This is a tool that I plan on implementing in my classroom in the future, several times within the semester just to make sure that everyone is able to understand the information that I am trying to relay. I believe that the muddiest point (Brookfield, p. 38) will also be a significant point within this one minute paper. While I know that we should not try to control what the students write, because it inhibits their critical thinking, they might actually need some structure as to what they should put into their paper. In my experience, when asked to do a paper of any type, students always want to know what is expected of them so I might just throw things out for them that they might include in this one minute paper such as: â€Å"What was the most confusing thing that we covered today†; â€Å"Do you think anything that we discussed today will be important to you in your future? If so, what and why? †; â€Å"Tell me what I could have done today to help you learn the information better†. Since I teach an oral communication this will be a new experience for both the student and me, but I feel that I can glean good feedback by utilizing this method. Participation/Nonparticipation In McKeachie’s â€Å"Teaching Tips† (p. 45) the section on nonparticipants was something that I could relate to because it is so difficult sometimes to get some of the students to participate in any type of discussion. You never know if they have actually read the material assigned or if they just dont like to talk in class to a bunch of strangers. I really dont like to think that my students are bored but when students have a textbook for another class out reading it while you are lecturing, you have to wonder if you are that boring or if something else is just more important at the moment. In the discussion monopolizer section (McKeachie, p. 48) it stated that â€Å"if you have worked on nonparticipation effectively, the discussion monopolizer is less likely to be a problem†. Unfortunately there seems to always be that one student who wants to be the center of attention and they wish to talk (a lot) even if what they say has no relevance to the subject at hand. There have been times in my classes when I ask questions and continually have the same person answering the questions that I actually say; Now someone besides (blank) give me an answer. Sometimes teachers have to do this, not in an effort to embarrass the student but more so to give other students an opportunity to speak. The section in McKeachies â€Å"Teaching Tips† (p 45) about nonparticipants was extremely important to me. Because â€Å"most students are used to being passive† it is very difficult to get them to participate in an oral communications class. There is always so much apprehension from students that is difficult to get some of them to participate in anything that the class does. I spend a huge amount of time coming up with ways to get the students to participate in a manner that relieves their apprehension and anxiety. Some students right out of high school just dont have the experience in public speaking or people meeting skills that they need to get involved. Another instructor in my department gave me the idea to pair students up or put them in small groups of four or five and give them an opportunity to do different exercises to get everyone involved without having to be the center of attention for the whole class. Having rant sessions seems too pull these students out of their comfort zone of silence, because there is generally something that everyone has bottled up inside that theyre just waiting to get off their chest. Brookfield (p 141) talks about grading for participation by establishing clear criteria for effective participation. He states that this should be done in the syllabus but I do not think that it has to be that specific in the syllabus. There are different ways to have participation such as in groups. I like to break my class up into small groups of 4 or 5 on a regular basis to have them discuss issues and solve problems. Sometimes its just easier for shy people to talk in a much smaller group. I guess that what Im doing here also ties into the scaffolding discussion and the circle of voices (Brookfield, p 143). Lecturing Planning lectures and developing power points are an important part of teaching. In order for students to be able to learn they should not rely solely on the power points for their notes. Note taking is a valuable skill that students need to learn and keep throughout their college careers. Teachers should put key words on the power points and sometimes fun things that will get their attention. When planning a lecture an instructor should try to make sure that they use words that everyone understands and use everyday examples in them. I always make sure that Im asking the students questions as we go along to make sure they understand, even if its just What do you think or â€Å"Can you think of any examples of this? . It seems that teachers too often merely teach. They merely recite the information the student should know, expecting that the students are listening and taking notes. They do not stop to listen to whether or not the students are actually responding to anything that is being taught. And, conversely, what happens is that the teacher has no real response to teaching. As such, Brookfield illustrates how teachers can become aware of what they are doing, and approaching the entire endeavor of teaching from a responsive position. Brookfield offers suggestions to the reader for encouraging students to listen, for creating new ways to lecture that can get the students’ attention. Lecturing has often been a difficult part of teaching, as Brookfield indicates, due to the fact that learning habits instill in the student the belief that a lecture will be boring and will offer no sense of creative thought. As far as lecturing creatively, I read Chapter 6 (Lecturing Creatively) with great interest because I want to make sure that I am doing things in my classroom that work out best for my students. Brookfield stated that we need to be clear about why we lecture (p 99). Having been in classes where the lectures absolutely put you to sleep, I want to avoid this in my classes. I tell my students to look over the chapter(s) that we will be covering in class the next session, with the motive being open discussions. McKeachie (p 56) tells us to make sure we present up-to-date information, to summarize the material, adapt the material to the students, help the student read more effectively and to focus on key concepts or ideas. When lecturing, teachers should try to break the material down into language that the students understand and make it as concise as possible. Talking to the students and then asking questions to get them to try to discuss things seems to be a better way to try and get the information across to students. I always try to give them several examples of anything that I am trying to teach them (any new concepts). This opens the door for more discussion, especially as the semester continues and the students get more comfortable with the instructor and their classmates. Testing and Assessments  McKeachie (p 73, 74) discusses methods of assessment. He talks about being open to trying something different and I think that this will be beneficial to the students. History tells us that if a student fills their head with information that they will be asked to regurgitate on a test and it is not interesting to them, they will not retain this information any longer than necessary. Unfortunately some departments require that you administer tests in order to dole out a grade. In my case there are specific guidelines that are given, that we as instructors are supposed to teach and test on to meet certain criteria. Sometimes the information in a basic text book can be confusing if there is not any discussion that goes along with it. Giving students an opportunity to ask questions about what will be covered on the test and encouraging them to think about it for several days before the test so that they can get any questions answered is a method I use to get see what information the students know and do not know. I think that one of the most common methods for checking for understanding is tests or quizzes that we give our students. I like McKeachie’s (p 300) approach of having students paraphrase things for you. This is a method that I utilize quite. I don’t want to test my students to death because some students have test apprehension and I don’t want to stress them out by thinking, â€Å"Oh, no. Another test! † McKeachie also talked about not just knowing how to learn, but also wanting to learn and I believe that this is a major setback for some students. Unfortunately some students are in college because their parents told them they were going. You always see some students who appear to be very intelligent but just really don’t want to be in the classroom. Class Discussions. I think that Brookfields chapter on discussion (Chapter 7) had some good ideas. It can be very difficult to get students to participate in discussion, especially undergraduate students. There are always some students in a class that just really dont have any desire to participate in any form of discussion. Im not sure if this is because they are afraid that they might say the wrong thing or that it might generate a question that they arent able to answer. Brookfield (p117) said that if a teacher makes part of the grade participation that the students think that they have to be involved in discussion to meet this obligation. I dont know if that is what all teachers expect. I dont think that any student should be put on the spot with having to come up with some type of discussion if they dont feel led to. We, as instructors, never truly know why someone doesnt talk much in class. It might just be their nature that they dont talk much. Brookfield stated (p 134) that â€Å"some students are so shy and introverted that nothing short of therapeutic intervention will embolden them to speak†. They might be the type that listens all through the class to digest the information and then wants to talk about it at the next class session. Brookfield (p 134, 135) talks about students being worried about â€Å"looking stupid†. Teachers should be aware that this might be the reason that some students dont speak up as readily. Brookfield said that instructors should announce in the class that there are no stupid questions. This should be one of the first things that students are told every semester and it should be repeated several times throughout the semester. Brookfield (p 135) recommends putting together a panel of former students for a discussion with current students to help put them at ease and I believe this something that I can incorporate into my classes. Group Learning Teachers do not use the group learning system as much as they should. I tend to believe that students learn better from each other than they do the instructor most of the time. ODonnell (McKeachie, 192) stated it right when she said that â€Å"peer learning has the advantages of interaction with a peer† and this is extremely important for young people. It sometimes builds their confidence in the information that they know. Some of the students who are less vocal might actually open up to a peer and share what they know. As far as peer tutoring I think this is something that should be encouraged in  classes. I believe that if we were to set up groups with the students who do well and those that dont do so well (as far as tests are concerned) to have them study together that it would improve the grades because I think that the peers can sometimes get the idea across to students on a level they understand. Writing McKeachie (p 214) discussed the various types of low stakes writing and that the most obvious thing to do is ask students to write about is things they are comfortable with, casual things, just exploring a topic and to encourage the students not to struggle with this too much. Low stakes writing should help build confidence in students regarding their writing. This method of writing can be used in class or out of class. Out of class this writing could be a journal. I plan to use this method of low stakes writing in my classes by having them keep a journal, probably of humorous things that happen to them, because it will go along with one of the aspect of communication where I teach about short term and long term memory. High-stakes writing requires more on the part of the student, as well as the teacher. High stakes writing requires that the writing has to be good which involves research on the part of the writer. McKeachie (p 217) points out that most readers of his book are not trained as teachers of writers. I can relate to this because I teach oral communication but there are times when I require students to write research papers so I need to become more comfortable with this type of writing. As a student myself, I have experience in writing research papers where the instructor wanted me to do exactly what McKeachie said (217) â€Å"regurgitate material from textbooks or lecture†. I believe that for high stakes writing topic selection will be the key to how good the writing actually is. I like the idea of multiple papers and drafts because I believe that the only way for you to learn to write better is to get constructive criticism. Having the opportunity to turn a paper in early for constructive criticism in order to rewrite it makes for a better final paper. With todays technology our writing suffers greatly because we depend on our software to find all the mistakes, whether spelling or grammar. Unfortunately the software might not always recognize that a word is not the correct word and it definitely doesnt always find grammatical errors. The old standby method of printing things off and reading them line by line and then paragraph by paragraph is still the best way to proofread. Technology Brookfield’s Teaching Online (p 191) was interesting but I am not a huge fan of online classes. I prefer the human interaction that you get in the classroom. I think that Brookfield (p 195) was correct when he said that it is an advantage to take an online class before you teach one. Before instructors put together an online course they should keep the three core assumptions that are mentioned in mind: good teaching is whatever helps the student learn, good teaching is critically reflective and how students experience their learning. If the students dont learn anything from an online class then it is not worth it to take the class. If there is no interaction between students and instructors, just how much is it helping the student? A good online course should require a specific number of posts expected each week in order to create good discussion. The instructor may have to guide the discussions so that everyone participates. Brookfield talks about organizing the online course work and I think that this is very important. The instructor must put just as much work into organizing and keeping up with what the students are doing in an online class as they do in the classroom. How far technology is going to take us in education? Sometimes not being in the classroom is not always the best way to learn. In other classes we have talked about the millennium student who wants to stay in their dorm room or apartment and do all their classes on line. This can be a benefit to both instructor and student or it can be a detriment to both. The teacher doesnt need to lose the people skills that they have developed after time in the classroom. In times of inclement weather though this can definitely be an attribute since colleges dont have make-up days and generally the department expects you to get through a certain amount of information. Learning Facilitating active learning in a large class is something that instructors should take seriously. The idea of forming small groups and the think-pair-share method (McKeachie p 269) is a good thing to utilize in large groups. If we put the students into smaller groups where they can discuss the material they will get more out of it. It is virtually impossible for the instructor to get the point across to every student in a large class, but students tend to learn better from their peers, probably because they are not as afraid to ask questions in small groups as opposed to in front of the entire class. Having a goal as a student is very important to our career as a student. As instructors we need to help the students realize that they will benefit from each of the classes that they are taking in some way and at some point in their life. As an oral communications instructor I not only teach them how to communicate in the business world but also teach them how to communicate with friends, family and their significant others. Building their self confidence in the classroom will only help them in the long run in the â€Å"real world†. Conclusion Brookfield’s book is a very diverse book that approaches topics not adequately addressed by other books. It is a work that touches on some of the most basic aspects of teaching. It does not focus on the political realities of teaching, nor does it set out to illustrate how all other methods of teaching are wrong. It is a thoughtful book that treats the students and the teachers as individuals, not merely part of an institution. Of course, the opinions and perspectives presented are only those of this particular writer. In light of this the student should use the information presented as a tutorial to assist them in development of their own perspectives concerning Brookfield’s book. McKeachie’s â€Å"Teaching Tips† is a valuable guide book that no teacher should be without. All teachers should have a copy of this book before they ever teach their first class. While some students sell their books at the end of each semester, this is one book that should be kept for references, no matter what age student is being taught. This book covers many (if not all) things that will be encountered in the classroom. REFERENCES Brookfield, S. D. (2006). The Skillful Teacher on Technique, Trust and Responsiveness in the Classroom (2nd ed. ). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. McKeachie, W. J. Svinicki, M. (2011). McKeachie’s Teaching Tips (13th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

The Essence Of Human Resource Management Theory Management Essay

The Essence Of Human Resource Management Theory Management Essay According to Martyn Shuttleworth (2009), literature review is a critical and in depth evaluation of research in which all sides of an argument must be clearly explainted, and areas of agreement and disagreement should be highlighted. In order to deal with the objectives and question proposed in the chapter 1, the author is going to find related theories in academic journals both online and paper, and other academic sources to provide the supervisor as well as readers a comprehensive overview of why the author is pursuing the research. In the chapter, the definition, components and practice of human resource management, human resource management in Vietnam and SMEs will be presented. In addition, the author will address the problems and find solutions to improve human resource management. 2.1: Human resource management definition There have been many lessons and also so much research both national and interational on the human resource management, which are widely applied in enterprises. And these primarily concentrate on the areas including the concept of human resource management, functions of human resource management and its applications. An debate on what is the essence of human resource management theory is still ongoing conversation. A review and research agenda put forth by Guest (1997) has endeavoured to pull all those arguments together. He indicates that there are diverse theories about human resource management including illustrative, strategic and normative. Firstly, descriptive theory states that the important inputs of an alternative of human resource management policy and practice such as creating employee influence, enforcing human resource flows and establishing incentive reward systems will influence on four key effects, which are commitment, competence, congruence and cost effectiveness. These leading to they will produce low labor turnover, loyal and faithful employees, who will commit to build up an organizations efficiency. This statement is also presented by Beer et al (1984) and Beaumont (1993). Secondly, strategic theory suggests that a good coordination between business strategy, human resource policy and practice will strengthen enterprises performance. Finally, normative theory describes a set of value that indicates human resource management practice applied to gain normative targets of high commitment to the enterprise. This will affect the performance of enterprises. Definition of human resource management is still in argument. Boxall and Purcell (2003) argue that this definition is affected by three issues. Firstly, human resource management is derived from a range of antecedents and depends on the stance and philosophy of the analyst. Secondly, it contributes to the analysis of the employment relationship, and is reliant upon context. Finally, the significance of human resource management is variable, which emphasize people, strategy, employment relationships etc. In order to emphasize human resource management, Redman and Wilkinson (2006) compare it as the utilization of individuals to achieve an organizations objectives. People management not only critical to business performance but also much more significant than priority over quality, technology, competitive strategy or RD terms of influence on the bottom-line. They present functions of human resource management, which include employee and labour relations, staffing, human resource development, compensation and benefits, safety and health. Storey (1995) states, similarly, that human resource management is a distinctive approach to employment management which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through strategic development of a highly committed and skilled workforce, using an integrated array of cultural, structural techniques. In addition, Cherrington (1995) confirms that human resource management is responsible for how people are treated in companies. It is the commitment on taking p eople into the organizations, assisting them carry their work out, compensating them for their labours, and settling issues that arise. 2.2: Human resource management functions and performance According to Mondy (2002), there are four functions in human resource management including recruitment, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation and benefits. Together they make up the human resource management system. Top management views these functions as an important tool to enhance competitiveness. Recruitment is, firstly, the process of attracting individuals on an opportune basis, in sufficient numbers and with suitable qualifications, and motivating them to apply for jobs with an organization. This process involves analyzing and forecasting the talent that companies need to execute their business plan, it is an important strategic step, enabling the organization to recognize, develop and sustain the workforce skills it needs to successfully accomplish its strategic intent whilst balancing career and lifestyle goals of its employees. Better recruit would lead to improvement in organisation productivities outcome compare to a poor recruit process. This process is very crucial to the success of the business. Failure to recruit appropriate worker will result in slow or stunted the grow of business (Boxall and Purcell 2000, p.140). The firm may then select those applicants with qualifications most closely related to job specifications (Mondy, 2002). He confirms that finding the r ight way of encouraging qualified candidates to put in for employment is extremely important when a firm needs to hire employees. Training and development is, secondly, the heart of a continuous effort designed to improve employee competency and organizational performance. Mondy (2002) argues that training provides learners with the knowledge and skills needed for their present jobs. On the other hand, development involves learning that goes beyond todays job, which has a more long-term focus. It prepares employees to keep pace with the organization as it changes and grows. Training Development activities have the potential to align a firms employees with its corporate strategies. According to Leonard Nadler (1984), training and development are ornanizational learning experiences took place in the certain period of times in order to increase the job performance and improve the development capacity of organizations and individuals. The concept emphasizes the ultimate goal of human resource development is to develop the organization, also focuses on the combination of personal development goals together with development objectives of the organization. However, the term also confirmed the development activities only increase job performance and organizational development capability since only when are employees interested in appling the learned knowledge to the work then the change will be created. On the other hand, the concept also clarified the role of direct managers in improving the job performance of employees yet definition of the concept is still in debate. Similarly, Henry J.Sredl Willam J. Rothwell (1997) defines training and development is to refer to the organizational learning experiences which are sponsored by the business ower. They are designed and implemented along with the goal of improving the job performance and enhancing the human condition through ensuring the combination of organizational and individual goals. The concept emphasizes the support of employer for their employees in the human resource development activities. On another view, Jerry W. Gilley (2002) states that training and development is the process of promoting organizational learning, improving job performance, and creating changes through the implementation of solutions (official and non-official), initiatives and management activities aiming at performance improvement, competitiveness and innovation which has more emphasis on the official and non-official remedies in human resource development activities, and also more focus on organizational management s olutions. Thirdly, according to Mondy (2002), performance appraisal (PA) is a formal system of review and evaluation of individual or team task performance. While assessment of team performance is essential as long as teams exist in an organization, the focus of PA in a number of companies remains on the individual employee. In spite of the emphasis, an effective appraisal system evaluates achivements and initiative plans for improvement, targets, and objectives. Finally, Mondy (2002) shows that compensation administration is one of managements most difficult and challenging human resource areas on account of containing quite a lot of elements and has a far-reaching impact on an organizations plans. Compensation is the total of all awards provided to employees in return for their services. Generally speaking, pay system are designed to attract, preserve, and encourage employees, to attain internal, external, and individual equity, and to keep a balance up in relationships between direct and indirect forms of compensation, and between the pay rates of supervisory and non-supervisory employees. As far as the relationship between human resource management and organizations performance is concerned, there has been increasing numbers of research. Most of them support the positive correlation between high performance as a result of human resource management practice and efficiency of enterprise performance. Poole and Jenkins (1996) examined the development of comprehensive human resource management policies by the survey of 909 firms in Britain and investigated that human resource management is one of the key factor to achieve a competitive advantage. With the general consensus, Dunphy and Stace (1992) have the same view with Poole and Jenkins. They emphasize that people themselves and their skills are the important factor to the added value of the organisation and human management will have an influence on enriching the efficiency of an organization. As a result, human resource management must be added in enterprises strategic development. The empirical study on effects of management training of Wong (1997) finds out that there are considerable impacts of management training and development on reforming performance of small and medium enterprises. In addition, Bratton and Gold (1994), Bearwell et al (1994) and Storey (1995) conclude that an organisation, which strives to improve its operations and demand for success, leads to the greater emphasis on human resource management. Hence, these studies have suggested that policies and practices of human resource management contribute to business success. Furthermore, there are several studies in which have included performance-based compensation as one of the high performance in human resource management practices. Redman and Wilkinson (2006) state that compensation is the total of all rewards provided employees in return for their services. There are two types of compensation including financial and non-financial compensation. Financial component consists of wages, salaries, bonuses, social security, health services etc. In contrary, non-financial one covers the satisfaction that an employee receives from the job itself and job environment such as teamwork, skills, autonomy, flex time and others. Huselid (1995), Delery and Doty (1996) consider compensation and benefits as the single strongest predictor of an enterprises performance. Based on empirical studies, these authors conclude that there is a positive correlation between performance-related pay and company performance. Therefore, performance-based compensation and merit-based promotions can be evaluated as important factors in incentive systems (Guest, 1997 and Huselid, 1995). At present, there are quite a lot of ways to progress the practice of human resource management. One of the key factors for the success of enterprises in a competitive market is to keep up continued competence through the development of human resources, which employee performance appraisal is a crucial tool. Borman (1991) defines that performance appraisal is a system of reviews and evaluations of an individuals or teams performance. It covers human resource planning, recruitment and selection, training and development, career planning and development, compensation programs and evaluation of employee potentials, of which compensation is widely apply in performance appraisal. A professional appraisal system could significantly improve employee performance and enterprise profitability (Robert, 1995). 2.3: Human resource management in small and medium enterprises Hill and Stewart (2000), with respect to human resource management in small and medium enterprises, state that SMEs lack resources like large enterprises, which tends to follow informal modes of operation such as short-term perspectives and the owners preferences and experience. However, many studies indicate that issues in SMEs are similar to those facing large enterprises such as the difficulty of linking investment in training with performance outcomes, the delivery of training courses and impacts of technology. Patton et al (2000) suggest that understanding the link between training interventions and achieving performance might be complicated by several variables that could impact the relationship. These factors might contain surrounding factors and particular ones to the firm, such as the owner and background of the management team, and the partnership between the training supplier and the recipient. Patton et al recommend that it could be more productive to encourage training as beneficial to the firm in the widest sense rather than attempting to reveal clear causal relationship. Huang (2001) argues that inadequacies in the definition and measurement of training have hampered attempts to show links between training and improvements in performance. Huangs study suggests that, where firms grow up sophisticated training courses with efficient management assistance, the effectiveness of the investment in training will be high (Huang, 2001). However, it might be argued that, by their very natu re, small and medium enterprises might lack the ability to build up sophisticated training programmes, with or without management assistance. There is a huge challenge in thinking up incentives for small firms to invest in formal job related training when it is often difficult to argue that it is in their short-term interests to do so. In relative terms, the effect of the owner manager in a small firm is much more pervaise and powerful than may be the case with the CEO of a big firm. In the view of Mazzarol (2003), he suggests small businesses are the product of their owners, whose personality and personal involvement dominate. The owner managers perspectives to training will be an essential hindrance or assistance in the implementation of training programmes. Hankinsons (2000) study of owner-managers found that these managers typically invested 93% of their working day inside the firm and made little deliberate attempt to up-skill themselves through joining courses or reading relevant literature as they regarded experience as the most relevant from of their continuing achievement. Managers with these views to training are not likely to encourage high rates of participation in training amongst their staffs. One response to this low regard many owner-managers have for the relevance of available training and developm ent schemes might be to develop an approach based on mentoring (Hudson-Davies et al. 2000). Sharply becoming a key issue, technology is in association with training on two sides, first the rapid development of technology coupled with the increasing pressure to keep up technical skills in order to maintain competitive, should supply an important incentive for continued investment in training and development. As McCole et al (2001) note, the generally negative attitude and low priority given to training in many SMEs is a matter for concern. Following their study of training in SMEs in Northern Ireland, McCole et al summarized that the short-term emphasis in small companies, which depresses investment in longer term masters such as training, might result in small companies experiencing a decline in their ability to keep up competitive in terms of their key human resources. The second side of technology is that new forms of electronically mediated training design and delivery should overcome several the problems of access, that have been often cited by managers in SMEs as a maj or obstacle. In spite of the importance of technology and the chances now emerging, research seems to suggest that SMEs have not been quick on the uptake. From a number of managers of SMEs, a frequent complaint is that available training programmes are not well designed for the commands of the small companies, or are difficult to adapt to the specific requirements of a firm. The issues here might be more complicated than simply a question of content. Anderson and Boocock (2002) argue that the big firm model of learning, on which the majority of formal training courses are arranged, is inappropriate for small companies in which the distinctive culture and communications systems could be more suited to learning which occurs through more informal processes. Advances on training in SMEs has to contain concern not simply for content, but also for problems of timing, location and delivery and such training might require a significant level of customisation given the heterogeneous nature of the SMEs sector. Clearly there is a problem here for SMEs as highly customized products for small clients are not an appealing prospect for training provi ders. According to Patton (2000), he points out that the relationship between training interventions and improved performance may be hindered by factors such as the owner and nature of management team, the relationship between the training provider and recipient. In addition, Mazzarol (2003) states that the influence of the owner manager in SMEs is more pervasive and powerful than ones in large enterprises. Moreover, Huang (2001) argues that SMEs are not capable of designing sophisticated training programs with the management support, which is a challenge for SMEs to invest into jobs related to training programs. 2.4: Human resource management of SMEs in VietNam Vietnamese government with the assistance from international organisations in many countries in the world has paid more and more attention to the development of SMEs since the renovation doi moi. In order to support Viet Nam along with its efforts, some donors came and joined hands to support Vietnamese SMEs as key actors in the countrys socio-economic development. A number of researchers have been implemented with the mandate to provide assistance to the development of SMEs. Almost these researches have aimed at financial issues, businessworking environment of SMEs and business services. This area has been mentioned by some reports in different aspects although there has not been any research specialising in human resources management issues in Vietnamese SMEs. Nguyen Duc Vinh (1999) indicates that the faster the growth experienced by the small firm the more likely it will experience human resource masters. The management of SMEs tends to be small and multi-functional. Often, entrepreneurs run companies dingle-handed or take a disproportionate production of the key decisions, in addition to functioning as the general interface to the outside world. Creating a larger, professional management is desirable, but until a certain size is reached it is difficult to create much division of labour and to develop specialised interfaces. These leading to management functions in a brutal cycle of overwork, which results in inability to consider and exploit externally-derived improvement opportunities, that in turn leads to overwork. The lack of specialised is completely absent. Notably, a number of small firms have no engineers and therefore no intelligent interface to technological changes and opportunities. Other key skill and resources might be abse nt. Usually, for instance, new technology-based companies have few marketing or business development capabilities. SMEs, which are trying to orient to export markets, require good entrepreneurial and management skills. However, business management skills are not up to the mark. Only a few owners are equipped with business knowledge of a market economy. Most of the proprietors run business based on their own experience. In general, entrepreneurs in the SMEs sector are often home-grown, obtianing their skills and leadership qualities in their own workplace and business environment. Beyond a certain point, this learning by doing approach becomes less useful in assisting small firms in graduating into modern small enterprises, equipped with advance models of technology and marketing skills. Furthermore, SME management rely on being experienced and being able to communicate both inside the enterprise and with outside partners. Thus, according to Tuong Lai (1999), training and support programmes might be needed to build up the quality and skills of both employees and management. In Vietnam, the facts have showed that employers are reluctant to invest in training potentially highly mobile workers. To a certain extent, the demand for technical and vocational training is being dampened by employees tendency to leave for a better job once they have been trained. Employers do not believe in contracts that require their workers to stay firm a certain period of time after training, either because the workers are not registered or because they think the contracts will not be enforced. A survey by MPDF in 89 manufacturing companies in both public and private sectors (MPDF, 2000) found that: On average, each month, firms invested three days of internal staff time in training and bought-in an average of 16 days of training services. Seventy eight percent of external training was provided by the public sector. The respondents also state that training content needed to be more up-to-date, of global quality, and localized for the Vietnamese context. Training should be carefully matched to customers demands with both basic and advanced training options. The training itself needed to be practical, not theoretical. The method of instruction needed to be designed to ensure skill transfer from the classroom back to the workplace. Fifty nine percent of the companies indicated that they were not able to get the training expertise they needed in Viet Nam. Additionally, although labour is abundant, most job seekers are unskilled staffs. While only a small number of SMEs could provide training for their staffs, government assistance in training is insignificant. Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), though, plays an active role on organising seminars and some training courses, a number of private companies do not apply such programs, nor they aware of VCCIs training services that is particularly the situation in the poorer provinces (Stoyan Tenev et al., 2003). According to a survey by MPDF, private firms, especially SMEs are the least preferred place of employment. Students and their parents think of a private employer as failing to provide suitable jobs and to ensure job security for employees (MPDF, 1999). This perception makes SMEs more difficult to attract qualified labour. In a seminar on development of SMEs under the umbrella of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2005, Dodd (2005) points to another weakness arising from the fact that smaller Vietnamese businesses tend to have the bulk of their labour force make up of family members, friends or relatives. In this opinion, good brothers do not necessarily make good associates. It is often difficult for a company leader to have a good judgement of his employees, especially when it comes to one of his skin. And even when the right judgement is made, other employees may still see the directors decision as an unfair one. Brown and Davison (1999) shared this opinion with Dodd that human resource management within family-owned and managed small firms can also be made difficult when family members hold key positions within the business or find themselves in dispute with other or the human resource manager.

Lower Lip Shave for Squamous Cell Carcinoma Reconstruction

Lower Lip Shave for Squamous Cell Carcinoma Reconstruction Lower lip shave for reconstruction of lower lip squamous cell carcinoma Introduction Global estimates of the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma vary slightly between various sources, but it appears to be around the eighth commonest site for malignant tumours, with approximately 300,000 cases per year (Shaw, Pace-Balzan, Butterworth, 2011, Parkin et al. 2005) (Shaw et al. 2011) (Scully Bagan, 2009) (Saman Warnakulasuriya, 2009). The relative incidence of lower lip cancer is 35%, which is the highest among oral cancers sites and is most likely due to chronic exposure to sunlight (Bauer et al. 2014).Although the modifiable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, diet and lifestyle (S. Warnakulasuriya, 2009) have been identified in the past, only a modest decline in incidence has been reported in recent decades (Chaturvedi et al. 2008). Moreover, an increase of oropharyngeal cancer cases has been related to HPV infections, highlighting the role played by HPV 16 as well as sexual behaviour in head and neck cancer (Chaturvedi et al. 2008; Marur et al. 2010). Despit e the decline in the prevalence of smoking in industrial countries, there is no noticeable reduction in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) incidence (Shaw et al. 2011). Cancer is a disease that is perhaps more dreaded by more people than any other ailment. The prognosis, in the early stages, therefore, is favourable. The most satisfactory results are obtained when the disease is detected early and treated promptly. A sound and suggestive approach to the problem of cancer control. Patient and methods A 55-year-old patient was referred by a General Medical Practitioner (GMP) regarding a one year history of recurrent lower lip swelling and infection. The patient reported having a lump on her lower lip for approximately one year. At first it was smaller in size and eventually almost occupied the whole lower lip within the one year. The patient complained of intermittent pain and dryness with occasional suppurative discharge from the lower lip. She had had frequent courses of antibiotics and at the time of initial consultation was on a course of fluconazole. The patient had a history of biopsy previously with the diagnosis of oral lichen planus in this region. Although, there had been an improvement of the symptoms after previous treatment at that time, a significant deterioration of symptoms had recurred with advanced swelling and crusting of the lower lip. According to the GMP and the patient, the lesion was worsening and had become resistant to topical medical treatment. There was no weight loss, abdominal or other systemic features observed. The patient’s appetite, sleep and mood were good. The patient had also been diagnosed with mild asthma 5 years prior. The patient consumed minimal amounts of alcohol, did not use any tobacco products and most of her time was spent indoors. Clinical examination Extra-oral examination; there was no detectable lymphadenopathy. 20mm haemorrhagic and crusting lump present on the lower lip and tender on touch, nodular in nature. Intra-oral examination; the oral mucosa was well lubricated and mild reticular white lines were present bilaterally on the buccal mucosa with no oral mucosa speckling or ulceration evident. The patient wore upper and lower complete acrylic dentures. An incisional biopsy was performed on initial consultation. The incisional biopsy report of the sample taken showed moderate dysplasia but given the clinical examination and the nature of the long history of symptoms, it might have been that the biopsy represented only a particular part and very likely that there had been invasive components to the other parts of the lip. The patient was referred urgently to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department for further treatment even though the lip was healing well after the incisional biopsy. Method of Treatment The Oral and Maxillofacial Consultant decided to perform a lip shave of the vermilion (Kolhe Leonard, 1988) and a tumour biopsy. This method of treatment is advisable in potentially malignant and early malignancy of small lesions and where there is no metastasis present. Involvement of the lymph nodes was not observed, thus the operative removal of the lymph node was not indicated. The vermilionectomy, also and better known colloquially as the lip shave, lip peal, or lip scalp operation, refers to the elliptical, horizontal excision of the exposed mucous membrane or vermilion of the lip, generally of the lower one, with resurfacing or retreading of the surgically created defect by the advancement of the undermined labial mucosa, thereby providing fresh covering which will tolerate many more years of wear (Kurth, n.d.). This procedure is a relatively simple, well-standardised, non-deforming plastic procedure of short duration. After general anesthesia has been performed, surgical preparation of the field with colourless antiseptic solution is applied, and after appropriate draping, the exposed area of lip vermilion to be excised is first outlined with a methylene blue guide mark, after which the underlying tissues are locally infiltrated with Lignospan 2% (1:80000) solution. The outlined mark is incised throughout its entire extent while the lip is firmly immobilized with the thumb and index finger of the free hand, with care being taken to make vertical rather than oblique shelving incisions so that subsequent closure will be facilitated and hypertrophic scarring prevented. After the mucosa is first elevated by sharp dissection from one corner, it can then most conveniently be removed by curved, pointed scissors down to the muscular layer. In cases of superficial malignancy, even a deeper resection can be performed without impairing the watertight closure of the lips or jeopardizing the cosmetic result. A fter haemostasis has been secured with 3-0 Prolene, the labial mucosa is undermined for an appropriate distance down to the deep muscular plane, the surgically created defect being closed by the advancement and approximation of this mobilized flap, which is then united to the cutaneous edge. To achieve an even and symmetrical closure three key sutures are first inserted, the first in the mid-portion of the lip and the remaining two bisecting the distance between the first suture and the commissures. The continuous sutures of 6-0 Prolene can then be inserted consecutively from the wound edge. The knots should not overlay the suture line so as not to retard healing. The donor site was sutured with continuous Vicryl 3.0 suture. The excised mucosal lesion was ellipsoid in shape with the parameters of 14mm horizontally x 20mm from superior to inferior x 8mm in depth. The mucosal excision was marked with the suture material (long stitch right-sided. Short stitch lingual) and sent for histopathological examination. The patient was given broad spectrum antimicrobial (Amoxicillin 500mg) injections for at least 3 days postoperatively and advised to use the lips as little as possible. The wound was kept moist during the day with frequently changed dressings of sterile normal saline which contributed considerably to the patients comfort. At night a thick layer of Aureomycin was advised, to be applied to the suture line to prevent crusting and infection. After three days the alternate sutures could be removed, and the remaining ones on the next day following the healing having progressed satisfactorily. The patient was instructed to keep the resurfaced lip well lubricated with Vaseline, lanolin, or similar preparations for quite some time postoperatively, and was also advised to avoid undue exposure to the sun. Conclusion Although, the patient had been primarily treated for symptomatic oral lichen planus, the condition had worsened significantly within a year. A second incisional biopsy showed moderate dysplasia. Furthermore, the history of rapid symptom progression of the lesion justified the performance of a prompt excisional biopsy under general anesthesia. The most recent hisopathological report confirmed the moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis, whereas moderate dysplasia was representative of only part of the lesion. Tumour thickness was about 4mm (exophytic and endophytic components) with focally non-cohesive invasion pattern. The lesion was successfully removed within excision margins from 2mm to over 5mm. Nevertheless, close follow up will be continued and the necessity of radiotherapy has been considered at a multidisciplinary meeting as margin dysplasia was found of varying grades at all margins. The lip shave is thus a non-deforming plastic operation of great value in the prophylaxis and treatment of lip cancer and in the cosmetic correction of certain congenital, neoplastic, and traumatic lip deformities. (Kurth, LIP SHAVE OR VERMILIONECTOMY : INDICATIONS AND TECHNIQUE). This is obviously not a technique suitable for all lip defects, but in selected cases it gives a very satisfactory result. Discussion Tumours are divided into two main classes; one being benign and the other, malignant. A tumour may show any degree of malignancy, which in turn has an important bearing on the prognosis and on the prospect of successful treatment. The carcinoma is a malignant epithelial tumour. It is the commonest of all malignant tumours. Among the most important carcinomas is the squamous cell carcinoma. It grows particularly on the skin, lip, tongue, larynx, cervix, and urinary bladder. Ulcers about the mouth or lips that does not heal in ten days to two weeks is a significant sign of oral cancer. If detected early and properly diagnosed, cancer is often cured or at least controlled. Incidences of oral cancer have been rising in many countries around the world (Saman Warnakulasuriya et al. 2008). The 5-year survival rate for oral cancer has not significantly improved in the past 30 years and remains at approximately 50% (Jemal et al. 2004). Many oral squamous cell carcinomas are preceded by clinically evident oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) (Saman Warnakulasuriya, Mak, Mà ¶ller, 2007). It is very important to prevent malignant change in people diagnosed with OPMDs, but the hazard ratios of various OPMDs are not well known. OPMDs include hyperkeratosis or epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial dysplasia (Schepman et al. 1998, â€Å"Oral Leukoplakia and Malignant Transformation†, 1984) erythroplakia (Reichart Philipsen, 2005) and oral submucous fibrosis (Murti et al. 1985, Pindborg et al. 1984) and their clinical phenotypes are well documented. Hyperkeratosis or epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial dysplasia and OSF are the most common oral mucosal disorders in the regions where areca quid chewing is prevalent, such as India, Taiwan, and other Southeast Asian countries (Pindborg et al. 1984, Reichart Philipsen, 2005, Lee et al. 2003, Silverman et al. 1976, Kaas et al. 1994, Chung et al. 2005). The malignant potential of oral lichen planus (OLP) remains controversial because of the absence of universally accepted diagnosis criteria (Chung et al. 2005). The malignant transformation rates of OPMDs show a great variation; for example, 10–20% of hyperkeratosis or epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial dysplasia may transform to cancer and the estimated annual rate is 1.4%–7% (Schepman et al. 1998, â€Å"Oral Leukoplakia and Malignant Transformation,† 1984). In oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) there have been many efforts to identify the factors that will allow staging in a way that accurately predicts prognosis. Many different factors have been investigated as possible predictors of outcome including patient age (Thoma et al. 2014), performance status (Rades et al. 2011) laboratory (Wittekindt P. et al. 2013) histologic grade (Arduino et al. 2008, Weijers Snow et al. 2009, Caslin R. et al. 1992, Piffkà ² et al. 1997, Brandwein-Gensler et al. 2005, Lindenblatt et al. 2012, Kurokawa et al. 2005), and various biomarkers (Ziober et al. 2008, Grimm, 2012). Current staging criteria from the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for head and neck cancer rely only on tumour size, node status, and the presence of distant metastasis (TNM). Extracapsular nodal spread, positive margins, and lymphovascular invasion are used as indications for adjuvant radiation or chemotherapy but are not part of the staging criteria. Histologic grade is not included in the current staging criteria because its ability to predict a prognosis has historically been controversial (Roland et al. 1992). Although SCC staging protocol in the seventh edition of the AJCC Cancer Staging Manual seems to represent an improvement from previous editions, there are still significant shortcomings, the greatest of which is a lack of practicality. Several studies have questioned the prognostic accuracy of the TNM system for oral cancer since neither patients comorbidity, specific tumour related factors nor multimodal treatment regimens such as preoperative radiochemotherapy (RCT) are incorporated (Kreppel et al. 2013). Nevertheless, a strong association between conventional cytology grade and survival in patients has been stated by several investigators (Weigum et al. 2010, Editor Kurtycz, 2011, Thomas et al. 2014). A high histologic grade in early stage oral cavity cancer is associated with poorer survival and carries independent prognostic value, in addition to tumour size, node status, and the presence of a distant metastasis (TNM) stage. Thus, histologic grade is considered clinically when making treatment decisions, and multivariable models of survival should include grade as a covariate to improve prognostic accuracy (Thomas et al. 2014). Lip tumours are usually low grade, whereas tumours from teeth to back of tongue are increasing in malignancy as we pass back (Grade 2); tumours of pharynx-high-grade malignancy (grade 3). Grading is a useful method of communication between pathologist and surgeon and is also used as a guide to treatment. Briefly, grades 1 and 2 are usually treated surgicall y, whereas grades 3 and 4 require radiation. Furthermore, the influence of immunological parameters on the prognosis of OSCC has already been discussed in the 1970thand 1980th[References 8,9]. Despite the fact that oral cancer and its causes are well known to the medical and dental professions, and that the tissues of the mouth are accessible for early detection of any abnormal condition, intraoral cancer continues to present an important problem. Selection of early cancer diagnosis is often difficult, especially in some cases where early symptoms are not present or misleading such as in the present case. The gross appearance first presents a local induration, then a warty mass followed by deep infiltration. The malignant ulcer is slow-growing, hard, indurated, and invasive with round edges. It may or may not involve the lymphatic nodes. Furthermore, the risk factors associated with these OPMDs and oral cancers have been established. Tobacco use, alcohol abuse and areca quid chewing habits are important risk factors. The associated factors in the progression of the disease and malignant transformation of OPMDs have not been well defined in previous studies: lesion type (Schepman et al. 1998, â€Å"Oral Leukoplakia and Malignant Transformation,† 1984, Murti et al. 1985, Pindborg et al. 1984, Lumerman A. et al. 1995, Hsue et al. 2007), age (Hsue et al. 2007), lifestyle habits (Schepman et al. 1998, Hsue et al. 2007, Chen S. et al. 2000) and lesion subsites (Scully et al. 2003) were significant factors related to malignancy, but the results from different studies vary and firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Excision of the exposed mucosa or vermilion of the lips can be safely performed even under local anaesthesia and is particularly indicated in situations requiring resurfacing of the lip, notably extensive precancerous leukoplakia or chronic solar cheilitis à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ the chronic sunburn of the weather-beaten farmers or sailors skin or tropical skin of the inhabitants of sunny climates. 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